National
Technology
Transfer
and
Advancement
Act
of
1995
1.
Public
Law
104­
113
104th
Congress
An
Act
To
amend
the
Stevenson­
Wydler
Technology
Innovation
Act
of
1980
with
respect
to
inventions
made
under
cooperative
research
and
development
agreements,
and
for
other
purposes.

Be
it
enacted
by
the
Senate
and
House
of
Representatives
of
the
United
States
of
America
in
Congress
assembled,

SECTION
1.
SHORT
TITLE.

This
Act
may
be
cited
as
the
"
National
Technology
Transfer
and
Advancement
Act
of
1995"

*
*
*
*
*

SECTION
12.
STANDARDS
CONFORMITY.

(
a)
USE
OF
STANDARDS.
Section
2(
b)
of
the
National
Institute
of
Standards
and
Technology
Act
(
15
U.
S.
C.
272(
b))
is
amended­­
(
1)
in
paragraph
(
2),
by
striking
",
including
comparing
standards"
and
all
that
follows
through
"
Federal
Government";
(
2)
by
redesignating
paragraphs
(
3)
through
(
11)
as
paragraphs
(
4)
through
(
12),
Respectively;
and
(
3)
by
inserting
after
paragraph
(
2)
the
following
new
paragraph:
"(
3)
to
compare
standards
used
in
scientific
investigations,
engineering,
manufacturing,
commerce,
industry,
and
educational
institutions
with
the
standards
adopted
or
recognized
by
the
Federal
Government
and
to
coordinate
the
use
by
Federal
agencies
of
private
sector
standards,
emphasizing
where
possible
the
use
of
standards
developed
by
private,
consensus
organizations;".
(
b)
CONFORMITY
ASSESSMENT
ACTIVITIES.
Section
2(
b)
of
the
National
Institute
of
Standards
and
Technology
Act
(
15
U.
S.
C.
272(
b))
is
amended­­
(
1)
by
striking
"
and"
at
the
end
of
paragraph
(
11),
as
so
redesignated
by
subsection
(
a)(
2)
of
this
section;

(
2)
by
striking
the
period
at
the
end
of
paragraph
(
12),
as
so
redesignated
by
subsection
(
a)(
2)
of
this
section,
and
inserting
in
lieu
thereof
";
and";
and
(
3)
by
adding
at
the
end
the
following
new
paragraph:
"(
13)
to
coordinate
Federal,
State,
and
local
technical
standards
activities
and
conformity
assessment
activities,
with
private
sector
technical
standards
activities
and
conformity
assessment
activities,
with
the
goal
of
eliminating
unnecessary
duplication
and
complexity
in
the
development
and
promulgation
of
conformity
assessment
requirements
and
measures.".
(
c)
TRANSMITTAL
OF
PLAN
TO
CONGRESS.
The
National
Institute
of
Standards
and
Technology
shall,
within
90
days
after
the
date
of
enactment
of
this
Act,
transmit
to
the
Congress
a
plan
for
implementing
the
amendments
made
by
this
section.
(
d)
UTILIZATION
OF
CONSENSUS
TECHNICAL
STANDARDS
BY
FEDERAL
AGENCIES;
REPORTS.
(
1)
IN
GENERAL.
Except
as
provided
in
paragraph
(
3)
of
this
subsection,
all
Federal
agencies
and
departments
shall
use
technical
standards
that
are
developed
or
adopted
by
voluntary
consensus
standards
bodies,
using
such
technical
standards
as
a
means
to
carry
out
policy
objectives
or
activities
determined
by
the
agencies
and
departments.
(
2)
CONSULTATION;
PARTICIPATION.
In
carrying
out
paragraph
(
1)
of
this
subsection,
Federal
agencies
and
departments
shall
consult
with
voluntary,
private
sector,
consensus
standards
bodies
and
shall,
when
such
participation
is
in
the
public
interest
and
is
compatible
with
agency
and
departmental
missions,
authorities,
priorities,
and
budget
resources,
participate
with
such
bodies
in
the
development
of
technical
standards.
(
3)
EXCEPTION.
If
compliance
with
paragraph
(
1)
of
this
subsection
is
inconsistent
with
applicable
law
or
otherwise
impractical,
a
Federal
agency
or
department
may
elect
to
use
technical
standards
that
are
not
developed
or
adopted
by
voluntary
consensus
standards
bodies
if
the
head
of
each
such
agency
or
department
transmits
to
the
Office
of
Management
and
Budget
an
explanation
of
the
reasons
for
using
such
standards.
Each
year,
beginning
with
fiscal
year
1997,
the
Office
of
Management
and
Budget
shall
transmit
to
Congress
and
its
committees
a
report
summarizing
all
explanations
received
in
the
preceding
year
under
this
paragraph.
(
4)
DEFINITION
OF
TECHNICAL
STANDARDS.
As
used
in
this
subsection,
the
term
"
technical
standards"
means
performance­
based
or
design­
specific
technical
specifications
and
related
management
systems
practices.
program
should
be
spent
in
support
of
the
goals
of
the
program.

Approved
March
7,
1996.
