National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act
On June 5, 2008, the House passed the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act, H.R. 5940. This legislation amends the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act to make several changes to the implementation process and priorities of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI). It is based in part on recommendations from the formal reviews of NNI by the National Academy of Sciences and the NNI Advisory Panel.
In 2003, the Science and Technology Committee worked to develop and enact the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, which authorized National Nanotechnology Initiative. The 2003 statute established formal interagency planning, coordinating, and budgeting for NNI. Currently, twenty-six federal agencies participate in NNI, 13 of which contribute to NNI’s research and development budget.
This legislation does not substantially alter NNI, but makes adjustments to some of the priorities of the program and strengthens one of the core components – environmental and safety research.
This legislation amends the statute based on the findings and recommendations of the series of hearing the Committee has held throughout the 110th Congress – regarding nanotechnology education, safety impact of nanotechnology, commercialization of nanotechnology, and to review the proposed reauthorization legislation – that reviewed the various activities and aspects of NNI. Also, the bill sets specific steps to increase the number of nanotechnology-related projects supported under the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Technology Innovation Program, established under the COMPETES Act. H.R. 5940 includes provisions to expand the use of nanotechnology facilities by companies for prototyping and proof of concept studies.
The legislation also incorporates provisions that address science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce needs. One provision builds on the National Science Foundation (NSF) Math and Science Partnership program to use nanotechnology education activities as a vehicle to raise the interest of secondary school students in possible STEM careers.
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