National Nanotechnology Initiative

The National Nanotechnology Initiative is an United States federal nanoscale science, engineering, and technology research and development program. Initiative participants (cited below) state that its four goals are to

1. maintain a world-class research and development (R&D) program;
2. facilitate technology transfer;
3. develop educational resources, a skilled workforce, and supporting research infrastructure and tools; and
4. support responsible development of nanotechnology.

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Participants

1. Consumer Product Safety Commission
2. Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Extension, and Education Service
3. Department of Agriculture Forest Service
4. Department of Commerce Technology Administration
5. Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security
6. Department of Education
7. Environmental Protection Agency
8. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology
9. Intelligence Community
10. Department of Defense
11. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
12. Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy Sciences Office of Industrial Technologies
13. National Science Foundation
14. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health
15. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
16. Food and Drug Administration Department of Health and Human Services
17. Department of State
18. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Department of Health and Human Services
19. Department of Homeland Security (which includes Transportation Security Administration)
20. Department of Justice
21. Department of Labor
22. Department of Transportation
23. International Trade Commission
24. U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Clinton and Bush's influence

President Bill Clinton advocated nanotechnology development. In a 21 January 2000 speech [1] at the California Institute of Technology, Clinton, "Some of our research goals may take twenty or more years to achieve, but that is precisely why there is an important role for the federal government." President George W. Bush further increased funding for nanotechnology and has transformed the issue into his own. In 2003 Bush signed into law the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (Public Law 108-153 [2]), which authorizes expenditures for five of the participating agencies totaling $3.63 billion over four years.[3]. It should be noted that this law is an authorization, not an appropriation, and subsequent appropriations for these five agencies have not met the goals set out in the 2003 Act. However, there are many agencies involved in the Initiative that are not covered by the Act, and requested budgets under the Initiatve for all participating agencies in Fiscal Year 2006 totaled over $1 billion. (See the Supplement to the President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2006 [4]). In December 2004 the National Nanotechnology Initiative released a new Strategic Plan outlining updated goals and "program component areas" [5]," as required under the terms of the Act.

References

• "About the NNI"
• "Clinton makes nanomention of large legacy"