Congressional Record, Volume 154 Issue 91 (Wednesday, June 4, 2008)

[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 4, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H4903-H4911]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2008

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and
pass the bill (H.R. 5940) to authorize activities for support of
nanotechnology research and development, and for other purposes, as
amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:

H.R. 5940

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 ``National Nanotechnology
Initiative Amendments Act of 2008''.

SEC. 2. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM AMENDMENTS.

The 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development
Act (15 U.S.C. 7501 et seq.) is amended--
(1) by striking section 2(c)(4) and inserting the following
new paragraph:
``(4) develop, within 12 months after the date of enactment
of the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of
2008, and update every 3 years thereafter, a strategic plan
to guide the activities described under subsection (b) that
specifies near-term and long-term objectives for the Program,
the anticipated time frame for achieving the near-term
objectives, and the metrics to be used for assessing progress
toward the objectives, and that describes--
``(A) how the Program will move results out of the
laboratory and into applications for the benefit of society,
including through cooperation and collaborations with
nanotechnology research, development, and technology
transition initiatives supported by the States;
``(B) how the Program will encourage and support
interdisciplinary research and development in nanotechnology;
and
``(C) proposed research in areas of national importance in
accordance with the requirements of section 5 of the National
Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008;'';
(2) in section 2--
(A) in subsection (d)--
(i) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (5) as
paragraphs (2) through (6), respectively; and
(ii) by inserting the following new paragraph before
paragraph (2), as so redesignated by clause (i) of this
subparagraph:
``(1) the Program budget, for the previous 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);''; and
(B) by inserting at the end the following new subsection:
``(e) Standards Setting.--The agencies participating in the
Program shall support the activities of committees involved
in the development of standards for nanotechnology and may
reimburse the travel costs of scientists and engineers who
participate in activities of such committees.'';
(3) by striking section 3(b) and inserting the following
new subsection:
``(b) Funding.--(1) The operation of the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall be supported by
funds from each agency participating in the Program. The
portion of such Office's total budget provided by each agency
for each fiscal year shall be in the same proportion as the
agency's share of the total budget for the Program for the
previous fiscal year, as specified in the report required
under section 2(d)(1).

[[Page H4904]]

``(2) The annual report under section 2(d) shall include--
``(A) a description of the funding required by the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office to perform the functions
specified under subsection (a) for the next fiscal year by
category of activity, including the funding required to carry
out the requirements of section 2(b)(10)(D), subsection (d)
of this section, and section 5;
``(B) a description of the funding required by such Office
to perform the functions specified under subsection (a) for
the current fiscal year by category of activity, including
the funding required to carry out the requirements of
subsection (d); and
``(C) the amount of funding provided for such Office for
the current fiscal year by each agency participating in the
Program.'';
(4) by inserting at the end of section 3 the following new
subsection:
``(d) Public Information.--(1) The National Nanotechnology
Coordination Office shall develop and maintain a database
accessible by the public of projects funded under the
Environmental, Health, and Safety, the Education and Societal
Dimensions, and the Nanomanufacturing program component
areas, or any successor program component areas, including a
description of each project, its source of funding by agency,
and its funding history. For the Environmental, Health, and
Safety program component area, or any successor program
component area, projects shall be grouped by major objective
as defined by the research plan required under section 3(b)
of the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of
2008. For the Education and Societal Dimensions program
component area, or any successor program component area, the
projects shall be grouped in subcategories of--
``(A) education in formal settings;
``(B) education in informal settings;
``(C) public outreach; and
``(D) ethical, legal, and other societal issues.
``(2) The National Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall
develop, maintain, and publicize information on
nanotechnology facilities supported under the Program, and
may include information on nanotechnology facilities
supported by the States, that are accessible for use by
individuals from academic institutions and from industry. The
information shall include at a minimum the terms and
conditions for the use of each facility, a description of the
capabilities of the instruments and equipment available for
use at the facility, and a description of the technical
support available to assist users of the facility.'';
(5) in section 4(a)--
(A) by striking ``or designate'';
(B) by inserting ``as a distinct entity'' after ``Advisory
Panel''; and
(C) by inserting at the end ``The Advisory Panel shall form
a subpanel with membership having specific qualifications
tailored to enable it to carry out the requirements of
subsection (c)(7).'';
(6) in section 4(b)--
(A) by striking ``or designated'' and ``or designating'';
and
(B) by adding at the end the following: ``At least one
member of the Advisory Panel shall be an individual employed
by and representing a minority-serving institution.'';
(7) by amending section 5 to read as follows:

``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 review of
the Program. The Director shall ensure that the arrangement
with the National Research Council is concluded in order to
allow sufficient time for the reporting requirements of
subsection (b) to be satisfied. Each triennial review shall
include an evaluation of the--
``(1) research priorities and technical content of the
Program, including whether the allocation of funding among
program component areas, as designated according to section
2(c)(2), is appropriate;
``(2) effectiveness of the Program's management and
coordination across agencies and disciplines, including an
assessment of the effectiveness of the National
Nanotechnology Coordination Office;
``(3) Program's scientific and technological
accomplishments and its success in transferring technology to
the private sector; and
``(4) adequacy of the Program's activities addressing
ethical, legal, environmental, and other appropriate societal
concerns, including human health concerns.
``(b) Evaluation To Be Transmitted to Congress.--The
National Research Council shall document the results of each
triennial review carried out in accordance with subsection
(a) in a report that includes any recommendations for ways to
improve the Program's management and coordination processes
and for changes to the Program's objectives, funding
priorities, and technical content. Each report shall be
submitted to the Director of the National Nanotechnology
Coordination Office, who shall transmit it to the Advisory
Panel, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
of the Senate, and the Committee on Science and Technology of
the House of Representatives not later than September 30 of
every third year, with the first report due September 30,
2009.
``(c) Funding.--Of the amounts provided in accordance with
section 3(b)(1), the following amounts shall be available to
carry out this section:
``(1) $500,000 for fiscal year 2009.
``(2) $500,000 for fiscal year 2010.
``(3) $500,000 for fiscal year 2011.''; and
(8) in section 10--
(A) by amending paragraph (2) to read as follows:
``(2) Nanotechnology.--The term `nanotechnology' means the
science and technology that will enable one to understand,
measure, manipulate, and manufacture at the nanoscale, aimed
at creating materials, devices, and systems with
fundamentally new properties or functions.''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(7) Nanoscale.--The term `nanoscale' means one or more
dimensions of between approximately 1 and 100 nanometers.''.

SEC. 3. SOCIETAL DIMENSIONS OF NANOTECHNOLOGY.

(a) Coordinator for Societal Dimensions of
Nanotechnology.--The Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy shall designate an associate director of
the Office of Science and Technology Policy as the
Coordinator for Societal Dimensions of Nanotechnology. The
Coordinator shall be responsible for oversight of the
coordination, planning, and budget prioritization of
activities required by section 2(b)(10) of the 21st Century
Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C.
7501(b)(10)). The Coordinator shall, with the assistance of
appropriate senior officials of the agencies funding
activities within the Environmental, Health, and Safety and
the Education and Societal Dimensions program component areas
of the Program, or any successor program component areas,
ensure that the requirements of such section 2(b)(10) are
satisfied. The responsibilities of the Coordinator shall
include--
(1) ensuring that a research plan for the environmental,
health, and safety research activities required under
subsection (b) is developed, updated, and implemented and
that the plan is responsive to the recommendations of the
subpanel of the Advisory Panel established under section 4(a)
of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development
Act (15 U.S.C. 7503(a)), as amended by this Act;
(2) encouraging and monitoring the efforts of the agencies
participating in the Program to allocate the level of
resources and management attention necessary to ensure that
the ethical, legal, environmental, and other appropriate
societal concerns related to nanotechnology, including human
health concerns, are addressed under the Program, including
the implementation of the research plan described in
subsection (b); and
(3) encouraging the agencies required to develop the
research plan under subsection (b) to identify, assess, and
implement suitable mechanisms for the establishment of
public-private partnerships for support of environmental,
health, and safety research.
(b) Research Plan.--
(1) In general.--The Coordinator for Societal Dimensions of
Nanotechnology shall convene and chair a panel comprised of
representatives from the agencies funding research activities
under the Environmental, Health, and Safety program component
area of the Program, or any successor program component area,
and from such other agencies as the Coordinator considers
necessary to develop, periodically update, and coordinate the
implementation of a research plan for this program component
area. In developing and updating the plan, the panel convened
by the Coordinator shall solicit and be responsive to
recommendations and advice from--
(A) the subpanel of the Advisory Panel established under
section 4(a) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and
Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7503(a)), as amended by this Act;
and
(B) the agencies responsible for environmental, health, and
safety regulations associated with the production, use, and
disposal of nanoscale materials and products.
(2) Development of standards.--The plan required under
paragraph (1) shall include a description of how the Program
will help to ensure the development of--
(A) standards related to nomenclature associated with
engineered nanoscale materials;
(B) engineered nanoscale standard reference materials for
environmental, health, and safety testing; and
(C) standards related to methods and procedures for
detecting, measuring, monitoring, sampling, and testing
engineered nanoscale materials for environmental, health, and
safety impacts.
(3) Components of plan.--The plan required under paragraph
(1) shall, with respect to activities described in paragraphs
(1) and (2)--
(A) specify near-term research objectives and long-term
research objectives;
(B) specify milestones associated with each near-term
objective and the estimated time and resources required to
reach each milestone;
(C) with respect to subparagraphs (A) and (B), describe the
role of each agency carrying out or sponsoring research in
order to meet the objectives specified under subparagraph (A)
and to achieve the milestones specified under subparagraph
(B);
(D) specify the funding allocated to each major objective
of the plan and the source of funding by agency for the
current fiscal year; and
(E) estimate the funding required for each major objective
of the plan and the source of funding by agency for the
following 3 fiscal years.
(4) Transmittal to congress.--The plan required under
paragraph (1) shall be submitted not later than 60 days after
the date of enactment of this Act to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the
Committee on Science and Technology of the House of
Representatives.
(5) Updating and appending to report.--The plan required
under paragraph (1) shall be updated annually and appended to
the report

[[Page H4905]]

required under section 2(d) of the 21st Century
Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C.
7501(d)).
(c) Nanotechnology Partnerships.--
(1) Establishment.--As part of the program authorized by
section 9 of the National Science Foundation Authorization
Act of 2002, the Director of the National Science Foundation
shall provide 1 or more grants to establish partnerships as
defined by subsection (a)(2) of that section, except that
each such partnership shall include 1 or more businesses
engaged in the production of nanoscale materials, products,
or devices. Partnerships established in accordance with this
subsection shall be designated as ``Nanotechnology Education
Partnerships''.
(2) Purpose.--Nanotechnology Education Partnerships shall
be designed to recruit and help prepare secondary school
students to pursue postsecondary level courses of instruction
in nanotechnology. At a minimum, grants shall be used to
support--
(A) professional development activities to enable secondary
school teachers to use curricular materials incorporating
nanotechnology and to inform teachers about career
possibilities for students in nanotechnology;
(B) enrichment programs for students, including access to
nanotechnology facilities and equipment at partner
institutions, to increase their understanding of nanoscale
science and technology and to inform them about career
possibilities in nanotechnology as scientists, engineers, and
technicians; and
(C) identification of appropriate nanotechnology
educational materials and incorporation of nanotechnology
into the curriculum for secondary school students at one or
more organizations participating in a Partnership.
(3) Selection.--Grants under this subsection shall be
awarded in accordance with subsection (b) of such section 9,
except that paragraph (3)(B) of that subsection shall not
apply.
(d) Undergraduate Education Programs.--
(1) Activities supported.--As part of the activities
included under the Education and Societal Dimensions program
component area, or any successor program component area, the
Program shall support efforts to introduce nanoscale science,
engineering, and technology into undergraduate science and
engineering education through a variety of interdisciplinary
approaches. Activities supported may include--
(A) development of courses of instruction or modules to
existing courses;
(B) faculty professional development; and
(C) acquisition of equipment and instrumentation suitable
for undergraduate education and research in nanotechnology.
(2) Course, curriculum, and laboratory improvement
authorization.--There are authorized to be appropriated to
the Director of the National Science Foundation to carry out
activities described in paragraph (1) through the Course,
Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement program--
(A) from amounts authorized under section 7002(b)(2)(B) of
the America COMPETES Act, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
and
(B) from amounts authorized under section 7002(c)(2)(B) of
the America COMPETES Act, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
(3) Advanced technology education authorization.--There are
authorized to be appropriated to the Director of the National
Science Foundation to carry out activities described in
paragraph (1) through the Advanced Technology Education
program--
(A) from amounts authorized under section 7002(b)(2)(B) of
the America COMPETES Act, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2009;
and
(B) from amounts authorized under section 7002(c)(2)(B) of
the America COMPETES Act, $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
(e) Interagency Working Group.--The National Science and
Technology Council shall establish under the Nanoscale
Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee an
Education Working Group to coordinate, prioritize, and plan
the educational activities supported under the Program.
(f) Societal Dimensions in Nanotechnology Education
Activities.--Activities supported under the Education and
Societal Dimensions program component area, or any successor
program component area, that involve informal, precollege, or
undergraduate nanotechnology education shall include
education regarding the environmental, health and safety, and
other societal aspects of nanotechnology.
(g) Remote Access to Nanotechnology Facilities.--(1)
Agencies supporting nanotechnology research facilities as
part of the Program shall require the entities that operate
such facilities to allow access via the Internet, and support
the costs associated with the provision of such access, by
secondary school students and teachers, to instruments and
equipment within such facilities for educational purposes.
The agencies may waive this requirement for cases when
particular facilities would be inappropriate for educational
purposes or the costs for providing such access would be
prohibitive.
(2) The agencies identified in paragraph (1) shall require
the entities that operate such nanotechnology research
facilities to establish and publish procedures, guidelines,
and conditions for the submission and approval of
applications for the use of the facilities for the purpose
identified in paragraph (1) and shall authorize personnel who
operate the facilities to provide necessary technical support
to students and teachers.

SEC. 4. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.

(a) Prototyping.--
(1) Access to facilities.--In accordance with section
2(b)(7) of 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and
Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(b)(7)), the agencies
supporting nanotechnology research facilities as part of the
Program shall provide access to such facilities to companies
for the purpose of assisting the companies in the development
of prototypes of nanoscale products, devices, or processes
(or products, devices, or processes enabled by
nanotechnology) for determining proof of concept. The
agencies shall publicize the availability of these facilities
and encourage their use by companies as provided for in this
section.
(2) Procedures.--The agencies identified in paragraph (1)--
(A) shall establish and publish procedures, guidelines, and
conditions for the submission and approval of applications
for use of nanotechnology facilities;
(B) shall publish descriptions of the capabilities of
facilities available for use under this subsection, including
the availability of technical support; and
(C) may waive recovery, require full recovery, or require
partial recovery of the costs associated with use of the
facilities for projects under this subsection.
(3) Selection and criteria.--In cases when less than full
cost recovery is required pursuant to paragraph (2)(C),
projects provided access to nanotechnology facilities in
accordance with this subsection shall be selected through a
competitive, merit-based process, and the criteria for the
selection of such projects shall include at a minimum--
(A) the readiness of the project for technology
demonstration;
(B) evidence of a commitment by the applicant for further
development of the project to full commercialization if the
proof of concept is established by the prototype; and
(C) evidence of the potential for further funding from
private sector sources following the successful demonstration
of proof of concept.

The agencies may give special consideration in selecting
projects to applications that are relevant to important
national needs or requirements.
(b) Use of Existing Technology Transfer Programs.--
(1) Participating agencies.--Each agency participating in
the Program shall--
(A) encourage the submission of applications for support of
nanotechnology related projects to the Small Business
Innovation Research Program and the Small Business Technology
Transfer Program administered by such agencies; and
(B) through the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office
and within 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act,
submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science and
Technology of the House of Representatives--
(i) the plan described in section 2(c)(7) of the 21st
Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15
U.S.C. 7501(c)(7)); and
(ii) a report specifying, if the agency administers a Small
Business Innovation Research Program and a Small Business
Technology Transfer Program--

(I) the number of proposals received for nanotechnology
related projects during the current fiscal year and the
previous 2 fiscal years;
(II) the number of such proposals funded in each year;
(III) the total number of nanotechnology related projects
funded and the amount of funding provided for fiscal year
2003 through fiscal year 2007; and
(IV) a description of the projects identified in accordance
with subclause (III) which received private sector funding
beyond the period of phase II support.

(2) National institute of standards and technology.--The
Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology in carrying out the requirements of section 28 of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 278n) shall--
(A) in regard to subsection (d) of that section, encourage
the submission of proposals for support of nanotechnology
related projects; and
(B) in regard to subsection (g) of that section, include a
description of how the requirement of subparagraph (A) of
this paragraph is being met, the number of proposals for
nanotechnology related projects received, the number of such
proposals funded, the total number of such projects funded
since the beginning of the Technology Innovation Program, and
the outcomes of such funded projects in terms of the metrics
developed in accordance with such subsection (g).
(3) TIP advisory board.--The TIP Advisory Board established
under section 28(k) of the National Institute of Standards
and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278n(k)), in carrying out its
responsibilities under subsection (k)(3), shall provide the
Director of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology with--
(A) advice on how to accomplish the requirement of
paragraph (2)(A) of this subsection; and
(B) an assessment of the adequacy of the allocation of
resources for nanotechnology related projects supported under
the Technology Innovation Program.
(c) Industry Liaison Groups.--An objective of the Program
shall be to establish industry liaison groups for all
industry sectors that would benefit from applications of
nanotechnology. The Nanomanufactoring, Industry Liaison, and
Innovation Working Group of the National Science and
Technology Council shall actively pursue establishing such
liaison groups.
(d) Coordination With State Initiatives.--Section 2(b)(5)
of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development
Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(b)(5)) is amended to read as follows:
``(5) ensuring United States global leadership in the
development and application of nanotechnology, including
through coordination and leveraging Federal investments with
nanotechnology research, development, and technology
transition initiatives supported by the States;''.

[[Page H4906]]

SEC. 5. RESEARCH IN AREAS OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.

(a) In General.--The Program shall include support for
nanotechnology research and development activities directed
toward application areas that have the potential for
significant contributions to national economic
competitiveness and for other significant societal benefits.
The activities supported shall be designed to advance the
development of research discoveries by demonstrating
technical solutions to important problems in such areas as
nano-electronics, energy efficiency, health care, and water
remediation and purification. The Advisory Panel shall make
recommendations to the Program for candidate research and
development areas for support under this section.
(b) Characteristics.--
(1) In general.--Research and development activities under
this section shall--
(A) include projects selected on the basis of applications
for support through a competitive, merit-based process;
(B) involve collaborations among researchers in academic
institutions and industry, and may involve nonprofit research
institutions and Federal laboratories, as appropriate;
(C) when possible, leverage Federal investments through
collaboration with related State initiatives; and
(D) include a plan for fostering the transfer of research
discoveries and the results of technology demonstration
activities to industry for commercial development.
(2) Procedures.--Determination of the requirements for
applications under this subsection, review and selection of
applications for support, and subsequent funding of projects
shall be carried out by a collaboration of no fewer than 2
agencies participating in the Program. In selecting
applications for support, the agencies shall give special
consideration to projects that include cost sharing from non-
Federal sources.
(3) Interdisciplinary research centers.--Research and
development activities under this section may be supported
through interdisciplinary nanotechnology research centers, as
authorized by section 2(b)(4) of the 21st Century
Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C.
7501(b)(4)), that are organized to investigate basic research
questions and carry out technology demonstration activities
in areas such as those identified in subsection (a).
(c) Report.--Reports required under section 2(d) of the
21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15
U.S.C. 7501(d)) shall include a description of research and
development areas supported in accordance with this section,
including the same budget information as is required for
program component areas under paragraphs (1) and (2) of such
section 2(d).

SEC. 6. NANOMANUFACTURING RESEARCH.

(a) Research Areas.--The Nanomanufacturing program
component area, or any successor program component area,
shall include research on--
(1) development of instrumentation and tools required for
the rapid characterization of nanoscale materials and for
monitoring of nanoscale manufacturing processes; and
(2) approaches and techniques for scaling the synthesis of
new nanoscale materials to achieve industrial-level
production rates.
(b) Green Nanotechnology.--Interdisciplinary research
centers supported under the Program in accordance with
section 2(b)(4) of the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research
and Development Act (15 U.S.C. 7501(b)(4)) that are focused
on nanomanufacturing research and centers established under
the authority of section 5(b)(3) of this Act shall include as
part of the activities of such centers--
(1) research on methods and approaches to develop
environmentally benign nanoscale products and nanoscale
manufacturing processes, taking into consideration relevant
findings and results of research supported under the
Environmental, Health, and Safety program component area, or
any successor program component area;
(2) fostering the transfer of the results of such research
to industry; and
(3) providing for the education of scientists and engineers
through interdisciplinary studies in the principles and
techniques for the design and development of environmentally
benign nanoscale products and processes.
(c) Review of Nanomanufactoring Research and Research
Facilities.--
(1) Public meeting.--Not later than 12 months after the
date of enactment of this Act, the National Nanotechnology
Coordination Office shall sponsor a public meeting, including
representation from a wide range of industries engaged in
nanoscale manufacturing, to--
(A) obtain the views of participants at the meeting on--
(i) the relevance and value of the research being carried
out under the Nanomanufactoring program component area of the
Program, or any successor program component area; and
(ii) whether the capabilities of nanotechnology research
facilities supported under the Program are adequate--

(I) to meet current and near-term requirements for the
fabrication and characterization of nanoscale devices and
systems; and
(II) to provide access to and use of instrumentation and
equipment at the facilities, by means of networking
technology, to individuals who are at locations remote from
the facilities; and

(B) receive any recommendations on ways to strengthen the
research portfolio supported under the Nanomanufactoring
program component area, or any successor program component
area, and on improving the capabilities of nanotechnology
research facilities supported under the Program.

Companies participating in industry liaison groups shall be
invited to participate in the meeting. The Coordination
Office shall prepare a report documenting the findings and
recommendations resulting from the meeting.
(2) Advisory panel review.--The Advisory Panel shall review
the Nanomanufactoring program component area of the Program,
or any successor program component area, and the capabilities
of nanotechnology research facilities supported under the
Program to assess--
(A) whether the funding for the Nanomanufactoring program
component area, or any successor program component area, is
adequate and receiving appropriate priority within the
overall resources available for the Program;
(B) the relevance of the research being supported to the
identified needs and requirements of industry;
(C) whether the capabilities of nanotechnology research
facilities supported under the Program are adequate--
(i) to meet current and near-term requirements for the
fabrication and characterization of nanoscale devices and
systems; and
(ii) to provide access to and use of instrumentation and
equipment at the facilities, by means of networking
technology, to individuals who are at locations remote from
the facilities; and
(D) the level of funding that would be needed to support--
(i) the acquisition of instrumentation, equipment, and
networking technology sufficient to provide the capabilities
at nanotechnology research facilities described in
subparagraph (C); and
(ii) the operation and maintenance of such facilities.

In carrying out its assessment, the Advisory Panel shall take
into consideration the findings and recommendations from the
report required under paragraph (1).
(3) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Advisory Panel shall submit to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate and the Committee on Science and Technology of the
House of Representatives a report on its assessment required
under paragraph (2), along with any recommendations and a
copy of the report prepared in accordance with paragraph (1).

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

In this Act, terms that are defined in section 10 of the
21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15
U.S.C. 7509) have the meaning given those terms in that
section.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) and the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Tennessee.

General Leave

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that
all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their
remarks and to include extraneous materials on H.R. 5940, the bill now
under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Tennessee?
There was no objection.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
H.R. 5940 is a bipartisan bill which myself and Ranking Member Hall
jointly introduced, along with 23 additional Democratic and Republican
members of the Science and Technology Committee. The committee believes
this legislation will strengthen our Nation's competitiveness in the
rapidly advancing field of nanotechnology.
I want to particularly thank my colleague, the gentleman from Texas,
for working with me to craft this legislation. I also want to thank Dr.
Baird, the Chair, and Dr. Ehlers, the ranking member, respectively, of
the Research and Science Education Subcommittee, who were both
instrumental in development of this bill.
Finally, I want to thank all the members of the Science and
Technology Committee on both sides of the aisle for their contributions
to this bill and for helping to move it expeditiously and unanimously
through the committee. Certainly, I want to thank Jim Wilson, working
with the minority and majority staff, in putting together this
excellent piece of legislation.
The term ``revolutionary technology'' has become a cliche, but
nanotechnology truly is revolutionary. We stand at the threshold of an
age in which materials and devices can be fashioned atom by atom to
satisfy specific design requirements. Nanotechnology-based applications
are arising that were not even imagined a decade ago.
The range of potential applications of nanotechnology is broad and
will have enormous consequences for electronics, energy transformation,
storage materials, and medicine and health, to name just a few. Indeed,
the scope of this technology is so broad as to leave virtually no
product untouched.

[[Page H4907]]

The Science and Technology Committee recognized the promise of
nanotechnology early on, holding our first hearing a decade ago to
review Federal activities in the field. The committee was substantially
instrumental in development and enactment in 2003 of the 21st Century
Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, which authorized the
multi-agency National Nanotechnology Initiative, or the NNI, as it's
called.
The 2003 statute put in place formal interagency planning, budgeting,
and coordinating mechanisms for the NNI. It now receives funding from
13 agencies and has a budget of $1.5 billion for fiscal year 2008. The
NNI statute also provides for formal reviews of the content and
management of programs by the National Academy of Sciences and by a
designated advisory committee of nongovernmental experts. Their
assessment of the NNI has been generally positive.
The NNI supports productive cooperative research efforts across a
spectrum of disciplines and is establishing a network of national
facilities for further support of nanotechnology research and
development. H.R. 5940 is based on findings and recommendations from
several hearings during the current Congress that examined various
aspects of the NNI. It also reflects recommendations from the formal
reviews of the NNI by the National Academy of Sciences and the NNI
advisory panel. Finally, it incorporates many suggestions from various
communities of interest that reviewed early versions of the bill.
H.R. 5940 does not substantially alter the NNI, but makes adjustments
to some of the priorities of the programs and strengthens one of the
core components, environmental and safety research.
Nanotechnology is advancing rapidly, and at least 600 products have
entered commerce that contain nanoscale materials, including aerosols
and cosmetics. It is important for the successful development of
nanotechnology that potential downsides of nanotechnology be addressed
from the beginning in a straight forward and open way.
We know too well that negative public perceptions about the safety of
technology can have serious consequences for its acceptance and use. At
present, the level of scientific understanding is sufficient to pin
down what types of engineered nanomaterials may be dangerous, although
early studies show some are potentially harmful.
One example is the recent finding that certain types of carbon
nanotubes may mimic the effect of asbestos in causing cancer. More
research is needed to determine what characteristics of nanoscale
materials are most significant with regard to determining their effects
on living organisms or on the environment.
Although the NNI from its beginning has included research to increase
understanding of environmental and safety aspects of nanotechnology, it
has not yet put in place a well-designed, adequately funded and an
effectively executed research program in this area. The environmental
and safety component of NNI must be improved by quickly developing a
research plan and implementation strategy that specifies near-term and
long-term goals, sets milestones and timeframes for meeting near-term
goals, clarifies agencies' roles in implementing the plan, and
allocates sufficient resources to accomplish those goals.
This is the first essential step for the development of
nanotechnology to ensure that sound science guides the formation of
regulatory rules and requirements. It will reduce the current
uncertainty that inhibits commercial development of nanotechnology and
will provide a sound basis for future rulemaking.
H.R. 5940 addresses risk reduction research by requiring that the NNI
agencies develop a plan for the environmental and safety research
component of the program, as well as a roadmap to implementing it. This
plan must include explicit near-term and long-term goals, specify the
funding required to reach these goals, and identify the role of each
participating agency.
The bill also assigns responsibility to a senior official at the
Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House to oversee
this planning and implementation process and to ensure the agencies
allocate the resources necessary to carry it out.
Finally, the bill requires accountability by establishing a publicly
accessible database containing information on the content and funding
for each environmental health and safety research project supported by
the NNI.
Another key component of H.R. 5940 I want to highlight involves
provisions to help capture the economic benefits of nanotechnology.

{time} 1230

Too often, the U.S. has led in the basic research on the frontiers of
science and technology, but has failed to capitalize on commercial
development flowing from these new discoveries.
The NNI has so far invested approximately $7 billion over 7 years in
basic research that is providing new tools for manipulation of matter
at the nanoscale and is increasing our understanding of the behavior of
engineered nanoscale materials and devices. Increased consideration
should be given to ways to foster the transfer of new discoveries to
commercial products and processes. To that end, H.R. 5940 includes
provisions to encourage use of nanotechnology research facilities by
companies for prototyping and proof of concept studies and it specifies
steps for increasing the number of nanotechnology-related projects
supported under the Small Business Innovation Research initiative and
by the Technology Innovation Program, established under the COMPETES
Act.
To increase the relevancy and value of NNI, the bill also authorizes
large-scale, focused, multi-agency research and development initiatives
in areas of national need. This approach will advance the development
of promising research discoveries for demonstrating technical solutions
in targeted areas, which will contribute to economic competitiveness
and other social benefits. For example, such efforts could be organized
around the development and replacement of silicone-based transistors,
developing new nanotechnology-based devices for harvesting solar
energy, and nanoscale sensors for detecting cancer.
Finally, I want to highlight some provisions of the bill that address
another key issue, future STEM workforce needs. The Nation needs a full
pipeline of talented engineers, scientists and technicians and a
scientifically literate public able to exploit and understand this new
science.
One provision of H.R. 5940 builds on the National Science
Foundation's Math and Science Partnership Program to use nanotechnology
education activities as a vehicle to raise the interest of secondary
students in possible STEM careers. A key component of these new
partnerships is involvement by the nanotechnology companies in offering
hands-on learning opportunities at their facilities for students and
teachers.
Another educational provision supports the development of
undergraduate courses of study in nanotechnology fields. This will help
prepare future technicians, scientists and engineers who will be needed
to meet the demands of industry as nanotechnology commercialization
continues to expand.
Mr. Speaker, nanotechnology will soon touch the lives of all
Americans. It is already in our cell phones, cosmetics, paints and
clothing. It will soon help to protect the lives of our police officers
and military servicemen, and is showing promise in the treatment of
cancer and promoting wound healing. There is no doubt that the
potential of this technology is great. The bill before us today goes a
long way toward ensuring that nanotechnology is developed in a safe and
environmentally benign way, and that the Nation reaps the benefits of
our research investment.
H.R. 5940 has the support of many business and professional
associations, including the Semiconductor Industry Association, the
NanoBusiness Alliance, the American Chemical Society, the American
Physical Society, SEMI North America, the National Chemistry Council,
the American Electronics Association, the Association of Science-
Technology Centers, IEEE-USA, Materials Research Society, Semiconductor
Research Corporation,

[[Page H4908]]

the National Science Teachers Association, American Psychological
Association, the American Institute for Medical and Biological
Engineering, Texas Instruments, IBM and Applied Materials, among just a
few.
These organizations, like my colleagues on the Science and Technology
Committee, recognize that H.R. 5940 will enhance America's efforts in
nanotechnology research and development and will help bring its many
benefits to the public.
Mr. Speaker, I commend this bipartisan legislation to my colleagues
and urge their support for its passage in this House.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Hall) will control the time.
There was no objection.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5940, the
National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008, and I yield
myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I control time for what we call the opposition for the
legislation here today, but I guess that is just a mere technicality,
because I am pleased to join Chairman Gordon as well as an overwhelming
majority of our committee members on both sides of the aisle as an
original cosponsor of H.R. 5940, the National Nanotechnology Initiative
Amendments Act of 2008.
The initiative was first named in the 2001 budget request and made a
priority by President Bush. We codified it in 2003, and I was pleased
to cosponsor that measure as well then. Now we have taken an already
good statute and improved it just a bit, and streamlined some
administrative issues to ensure that areas such as nanomanufacturing,
education and environmental health and safety are adequately
recognized.
It is mind-boggling to realize that the piece of paper that I am
reading from is 100,000 nanometers thick. 100,000 nanometers. The fact
that our scientists and engineers can create and manipulate matter on
that small of a scale to be used in electronics, biomedical,
pharmaceutical, cosmetic, energy, catalytic, and materials applications
is amazing and the kind of research and technology that makes the
United States the leader in this innovation. It is important that we
continue to make this area of research a national priority.
Certainly, just as an example, look at how nanotechnology has been
used to create clean, secure and affordable energy. With gas prices
averaging $4 a gallon, when was the last time we heard ``affordable
energy''?
Nanotechnology research is currently taking place to improve the
performance or increase the efficiency of renewable energy systems,
such as solar energy conversion, wind energy, biomass power for utility
applications, hydrogen production and storage for transportation,
including the development of fuel cell technology, and geothermal
energy. Nanofilms for windows are being developed for home use to
promote energy efficiency. Nanotechnology is being used to improve
batteries and create solid state lighting and low powered displays. The
list and potential at this time are absolutely endless.
So I encourage my colleagues to support this measure. This has been a
bipartisan effort from the beginning, and while we have made some
changes to the program, I believe that, by and large, we continue to
give the NNI and all the Federal agencies involved with this the
flexibility that they absolutely need to do their work without being
overly prescriptive.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, first let me concur with the
remarks of my ranking member, Mr. Hall. This has been a good,
bipartisan, collaborative effort, and I thank him and his staff for all
their work.
I yield 4 minutes to the vice chairman of the Science and Technology
Committee, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski).
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 5940,
legislation reauthorizing the National Nanotechnology Initiative known
as the NNI. I want to congratulate Chairman Gordon and Ranking Member
Hall for their hard work in crafting this legislation. I also want to
acknowledge all the members of the Science and Technology Committee on
both sides of the aisle for their contributions to this bill and for
helping to move it expeditiously and unanimously through the committee.
Nanotechnology, or the science and technology of building devices
from single atoms and molecules, soon will impact nearly every sector
of our economy. In just 6 years, the global market for nanoscale
materials and products is expected to reach $2.6 trillion and to be
incorporated into 15 percent of global manufacturing output. I firmly
believe that nanotech represents one of the most important, if not the
most important, technological keys to improving our Nation's future
economic growth and improving our way of life, from medical
applications, to green nanoenergy, to nanoelectronics, which will be
critical as we reach the limits of current materials.
The NNI has been effective in supporting productive, cooperative
research efforts across a wide spectrum of disciplines. The initiative
has established a network of state-of-the-art national facilities that
are conducting groundbreaking work in nanoscale research and
development. These centers have helped the U.S. maintain a strong
presence in the development and expansion of nanotechnology, which has
been vital to economic development and essential to the creation of
innovative jobs, leading to a stronger and more competitive America.
The committee stated in the bill's report language the need to expand
the current centers that we have as necessary to meet future research
needs.
I am proud that my home State of Illinois is one of the leaders in
nanotechnology research. Illinois boasts two national labs. It is home
to numerous cutting-edge businesses and some of the Nation's preeminent
research universities, such as my alma mater, Northwestern University,
and the University of Illinois, which are conducting groundbreaking
work in this field.
To keep the U.S. ahead of other nations, who are now making
substantial investments in nanotech, this reauthorization makes three
significant adjustments, as mentioned by the chairman.
First, it strengthens the planning and implementation of research on
the environmental, health and safety aspects of nanotech. Not only is
public safety paramount in its own right, but public confidence in
these new technologies is also necessary for the success of nanotech
industries.
Second, this bill requires the NNI to place increased emphasis on
technology transfer; that is, moving basic research results out of the
lab and into commercial products, materials and devices. From my own
experiences in Illinois with our national labs and research
universities, I understand that technology transfer is not simple, but
it is critical to ensuring that R&D investments serve the public.
Third, H.R. 5940 creates a new nanotechnology education program to
attract secondary school students to science and technology studies to
help prepare the nanotech workforce of the future. As a former teacher,
I understand the importance of education in promoting not only the
success of individual Americans, but also promoting the success of
American innovation such as nanotechnology.
Mr. Speaker, as nanotechnology moves from a multibillion to a
multitrillion-dollar industry, there is great promise in store, but it
is critical that we do all we can to ensure that America leads the way
in nanotech innovation. H.R. 5940 will keep the U.S. in a position to
drive the development of nanotechnology and go a long way towards
ensuring that America reaps the benefits of our research investment.
I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 5940.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman
from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), the previous Energy Subcommittee Chair.
Mrs. BIGGERT. I thank the ranking member, the gentleman from Texas,
for yielding me the time.
Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of H.R. 5940, I rise to express
my continued support for the bill that we are considering here today.
Most Americans learn in grade school and high school that atoms are
building blocks of nature. In the years since I was in school,
incredible machines

[[Page H4909]]

have allowed us to even see every one of these atoms. But now, thanks
to the National Nanotechnology Initiative, or NNI, we have developed
and continue to develop the tools, equipment and expertise to
manipulate those atoms and build new materials and new machines, one
molecule at a time.
First established in 2001 and later authorized in statute in 2003,
the NNI has by all accounts succeeded at coordinating nanotechnology
research and development across many Federal agencies to the benefit of
our national competitiveness. According to a recent review of the
program by the President's Council of Advisers on Science and
Technology, PCAST, the United States has been and remains the
recognized leader in nanotechnology R&D. But the Council rightly
pointed out that the European Union and China are gaining ground on us.
That is why I am pleased that we are building on the success of NNI by
passing H.R. 5940 today.
Thanks to the NNI, the U.S. has an extensive network of nanoscale
science research centers. Five of those centers are operated and
maintained by the Department of Energy's Office of Science. One of
those DOE centers, the Center for Nanoscale Materials, is located in my
district at Argonne National Laboratory.
In its first year of operation, Argonne's Center for Nanoscale
Materials hosted over 100 scientists and engineers engaged in nanotech
research from across the country and around the world, giving them
access to the most powerful x-ray device in the Western Hemisphere at
the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne.

{time} 1245

As Americans face ever rising gasoline and energy prices, we are
fortunate that Congress and the President had the foresight to invest
in the DOE's nanoscience centers. Because of our Federal investment in
years past, scientists and engineers are already hard at work
manipulating atoms to create new, lighter, stronger materials for wind
turbines, improved lubricants for gear boxes, and better wiring for
generators, all of which will improve the efficiency of wind power. DOE
scientists are also using nanotechnology to make more durable and
efficient solar cells, catalysts for the direct conversion of light
energy to hydrogen, new materials for lighter, more powerful, longer
lasting batteries that will improve energy storage and bring the plug-
in hybrid car to market more quickly. Thanks to nanotechnology,
progress is being made on advanced energy technologies that will reduce
our reliance on foreign oil and gas.
But to continue making progress, Congress must provide adequate
funding for these critical facilities and research efforts.
Unfortunately, because the fiscal year 2008 omnibus bill essentially
flat funded the basic energy science program, the DOE had no choice but
to reduce the run time of scientific user facilities like the advanced
photon source by 20 percent. Without a doubt, this will impact the work
at the Center for Nanoscale Materials which relies on the APS.
I remain hopeful that the fiscal year 2008 supplemental working its
way through Congress now will include additional funding for these
important facilities and research efforts of the DOE. With that in
mind, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the National
Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the
chairman of the Subcommittee on Technology Innovation, Mr. Wu, from
Oregon State.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair will advise the gentleman from
Tennessee that he has only 5 minutes remaining.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Then I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Oregon.
Mr. WU. I thank the gentleman and the chairman for his leadership on
this issue and for the bipartisan manner in which this bill has come to
the floor, and rise in strong support of the National Nanotechnology
Initiative Amendments Act of 2008. It is very, very fitting that we are
continuing efforts to support nanotechnology research and development
given the economic and societal benefits that we are just beginning to
realize.
Federally funded research and development has long served an
important purpose in our economy, spurring the creation of new
services, new products, and, most importantly, new jobs. The new
products and technologies that are often the byproducts of basic
research enhance our daily lives in many, many ways. It is estimated
that the fruits of nanotechnology research will have a multi-trillion
dollar impact on our economy within the next several years.
The bill before us today provides the seed corn for an industry that
will be a crucial part of our future economic success and
competitiveness. My home State of Oregon is a leader in nanotechnology.
The Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute, ONAMI, is a
public-private partnership that supports academic research and
technology transfer of nanoscience. Research supported by ONAMI has
already yielded companies that are developing a low-cost method of
removing heavy metals to purify water, new manufacturing technologies,
and a system to allow patients with kidney disease to undergo dialysis
at home. Continued support of nanotechnology research allow these and
other breakthrough technologies to come to market.
I want to cite a couple specific key provisions, including provisions
relating to green nanotechnologies and those that encourage the
commercialization of nanotechnology research.
Several institutions in the State of Oregon have been leaders in
green nanotechnology research. These funds will help these universities
and others explore ways to create environmentally friendly or at least
benign nanotechnology products. And this is very, very crucial to
acceptance of nanotech.
In addition, there are provisions in this bill that encourage other
Federal programs to support commercialization of nanotechnology
research to help turn research insights into tangible useful results.
Congress has already passed legislation to support programs that
advance our innovation agenda, and it is fitting that nanotechnology
would be funded by these programs. The relevant programs include the
Technology Innovation Program, or TIP, which provides grants to
companies and universities conducting high-risk, high reward research,
and the Small Business Innovative Research and Small Business
Technology Transfer programs, which provide funds to small high-tech
firms conducting innovative research that is relevant to Federal
agencies' missions and that may have significant commercialization
potential.
Again, I want to commend Chairman Gordon and the ranking member for
drafting a strong bipartisan bill, and urge my colleagues to support
this legislation.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield the gentleman from Georgia
(Mr. Gingrey) 5 minutes.
Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5940, the
National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008.
Nanotechnology represents the future of science and information
technology. These scientific methods have already been responsible for
a number of products that are used every day in our country, like car
parts, cosmetics, and first aid dressings.
The future of nanotechnology holds a world of possibilities for a
number of fields including health care, which, Mr. Speaker, is
incredibly important to me as a physician member of this House.
The National Nanotechnology Initiative is a multi-agency Federal
program aimed at accelerating the discovery, the development, and
deployment of nanometer scale science, engineering, and technology.
Since its implementation in 2003, NNI represents the Federal
Government's commitment to harnessing and developing the world's most
cutting edge technology to help keep our country competitive in a
technologically based global economy. H.R. 5940 is a bill that builds
on the successful aspects of the NNI by making some improvements and
modifications while keeping much of the initiative intact. This
legislation acknowledges and addresses the need for enhanced research
and education in the field of nanotechnology, and it is in line with
President Bush's American Competitiveness Initiative.
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased that this legislation moved through
the

[[Page H4910]]

Science and Technology Committee in a bipartisan manner so typical of
our members. Unfortunately, that bipartisan spirit does not apply to
the most important issue facing the American people today, and that is
the price they are paying at the pump for gasoline.
Mr. Speaker, here we are 16 months after the vaunted promise of a
commonsense plan to reduce energy prices by Speaker Pelosi, yet gas
prices are now surpassing $4 a gallon with no end in sight. At this
point, I am not holding my breath for this commonsense plan Speaker
Pelosi promised over 2 years ago. I only know the result of the plan,
an increase of $1.60 per gallon for regular gasoline. However, Mr.
Speaker, I do hope that Democrats will begin working with Republicans
much like they did on this bill, H.R. 5940, on our common sense plan
for energy.
The Republican proposal, H.R. 3089, the No More Excuses Energy Act
sponsored by my good friend Mr. Thornberry of Texas, will allow us to
explore domestic sources of energy and will reduce the amount that we
all pay at the pump. It is time for the Democrats to get serious about
reducing gas prices. I call on them to join the efforts of House
Republicans. Let's enact real solutions that will provide relief for
our taxpayers.
Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I am very supportive of H.R. 5940 and the
possibility that nanotechnology has for the future of science. I urge
all my colleagues to support its passage.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have remaining?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas has 9\1/2\ minutes
remaining.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) 5 minutes.
(Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I come in support of this legislation, and
have come to learn that this nanotechnology has great opportunities to
help us in the whole energy debate. I think nanotechnology can help in
the solar powered cells. I understand that nanotechnology might be able
to help taking light energy and turning it into hydrogen, which is
important. It can be very important in addressing the long-lasting
battery issue debate which will move us to plug-in hybrids sometime in
the future, which we all realize is an important aspect of what we need
to do to get to energy independence. And, green nanoenergy, which is
important in this whole climate debate.
I also hope that nanotechnology can address some of the other
pressing scientific needs: The issue of maybe reprocessing nuclear
spent fuel. Maybe taking the carbon dioxide and splitting the carbon
from the oxygen and addressing the climate change so we can use fossil
fuels in a process that is going to be helpful.
But we are still in the Buck Rogers era. We need to move in that
direction. The question is, what are we going to do now? The question
is, at this time, in this debate, what are we really going to do to
immediately affect the high cost of energy on our constituents? I have
been on this floor quite a bit, as we all know, debating this. I have
heard my colleagues on the other side, and I am softening my rhetoric
out of respect for my friends and I have actually changed some of my
charts to address issues raised in the debate.
So what is the primary problem that we have today? The problem we
have is the escalation of crude oil prices in this country, from $23
when this administration came into the office, to $58 when the new
majority came into the House, to $123 today.
Now I am not trying to be partisan, I am just trying to be factual.
That is what has happened to the barrel of crude oil prices and what
has happened to the cost of gasoline. Well, it has gone up similarly in
this response. So the question is, how do we address this problem if we
believe in economics 101 and supply and demand?
One way we could do it is opening the Outer Continental Shelf to oil
and gas exploration. We have legislatively put off-limits through the
appropriation process a prohibition, in some areas not to even do
research to see if there is any natural gas or oil there, but we have
said ``no'' to all these areas in red, that we are telling our public
we do not want to look for oil and gas on the Outer Continental Shelf
deep sea floor exploration 50 miles off the coast. We are saying
``no.''
Our debate is pretty simple. At a time of high costs of a barrel of
crude oil, $123.85 a barrel, how can we not? How can we not go and look
for our own resources? What we want, what we are asking for is
American-made energy, American-made energy to decrease our reliance on
imported crude oil in places that are not stable, in the Middle East,
in Venezuela, that are holding us captive. We know there are resources
there.
Let me talk about another great opportunity that we have. In
Illinois, the Illinois coal basin is basically the whole geography of
the State of Illinois, and of course the chairman knows a lot and is
very supportive of coal use in America. It also is Western Kentucky and
the southwestern part of Indiana. We have as much coal in energy output
as Saudi Arabia has oil just in the Illinois coal basin. So the
question is, why aren't we using it to decrease our reliance on
imported crude oil? Why aren't we using coal in turning it into liquid
fuel? Look at the benefits we have of coal fields: American made
energy. A coal field in America, American jobs mining that coal,
American jobs to build the coal to liquid refinery.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. HALL of Texas. I yield the gentleman 3 additional minutes.
Mr. SHIMKUS. I thank the gentleman.
American jobs to build the pipeline. American jobs to operate our
aviation industry. In fact, this plane here is a fighter plane, because
the United States Air Force is the number one purchaser of aviation
fuel in the world.

{time} 1300

For every dollar increase in a barrel of crude oil, you know what it
costs our Air Force? $60 million. That's $60 million that doesn't go to
training. That's $60 million that doesn't go to equipping. That's $60
million that doesn't help in meeting the budgetary demands.
Let me just finish on this point. Let's assume we access these and we
have oil and gas. Or let's assume we're in ANWR and we're getting the
oil and gas and we're getting the royalties. At today's prices, do you
know how much money would come to the Federal Treasury at today's
prices from ANWR? $192 billion. Do you think that would help the
nanotechnology budget? I think it would help extremely. Move us from a
decrease in our reliance on imported crude oil, American-made energy,
new science and technology, green power; and that's kind of what this
debate is all about.
Mr. WU. Will the gentleman yield?
Mr. SHIMKUS. I would be happy to yield to my friend from Oregon.
Mr. WU. Just as my friend from Illinois has modified his presentation
in light of current reality, I will not, unless necessary, reprise the
reason for the difference between a $60 barrel of oil and a $120 barrel
of oil, which is the war in Iraq, rank speculation by people who can't
take delivery of the oil, and low, cheap currency doctrine by this
administration that has imported inflation and increased oil prices.
Mr. SHIMKUS. Reclaiming my time. But all those issues that you
addressed, if we had American-made energy, if we weren't relying on
imported crude oil, you know, why does the cheap dollar affect our
price? Because we're buying crude oil overseas. If we were producing
our own crude oil in our country, the dollar wouldn't matter.
The speculators, you know the speculators. What are they betting? I
love this debate. They are betting that we're going to do nothing.
You want to go after the speculators? Bring on more supply. They're
betting that this barrel is going to go up, not go down.
Mr. WU. If the gentleman would yield.
Mr. SHIMKUS. I would be happy to.
Mr. WU. Speculators do bet on that. Bubbles also occur in markets
now. A witness to the Foreign Affairs Committee said we have 4 percent
of the proven oil reserves. And yet the Republican response is, drill
that 4 percent; it will solve our problems. We have 4 percent of the
world's oil reserves. Drill

[[Page H4911]]

the reserve and that will solve our problems. The numbers are the
numbers.
Mr. SHIMKUS. Let me reclaim my time, and just go over, since 1994 and
talk about this debate.
In ANWR, which Clinton vetoed in 1995, we would have that oil today.
House Republicans support ANWR 91 percent of the time on votes. House
Democrats 86 oppose. Clear difference.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, how much time do I have, if any?
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 1\1/2\ minutes.
Mr. HALL of Texas. I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield 45 seconds to the
gentleman from Oregon (Mr. DeFazio).
Mr. DeFAZIO. Drilling permits are up by two times in the last 5
years. But the price of gas is up by two times in the last 5 years.
More permits do not bring lower prices. 10,000 more permits than wells
since 2004. 92 million acres of onshore and offshore land currently
under lease, but 67 million acres, over 70 percent, has not been
developed by the oil and gas companies. They have a lot to work with.
They're not doing it. 80 percent of the oil and gas still in the OCS is
where there is no moratorium.
Now, I don't know why the gentleman, during the nanotechnology
debate, nanotechnology which needs to be advanced by this country so we
at least don't lose one more promising future technology, is bringing
up this issue, unless he's talking about little tiny drill bits that
would have less environmental impact.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield to Mr. Shimkus, the gentleman
from Illinois, 1 minute.
(Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his
remarks.)
Mr. SHIMKUS. I want to thank the chairman for the time. With a minute
left, I may not be able to yield to you, David. I would be happy to
most times.
This is the problem. $23 to $58 to $123. You only address that by
bringing on more supply. We have oil and gas in the Outer Continental
Shelf, and we need to be there.
I've got margin oil wells. I've got oil all over the State of
Illinois. Do you know why we don't drill on every acre? Because you're
not going to find oil on every acre.
Why are leases not put out? Because there may not be oil there. In
fact, on the Outer Continental Shelf on the Atlantic coast we won't
even inventory it. Last Congress we said no to inventory what we might
have on the Eastern Seaboard.
All I want to do is bring down crude oil prices. The only way you do
it is bringing on more supply. It's clear from the votes over the past
12 years, Republicans want to bring on more supply. Democrats, the vast
majority of them, do not. All we're asking is that we have some that
want to do that.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I reserve my time if the gentleman from
Texas has any time left that he wants to conclude.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas has half a minute.
Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, once again I want to thank the
majority and minority members of the Science and Technology Committee
for working together on this collaborative good effort.
To my friend, my passionate friend from Illinois, let me say, just as
he knows that you can't turn an oil tanker around on a dime, the fact
of the matter is that we can't overturn the 4 or 8 years previous
nearsighted policy on a dime either. But rather than point fingers and
trying to be a partisan debate here, we can work together and make some
changes.
This nanotechnology bill is one more effort in helping to provide
American technology for domestic production of energies of all sorts,
the energies of the future, the jobs that come with that.
Mr. HONDA. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5940, the
National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act.
I commend Chairman Bart Gordon and the other members of the Science
and Technology Committee, on which I am proud to have once served, for
the hard work and thoughtful consideration that went into this bill. I
am pleased that this bill includes numerous provisions that I
originally proposed in my own legislation, the Nanotechnology
Advancement and New Opportunities, NANO, Act, H.R. 3235.
Nanotechnology has the potential to create entirely new industries
and radically transform the basis of competition in other fields, and I
am proud of my work with former Science Committee Chairman Sherwood
Boehlert on the Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003 to
foster research in this area.
But one of the things policymakers have heard from experts is that
while the United States is a leader in nanotechnology research, our
foreign competitors are focusing more resources and effort on the
commercialization of those research results than we are.
Both H.R. 5940 and my own bill would focus America's nanotechnology
research and development programs on areas of national need such as
energy, health care, and the environment, and have provisions to help
assist in the commercialization of nanotechnology.
In recent months, there has been much discussion about potential
health and safety risks associated with nanotechnology. Uncertainty is
one of the major obstacles to the commercialization of nanotechnology--
uncertainty about what the risks might be and uncertainty about how the
Federal Government might regulate nanotechnology in the future. Both my
bill and H.R. 5940 require the development of a nanotechnology research
plan that will ensure the development and responsible stewardship of
nanotechnology.
Other important areas that are addressed by both H.R. 5940 and H.R.
3235 include: the development of curriculum tools to help improve
nanotechnology education; the establishment of educational partnerships
to help prepare students to pursue postsecondary education in
nanotechnology; support for the development of environmentally
beneficial nanotechnology; and the development of advanced tools for
simulation and characterization to enable rapid prediction,
characterization and monitoring for nanoscale manufacturing.
I am also pleased that H.R. 5940 will require that the NNI Advisory
Panel must be a stand-alone advisory committee. This is a concept, I
originally proposed in 2002 in the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
Advisory Board Act, H.R. 5669 in the 107th Congress.
I would like to thank the members of the Blue Ribbon Task Force on
Nanotechnology, BRTFN, a panel of California nanotechnology experts
with backgrounds in established industry, startup companies, consulting
groups, nonprofits, academia, government, medical research, and venture
capital that I convened with then-California State Controller Steve
Westly during 2005, for the important recommendations included in its
report, Thinking Big About Thinking Small, many of which are reflected
in the bill we are considering today. I would also like to thank Scott
Hubbard, who was the director of the NASA Ames Research Center at that
time and who served as working chair of the BRTFN, and all of the staff
at Ames whose hard work made the task force run so well and helped
produce a great report. The report is available on my website at http:/
/honda.house.gov/issues/links/brtfn_report_ final.pdf.
Again, I congratulate the Science and Technology Committee and
Chairman Gordon for their work on this bill and thank them for
incorporating so many of the provisions from my bill into H.R. 5940,
and I urge my colleagues to support this important legislation to
reauthorize the Nation's nanotechnology research and development
program.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time, and suggest we pass this very good bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5940, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be
postponed.

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