I 
108TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 766
To provide for a National Nanotechnology Research and Development 
Program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 13, 2003
Mr. BOEHLERT (for himself, Mr. HONDA, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. HALL, Mr. 
SMITH of Michigan, Mr. GORDON, Mrs. BIGGERT, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE 
JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. 
GUTKNECHT, and Mr. BISHOP of New York) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science 
A BILL 
To provide for a National Nanotechnology Research and 
Development Program, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Nanotechnology Re-
search and Development Act of 2003’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act—
(1) the term ‘‘advanced technology user facil-
ity’’ means a nanotechnology research and develop-
ment facility supported, in whole or in part, by Fed-
eral funds that is open to all United States research-
ers on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis; 
(2) the term ‘‘Advisory Committee’’ means the 
advisory committee established under section 5; 
(3) the term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of 
the Office of Science and Technology Policy; 
(4) the term ‘‘Interagency Committee’’ means 
the interagency committee established under section 
3(c); 
(5) the term ‘‘nanotechnology’’ means science 
and engineering aimed at creating materials, devices, 
and systems at the atomic and molecular level; 
(6) the term ‘‘Program’’ means the National 
Nanotechnology Research and Development Pro-
gram described in section 3; and 
(7) the term ‘‘program component area’’ means 
a major subject area established under section 
3(c)(2) under which is grouped related individual 
projects and activities carried out under the Pro-
gram. 
SEC. 3. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DE-
VELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall implement a 
National Nanotechnology Research and Development Pro-
gram to promote Federal nanotechnology research, devel-
opment, demonstration, education, technology transfer, 
and commercial application activities as necessary to en-
sure continued United States leadership in nanotechnology 
research and development and to ensure effective coordi-
nation of nanotechnology research and development across 
Federal agencies and across scientific and engineering dis-
ciplines. 
(b) PROGRAM ACTIVITIES.—The activities of the Pro-
gram shall be designed to—
(1) 
provide 
sustained 
support 
for 
nanotechnology research and development through—
(A) grants to individual investigators and 
interdisciplinary teams of investigators; and 
(B) establishment of interdisciplinary re-
search centers and advanced technology user fa-
cilities; 
(2) ensure that solicitation and evaluation of 
proposals under the Program encourage interdiscipli-
nary research; 
(3) expand education and training of under-
graduate and graduate students in interdisciplinary 
nanotechnology science and engineering;
(4) accelerate the commercial application of 
nanotechnology innovations in the private sector; 
and 
(5) ensure that societal and ethical concerns 
will be addressed as the technology is developed by—
(A) establishing a research program to 
identify societal and ethical concerns related to 
nanotechnology, and ensuring that the results 
of such research are widely disseminated; and 
(B) integrating, insofar as possible, re-
search on societal and ethical concerns with 
nanotechnology research and development. 
(c) INTERAGENCY COMMITTEE.—The President shall 
establish or designate an interagency committee on 
nanotechnology research and development, chaired by the 
Director, which shall include representatives from the Na-
tional Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Na-
tional Institute of Standards and Technology, the Envi-
ronmental Protection Agency, and any other agency that 
the President may designate. The Interagency Committee, 
which shall also include a representative from the Office 
of Management and Budget, shall oversee the planning, 
management, and coordination of the Program. The Inter-
agency Committee shall—
(1) establish goals and priorities for the Pro-
gram; 
(2) establish program component areas, with 
specific priorities and technical goals, that reflect the 
goals and priorities established for the Program; 
(3) develop, within 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and update annually, a stra-
tegic plan to meet the goals and priorities estab-
lished under paragraph (1) and to guide the activi-
ties of the program component areas established 
under paragraph (2); 
(4) consult with academic, State, industry, and 
other appropriate groups conducting research on and 
using nanotechnology, and the Advisory Committee; 
and 
(5) propose a coordinated interagency budget 
for the Program that will ensure the maintenance of 
a balanced nanotechnology research portfolio and en-
sure that each agency and each program component 
area is allocated the level of funding required to 
meet the goals and priorities established for the Pro-
gram. 
SEC. 4. ANNUAL REPORT. 
The Director shall prepare an annual report, to be 
submitted to the Committee on Science of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate at the time of 
the President’s budget request to Congress, that in-
cludes—
(1) the Program budget, for the current fiscal 
year, for each agency that participates in the Pro-
gram and for each program component area; 
(2) the proposed Program budget, for the next 
fiscal year, for each agency that participates in the 
Program and for each program component area; 
(3) an analysis of the progress made toward 
achieving the goals and priorities established for the 
Program; and 
(4) an analysis of the extent to which the Pro-
gram has incorporated the recommendations of the 
Advisory Committee. 
SEC. 5. ADVISORY COMMITTEE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President shall establish an 
advisory committee on nanotechnology consisting of non-
Federal members, including representatives of research 
and academic institutions and industry, who are qualified 
to provide advice and information on nanotechnology re-
search, development, demonstration, education, technology 
transfer, commercial application, and societal and ethical 
concerns. The recommendations of the Advisory Com-
of the assessment carried out under subsection (b), its rec-
ommendations for ways to improve the Program, and the 
concerns assessed under subsection (b)(7). The first re-
port shall be due within 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
(d) FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACT APPLICA-
TION.—Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
shall not apply to the Advisory Committee. 
SEC. 6. NATIONAL NANOTECHNOLOGY COORDINATION OF-
FICE. 
The 
President 
shall 
establish 
a 
National 
Nanotechnology Coordination Office, with full-time staff, 
which shall—
(1) provide technical and administrative support 
to the Interagency Committee and the Advisory 
Committee; 
(2) serve as a point of contact on Federal 
nanotechnology activities for government organiza-
tions, academia, industry, professional societies, and 
others to exchange technical and programmatic in-
formation; and 
(3) conduct public outreach, including dissemi-
nation of findings and recommendations of the 
Interagency Committee and the Advisory Committee, 
as appropriate.
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION.—There are 
authorized to be appropriated to the National Science 
Foundation for carrying out this Act—
(1) $350,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; 
(2) $385,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and 
(3) $424,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
(b) DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.—There are author-
ized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Energy for car-
rying out this Act—
(1) $197,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; 
(2) $217,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and 
(3) $239,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
(c) NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINIS-
TRATION.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration for car-
rying out this Act—
(1) $31,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; 
(2) $34,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and 
(3) $37,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
(d) NATIONAL
INSTITUTE
OF
STANDARDS
AND 
TECHNOLOGY.—There are authorized to be appropriated 
to the National Institute of Standards and Technology for 
carrying out this Act—
(1) $62,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; 
(2) $68,000,000 for fiscal year 2005; and
(3) $75,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
(e) ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to the Environmental 
Protection Agency for carrying out this Act—
(1) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2004; 
(2) $5,500,000 for fiscal year 2005; and 
(3) $6,000,000 for fiscal year 2006. 
SEC. 
8. 
EXTERNAL 
REVIEW 
OF 
THE 
NATIONAL 
NANOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH AND DEVEL-
OPMENT PROGRAM. 
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Director shall enter into an agreement 
with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct periodic 
reviews of the Program. The reviews shall be conducted 
once every 3 years during the 10-year period following the 
enactment of this Act. The reviews shall include—
(1) an evaluation of the technical achievements 
of the Program; 
(2) recommendations for changes in the Pro-
gram; 
(3) an evaluation of the relative position of the 
United States with respect to other nations in 
nanotechnology research and development; 
(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 re-
search and development; and 
(6) an evaluation of the extent to which the 
Program has adequately considered societal and eth-
ical concerns.
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