The nanotechnology field is going to be losing a valued friend in Congress at the end of the 111th Congress in 2010. Rep. Bart Gordon’s office issued a press release today announcing that the Congressman would not be seeking reelection after the end of his current term. Earlier this year, Rep. Gordon introduced H.R. 554, the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2009, which was passed by the House on February 12, 2009 and was received in the Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The bill is still in that Committee.
While there is speculation that the Congressman is retiring due to polls that indicate a tougher re-election race than the Congressman has faced in recent years, we should take the Congressman’s stated reasons, that having reached the age of 60 he wants to move on to the next stage in life and spend time with his family, at face value and wish him a good and healthy retirement. His leadership on the House Committee on Science and Technology, where he has served as Chairman since 2007 and his support of nanotechnology will be much missed.
