National Nanotechnology Initiative

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

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

[edit] Participants

Consumer Product Safety Commission
Department of Agriculture Cooperative State Research, Extension, and Education Service
Department of Agriculture Forest Service
Department of Commerce Technology Administration
Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security
Department of Education
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology
Intelligence Community
Department of Defense
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Department of Energy Office of Basic Energy Sciences Office of Industrial Technologies
National Science Foundation
Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Food and Drug Administration Department of Health and Human Services
Department of State
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Homeland Security (which includes Transportation Security Administration)
Department of Justice
Department of Labor
Department of Transportation
International Trade Commission
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

[edit] Clinton and Bush's influence

Some Clinton supporters credit William Jefferson Clinton as being responsible for the existence of the Initiative. Indeed, Clinton advocated nanotechnology development. Howard Lovy, a nanotechnology writer, said the Initiative may "turn out to be one of Clinton's most-important legacies". In a 21 January 2000 speech at the California Institute of Technology, Clinton said (as cited in "References"), "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 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 [1]), which authorizes expenditures for five of the participating agencies totalling $3.63 billion over four years.[2]. It should be noted that this law is an authorization, not an appropriation, and subsequent appropriations for these five angencies 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 totalled over $1 billion. (See the Supplement to the President's Budget for Fiscal Year 2006 [3]). In December 2004 the National Nanotechnology Initiative released a new Strategic Plan outlining updated goals and "program component areas" [4]," as required under the terms of the Act.