15 U.S.C. § 7503: Advisory Panel

Summary

The President must create or name a National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel. Most members should come from universities and industry and must be able to advise on nanotech research, development, education, tech transfer, commercial use, and social or ethical issues. The President can consider suggestions from Congress, industry, the scientific and defense communities, state or local governments, and other groups when picking members. The Panel must give advice to the President and the coordinating Council about trends, program progress, needed changes, funding balance, U.S. leadership, program management, and social, legal, environmental, and workforce concerns. It must send a report with its findings and recommendations to the President and to the Senate Commerce Committee and House Science Committee no later than 4 years after its last assessment and every 4 years after that. Non‑federal members may be paid travel and per diem as allowed by 5 U.S.C. 5703; federal members follow existing rules. The Panel is not subject to the automatic termination rule in 5 U.S.C. 1013.

Title 15, §7503

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(a)In general

The President shall establish or designate a National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel.

(b)Qualifications

The Advisory Panel established or designated by the President under subsection (a) shall consist primarily of members from academic institutions and industry. Members of the Advisory Panel shall be qualified to provide advice and information on nanotechnology research, development, demonstrations, education, technology transfer, commercial application, or societal and ethical concerns. In selecting or designating an Advisory Panel, the President may also seek and give consideration to recommendations from the Congress, industry, the scientific community (including the National Academy of Sciences, scientific professional societies, and academia), the defense community, State and local governments, regional nanotechnology programs, and other appropriate organizations.

(c)Duties

The Advisory Panel shall advise the President and the Council on matters relating to the Program, including assessing—

(1)trends and developments in nanotechnology science and engineering;

(2)progress made in implementing the Program;

(3)the need to revise the Program;

(4)the balance among the components of the Program, including funding levels for the program component areas;

(5)whether the program component areas, priorities, and technical goals developed by the Council are helping to maintain United States leadership in nanotechnology;

(6)the management, coordination, implementation, and activities of the Program; and

(7)whether societal, ethical, legal, environmental, and workforce concerns are adequately addressed by the Program.

(d)Reports

Not later than 4 years after the date of the most recent assessment under subsection (c), and quadrennially thereafter, the Advisory Panel shall submit to the President, the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report its assessments under subsection (c) and its recommendations for ways to improve the Program.

(e)Travel expenses of non-Federal members

Non-Federal members of the Advisory Panel, while attending meetings of the Advisory Panel or while otherwise serving at the request of the head of the Advisory Panel away from their homes or regular places of business, may be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, as authorized by section 5703 of title 5 for individuals in the government serving without pay. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit members of the Advisory Panel who are officers or employees of the United States from being allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with existing law.

(f)Exemption from sunset

Section 1013 of title 5 shall not apply to the Advisory Panel.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted “Section 1013 of title 5” for “section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act”. 2017—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–329 amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Advisory Panel shall report, not less frequently than once every 2 fiscal years, to the President on its assessments under subsection (c) and its recommendations for ways to improve the Program. The first report under this subsection shall be submitted within 1 year after December 3, 2003. The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall transmit a copy of each report under this subsection to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Technology, the House of Representatives Committee on Science, and other appropriate committees of the Congress.”

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology to serve as the advisory panel identified in this section and to be known as the National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel when performing the functions of such advisory committee, see section 3(b)(iv) of Ex. Ord. No. 14007, set out in a note under section 6601 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare.

§7503 Advisory Panel