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FYI
The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News
Number 30: February 26, 2003

Bills Would Enhance Nanotechnology R&D

A bipartisan bill that would enhance the nation's multiagency
nanotechnology research and development effort was introduced on 
February 13 by House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert 
(R-NY) and Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA).  A similar bill was introduced in 
January by Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR).  The Bush Administration has 
identified nanotechnology research and development as one of its six 
cross-cutting federal R&D priorities for the FY 2004 fiscal year, and 
both bills would strengthen and improve coordination of federal R&D 
activities in this area.

The House and Senate bills are similar, but not identical. Both would
establish a coordinated interagency nanotechnology R&D program, a 
National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, a federal interagency 
committee to plan and manage the R&D activities, and non-federal 
presidential advisory committee.  The House bill (H.R. 766) would 
authorize three years of nanotechnology R&D funding for five federal 
agencies, at the following levels: $645 million for FY 2004; $709.5 
million for FY 2005; and $781 million for FY 2006.  The Senate bill 
(S. 189) provides a one-year authorization for FY 2004 only, for nine 
agencies, at a level of $678 million.

The House bill has 10 other cosponsors so far, including many of the
chairmen and ranking members of the House Science Subcommittees: Ralph 
Hall (D-TX), Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), Timothy Bishop (D-NY), Bart 
Gordon (D-TN), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Nick Smith (R-MI), Judy 
Biggert (R-IL), Vern Ehlers (R-MI), Gil Gutknecht (R-MN), and Zoe 
Lofgren (D-CA).  It has been referred to the full Science Committee 
for action.

The nine current cosponsors of the Senate nanotechnology bill are: 
George Allen (R-VA), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Mary Landrieu 
(D-LA), Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), John Warner (R-VA), Evan Bayh (D-IN), 
Ernest Hollings (D-SC), Carl Levin (D-MI), and Barbara Mikulski 
(D-MD).  This bill has been referred to the Senate Commerce Committee.  
See http://www.aip.org/enews/fyi/2002/106.htm for details of a 
September 2002 hearing on a previous version of Wyden's bill.

In introducing his bill, Chairman Boehlert stated, "Nanotechnology may 
be the 'smallest' field of science - the manipulating of individual 
atoms.  But I've come to understand that in science and technology, 
few things could actually be 'bigger' than nanotechnology - in terms 
of its potential to revolutionize scientific and engineering research, 
improve human health and bolster the economy.  This bill will ensure 
that the federal government is investing significantly, and most 
importantly wisely, in this growing field."  In remarks several years 
ago at Brookhaven National Laboratory (see 
http://www.aip.org/enews/fyi/2002/033.htm), Boehlert noted that "the 
notion of nanotechnology and its potential impact have caught on with 
the public and their representatives in Congress.  This is no mean 
achievement; manipulating atoms is easier than manipulating public 
attitudes....  There is broad, bipartisan support in Washington these 
days for investing in scientific research, and broad agreement that 
nanotechnology is a priority field."  However, as budget deficits 
return, and defense and security issues demand greater resources, it 
remains to be seen whether science and technology priorities such as 
nanotechnology will actually receive higher funding.

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Audrey T. Leath
Media and Government Relations Division
The American Institute of Physics
fyi{at}aip.org
(301) 209-3094
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