---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 7504"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "7504"
heading: "Quadrennial external review of the National Nanotechnology Program"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/7504"
units:
  - "Chapter 101 — Nanotechnology Research and Development"
---

# §7504. Quadrennial external review of the National Nanotechnology Program

- (a) **In general—** The Director of the National [Nanotechnology](/usc/15/7509.md?p=2) Coordination Office shall enter into an arrangement with the National Research [Council](/usc/15/7509.md?p=4) of the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a quadrennial evaluation of the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3), including—
  - (1) an evaluation of the technical accomplishments of the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3), including a review of whether the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3) has achieved the goals under the metrics established by the [Council](/usc/15/7509.md?p=4);
  - (2) a review of the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3)’s management and coordination across agencies and disciplines;
  - (3) a review of the funding levels at each agency for the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3)’s activities and the ability of each agency to achieve the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3)’s stated goals with that funding;
  - (4) an evaluation of the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3)’s success in transferring technology to the private sector;
  - (5) an evaluation of whether the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3) has been successful in fostering interdisciplinary research and development;
  - (6) an evaluation of the extent to which the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3) has adequately considered ethical, legal, environmental, and other appropriate societal concerns;
  - (7) recommendations for new or revised [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3) goals;
  - (8) recommendations for new research areas, partnerships, coordination and management mechanisms, or [programs](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3) to be established to achieve the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3)’s stated goals;
  - (9) recommendations on policy, [program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3), and budget changes with respect to [nanotechnology](/usc/15/7509.md?p=2) research and development activities;
  - (10) recommendations for improved metrics to evaluate the success of the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3) in accomplishing its stated goals;
  - (11) a review of the performance of the National [Nanotechnology](/usc/15/7509.md?p=2) Coordination Office and its efforts to promote access to and early application of the technologies, innovations, and expertise derived from [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3) activities to agency missions and systems across the Federal Government and to United States industry;
  - (12) an analysis of the relative position of the United States compared to other nations with respect to [nanotechnology](/usc/15/7509.md?p=2) research and development, including the identification of any critical research areas where the United States should be the world leader to best achieve the goals of the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3); and
  - (13) an analysis of the current impact of [nanotechnology](/usc/15/7509.md?p=2) on the United States economy and recommendations for increasing its future impact.
- (b) **Study on molecular self-assembly—** As part of the first quadrennial review conducted in accordance with [subsection (a)](#a), the National Research [Council](/usc/15/7509.md?p=4) shall conduct a one-time study to determine the technical feasibility of molecular self-assembly for the manufacture of materials and [devices](/usc/15/55.md?p=d) at the molecular scale.
- (c) **Study on the responsible development of nanotechnology—** As part of the first quadrennial review conducted in accordance with [subsection (a)](#a), the National Research [Council](/usc/15/7509.md?p=4) shall conduct a one-time study to assess the need for standards, guidelines, or strategies for ensuring the responsible development of [nanotechnology](/usc/15/7509.md?p=2), including, but not limited to—
  - (1) self-replicating nanoscale machines or [devices](/usc/15/55.md?p=d);
  - (2) the release of such machines in natural environments;
  - (3) encryption;
  - (4) the development of defensive technologies;
  - (5) the use of [nanotechnology](/usc/15/7509.md?p=2) in the enhancement of human intelligence; and
  - (6) the use of [nanotechnology](/usc/15/7509.md?p=2) in developing artificial intelligence.
- (d) **Report—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 30 days after the date the first evaluation under [subsection (a)](#a) is received, and quadrennially thereafter, the Director of the National [Nanotechnology](/usc/15/7509.md?p=2) Coordination Office shall report to the President its assessments under [subsection (c)](#c) and its recommendations for ways to improve the [Program](/usc/15/7509.md?p=3).
  - (2) **Congress—** Not later than 30 days after the date the President receives the report under [paragraph (1)](#d-1), the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall transmit a copy of the report to Congress.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 108–153, § 5, Dec. 3, 2003, 117 Stat. 1928; Pub. L. 114–329, title II, § 204(b)(3), Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 2999.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2017—Pub. L. 114–329, § 204(b)(3)(A)–(D), substituted “Quadrennial” for “Triennial” in section catchline and “quadrennial” for “triennial” in subsecs. (a) to (c).

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 114–329, § 204(b)(3)(E), amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Director of the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office shall transmit the results of any evaluation for which it made arrangements under subsection (a) to the Advisory Panel, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Science upon receipt. The first such evaluation shall be transmitted no later than June 10, 2005, with subsequent evaluations transmitted to the Committees every 3 years thereafter.”