[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 167 (Tuesday, November 18, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15090-S15102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
21ST CENTURY NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar No. 280, S. 189.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will state the bill by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 189) to authorize appropriations for
nanoscience, nanoengineering, and nanotechnology research,
and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill,
which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting
clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
[Strike the part shown in black brackets and insert the part shown in
italic.]
S. 189
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
[SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
[This Act may be cited as the ``21st Century Nanotechnology
Research and Development Act''.
[SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
[The Congress makes the following findings:
[(1) The emerging fields of nanoscience and nanoengineering
(collectively, ``nanotechnology''), in which matter is
manipulated at the atomic level (i.e., atom-by- atom or
molecule-by-molecule) in order to build materials, machines,
and devices with novel properties or functions, are leading
to unprecedented scientific and technological opportunities
that will benefit society by changing the way many things are
designed and made.
[(2) Long-term nanoscale research and development leading
to potential breakthroughs in areas such as materials and
manufacturing, electronics, medicine and healthcare,
environment, energy, chemicals, biotechnology, agriculture,
information technology, and national security could be as
significant as the combined influences of microelectronics,
biotechnology, and information technology on the 20th
century. Nanotechnology could lead to things such as--
[(A) new generations of electronics where the entire
collection of the Library of Congress is stored on devices
the size of a sugar cube;
[(B) manufacturing that requires less material, pollutes
less, and is embedded with sophisticated sensors that will
internally detect signs of weakness and automatically respond
by releasing chemicals that will prevent damage;
[[Page S15091]]
[(C) prosthetic and medical implants whose surfaces are
molecularly designed to interact with the cells of the body;
[(D) materials with an unprecedented combination of
strength, toughness, and lightness that will enable land,
sea, air, and space vehicles to become lighter and more fuel
efficient;
[(E) selective membranes that can fish out specific toxic
or valuable particles from industrial waste or that can
inexpensively desalinate sea water; and
[(F) tiny robotic spacecraft that will cost less, consume
very little power, adapt to unexpected environments, change
its capabilities as needed, and be completely autonomous.
[(3) Long-term, high-risk research is necessary to create
breakthroughs in technology. Such research requires
government funding since the benefits are too distant or
uncertain for industry alone to support. Current Federal
investments in nanotechnology research and development are
not grounded in any specifically authorized statutory
foundation. As a result, there is a risk that future funding
for long-term, innovative research will be tentative and
subject to instability which could threaten to hinder future
United States technological and economic growth.
[(4) The Federal government can play an important role in
the development of nanotechnology, as this science is still
in its infancy, and it will take many years of sustained
investment for this field to achieve maturity.
[(5) Many foreign countries, companies and scientists
believe that nanotechnology will be the leading technology of
the 21st century and are investing heavily into its research.
According to a study of international nanotechnology research
efforts sponsored by the National Science and Technology
Council, the United States is at risk of falling behind its
international competitors, including Japan, South Korea, and
Europe if it fails to sustain broad based funding in
nanotechnology. The United States cannot afford to fall
behind our competitors if we want to maintain our economic
strength.
[(6) Advances in nanotechnology stemming from Federal
investments in fundamental research and subsequent private
sector development likely will create technologies that
support the work and improve the efficiency of the Federal
government, and contribute significantly to the efforts of
the government's mission agencies.
[(7) According to various estimates, including those of the
National Science Foundation, the market for nanotech products
and services in the United States alone could reach over $1
trillion later this century.
[(8) Nanotechnology will evolve from modern advances in
chemical, physical, biological, engineering, medical, and
materials research, and will contribute to cross-disciplinary
training of the 21st century science and technology
workforce.
[(9) Mastering nanotechnology will require a unique skill
set for scientists and engineers that combine chemistry,
physics, material science, and information science. Funding
in these critical areas has been flat for many years and as a
result fewer young people are electing to go into these areas
in graduate schools throughout the United States. This will
have to reverse if we hope to develop the next generation of
skilled workers with multi-disciplinary perspectives
necessary for the development of nanotechnology.
[(10) Research on nanotechnology creates unprecedented
capabilities to alter ourselves and our environment and will
give rise to a host of novel social, ethical, philosophical,
and legal issues. To appropriately address these issues will
require wide reflection and guidance that are responsive to
the realities of the science, as well as additional research
to predict, understand, and alleviate anticipated problems.
[(11) Nanotechnology will provide structures to enable the
revolutionary concept of quantum computing, which uses
quantum mechanical properties to do calculation. Quantum
computing permits a small number of atoms to potentially
store and process enormous amounts of information. Just 300
interacting atoms in a quantum computer could store as much
information as a classical electronic computer that uses all
the particles in the universe, and today's complex encryption
algorithms, which would take today's best super computer 20
billion years, could be cracked in 30 minutes.
[(12) The Executive Branch has previously established a
National Nanotechnology Initiative to coordinate Federal
nanotechnology research and development programs. This
initiative has contributed significantly to the development
of nanotechnology. Authorizing legislation can serve to
establish new technology goals and research directions,
improve agency coordination and oversight mechanisms, help
ensure optimal returns to investment, and simplify reporting,
budgeting, and planning processes for the Executive Branch
and the Congress.
[(13) The private sector technology innovations that grow
from fundamental nanotechnology research are dependent on a
haphazard, expensive, and generally inefficient technology
transition path. Strategies for accelerating the transition
of fundamental knowledge and innovations in commercial
products or to support mission agencies should be explored,
developed, and when appropriate, executed.
[(14) Existing data on the societal, ethical, educational,
legal, and workforce implications and issues related to
nanotechnology are lacking. To help decision-makers and
affected parties better anticipate issues likely to arise
with the onset and maturation of nanotechnology, research and
studies on these issues must be conducted and disseminated.
[(15) Many States and regions have begun nanotechnology
programs. These programs have developed expertise,
particularly with regard to providing infrastructure and
preparing the nanotechnology workforce. The Federal
nanotechnology program should leverage these existing State
and local institutions to best provide a coordinated and
comprehensive nanotechnology research portfolio.
[(16) In ``Small Wonders, Endless Frontiers'' the National
Academy of Sciences' National Research Council recommends
increased investment in nanotechnology, particularly at the
intersection of nanotechnology and biology. Such investments
will allow significant advancements in biotechnology and
medicine.
[SEC. 3. PURPOSE.
[It is the purpose of this Act to authorize a coordinated
inter-agency program that will support long-term nanoscale
research and development leading to potential breakthroughs
in areas such as materials and manufacturing,
nanoelectronics, medicine and healthcare, environment,
energy, chemicals, biotechnology, agriculture, information
technology, and national and homeland security.
[SEC. 4. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH PROGRAM.
[(a) National Nanotechnology Research Program.--The
President shall establish a National Nanotechnology Research
Program. Through appropriate agencies, councils, and the
National Coordination Office, the program shall--
[(1) establish the goals, priorities, grand challenges, and
metrics for evaluation for Federal nanotechnology research,
development, and other activities;
[(2) invest in Federal research and development programs in
nanotechnology and related sciences to achieve those goals;
and
[(3) provide for interagency coordination of Federal
nanotechnology research, development, and other activities
undertaken pursuant to the program.
[(b) Goals of the National Nanotechnology Research
Program.--The goals of the program are as follows:
[(1) The coordination of long-term fundamental nanoscience
and engineering research to build a fundamental understanding
of matter enabling control and manipulation at the nanoscale.
[(2) The assurance of continued United States global
leadership in nanotechnology to meet national goals and to
support national economic, health, national security,
educational, and scientific interests.
[(3) The advancement of United States productivity and
industrial competitiveness through stable, consistent, and
coordinated investments in long-term scientific and
engineering research in nanotechnology.
[(4) The development of a network of shared academic
facilities and technology centers, including State supported
centers, that will play a critical role in accomplishing the
other goals of the program, foster partnerships, and develop
and utilize next generation scientific tools.
[(5) The development of enabling infrastructural
technologies that United States industry can use to
commercialize new discoveries and innovations in nanoscience.
[(6) The acceleration of the deployment and transition of
advanced and experimental nanotechnology and concepts into
the private sector.
[(7) The establishment of a program designed to provide
effective education and training for the next generation of
researchers and professionals skilled in the
multidisciplinary perspectives necessary for nanotechnology.
[(8) To ensure that philosophical, ethical, and other
societal concerns will be considered alongside the
development of nanotechnology.
[(c) Research and Development Areas.--Through its
participating agencies, the National Nanotechnology Research
Program shall develop, fund, and manage Federal research
programs in the following areas:
[(1) Long-term fundamental research.--The program shall
undertake long-term basic nanoscience and engineering
research that focuses on fundamental understanding and
synthesis of nanometer-size building blocks with potential
for breakthroughs in areas such as materials and
manufacturing, nanoelectronics, medicine and healthcare,
environment, energy, chemical and pharmaceuticals industries,
biotechnology and agriculture, computation and information
technology, and national security. Funds made available from
the appropriate agencies under this paragraph shall be used--
[(A) to provide awards of less than $1,000,000 each to
single investigators and small groups to provide sustained
support to individual investigators and small groups
conducting fundamental, innovative research; and
[(B) to fund fundamental research and the development of
university-industry-laboratory and interagency (including
State-led) partnerships.
[(2) Grand challenges.--The program shall support grand
challenges that are essential for the advancement of the
field and interdisciplinary research and education
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teams, including multidisciplinary nanotechnology research
centers, that work on major long-term objectives. This
funding area will fund, through participating agencies,
interdisciplinary research and education teams that aim to
achieve major, long-term objectives, such as the following:
[(A) Nanomaterials by design which are stronger, lighter,
harder, self-repairing, and safer.
[(B) Nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, and magnetics.
[(C) Healthcare applications.
[(D) Nanoscale processes and environment.
[(E) Energy and energy conservation.
[(F) Microspacecraft.
[(G) Bio-nanodevices for detection and mitigation of
biothreats to humans.
[(H) Economical, efficient, and safe transportation.
[(I) National and homeland security.
[(J) Other appropriate challenges.
[(3) Interdisciplinary nanotechnology research centers.--
The Program, through the appropriate agencies, shall fund, on
a competitive merit reviewed basis, research centers in the
range of $3,000,000 to $5,000,000 per year each for 5 years.
A grant under this paragraph to a center may be renewed for 1
5-year term on the basis of that center's performance,
determined after a review. The program, through its
participating agencies, shall encourage research networking
among centers and researchers and require access to
facilities to both academia and industry. The centers shall
assist in reaching other initiative priorities, including
fundamental research, grand challenges, education,
development and utilization of specific research tools, and
promoting partnerships with industry. To the greatest extent
possible, agencies participating in the program shall
establish geographically diverse centers including at least
one center in a State participating in the National Science
Foundation's (NSF) Experimental Program, to Stimulate
Competitive Research (EPSCoR), established under section 113
of the NSF Authorization Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 1862(g)) and
shall encourage the participation of minority serving
institutions at these centers.
[(4) Research infrastructure.--The program, through its
participating agencies, shall ensure adequate research
infrastructure and equipment for rapid progress on program
goals, including the employment of underutilized
manufacturing facilities in areas of high unemployment as
production engineering and research testbeds for micron-scale
technologies. Major research equipment and instrumentation
shall be an eligible funding purpose under the program.
[(5) Societal, ethical, educational, legal, and workforce
issues related to nanotechnology.--The Director of the
National Science Foundation shall establish a new Center for
Societal, Ethical, Educational, Legal, and Workforce Issues
Related to Nanotechnology at $5,000,000 per year to
encourage, conduct, coordinate, commission, collect, and
disseminate research on the societal, ethical, educational,
legal, and workforce issues related to nanotechnology. The
Center shall also conduct studies and provide input and
assistance to the Director of the National Science Foundation
in completing the annual report required under paragraph
7(b)(3) of this Act.
[(6) Transition of technology.--The program, through its
participating agencies, shall ensure cooperation and
collaboration with United States industry in all relevant
research efforts and develop mechanisms to assure prompt
technology transition.
[(7) Gap funding.--The program shall address research areas
identified by the Council under section 5(a)(9) of this Act
through a program of competitive grants to be awarded in such
areas by the Director of the National Science Foundation
using the Foundation's funds and any funds contributed to the
Foundation by other participating agencies for this purpose.
Such grants may be made to government or non-government
awardees. Where appropriate, such grants may encourage
interagency partnerships or leverage the expertise of State-
supported nanotechnology programs.
[SEC. 5. PROGRAM COORDINATION AND MANAGEMENT.
[(a) In General.--The National Science and Technology
Council shall oversee the planning, management, and
coordination of the Federal nanotechnology research and
development program. The Council, itself or through an
appropriate subgroup it designates or establishes, shall--
[(1) establish a set of broad applications of
nanotechnology research and development, or grand challenges,
to be met by the results and activities of the program, based
on national needs;
[(2) submit to the Congress through the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the House of
Representatives Committee on Science, an annual report, along
with the President's annual budget request, describing the
implementation of the program under section 4;
[(3) provide for interagency coordination of the program,
including with the Department of Defense;
[(4) coordinate the budget requests of each of the agencies
involved in the program with the Office of Management and
Budget to ensure that a balanced research portfolio is
maintained in order to ensure the appropriate level of
research effort;
[(5) provide guidance each year to the participating
departments and agencies concerning the preparation of
appropriations requests for activities related to the
program;
[(6) consult with academic, industry, State and local
government (including State and regional nanotechnology
programs), and other appropriate groups conducting research
on and using nanotechnology;
[(7) establish an Information Services and Applications
Council to promote access to and early application of the
technologies, innovations, and expertise derived from
nanotechnology research and development program activities to
agency missions and systems across the Federal government,
and to United States industry;
[(8) in cooperation with the Advisory Panel established
under subsection (b), develop and apply measurements using
appropriate metrics for evaluating program performance and
progress toward goals; and
[(9) identify research areas which are not being adequately
addressed by the agencies' current research programs.
[(b) President's Nanotechnology Advisory Panel.--
[(1) Establishment.--The President shall establish a
National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel.
[(2) Selection procedures.--The President shall establish
procedures for the selection of individuals not employed by
the Federal government who are qualified in the science of
nanotechnology and other appropriate fields and may, pursuant
to such procedures, select up to 20 individuals, one of whom
shall be designated Chairman, to serve on the Advisory Panel.
Selection of individuals for the Advisory Panel shall be
based solely on established records of distinguished
fundamental and applied scientific service, and the panel
shall contain a reasonable cross-section of views and
expertise, including those regarding the societal, ethical,
educational, legal, and workforce issues related to
nanotechnology. In selecting individuals to serve on the
Advisory Panel, the President shall seek and give due
consideration to recommendations from the Congress, industry,
the scientific community (including the National Academy of
Sciences), scientific professional societies, academia, the
defense community, the education community, State and local
governments, and other appropriate organizations.
[(3) Meetings.--The Advisory Panel shall meet no less than
twice annually, at such times and places as may be designated
by the Chairman in consultation with the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office established under
subsection 5(c) of this Act.
[(4) Duties.--The Advisory Panel shall advise the President
and the National Science and Technology Council, and inform
the Congress, on matters relating to the National
Nanotechnology Program, including goals, roles, and
objectives within the program, its capabilities and research
needs, guidance on achieving major objectives, and
establishing and measuring performance goals using
appropriate metrics. The Advisory Panel shall issue an annual
report, containing the information required by subsection (d)
of this section, to the President, the Council, the heads of
each agency involved in the program, the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the House of
Representatives Committee on Science, on or before September
30 of each year.
[(c) National Nanotechnology Coordination Office.--The
President shall establish a National Nanotechnology
Coordination Office, with full-time staff, to provide day-to-
day technical and administrative support to the Council and
the Advisory Panel, and to be the point of contact on Federal
nanotechnology activities for government organizations,
academia, industry, professional societies, State
nanotechnology programs, and others to exchange technical and
programmatic information. The Office shall promote full
coordination of research efforts between agencies, scientific
disciplines, and United States industry.
[(d) Program Plans and Reports.--
[(1) Annual evaluation of nanotechnology research
development program.--The report by the Advisory Panel,
required pursuant to subsection (b)(4), shall include--
[(A) a review of the program's technical success in
achieving the stated goals and grand challenges according to
the metrics established by the program and Advisory Panel;
[(B) a review of the program's management and coordination;
[(C) a review of the funding levels by each agency for the
program's activities and their ability to achieve the
program's stated goals and grand challenges;
[(D) a review of the balance in the program's portfolio and
components across agencies and disciplines;
[(E) an assessment of the degree of participation in the
program by minority serving institutions and institutions
located in States participating in NSF's EPSCoR program;
[(F) a review of policy issues resulting from advancements
in nanotechnology and its effects on the scientific
enterprise, commerce, workforce, competitiveness, national
security, medicine, and government operations;
[(G) recommendations for new program goals and grand
challenges;
[(H) recommendations for new research areas, partnerships,
coordination and management mechanisms, or programs to be
established to achieve the program's stated goals and grand
challenges;
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[(I) recommendations for new investments by each
participating agency in each program funding area for the 5-
year period following the delivery of the report;
[(J) reviews and recommendations regarding other issues
deemed pertinent or specified by the panel; and
[(K) a technology transition study which includes an
evaluation of the Federal nanotechnology research and
development program's success in transitioning its research,
technologies, and concepts into commercial and military
products, including--
[(i) examples of successful transition of research,
technologies, and concepts from the Federal nanotechnology
research and development program into commercial and military
products;
[(ii) best practices of universities, government, and
industry in promoting efficient and rapid technology
transition in the nanotechnology sector;
[(iii) barriers to efficient technology transition in the
nanotechnology sector, including, but not limited to,
standards, pace of technological change, qualification and
testing of research products, intellectual property issues,
and Federal funding; and
[(iv) recommendations for government sponsored activities
to promote rapid technology transition in the nanotechnology
sector.
[(2) Office of management and budget review.--
[(A) Budget request review.--Each Federal agency and
department participating in the program shall, as part of its
annual request for appropriations, submit information to the
Office of Management and Budget including--
[(i) each element of its nanotechnology research and
development activities that contributes directly to the
program or benefits from the program;
[(ii) the portion of its request for appropriations that is
allocated to each such element; and
[(iii) the portion of its request for appropriations that
is allocated to each program funding area.
[(B) OMB review and allocation statement.--The Office of
Management and Budget shall review the information provided
under subparagraph (A) in light of the goals, priorities,
grand challenges, and agency and departmental
responsibilities set forth in the annual report of the
Council under paragraph (3), and shall include in the
President's annual budget estimate, a statement delineating
the amount and portion of each appropriate agency's or
department's annual budget estimate relating to its
activities undertaken pursuant to the program.
[(3) Annual nstc report to congress on the nanotechnology
research development program.--The National Science and
Technology Council shall submit an annual report to the
Congress that--
[(A) includes a detailed description of the goals, grand
challenges, and program funding areas established by the
President for the program;
[(B) sets forth the relevant programs and activities, for
the fiscal year with respect to which the budget submission
applies, of each Federal agency and department, participating
in the program, as well as such other agencies and
departments as the President or the Director considers
appropriate;
[(C) describes the levels of Federal funding for the fiscal
year during which such report is submitted, and the levels
proposed for the fiscal year with respect to which the budget
submission applies, for each of the program funding areas of
the program;
[(D) describes the levels of Federal funding for each
agency and department participating in the program and each
program funding area for the fiscal year during which such
report is submitted, and the levels proposed for the fiscal
year with respect to which the budget submission applies, and
compare these levels to the most recent recommendations of
the Advisory Panel and the external review of the program;
[(E) describes coordination and partnership activities with
State, local, international, and private sector efforts in
nanotechnology research and development, and how they support
the goals of the program;
[(F) describes mechanisms and efforts used by the program
to assist in the transition of innovative concepts and
technologies from Federally funded programs into the
commercial sector, and successes in these transition
activities;
[(G) describes coordination between the military and
civilian portions, as well as the life science and non-life
science portions, of the program in technology development,
supporting the goals of the program, and supporting the
mission needs of the departments and agencies involved;
[(H) analyzes the progress made toward achieving the goals,
priorities, and grand challenges designated for the program
according to the metrics established by the program and the
Advisory Panel; and
[(I) recommends new mechanisms of coordination, program
funding areas, partnerships, or activities necessary to
achieve the goals, priorities, and grand challenges
established for the program.
[(4) Triennial external review of nanotechnology research
and development program.--
[(A) In general.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall enter into an arrangement with the National
Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to
conduct a triennial evaluation of the Federal nanotechnology
research and development program, including--
[(i) a review of the technical success of the program in
achieving the stated goals and grand challenges under the
metrics established by the program and the nanotechnology
Advisory Panel, and under other appropriate measurements;
[(ii) a review of the program's management and coordination
across agencies and disciplines;
[(iii) a review of the funding levels by each agency for
the program's activities and their ability with such funding
to achieve the program's stated goals and grand challenges;
[(iv) recommendations for new or revised program goals and
grand challenges;
[(v) recommendations for new research areas, partnerships,
coordination and management mechanisms, or programs to be
established to achieve the program's stated goals and grand
challenges;
[(vi) recommendations for investment levels in light of
goals by each participating agency in each program funding
area for the 5-year period following the delivery of the
report;
[(vii) recommendations on policy, program, and budget
changes with respect to nanotechnology research and
development activities;
[(viii) recommendations for improved metrics to evaluate
the success of the program in accomplishing its stated goals;
[(ix) a review of the performance of the Information
Services and Applications Council and its efforts to promote
access to and early application of the technologies,
innovations, and expertise derived from program activities to
agency missions and systems across the Federal government and
to United States industry; and
[(x) an analysis of the relative position of the United
States compared to other nations with respect to
nanotechnology research and development, including the
identification of any critical research areas where the
United States should be the world leader to best achieve the
goals of the program.
[(B) Evaluation to be transmitted to congress.--The
Director of the National Science Foundation shall transmit
the results of any evaluation for which it made arrangements
under subparagraph (A) to the Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives
Committee on Science upon receipt. The first such evaluation
shall be transmitted no later than June 10, 2005, with
subsequent evaluations transmitted to the Committees every 3
years thereafter.
[SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
[(a) National Science Foundation.--
[(1) General authorization.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director of the National Science
Foundation to carry out the Director's responsibilities under
this Act $346,150,000 for fiscal year 2004.
[(2) Specific allocations.--
[(A) Interdisciplinary nanotechnology research centers.--Of
the amounts described in paragraph (1), $50,000,000 for
fiscal year 2004, shall be available for grants of up to
$5,000,000 each for multidisciplinary nanotechnology research
centers.
[(B) Center for societal, ethical, educational, legal, and
workforce issues related to nanotechnology.--Of the sums
authorized for the National Science Foundation each fiscal
year, $5,000,000 shall be used to establish a university-
based Center for Societal, Ethical, Educational, Legal, and
Workforce Issues Related to Nanotechnology.
[(C) National nanotechnology coordination office.--Of the
sums authorized for the National Science Foundation each
fiscal year, $5,000,000 shall be used for the activities of
the Nanotechnology Coordination Office.
[(D) Gap funding.--Of the sums authorized for the National
Science Foundation each fiscal year, $5,000,000 shall be for
use in competitive grants as described in section 4(c)(7) of
this Act.
[(b) Department of Energy.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Energy to carry out the
Secretary's responsibilities under this Act $160,195,000 for
fiscal year 2004.
[(c) National Aeronautics and Space Administration.--There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration to carry out
the Administrator's responsibilities under this Act
$58,650,000 for fiscal year 2004.
[(d) National Institutes of Health.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Director of the National Institutes
to carry out the Director's responsibilities under this Act
$49,680,000 for fiscal year 2004.
[(e) National Institute of Standards and Technology.--There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology to carry out
the Director's responsibilities under this Act $50,600,000
for fiscal year 2004.
[(f) Environmental Protection Agency.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency to carry out the Administrator's
responsibilities under this Act $5,750,000 for fiscal year
2004.
[(g) Department of Justice.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director of the National Institute of
Justice to carry out the Director's responsibilities under
this Act $1,610,000 for fiscal year 2004.
[(h) Department of Transportation.--There are authorized to
be appropriated to
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the Secretary of Transportation to carry out the Secretary's
responsibilities under this Act $2,300,000 for fiscal year
2004.
[(i) Department of Agriculture.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the
Secretary's responsibilities under this Act $2,870,000 for
fiscal year 2004.
[SEC. 7. SOCIETAL, ETHICAL, EDUCATIONAL, LEGAL, AND WORKFORCE
ISSUES RELATED TO NANOTECHNOLOGY.
[(a) Studies.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall encourage, conduct, coordinate, commission,
collect, and disseminate studies on the societal, ethical,
educational, and workforce implications of nanotechnology
through the Center for Societal, Ethical, Educational, Legal,
and Workforce Issues established under section 4(c)(5). The
studies shall identify anticipated issues and problems, as
well as provide recommendations for preventing or addressing
such issues and problems.
[(b) Data Collection.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall collect data on the size of the anticipated
nanotechnology workforce need by detailed occupation,
industry, and firm characteristics, and assess the adequacy
of the trained talent pool in the United States to fill such
workforce needs.
[(c) Annual Report.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall compile the studies required by paragraph
(2) and, with the assistance of the Center for Societal,
Ethical, Educational, Legal, and Workforce Issues Related to
Nanotechnology established under section 4(c)(5) of this Act,
shall complete a report that includes a description of the
Center's activities, which shall be submitted to the
President, the Council, the Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation, and the House of Representatives
Committee on Science not later than 18 months after the date
of enactment of this Act.
[SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
[In this Act:
[(1) Advisory panel.--The term ``Advisory Panel'' means the
President's National Nanotechnology Panel.
[(2) Fundamental research.--The term ``fundamental
research'' means research that builds a fundamental
understanding and leads to discoveries of the phenomena,
processes, and tools necessary to control and manipulate
matter at the nanoscale.
[(3) Grand challenge.--The term ``grand challenge'' means a
fundamental problem in science or engineering, with broad
economic and scientific impact, whose solution will require
the application of nanotechnology.
[(4) Interdisciplinary nanotechnology research center.--The
term ``interdisciplinary nanotechnology research center''
means a group of 6 or more researchers collaborating across
scientific and engineering disciplines on large-scale long-
term research projects that will significantly advance the
science supporting the development of nanotechnology or the
use of nanotechnology in addressing scientific issues of
national importance, consistent with the goals set forth in
section 4(b).
[(5) Nanotechnology.--The term ``nanotechnology'' means the
ability to work at the molecular level, atom-by-atom, to
create large structures with fundamentally new molecular
organization.
[(6) Program.--The term ``program'' means the national
nanotechnology research program established under section 4.
[(7) Research infrastructure.--The term ``research
infrastructure'' means the measurement science,
instrumentation, modeling and simulation, and user facilities
needed to develop a flexible and enabling infrastructure so
that United States industry can rapidly commercialize new
discoveries in nanotechnology.]
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``21st Century Nanotechnology
Research and Development Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.
(a) National Nanotechnology Program.--The President shall
implement a National Nanotechnology Program. Through
appropriate agencies, councils, and the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office established in subsection
(d), the Program shall--
(1) Establish the goals, priorities, grand challenges, and
metrics for evaluation for Federal nanotechnology research,
development, and other activities;
(2) Invest in Federal research and development programs in
nanotechnology and related sciences to achieve those goals;
and
(3) Provide for interagency coordination of Federal
nanotechnology research, development, and other activities
undertaken pursuant to the Program.
(b) Goals.--The goals of the National Nanotechnology
Program shall include:
(1) Developing a fundamental understanding of matter that
enables control and manipulation at the nanoscale.
(2) Ensuring United States global leadership in the
development and application of nanotechnology.
(3) Advancing the United States productivity and industrial
competitiveness through stable, consistent, and coordinated
investments in long-term scientific and engineering research
in nanotechnology.
(4) Developing a network of shared facilities and centers
to foster partnerships among researchers in nanotechnology.
(5) Accelerating the deployment and application in the
private sector, including startup companies, of nanoscale-
related research and development.
(6) Providing effective education and training for
researchers and professionals skilled in the
multidisciplinary perspectives necessary for nanotechnology
so that a true interdisciplinary research culture for
nanoscale science, engineering, and technology can emerge.
(7) Ensuring that ethical, legal, environmental, and other
appropriate societal concerns are considered during the
development of nanotechnology, including safer sustainable
nanoscience products and processing.
(c) Program Management.--The National Science and
Technology Council shall oversee the planning, management,
and coordination of the National Nanotechnology Program. The
Council, itself or through an appropriate subgroup it
designates or establishes, shall--
(1) establish a set of broad applications of nanotechnology
research and development, or grand challenges, to be met by
the results and activities of the Program, based on national
needs;
(2) provide for interagency coordination of the Program,
including with the activities of the Defense Nanotechnology
Research and Development Program established under section
246 of the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-314);
(3) develop, within 12 months after the date of enactment
of this Act, and update every 4 years thereafter, a strategic
plan to meet the goals and priorities established under
subsection (b) and to guide the activities and anticipated
outcomes of the participating agencies, including a
description of how the Program will move results out of the
laboratory and into application for the benefit of society,
support for long-term funding for multidisciplinary research
and development in technology, and dedication of funding for
interagency nanotechnology projects;
(4) coordinate the budget requests of each of the agencies
involved in the Program with the Office of Management and
Budget to ensure that a balanced nanotechnology research
portfolio is maintained in order to ensure the appropriate
level of research effort;
(5) exchange information with academic, industry, State and
local government (including State and regional nanotechnology
programs), and other appropriate groups conducting research
on and using nanotechnology;
(6) develop a plan to utilize Federal programs, such as the
Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small
Business Technology Transfer Research Program, in support of
the goal stated in subsection (b)(5);
(7) identify research areas that are not being adequately
addressed by the agencies' current research programs;
(8) encourage progress on Program goals through the
utilization of existing manufacturing facilities and
industrial infrastructures such as, but not limited to, the
employment of underutilized manufacturing facilities in areas
of high unemployment as production engineering and research
testbeds; and
(9) provide for, on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis,
interdisciplinary nanotechnology research centers, which to
the greatest extent possible, shall be established in
geographically diverse centers including at least one center
in a State participating in the National Science Foundation's
(NSF) Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research
(EPSCoR), established under section 113 of the NSF
Authorization Act of 1988 (42 U.S.C. 1862(g)) and shall
encourage the participation of minority serving institutions
at these centers.
(d) Program Coordination.--The President shall establish a
National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, with full-time
staff, which shall--
(1) provide technical and administrative support to the
Council and the Advisory Panel;
(2) serve as the point of contact on Federal nanotechnology
activities for government organizations, academia, industry,
professional societies, State nanotechnology programs,
interested citizen groups, and others to exchange
technical and programmatic information;
(3) conduct public outreach, including dissemination of
findings and recommendations of the Advisory Panel, as
appropriate; and
(4) establish an office to promote access to and early
application of the technologies, innovations, and expertise
derived from Program activities to agency missions and
systems across the Federal Government, and to United States
industry, including startup companies.
(e) Annual Report.--The Council shall prepare an annual
report, to be submitted to the House of Representatives
Committee on Science and the Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation at the time of the President's
budget request to Congress, that includes--
(1) the Program budget, for the current fiscal year, for
each agency that participates in the Program, including a
breakout of spending for the development and acquisition of
research facilities and instrumentation, for each program
component area, and for all activities pursuant to subsection
(b)(7), which shall be submitted by December 31st of such
year;
(2) the proposed Program budget for the next fiscal year,
for each agency that participates in the Program, including a
breakout of spending for the development and acquisition of
research facilities and instrumentation, for each program
component area, and for all activities pursuant to subsection
(b)(7);
(3) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the
goals and priorities established for the Program;
(4) an analysis of the extent to which the Program has
incorporated the recommendations of the Advisory Panel and
the Center, established in section 7 of this Act; and
(5) an assessment of how Federal agencies are implementing
the plan described in section
[[Page S15095]]
(c)(7), and a description of the amount of Small Business
Innovative Research and Small Business Technology Transfer
Research funds supporting the plan.
SEC. 3. ADVISORY PANEL.
(a) In General.--The President shall establish or designate
a National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel.
(b) Qualifications.--The Panel established or designated by
the President under subsection (a) shall consist primarily of
individuals who are non-Federal members and shall include
representatives of academia and industry. Members of such
Panel shall be qualified to provide advice and information on
nanotechnology research, development, demonstrations,
education, technology transfer, commercial application, or
societal and ethical concerns. In selecting or designating an
Advisory Panel, the President may also seek and give
consideration to recommendations from the Congress, industry,
the scientific community (including the National Academy of
Sciences), scientific professional societies, academia, the
defense community, State and local governments, regional
nanotechnology programs, and other appropriate organizations.
(c) Duties.--The Panel shall advise the President and the
Council on matters relating to the Program, including
assessing--
(1) trends and developments in nanotechnology science and
engineering;
(2) progress made in implementing the Program;
(3) the need to revise the Program;
(4) the balance among the components of the Program,
including funding levels for the program component areas;
(5) whether the Program component areas, priorities, and
technical goals developed by the Council are helping to
maintain United States leadership in nanotechnology;
(6) the management, coordination, implementation, and
activities of the Program; and
(7) whether societal, ethical, environmental, and workforce
concerns are adequately addressed by the Program.
(d) Reports.--The Advisory Panel shall report, not less
frequently than once every 2 fiscal years, to the President,
the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology,
and the House of Representatives Committee on Science on its
assessments under subsection (c) and its recommendations for
ways to improve the Program. The first report under this
subsection shall be submitted within 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act.
(e) Travel Expenses of Non-Federal Members.--Non-Federal
members of the Panel, while attending meetings of the Panel
or while otherwise serving at the request of the head of the
Panel away from their homes or regular places of business,
may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5, United
States Code, for individuals in the Government serving
without pay. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to
prohibit members of the Panel who are officers or employees
of the United States from being allowed travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with
existing law.
SEC. 4. TRIENNIAL EXTERNAL REVIEW OF NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall enter into an arrangement with the National
Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to
conduct a triennial evaluation of the National Nanotechnology
Program, including--
(1) a review of the technical success of the Program in
achieving the stated goals under the metrics established by
the Program and the Advisory Panel, and under other
appropriate measurements;
(2) a review of the Program's management and coordination
across agencies and disciplines;
(3) a review of the funding levels by each agency for the
Program's activities and their ability with such funding to
achieve the Program's stated goals;
(4) recommendations for new or revised Program goals;
(5) recommendations for new research areas, partnerships,
coordination and management mechanisms, or programs to be
established to achieve the Program's stated goals;
(6) recommendations for investment levels by each
participating agency in each Program funding area for the 5-
year period following the delivery of the report;
(7) recommendations on policy, program, and budget changes
with respect to nanotechnology research and development
activities;
(8) recommendations for improved metrics to evaluate the
success of the Program in accomplishing its stated goals;
(9) a review of the performance of the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office and its efforts to promote
access to and early application of the technologies,
innovations, and expertise derived from program activities to
agency missions and systems across the Federal Government and
to United States industry; and
(10) an analysis of the relative position of the United
States compared to other nations with respect to
nanotechnology research and development, including the
identification of any critical research areas where the
United States should be the world leader to best achieve the
goals of the Program.
(b) Evaluation To Be Transmitted to Congress.--The Director
of the National Science Foundation shall transmit the results
of any evaluation for which it made arrangements under
subsection (a) to the Advisory Panel, the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of
Representatives Committee on Science upon receipt. The first
such evaluation shall be transmitted no later than June 10,
2005, with subsequent evaluations transmitted to the
Committees every 3 years thereafter.
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) National Science Foundation.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out
the Director's responsibilities under this Act--
(A) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(B) $385,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(C) $424,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(D) $449,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(E) $476,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(2) Specific allocations.--
(A) Interdisciplinary nanotechnology research centers.--Of
the amounts authorized by paragraph (1) for each fiscal year,
$50,000,000 for each fiscal year shall be available for
grants of up to $5,000,000 each for multidisciplinary
nanotechnology research centers.
(B) American nanotechnology preparedness center.--Of the
amounts authorized by paragraph (1) for each fiscal year,
$5,000,000 shall be used to establish and maintain a
university-based American Nanotechnology Preparedness Center.
(C) National nanotechnology coordination office.-- Of the
sums authorized by paragraph (1) for each fiscal year,
$5,000,000 shall be used for the activities of the
Nanotechnology Coordination Office.
(D) Manufacturing technologies for nanomaterials.--Of the
sums authorized by paragraph (1) for each fiscal year,
$5,000,000 shall be used for the activities of the Center for
Nanomaterials Manufacturing.
(b) Department of Energy.--
(1) In general.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Secretary of Energy to carry out the Secretary's
responsibilities under this Act--
(A) $265,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(B) $292,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(C) $321,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(D) $340,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(E) $360,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(2) Allocation.--Of the sums authorized by paragraph (1)
for each fiscal year, $25,000,000 shall be used on a merit-
reviewed and competitive basis to support consortia that
integrate newly developed nanotechnology and microfluidic
tools with systems biology, immunology, and molecular
imaging, of which at least 1 such consortium shall be
provided with at least $10,000,000 for each fiscal year.
(c) National Aeronautics and Space Administration.--There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration to carry out
the Administrator's responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $31,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(2) $34,100,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(3) $37,500,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(4) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(5) $42,300,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(d) National Institutes of Health.--There are authorized to
be appropriated to the Director of the National Institutes to
carry out the Director's responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $70,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(2) $77,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(3) $85,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(4) $90,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(5) $95,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(e) National Institute of Standards and Technology.--There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology to carry out
the Director's responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $62,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(2) $68,200,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(3) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(4) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(5) $84,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(f) Environmental Protection Agency.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency to carry out the Administrator's
responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(2) $5,500,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(3) $6,050,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(4) $6,413,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(5) $6,800,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(g) Department of Justice.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Director of the National Institute of
Justice to carry out the Director's responsibilities under
this Act--
(1) $1,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(2) $1,100,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(3) $1,210,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(4) $1,283,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(5) $1,360,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(h) Department of Homeland Security.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security to
carry out the Secretary's responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(2) $2,200,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(3) $2,420,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(4) $2,570,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(5) $2,720,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(i) Department of Agriculture.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the
Secretary's responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2004;
(2) $11,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(3) $12,100,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(4) $12,830,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(5) $13,600,000 for fiscal year 2008.
SEC. 6. AMERICAN NANOTECHNOLOGY PREPAREDNESS CENTER.
(a) In General.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall, on a merit-reviewed and competitive basis,
establish a new American Nanotechnology Preparedness Center
to encourage, conduct, coordinate, commission, collect, and
disseminate research on the educational, legal, workforce,
societal, and ethical issues related to nanotechnology.
[[Page S15096]]
(b) Studies.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation, through the Center, shall conduct, coordinate,
commission, collect, and disseminate studies on the
educational, legal, workforce, societal, and ethical
implications of nanotechnology. The studies shall identify
anticipated issues and problems, as well as provide
recommendations for preventing or addressing such issues and
problems.
(c) Workforce Data.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall collect data on the size of the anticipated
nanotechnology workforce need by detailed occupation,
industry, and firm characteristics, and assess the adequacy
of the trained talent pool in the United States to fill such
workforce needs.
(d) Annual Report.--The Director of the National Science
Foundation shall compile the studies required by paragraph
(b) and, with the assistance of the Center, shall complete a
report that includes a description of the Center's
activities, which shall be submitted to the President, the
Council, the Advisory Panel, the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the House of
Representatives Committee on Science not later than 18 months
after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 7. COMMERCIALIZATION ISSUES RELATED TO NANOSCIENCE AND
NANOTECHNOLOGY.
(a) In General.--The Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology shall establish a center within
NIST's Manufacturing Engineering Laboratory for issues
relating to the commercialization of nanoscience and
nanotechnology research. The program shall--
(1) conduct basic research on issues related to the
development and manufacture of nanotechnology including--
(A) metrology;
(B) reliability and quality assurance;
(C) processes control; and
(D) manufacturing best practices; and
(2) in consultation with the National Technical Information
Service and the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office,
act as a clearinghouse for information related to
commercialization of nanoscience and nanotechnology research,
including--
(A) information relating activities by regional, state, and
local commercial nanotechnology initiatives;
(B) transition of research, technologies, and concepts from
Federal nanotechnology research and development programs into
commercial and military products;
(C) best practices by government, university and private
sector laboratories transitioning technology to commercial
use;
(D) examples of ways to overcome barriers and challenges to
technology deployment; and
(E) use of existing manufacturing infrastructure and
workforce.
(b) Use of Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program.--
The Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology shall utilize the manufacturing extension
partnership program to the extent possible to reach small and
medium sized manufacturing companies.
(c) Manufacturing Technologies for Nanomaterials.--The
Director of the National Science Foundation shall establish,
on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis, a new Center for
Nanomaterials Manufacturing to encourage the development and
transfer of technologies for the manufacture of
nanomaterials. The Center will encourage, conduct,
coordinate, commission, collect, and disseminate research on
new manufacturing technologies for materials with
unprecedented combinations of strength, toughness, lightness,
flame resistance, and membrane separation characteristics,
and develop mechanisms to transfer such manufacturing
technologies to United States industries.
SEC. 8. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Advisory panel.--The term ``Advisory Panel'' means the
President's National Nanotechnology Panel established or
designated under section 3.
(2) Fundamental research.--The term ``fundamental
research'' means research that builds a fundamental
understanding and leads to discoveries of the phenomena,
processes, and tools necessary to control and manipulate
matter at the nanoscale.
(3) Nanotechnology.--The term ``nanotechnology'' means the
ability to work at the molecular level, atom-by-atom, to
create large structures with fundamentally new molecular
organization.
(4) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the National
Nanotechnology Program established under section 2.
(5) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the National
Science and Technology Council or an appropriate subgroup
designated by the Council under section 2(c).
(6) Grand challenge.--The term ``grand challenge'' means a
fundamental problem in science or engineering, with broad
potential economic and scientific impact, the solution to
which will require the application of nanotechnology
research.
Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleagues,
Senators Allen, Wyden, Hollings, and Stevens in sponsoring this
substitute amendment to S. 189, the 21st Century Nanotechnology
Research and Development Act. I commend Senators Allen and Wyden for
their leadership on this important legislation, and also thank Senators
Stevens, Lott, and Sununu and Chairman Boehlert and Ranking Member Hall
of the House Science Committee, for their work on this issue.
Nanotechnology is a truly revolutionary field of science. Scientists
have been able to develop materials and systems with dramatic new
properties by manipulating structures and systems at the scale of
10-9 meters, or 1/100,000 the width of a human hair. This
basic research has the potential to benefit virtually every sector of
our economy, including biotechnology, telecommunications, national
security, manufacturing, and computers. Some experts have projected
that sales of products based on nanotechnology will reach $1 trillion
by 2015. Many of our international economic competitors have begun to
focus on this field. For example, the European Union budgeted $1.2
billion for nanotechnology research in 2003 and 2004.
This bill is designated to highlight the United States' interest and
efforts in this emerging technology. The bill would authorize a
coordinated research program across the Federal Government through a
National Nanotechnology Program. In addition, it would authorize
funding for nanotechnology research at the National Science Foundation,
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Department of Energy,
and the Environmental Protection Agency from fiscal year 2005 through
fiscal year 2008. I think that this multiyear authorization is
important, because it signals to the Federal agencies, the States, and
private industry our commitment to this important cutting-edge
research.
In addition, it is important to point out that the legislation deals
with more than just basic research. The bill includes provisions that
will ensure that social, ethical, environmental, educational, legal,
and workforce issues will be analyzed, including the creation of a new
center on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis to study these issues.
The bill also would establish a program at NIST to conduct basic
research on metrology and other issues relating to nanotechnology-based
manufacturing. In addition, the bill would authorize the Secretary of
Commerce, or his designee, to establish a clearinghouse of information
for issues relating to nanotechnology commercialization. It is
important that the private sector has access to this basic research in
nanotechnology, so that United States can attain a competitive edge in
this new field.
I thank my colleagues for their support of this important
legislation.
Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I am proud to cosponsor S. 189, the 21st
Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act. With this
legislation, the Senate recognizes the emerging field of nanotechnology
and its importance to the United States economy. I thank my colleagues
for their efforts. I particularly thank Senator Wyden for his
leadership and maturity in guiding this bill to the floor. There were
several times when this bill was going to be derailed and each time
Senator Wyden stepped in to get us back on track.
Nanotechnology has been described as the next Industrial Revolution
that will drastically alter the way products are manufactured. Yet we
are not alone as other countries are competing to push the boundaries
of this technical frontier. Countries such as Japan and the European
Union are already spending hundreds of millions of dollars on
nanotechnology research. The United States cannot afford to fall behind
if we want to maintain our economic strength. This legislation is one
step towards ensuring America's leadership and economic competitiveness
in nanotechnology.
This legislation is an affirmation that the United States will
continue to play a leading role in the development of nanotechnology.
It authorizes $784 million for fiscal year 2005 for five Federal
agencies involved in nanotechnology research. Although other agencies
were not included in this bill, I am hopeful that they will contribute
to the National Nanotechnology Program. The legislation provides
interagency coordination to the Federal Government's nanotechnology
research and development efforts. The establishment of a National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office will infuse an organized,
structured, and collaborative approach to this research. The
legislation also calls for the development of a strategic plan that
will provide a roadmap for the country's research and development
future.
Nanotechnology is a new frontier and we want to ensure that it is
developed
[[Page S15097]]
responsibly. That is why I pushed for the creation of the American
Nanotechnology Preparedness Center. This Center is charged with
ensuring that societal, ethical, and environmental concerns surrounding
nanotechnology are properly addressed as research progresses. This is
vital as we see more and more of nanotechnology in everyday life, we
need to assure citizens that this new technology is safe and non-
threatening.
In addition to the American Nanotechnology Preparedness Center, this
legislation also establishes a Nanotechnology Advisory Panel. The
National Academies of Sciences recommended an Advisory Panel in its
review of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. I am proud to support
its creation in this legislation. I think that it is vital that the
President receive advice from dedicated experts directly involved in
this field, from the scientists and researchers who are at the
forefront of this technology, rather than from advisors who are
appointed to serve other technical advisory roles.
One of this country's main strengths is our ability to innovate.
Nanotechnology will be the next test as to whether we can continue to
move forward. There remains a tremendous amount of basic research that
needs to be undertaken in order to fully understand the science behind
it all. This is exactly the role that Federal Government should play:
to promote scientific knowledge that will benefit our society and our
economic competitiveness. This bill does exactly that and I am proud to
support it.
I thank the House Science Committee for their cooperation. I also
thank the other cosponsors, particularly Senators Lieberman and Clinton
as well as Senators Allen, McCain, Stevens, Mikulski, Landrieu, Levin,
Bayh, Cantwell, Corzine, Hutchinson, Kerry, Lautenberg, Baucus,
Rockefeller, Alexander, and Warner for their support. In particular, I
would also like to thank the staff who put this bill together. In
addition to my staff, we enjoyed the hard work of Ruchi Bhowmik with
Senator Wyden, Liz Connell with Senator Stevens, Ken La Sala with the
Senate Commerce Committee, Frank Cavaliere with Senator Allen, Mike
O'Reilly with Senator Sununu, and Michael Yentzen with Senator Lott.
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I am pleased to introduce a substitute text
for S. 189, the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development
Act. I thank Commerce Committee Chairman McCain, Ranking Member
Hollings, and my colleagues Senators Allen, Clinton and Lieberman for
their tremendous bipartisan assistance and cooperation. With this bill,
we pave the way for greater discoveries and applications in an area
that will soon become a major economic driver for this country.
The 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act will
provide a smart, accelerated, and organized approach to nanotechnology
research, development, and education. This legislation will marshal
America's nanotechnology efforts that are spread out across the State
and Federal levels into one driving force. This bill will develop much
needed strategic interagency cooperation and coordination through a
National Nanotechnology Program. A National Nanotechnology Advisory
Panel will advise the President on nanotechnology matters and the
American Nanotechnology Preparedness Center will evaluate important
workforce and ethical issues to ensure that societal and citizen
concerns about nanotechnology are addressed now--at the outset of this
science--and will support, not hinder, the development of this
important science.
As I have said before, nanotechnology has the potential to change
America on a scale equal to, if not greater than, the computer
revolution. Nanoparticles and nanodevices will become the building
blocks of our health care, agriculture, manufacturing, environmental
cleanup, and even national security. By getting behind nanotechnology
now with organized, goal-oriented support, the Federal Government will
play a pivotal role in keeping the United States at the forefront of
this discipline.
It is estimated that nanotechnology will become a trillion-dollar
industry over the next 10 years. With the Nation's unemployment still
high and real economic recovery still out of reach, nanotechnology
holds the promise of new trade and jobs needed to jump start the
economy. As the nanotechnology industry grows, the ranks of skilled
workers needed to discover and apply its capabilities must grow too. In
the nanotechnology revolution, areas of high unemployment could become
magnets for domestic production, engineering and research for
nanotechnology applications. I am determined that the United States
will mine the opportunities of nanotechnology and this legislation will
ensure that the United States takes full advantage of the opportunities
nanotechnology presents.
Our Nation's current National Nanotechnology Initiative is a step in
the right direction. This nation has already committed substantial
funds to nanotechnology research and development in the coming years.
But funding is not enough. There must be careful planning to make sure
that money is used for sound science over the long-term. That is the
reason for the substitute amendment to S. 189 I introduce today. The
strategic planning it prescribes will ensure that scientists get the
support they need to realize nanotechnology's greatest potential.
With this bill, Congress is challenging the government to accept new
responsibilities in promoting and developing nanotechnology. Again, I
thank the House Science Committee and House Science Chairman Boehlert
for their cooperation and I thank the other cosponsors, Senators
Alexander, Warner, Mikulski, Landrieu, Levin, Bayh, Cantwell, Corzine,
Hutchison, Kerry, Lautenberg, Baucus, and Rockefeller, for their
valuable assistance. I am also pleased to report that this amendment
has the support of nanotechnology industry members, such as the Nano
Business Alliance. This amended version is the work of bipartisan and
bi-cameral cooperation and I look forward to working with my colleagues
to get this to the President's desk.
Inclusion of Biotechnology
Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, I rise to clarify the legislative intent of
S. 189, the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act.
In reviewing the section of the substitute text dealing with the
purpose and definitions of fundamental research in nanotechnology that
our bill references, I believe that they are not intended to limit
research and development to the physical sciences and are intended to
include a wide variety of research, including the biotechnology-
nanotechnology interface. Senator Stevens, is that your reading of this
legislation?
Mr. STEVENS. I agree with the Senator from Oregon. It is our
intention to include research into the biotechnology-nanotechnology
interface. We did not mention specific areas or research because we did
not intend to be overly restrictive.
Mr. WYDEN. I would just like to take a moment to clarify some of the
types of nanotechnology applications that are possible through the
research involving biotechnology at the nano-level, which are
encompassed by this legislation These examples include applications
ranging from industrial manufacturing to advances in medicine to
breakthroughs in defense against bioterrorism.
For instance, biotechnology is spurring the development of proteins
that will be capable of manufacturing biological structures on the
nano-scale. This technology will allow the development of nano-
electronics such as micro-transistors and silicon chips. In the area of
photonics there is potential for developing new micro-optical switches
and optical micro-processing platforms.
Researchers recently discovered a first of its kind carbon-silicon
compound in freshwater diatoms. This discovery promises to open the
door to understanding the molecular process of biosilicification, or
the ways plants and animals build natural structures. This
understanding may lead to applications ranging from low cost synthesis
of advanced biomaterials to new treatments for osteoporosis.
These are only a few examples of advances made through the interface
between biotechnology and nanotechnology. I just want to confirm this
legislation should help facilitate
[[Page S15098]]
the synergy between the biological sciences and material sciences.
Mr. STEVENS. These examples are exactly the type of research that we
have intended to cover in this legislation. Beyond industrial
applications there are many health care applications of nano-
biotechnology.
I am particularly excited about the potential for nanotechnology in
the area of systems biology and molecular imaging. Systems biology
analyzes all of the elements in a system, rather than an individual
cell, gene or protein. By applying nanotechnology to systems biology
and using molecular imaging, it will be possible to achieve ultra-rapid
diagnostic results by analyzing on a molecular level the signatures of
thousands of genes and proteins. Moreover, the systems approach in
combination with nanotechnology will speed up and greatly reduce the
cost of discovering new drugs. This will lead to the advancement of
predictive medicine generating revolutions in the diagnosis, treatment
and prevention of disease.
Given nanotechnology's tremendous potential in health care, I want to
encourage the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to be proactive
participants in the nanotechnology revolution. Although a specific
authorization of appropriations for NIH is not included in this bill at
the request of our House colleagues, it is expected that NIH will be an
active participant in the National Nanotechnology Program.
Mr. WYDEN. I thank the distinguished Senator from Alaska for
clarification of this matter and I wholeheartedly agree with him
regarding the potential benefits of nanotechnology in the field of
health care.
Mr. SUNUNU. Mr. President, this legislation is the product of many,
many hours of debate and discussion. I appreciate the commitment of the
Chairman of the Commerce Committee, Senator McCain, and the sponsors of
the bill, Senators Wyden and Allen, to try to address my concerns and
accommodate my views on this bill. I appreciate the indulgence of the
Ranking Member, Senator Hollings, for his understanding and assistance
on this bill. Through persistence and thoughtful consideration by a
handful of interested Members in both bodies, an agreement was reached
on a legislative package that has brought us to this stage of the
process. While I still have significant reservations, I am willing to
allow the bill to proceed forward.
Nanotechnology is a burgeoning field of inquiry that has captured the
interest of many of our nation's brightest scientific minds. While the
concepts behind the study of nanotechnology are not necessarily new,
recent successes have highlighted its enormous potential. If early
experiences are an indication of things to come, nanotechnology has the
capability to dramatically change our approach to a wide range of
complex scientific problems. By understanding materials and compounds
at the molecular or atomic level, scientists can develop techniques to
improve the properties of everything from medicines to metals; machines
to microchips.
S. 189 is meant to complement, rather than restrain, the work that
the Bush administration is already doing on the issue of
nanotechnology. This administration is deeply committed to expending
the resources and conducting research on critical areas of
nanotechnology and nanoscale science and engineering. The
administration's ``National Nanotechnology Initiative'' is on track to
commit almost $900 million in FY 2004 for nanotechnology research
within appropriate Federal agencies. In addition, the administration
has already established a National Nanotechnology Coordination Office
to facilitate and coordinate the muli-agency effort. It is essential
that S. 189 not infringe on the good work already being done by the
administration on this issue or on the near- or mid-term plans for
further work in this area.
Despite this progress, I have several concerns about the underlying
text of the managers' amendment, and for that matter, the original
version of S. 189. I firmly believe that oversight is an important
function of the Senate, and an important part of that oversight is to
ensure that Federal funds are spent appropriately. However the
Managers' Amendment creates redundant reporting requirements for
various agencies within the Administration. By my count, the bill
includes annual, biennial and triennial reporting obligations by the
National Science and Technology Council, the National Nanotechnology
Advisory Panel, and the National Academy of Sciences, respectively.
These reports have a number of overlapping components that will result
in the checking and rechecking of similar questions and issues. It is
important to note that Congressional studies and reporting requirements
impose very significant costs on the reporting agencies, thereby
draining funds from the very projects and research we are trying to
fund.
S. 189 also authorizes the establishment of several interdisciplinary
and specialized research centers on nanotechnology. The language of the
bill requires that the process for establishing these centers be on a
merit-reviewed and competitive basis. Let me serve notice to those
involved in the establishment of these centers: I will work to ensure
that any center established pursuant to this bill be placed at the most
appropriate setting possible. I know this sentiment is shared by the
Chairman of the Commerce Committee and other Members of the Senate, and
I look forward to working with them to ensure that the principles of
merit-review and competitive basis are upheld.
Finally, let me mention that there are concerns expressed by
individuals within the academic and scientific communities and by
general citizens that research and development of nanotechnology could
possibly spiral out of control leading to the harmful impacts on
humans. Some people have expressed concern that nanotechnology will
lead to a super-race of humans or a situation where nano-machines
attack or even dominate human beings. Others argue that there are
uncertainties about the impact of nanotechnologies on important aspects
of our daily lives, including our society, environment, ethics,
educational systems, legal structure or workforce. While I do not
dismiss the possible negative ramifications of the study and
realization of nanotechnology, I believe those possible dangers are
remote and avoidable. Almost all scientific research or new technology
can be used for mischievous purposes. Moreover, there are potential
implications by the use of nanotechnology that should be examined as
part of research projects and development stages of nanotechnology.
However, the emphasis that S. 189 provides to these issues is more than
I would have considered necessary. We cannot and should not fear the
technological future; we should pay it proper respect and plan for it
accordingly.
In closing, it is my understanding that the product of today's Senate
work on this bill will likely be taken up and passed by the House and
sent to the President for his consideration. I look forward to the
multiple advances that will occur from the statutory framework provided
under this bill. Our action today will signal to the research community
the importance and significance we place on this field of study, and
this will spur further investment by the private sector and hopefully
lead to the technological breakthrough that will ignite further
innovation and economic growth.
Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, the emerging field of nanotechnology
constitutes an opportunity for the U.S. to claim global leadership in a
new frontier in science and technology that has the potential to
transform every aspect of our lives. By manipulating matter at a
molecular scale, nanotechnology will allow us to develop new materials
and devices that have unique properties currently beyond the realm of
conventional technology. Nanotechnology is what scientists and
technologists often call an enabling technology--a tool that opens the
door to new possibilities constrained only by physics and the limits of
our imaginations. This field has the great potential to affect our
economy and quality of life since it has such broad prospective
applications in so many different areas including medicine,
electronics, energy, telecommunications, computing, and manufacturing.
It has been estimated that the impact of nanotechnology on existing and
new manufacturing will be in the trillions of dollars. In addition to
creating new job opportunities, this exciting new initiative has the
potential
[[Page S15099]]
to provide novel therapeutic treatments and a fundamental understanding
of diseases including cancer. For example, research in building
innovative tools to study biology at the nanometer scale will unlock
mysteries and shed light on the vast number of biological processes.
The new authorizing legislation the Senate is passing today, which I am
pleased to have played a role in, should be an important step in this
effort.
Yet, despite the enormous potential that nanotechnology offers, it is
not an area in which we have assumed uncontested leadership. From an
international perspective, the United States faces the danger of
falling behind its Asian and European counterparts in supporting the
pace of nanotechnological advancement. While our Nation certainly
possesses the raw resources and talent to lead the world in developing
this technology, it is also clear that a long-term focus and sustained
commitment, as well as new collaboration between Government, academia,
and industry, will be needed to ensure our place at the head of the
next wave of innovation.
In recognition of the need to support ongoing nanotechnology efforts
and to spur new ones, I was pleased to join Senator Ron Wyden in
cosponsoring the original ``21st Century Nanotechnology Research and
Development Act'' last year, which was reintroduced this year S. 189.
My staff worked with the Commerce Committee on the initial drafting of
this bill, and I was able to assist in including parallel legislation
in last year's defense authorization P.L. 107-314, section 246 to help
assure that Department of Defense research and development in
nanotechnology works in concert with the civilian agencies covered by
this bill. Much of the original Senate bill is retained in this final
legislation. The revised S. 189 legislation we act on today, which we
anticipate will also soon be approved by the House, will build on the
efforts of the National Nanotechnology Initiative NNI, which was
started under President Clinton and has received continued support
under President Bush, to establish a comprehensive, intelligently
coordinated program for addressing the full spectrum of challenges
confronting a successful national science and technology effort,
including those related to funding, coordination, infrastructure
development, technology transition, and social issues.
The time is now ripe to elevate the U.S. nanotechnology effort beyond
the level of an Executive Branch initiative. Funding for nanotechnology
will soon reach $1 billion a year, and the NNI currently attempts to
coordinate programs across a wide range of Federal agencies and
departments. This level of funding and the major coordination
challenges that arise with so many diverse participants require having
a program that is based in statute, provided with greater support and
coordination mechanisms, afforded a higher profile, and subjected to
constructive Congressional oversight and support.
The final legislation closely tracks many of the recommendations of
the National Research Council, NRC, which completed a thorough review
of the NNI in 2002. The NRC report commended the leadership and multi-
agency involvement of the NNI, and its recommendations included the
establishment of an independent advisory panel. As the field of
nanotechnology covers a wide variety of disciplines including
engineering, physics, chemistry and life sciences, guidance is needed
from a panel composed of experts from each of the disciplines. A
comprehensive perspective is necessary for helping to set the
directions and goals of the national program, including advice on the
focus of research that should be conducted in the academia sector, as
well as assistance in the transition of technology from academic into
the private sector that will ensure the competitiveness of U.S.
industry. Although members of the Presidents Council of Advisors on
Science and Technology, PCAST, which the President is likely to select
as the advisory body under section 4 in the final bill, are highly
accomplished and esteemed, they are not necessarily steeped in the
field of nanotechnology. Therefore, our expectation is that PCAST will
set up its own nanotechnology panel composed of experts from both
academia and industry representing the key nanotechnology disciplines.
This independent panel should work in coordination with the National
Science and Technology Council and the new Program Office, particularly
across stove piped agency boundaries to better assure a fully
integrated, crosscutting, interdisciplinary research effort. Otherwise,
the promise of this research will not be realized.
To ensure that the United States takes the lead in this new and
promising field of science and technology, we must provide for the
organization and guidance necessary to foster interaction between
Government, academia, and industry, so as to maximize the potential
benefits of nanotechnology to our economy. This legislation provides a
strong foundation and comprehensive framework that elicits
contributions from all three sectors of our society in pushing
nanotechnology research and development to the next level. I hope that
we may all work together in a bipartisan fashion on implementing this
bill to set the stage for U.S. economic growth over the next century.
Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, as an original co-sponsor of S. 189, the
21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, I am
delighted that the Senate is acting on this important legislation. I
want to thank my Senate colleagues, particularly Senator Hollings and
Senator Wyden. Senator Hollings' leadership on the Senate Commerce,
Science and Transportation Committee was essential in winning the
passage of this legislation, which has so much promise for New Yorkers
and Americans generally. Senator Wyden has helped to shepherd this
legislation through the Senate with his customary vision, determination
and skill.
In ten or twenty years, we may well view this legislation as one of
the most important bills passed by the 108th Congress. The bill
provides multi-year authorization for increased Federal research and
development investment in nanotechnology. Experts believe that
nanotechnology could have an impact on our economy and society as
significant as the impact of the steam engine, electricity, the
Internet, and the computer chip. Researchers and high-tech start-ups
have already identified many potential benefits and applications of
nanotechnology in health, energy and the environment, information and
communications technology, advanced materials, manufacturing, and
national security. It is possible that nanotechnology could lead to
solar energy that is competitive with fossil fuels. Medical researchers
are already working on using nanotechnology to develop tools for the
diagnosis and therapy of cancer.
In addition to funding research in nanoscale science and engineering,
the legislation also supports exploration of the ethical and social
dimensions of nanotechnology. I want to underline the importance of
this component of the legislation. These provisions are intended to
help ensure that we use this information to make intelligent decisions
about the benefits and risks of this powerful new technology. We have a
responsibility to ensure that appropriate safeguards are placed on the
exploration of nanoscience and technology and that Congress exercises
effective oversight of this process. I will work hard with my
colleagues to ensure that Congress does its part.
I am proud to say that New York is playing a leading role in the
development of nanotechnology, and is already seeing concrete benefits
from the National Nanotechnology Initiative. Three of the six
university-based centers of nanotechnology funded by the National
Science Foundation in 2001 are located at New York's world-class
research centers at Cornell University, Columbia University and
Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute. Long Island's Brookhaven National
Laboratory is the future home of the Center for Functional
Nanomaterials, supported by the Department of Energy. The State of New
York and International SEMATECH and its member companies are planning
to provide approximately $400 million in support to create a next-
generation computer chip research and development facility at the
University at Albany-SUNY. All of these investments are creating the
foundations for future economic growth and the creation of high-tech,
high-wage jobs, including in upstate New York.
[[Page S15100]]
The 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act shows
what this Nation is capable of when we come together and set aside
partisan differences. The National Nanotechnology Initiative was
launched by President Clinton in January 2000, and has continued to
enjoy bipartisan support from President Bush and members of Congress.
I urge my colleagues to continue to pay attention to nanotechnology
after this legislation is passed. In many respects, this legislation is
only the first step. As President Clinton noted when unveiling the
National Nanotechnology Initiative, realizing the full promise of this
technology may take twenty years of sustained investment. America's
lead in this critical technology is by no means assured. Moreover, this
legislation will not result in an extra dime being devoted to
nanotechnology research, unless the legislation is followed by
steadfast support for federal research and development in the budget
and appropriations process.
I hope that the Administration and the Congress look for ways to
build on and strengthen the current initiative. I believe that there
are many such opportunities. The National Institutes of Health have
targeted a relatively modest amount of funding for the NNI, despite the
broad range of nanotechnology applications for health and biology. In
addition, I hope we can increase the Environmental Protection Agency's
budget for nanotechnology because it has a role to play in a variety of
settings, including pollution prevention. We should also explore ways
to respond to calls for the development of clean sources of energy
using nanotechnology.
This legislation is a bold step in the direction of creating a
brighter and more prosperous future for all Americans. In the years
ahead, I look forward to continue working with my colleagues on both
sides of the aisle to ensure the full development of this important
initiative.
Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, I rise to support the passage of S. 189,
the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act. I
appreciate Senator Wyden's leadership on this issue and the cooperation
of him and the other sponsors of this legislation in responding to a
number of concerns I had with the original bill, and in particular with
the provisions of the bill authorizing programs at the U.S. Department
of Energy. In the last Congress, I introduced legislation on this
topic, S. 90, which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources. That bill provided authorizations for nanotechnology
programs in the Department of Energy which are now incorporated, in a
streamlined form, in this bill. This is a good bill for our country's
high technology future, and I urge that it be passed.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I make the following parliamentary inquiry:
This bill, which deals with nanotechnology programs across the Federal
Government, was referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science and
Transportation. It is not true the Senate procedures provide for a case
in which a future bill amending a particular public law might be
referred to a different committee than the one originally assigned the
public law, if that future bill consisted of amendments to parts of the
public law that were in the jurisdiction of the different committee; is
that true?
The PRESIDING OFFICER. That is correct.
Mr. REID. I thank the Chair.
Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Allen-
Wyden amendment at the desk be agreed to, the committee-reported
substitute amendment, as amended, be agreed to, the bill, as amended,
be read the third time and passed, the motions to reconsider be laid
upon the table en bloc, and that any statements relating to the bill be
printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment (No. 2202) was agreed to.
(The amendment is printed in today's Record under ``Text of
Amendments''.)
The committee amendment, as amended, was agreed to.
The bill (S. 189), as amended, was read the third time and passed, as
follows:
S. 189
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``21st Century Nanotechnology
Research and Development Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.
(a) National Nanotechnology Program.--The President shall
implement a National Nanotechnology Program. Through
appropriate agencies, councils, and the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office established in section 3,
the Program shall--
(1) establish the goals, priorities, and metrics for
evaluation for Federal nanotechnology research, development,
and other activities;
(2) invest in Federal research and development programs in
nanotechnology and related sciences to achieve those goals;
and
(3) provide for interagency coordination of Federal
nanotechnology research, development, and other activities
undertaken pursuant to the Program.
(b) Program Activities.--The activities of the Program
shall include--
(1) developing a fundamental understanding of matter that
enables control and manipulation at the nanoscale;
(2) providing grants to individual investigators and
interdisciplinary teams of investigators;
(3) establishing a network of advanced technology user
facilities and centers;
(4) establishing, on a merit-reviewed and competitive
basis, interdisciplinary nanotechnology research centers,
which shall--
(A) interact and collaborate to foster the exchange of
technical information and best practices;
(B) involve academic institutions or national laboratories
and other partners, which may include States and industry;
(C) make use of existing expertise in nanotechnology in
their regions and nationally;
(D) make use of ongoing research and development at the
micrometer scale to support their work in nanotechnology; and
(E) to the greatest extent possible, be established in
geographically diverse locations, encourage the participation
of Historically Black Colleges and Universities that are part
B institutions as defined in section 322(2) of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1061(2)) and minority
institutions (as defined in section 365(3) of that Act (20
U.S.C. 1067k(3))), and include institutions located in States
participating in the Experimental Program to Stimulate
Competitive Research (EPSCoR);
(5) ensuring United States global leadership in the
development and application of nanotechnology;
(6) advancing the United States productivity and industrial
competitiveness through stable, consistent, and coordinated
investments in long-term scientific and engineering research
in nanotechnology;
(7) accelerating the deployment and application of
nanotechnology research and development in the private
sector, including startup companies;
(8) encouraging interdisciplinary research, and ensuring
that processes for solicitation and evaluation of proposals
under the Program encourage interdisciplinary projects and
collaborations;
(9) providing effective education and training for
researchers and professionals skilled in the
interdisciplinary perspectives necessary for nanotechnology
so that a true interdisciplinary research culture for
nanoscale science, engineering, and technology can emerge;
(10) ensuring that ethical, legal, environmental, and other
appropriate societal concerns, including the potential use of
nanotechnology in enhancing human intelligence and in
developing artificial intelligence which exceeds human
capacity, are considered during the development of
nanotechnology by--
(A) establishing a research program to identify ethical,
legal, environmental, and other appropriate societal concerns
related to nanotechnology, and ensuring that the results of
such research are widely disseminated;
(B) requiring that interdisciplinary nanotechnology
research centers established under paragraph (4) include
activities that address societal, ethical, and environmental
concerns;
(C) insofar as possible, integrating research on societal,
ethical, and environmental concerns with nanotechnology
research and development, and ensuring that advances in
nanotechnology bring about improvements in quality of life
for all Americans; and
(D) providing, through the National Nanotechnology
Coordination Office established in section 3, for public
input and outreach to be integrated into the Program by the
convening of regular and ongoing public discussions, through
mechanisms such as citizens' panels, consensus conferences,
and educational events, as appropriate; and
(11) encouraging research on nanotechnology advances that
utilize existing processes and technologies.
(c) Program Management.--The National Science and
Technology Council shall oversee the planning, management,
and coordination of the Program. The Council, itself or
through an appropriate subgroup it designates or establishes,
shall--
(1) establish goals and priorities for the Program, based
on national needs for a set of broad applications of
nanotechnology;
[[Page S15101]]
(2) establish program component areas, with specific
priorities and technical goals, that reflect the goals and
priorities established for the Program;
(3) oversee interagency coordination of the Program,
including with the activities of the Defense Nanotechnology
Research and Development Program established under section
246 of the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107-314) and the National
Institutes of Health;
(4) develop, within 12 months after the date of enactment
of this Act, and update every 3 years thereafter, a strategic
plan to guide the activities described under subsection (b),
meet the goals, priorities, and anticipated outcomes of the
participating agencies, and describe--
(A) how the Program will move results out of the laboratory
and into application for the benefit of society;
(B) the Program's support for long-term funding for
interdisciplinary research and development in nanotechnology;
and
(C) the allocation of funding for interagency
nanotechnology projects;
(5) propose a coordinated interagency budget for the
Program to the Office of Management and Budget to ensure the
maintenance of a balanced nanotechnology research portfolio
and an appropriate level of research effort;
(6) exchange information with academic, industry, State and
local government (including State and regional nanotechnology
programs), and other appropriate groups conducting research
on and using nanotechnology;
(7) develop a plan to utilize Federal programs, such as the
Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Small
Business Technology Transfer Research Program, in support of
the activity stated in subsection (b)(7);
(8) identify research areas that are not being adequately
addressed by the agencies' current research programs and
address such research areas;
(9) encourage progress on Program activities through the
utilization of existing manufacturing facilities and
industrial infrastructures such as, but not limited to, the
employment of underutilized manufacturing facilities in areas
of high unemployment as production engineering and research
testbeds; and
(10) in carrying out its responsibilities under paragraphs
(1) through (9), take into consideration the recommendations
of the Advisory Panel, suggestions or recommendations
developed pursuant to subsection (b)(10)(D), and the views of
academic, State, industry, and other appropriate groups
conducting research on and using nanotechnology.
(d) Annual Report.--The Council shall prepare an annual
report, to be submitted to the Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives
Committee on Science, and other appropriate committees, at
the time of the President's budget request to Congress, that
includes--
(1) the Program budget, for the current fiscal year, for
each agency that participates in the Program, including a
breakout of spending for the development and acquisition of
research facilities and instrumentation, for each program
component area, and for all activities pursuant to subsection
(b)(10);
(2) the proposed Program budget for the next fiscal year,
for each agency that participates in the Program, including a
breakout of spending for the development and acquisition of
research facilities and instrumentation, for each program
component area, and for all activities pursuant to subsection
(b)(10);
(3) an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the
goals and priorities established for the Program;
(4) an analysis of the extent to which the Program has
incorporated the recommendations of the Advisory Panel; and
(5) an assessment of how Federal agencies are implementing
the plan described in subsection (c)(7), and a description of
the amount of Small Business Innovative Research and Small
Business Technology Transfer Research funds supporting the
plan.
SEC. 3. PROGRAM COORDINATION.
(a) In General.--The President shall establish a National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office, with a Director and full-
time staff, which shall--
(1) provide technical and administrative support to the
Council and the Advisory Panel;
(2) serve as the point of contact on Federal nanotechnology
activities for government organizations, academia, industry,
professional societies, State nanotechnology programs,
interested citizen groups, and others to exchange technical
and programmatic information;
(3) conduct public outreach, including dissemination of
findings and recommendations of the Advisory Panel, as
appropriate; and
(4) promote access to and early application of the
technologies, innovations, and expertise derived from Program
activities to agency missions and systems across the Federal
Government, and to United States industry, including startup
companies.
(b) Funding.--The National Nanotech
nology Coordination Office shall be funded through
interagency funding in accordance with section 631 of Public
Law 108-7.
(c) Report.--Within 90 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy shall report to the Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the House of
Representatives Committee on Science on the funding of the
National Nanotechnology Coordination Office. The report shall
include--
(1) the amount of funding required to adequately fund the
Office;
(2) the adequacy of existing mechanisms to fund this
Office; and
(3) the actions taken by the Director to ensure stable
funding of this Office.
SEC. 4. ADVISORY PANEL.
(a) In General.--The President shall establish or designate
a National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel.
(b) Qualifications.--The Advisory Panel established or
designated by the President under subsection (a) shall
consist primarily of members from academic institutions and
industry. Members of the Advisory Panel shall be qualified to
provide advice and information on nanotechnology research,
development, demonstrations, education, technology transfer,
commercial application, or societal and ethical concerns. In
selecting or designating an Advisory Panel, the President may
also seek and give consideration to recommendations from the
Congress, industry, the scientific community (including the
National Academy of Sciences, scientific professional
societies, and academia), the defense community, State and
local governments, regional nanotechnology programs, and
other appropriate organizations.
(c) Duties.--The Advisory Panel shall advise the President
and the Council on matters relating to the Program, including
assessing--
(1) trends and developments in nanotechnology science and
engineering;
(2) progress made in implementing the Program;
(3) the need to revise the Program;
(4) the balance among the components of the Program,
including funding levels for the program component areas;
(5) whether the program component areas, priorities, and
technical goals developed by the Council are helping to
maintain United States leadership in nanotechnology;
(6) the management, coordination, implementation, and
activities of the Program; and
(7) whether societal, ethical, legal, environmental, and
workforce concerns are adequately addressed by the Program.
(d) Reports.--The Advisory Panel shall report, not less
frequently than once every 2 fiscal years, to the President
on its assessments under subsection (c) and its
recommendations for ways to improve the Program. The first
report under this subsection shall be submitted within 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act. The Director of the
Office of Science and Technology Policy shall transmit a copy
of each report under this subsection to the Senate Committee
on Commerce, Science, and Technology, the House of
Representatives Committee on Science, and other appropriate
committees of the Congress.
(e) Travel Expenses of Non-Federal Members.--Non-Federal
members of the Advisory Panel, while attending meetings of
the Advisory Panel or while otherwise serving at the request
of the head of the Advisory Panel away from their homes or
regular places of business, may be allowed travel expenses,
including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by
section 5703 of title 5, United States Code, for individuals
in the government serving without pay. Nothing in this
subsection shall be construed to prohibit members of the
Advisory Panel who are officers or employees of the United
States from being allowed travel expenses, including per diem
in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with existing law.
(f) Exemption from Sunset.--Section 14 of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act shall not apply to the Advisory Panel.
SEC. 5. TRIENNIAL EXTERNAL REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL
NANOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--The Director of the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall enter into an
arrangement with the National Research Council of the
National Academy of Sciences to conduct a triennial
evaluation of the Program, including--
(1) an evaluation of the technical accomplishments of the
Program, including a review of whether the Program has
achieved the goals under the metrics established by the
Council;
(2) a review of the Program's management and coordination
across agencies and disciplines;
(3) a review of the funding levels at each agency for the
Program's activities and the ability of each agency to
achieve the Program's stated goals with that funding;
(4) an evaluation of the Program's success in transferring
technology to the private sector;
(5) an evaluation of whether the Program has been
successful in fostering interdisciplinary research and
development;
(6) an evaluation of the extent to which the Program has
adequately considered ethical, legal, environmental, and
other appropriate societal concerns;
(7) recommendations for new or revised Program goals;
(8) recommendations for new research areas, partnerships,
coordination and management mechanisms, or programs to be
established to achieve the Program's stated goals;
(9) recommendations on policy, program, and budget changes
with respect to
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nanotechnology research and development activities;
(10) recommendations for improved metrics to evaluate the
success of the Program in accomplishing its stated goals;
(11) a review of the performance of the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office and its efforts to promote
access to and early application of the technologies,
innovations, and expertise derived from Program activities to
agency missions and systems across the Federal Government and
to United States industry;
(12) an analysis of the relative position of the United
States compared to other nations with respect to
nanotechnology research and development, including the
identification of any critical research areas where the
United States should be the world leader to best achieve the
goals of the Program; and
(13) an analysis of the current impact of nanotechnology on
the United States economy and recommendations for increasing
its future impact.
(b) Study on Molecular Self-Assembly.--As part of the first
triennial review conducted in accordance with subsection (a),
the National Research Council shall conduct a one-time study
to determine the technical feasibility of molecular self-
assembly for the manufacture of materials and devices at the
molecular scale.
(c) Study on the Responsible Development of
Nanotechnology.--As part of the first triennial review
conducted in accordance with subsection (a), the National
Research Council shall conduct a one-time study to assess the
need for standards, guidelines, or strategies for ensuring
the responsible development of nanotechnolgy, including, but
not limited to--
(1) self-replicating nanoscale machines or devices;
(2) the release of such machines in natural environments;
(3) encryption;
(4) the development of defensive technologies;
(5) the use of nanotechnology in the enhancement of human
intelligence; and
(6) the use of nanotechnology in developing artificial
intelligence.
(d) Evaluation to be Transmitted to Congress.--The Director
of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall
transmit the results of any evaluation for which it made
arrangements under subsection (a) to the Advisory Panel, the
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and
the House of Representatives Committee on Science upon
receipt. The first such evaluation shall be transmitted no
later than June 10, 2005, with subsequent evaluations
transmitted to the Committees every 3 years thereafter.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) National Science Foundation.--There are authorized to
be appropriated to the Director of the National Science
Foundation to carry out the Director's responsibilities under
this Act--
(1) $385,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(2) $424,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(3) $449,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(4) $476,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(b) Department of Energy.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Energy to carry out the
Secretary's responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $317,000,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(2) $347,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(3) $380,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(4) $415,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(c) National Aeronautics and Space Administration.--There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration to carry out
the Administrator's responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $34,100,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(2) $37,500,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(3) $40,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(4) $42,300,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(d) National Institute of Standards and Technology.--There
are authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology to carry out
the Director's responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $68,200,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(2) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(3) $80,000,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(4) $84,000,000 for fiscal year 2008.
(e) Environmental Protection Agency.--There are authorized
to be appropriated to the Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency to carry out the Administrator's
responsibilities under this Act--
(1) $5,500,000 for fiscal year 2005;
(2) $6,050,000 for fiscal year 2006;
(3) $6,413,000 for fiscal year 2007; and
(4) $6,800,000 for fiscal year 2008.
SEC. 7. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PROGRAMS.
(a) NIST Programs.--The Director of the National Institute
of Standards and Technology shall--
(1) as part of the Program activities under section
2(b)(7), establish a program to conduct basic research on
issues related to the development and manufacture of
nanotechnology, including metrology; reliability and quality
assurance; processes control; and manufacturing best
practices; and
(2) utilize the Manufacturing Extension Partnership program
to the extent possible to ensure that the research conducted
under paragraph (1) reaches small- and medium-sized
manufacturing companies.
(b) Clearinghouse.--The Secretary of Commerce or his
designee, in consultation with the National Nanotechnology
Coordination Office and, to the extent possible, utilizing
resources at the National Technical Information Service,
shall establish a clearinghouse of information related to
commercialization of nanotechnology research, including
information relating to activities by regional, State, and
local commercial nanotechnology initiatives; transition of
research, technologies, and concepts from Federal
nanotechnology research and development programs into
commercial and military products; best practices by
government, universities and private sector laboratories
transitioning technology to commercial use; examples of ways
to overcome barriers and challenges to technology deployment;
and use of manufacturing infrastructure and workforce.
SEC. 8. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROGRAMS.
(a) Research Consortia.--
(1) Department of energy program.--The Secretary of Energy
shall establish a program to support, on a merit-reviewed and
competitive basis, consortia to conduct interdisciplinary
nanotechnology research and development designed to integrate
newly developed nanotechnology and microfluidic tools with
systems biology and molecular imaging.
(2) Authorization of appropriations.--Of the sums
authorized for the Department of Energy under section 6(b),
$25,000,000 shall be used for each fiscal year 2005 through
2008 to carry out this section. Of these amounts, not less
than $10,000,000 shall be provided to at least 1 consortium
for each fiscal year.
(b) Research Centers and Major Instrumentation.--The
Secretary of Energy shall carry out projects to develop,
plan, construct, acquire, operate, or support special
equipment, instrumentation, or facilities for investigators
conducting research and development in nanotechnology.
SEC. 9. ADDITIONAL CENTERS.
(a) American Nanotechnology Preparedness Center.--The
Program shall provide for the establishment, on a merit-
reviewed and competitive basis, of an American Nanotechnology
Preparedness Center which shall--
(1) conduct, coordinate, collect, and disseminate studies
on the societal, ethical, environmental, educational, legal,
and workforce implications of nanotechnology; and
(2) identify anticipated issues related to the responsible
research, development, and application of nanotechnology, as
well as provide recommendations for preventing or addressing
such issues.
(b) Center for Nanomaterials Manufacturing.--The Program
shall provide for the establishment, on a merit reviewed and
competitive basis, of a center to--
(1) encourage, conduct, coordinate, commission, collect,
and disseminate research on new manufacturing technologies
for materials, devices, and systems with new combinations of
characteristics, such as, but not limited to, strength,
toughness, density, conductivity, flame resistance, and
membrane separation characteristics; and
(2) develop mechanisms to transfer such manufacturing
technologies to United States industries.
(c) Reports.--The Council, through the Director of the
National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, shall submit to
the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
and the House of Representatives Committee on Science--
(1) within 6 months after the date of enactment of this
Act, a report identifying which agency shall be the lead
agency and which other agencies, if any, will be responsible
for establishing the Centers described in this section; and
(2) within 18 months after the date of enactment of this
Act, a report describing how the Centers described in this
section have been established.
SEC. 10. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Advisory panel.--The term ``Advisory Panel'' means the
President's National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel
established or designated under section 4.
(2) Nanotechnology.--The term ``nanotechnology'' means the
science and technology that will enable one to understand,
measure, manipulate, and manufacture at the atomic,
molecular, and supramolecular levels, aimed at creating
materials, devices, and systems with fundamentally new
molecular organization, properties, and functions.
(3) Program.--The term ``Program'' means the National
Nanotechnology Program established under section 2.
(4) Council.--The term ``Council'' means the National
Science and Technology Council or an appropriate subgroup
designated by the Council under section 2(c).
(5) Advanced technology user facility.--The term ``advanced
technology user facility'' means a nanotechnology research
and development facility supported, in whole or in part, by
Federal funds that is open to all United States researchers
on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
(6) Program component area.--The term ``program component
area'' means a major subject area established under section
2(c)(2) under which is grouped related individual projects
and activities carried out under the Program.
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