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January 5, 2017

Bill Presented to President Obama Would Lengthen Time between NNI Strategic Plans, Reviews, and Evaluations

Lynn L. Bergeson Carla N. Hutton

The American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (S. 3084) would amend the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act (15 U.S.C. § 7501 et seq.) to change the frequency of National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) reports.  The strategic plan would be released every five instead of every three years, and the triennial review would be renamed the quadrennial review and be prepared every four years instead of every three.  The evaluation of the NNI, which is submitted to Congress, would be due every four instead of every three years.  Under the amendments, the strategic plan will address how the NNI will “move results out of the laboratory and into application for the benefit of society”; its support for long-term funding for interdisciplinary research and development in nanotechnology; and the allocation of funding for interagency nanotechnology projects.  The Senate passed the bill on December 10, 2016, and the House passed it on December 16, 2016.  On December 28, 2016, the bill was presented to President Obama.  President Obama is expected to sign the bill.