
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC6614]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
 CHAPTER 79--SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY, ORGANIZATION AND PRIORITIES
 
         SUBCHAPTER II--OFFICE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY POLICY
 
Sec. 6614. Policy planning; analysis; advice; establishment of 
        advisory panel
        
    (a) The Office shall serve as a source of scientific and 
technological analysis and judgment for the President with respect to 
major policies, plans, and programs of the Federal Government. In 
carrying out the provisions of this section, the Director shall--
        (1) seek to define coherent approaches for applying science and 
    technology to critical and emerging national and international 
    problems and for promoting coordination of the scientific and 
    technological responsibilities and programs of the Federal 
    departments and agencies in the resolution of such problems;
        (2) assist and advise the President in the preparation of the 
    Science and Technology Report, in accordance with section 6618 \1\ 
    of this title;
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    \1\ See References in Text note below.
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        (3) gather timely and authoritative information concerning 
    significant developments and trends in science, technology, and in 
    national priorities, both current and prospective, to analyze and 
    interpret such information for the purpose of determining whether 
    such developments and trends are likely to affect achievement of the 
    priority goals of the Nation as set forth in section 6601(b) of this 
    title;
        (4) encourage the development and maintenance of an adequate 
    data base for human resources in science, engineering, and 
    technology, including the development of appropriate models to 
    forecast future manpower requirements, and assess the impact of 
    major governmental and public programs on human resources and their 
    utilization;
        (5) initiate studies and analyses, including systems analyses 
    and technology assessments, of alternatives available for the 
    resolution of critical and emerging national and international 
    problems amendable to the contributions of science and technology 
    and, insofar as possible, determine and compare probable costs, 
    benefits, and impacts of such alternatives;
        (6) advise the President on the extent to which the various 
    scientific and technological programs, policies, and activities of 
    the Federal Government are likely to affect the achievement of the 
    priority goals of the Nation as set forth in section 6601(b) of this 
    title;
        (7) provide the President with periodic reviews of Federal 
    statutes and administrative regulations of the various departments 
    and agencies which affect research and development activities, both 
    internally and in relation to the private sector, or which may 
    interfere with desirable technological innovation, together with 
    recommendations for their elimination, reform, or updating as 
    appropriate;
        (8) develop, review, revise, and recommend criteria for 
    determining scientific and technological activities warranting 
    Federal support, and recommend Federal policies designed to advance 
    (A) the development and maintenance of broadly based scientific and 
    technological capabilities, including human resources, at all levels 
    of government, academia, and industry, and (B) the effective 
    application of such capabilities to national needs;
        (9) assess and advise on policies for international cooperation 
    in science and technology which will advance the national and 
    international objectives of the United States;
        (10) identify and assess emerging and future areas in which 
    science and technology can be used effectively in addressing 
    national and international problems;
        (11) report at least once each year to the President and the 
    Congress on the overall activities and accomplishments of the 
    Office, pursuant to section 6615 of this title;
        (12) periodically survey the nature and needs of national 
    science and technology policy and make recommendations to the 
    President, for review and transmission to the Congress, for the 
    timely and appropriate revision of such policy in accordance with 
    section 6602(a)(6) of this title; and
        (13) perform such other duties and functions and make and 
    furnish such studies and reports thereon, and recommendations with 
    respect to matters of policy and legislation as the President may 
    request.

    (b)(1) The Director shall establish an Intergovernmental Science, 
Engineering, and Technology Advisory Panel (hereinafter referred to as 
the ``Panel''), whose purpose shall be to (A) identify and define 
civilian problems at State, regional, and local levels which science, 
engineering, and technology may assist in resolving or ameliorating; (B) 
recommend priorities for addressing such problems; and (C) advise and 
assist the Director in identifying and fostering policies to facilitate 
the transfer and utilization of research and development results so as 
to maximize their application to civilian needs.
    (2) The Panel shall be composed of (A) the Director of the Office, 
or his representative; (B) at least ten members representing the 
interests of the States, appointed by the Director of the Office after 
consultation with State officials; and (C) the Director of the National 
Science Foundation, or his representative.
    (3)(A) The Director of the Office, or his representative, shall 
serve as Chairman of the Panel.
    (B) The Panel shall perform such functions as the Chairman may 
prescribe, and shall meet at the call of the Chairman.
    (4) Each member of the Panel shall, while serving on business of the 
Panel, be entitled to receive compensation at a rate not to exceed the 
daily rate prescribed for GS-18 of the General Schedule under section 
5332 of title 5, including traveltime, and, while so serving away from 
his home or regular place of business, he may be allowed travel 
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence in the same manner 
as the expenses authorized by section 5703(b) \2\ of title 5 for persons 
in government service employed intermittently.
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    \2\ See References in Text note below.
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(Pub. L. 94-282, title II, Sec. 205, May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 464; Pub. L. 
97-375, title II, Sec. 215(2), (4), Dec. 21, 1982, 96 Stat. 1826, 1827.)

                       References in Text

    Section 6618 of this title, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), was 
repealed by Pub. L. 97-375, title II, Sec. 215(1), Dec. 21, 1982, 96 
Stat. 1826. See section 6615 of this title.
    Section 5703 of title 5, referred to in subsec. (b)(4), was amended 
generally by Pub. L. 94-22, Sec. 4, May 19, 1975, 89 Stat. 85, and, as 
so amended, does not contain a subsec. (b).


                               Amendments

    1982--Subsec. (a)(11). Pub. L. 97-375, Sec. 215(2), (4), inserted 
``and the Congress'' after ``President'', and substituted ``section 
6615'' for ``section 6618''.

                          Transfer of Functions

    Functions vested in Office of Science and Technology Policy and 
Director thereof pursuant to subsec. (a)(2) of this section and sections 
6615 and 6618 of this title transferred to Director of National Science 
Foundation by section 5A of Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1977, set out in the 
Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees, effective 
Feb. 26, 1978, as provided by section 1(a) of Ex. Ord. No. 12039, Feb. 
24, 1978, 43 F.R. 8095, set out under section 6601 of this title.

  Abolition of Intergovernmental Science, Engineering, and Technology 
                  Advisory Panel; Transfer of Functions

    The Intergovernmental Science, Engineering, and Technology Advisory 
Panel, established pursuant to this section, was abolished and its 
functions transferred to the President by Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1977, 
Sec. 5A, 42 F.R. 56101, 91 Stat. 1634, set out in the Appendix to Title 
5, effective Feb. 26, 1978, as provided by section 1(b) of Ex. Ord. No. 
12039, Feb. 24, 1978, 43 F.R. 8095, set out under section 6601 of this 
title.


         References in Other Laws to GS-16, 17, or 18 Pay Rates

    References in laws to the rates of pay for GS-16, 17, or 18, or to 
maximum rates of pay under the General Schedule, to be considered 
references to rates payable under specified sections of Title 5, 
Government Organization and Employees, see section 529 [title I, 
Sec. 101(c)(1)] of Pub. L. 101-509, set out in a note under section 5376 
of Title 5.


    Comprehensive Accountability Study for Federally-Funded Research

    Pub. L. 105-276, title IV, Sec. 430, Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2512, 
provided that:
    ``(a) Study.--The Director of the Office of Science and Technology 
Policy, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget, may enter into an agreement with the National Academy of 
Sciences for the Academy to conduct a comprehensive study to develop 
methods for evaluating federally-funded research and development 
programs. This study shall--
        ``(1) recommend processes to determine an acceptable level of 
    success for federally-funded research and development programs by--
            ``(A) describing the research process in the various 
        scientific and engineering disciplines;
            ``(B) describing in the different sciences what measures and 
        what criteria each community uses to evaluate the success or 
        failure of a program, and on what time scales these measures are 
        considered reliable--both for exploratory long-range work and 
        for short-range goals; and
            ``(C) recommending how these measures may be adapted for use 
        by the Federal Government to evaluate federally-funded research 
        and development programs;
        ``(2) assess the extent to which agencies incorporate 
    independent merit-based evaluation into the formulation of the 
    strategic plans of funding agencies and if the quantity or quality 
    of this type of input is unsatisfactory;
        ``(3) recommend mechanisms for identifying federally-funded 
    research and development programs which are unsuccessful or 
    unproductive;
        ``(4) evaluate the extent to which independent, merit-based 
    evaluation of federally-funded research and development programs and 
    projects achieves the goal of eliminating unsuccessful or 
    unproductive programs and projects; and
        ``(5) investigate and report on the validity of using 
    quantitative performance goals for aspects of programs which relate 
    to administrative management of the program and for which such goals 
    would be appropriate, including aspects related to--
            ``(A) administrative burden on contractors and recipients of 
        financial assistance awards;
            ``(B) administrative burdens on external participants in 
        independent, merit-based evaluations;
            ``(C) cost and schedule control for construction projects 
        funded by the program;
            ``(D) the ratio of overhead costs of the program relative to 
        the amounts expended through the program for equipment and 
        direct funding of research; and
            ``(E) the timeliness of program responses to requests for 
        funding, participation, or equipment use.
    ``(b) Independent Merit-Based Evaluation Defined.--The term 
`independent merit-based evaluation' means review of the scientific or 
technical quality of research or development, conducted by experts who 
are chosen for their knowledge of scientific and technical fields 
relevant to the evaluation and who--
        ``(1) in the case of the review of a program activity, do not 
    derive long-term support from the program activity; or
        ``(2) in the case of the review of a project proposal, are not 
    seeking funds in competition with the proposal.''


                         Computer Network Study

    Pub. L. 99-383, Sec. 10, Aug. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 816, provided 
that:
    ``(a) The Office of Science and Technology Policy (hereinafter 
referred to as the `Office') shall undertake a study of critical 
problems and current and future options regarding communications 
networks for research computers, including supercomputers, at 
universities and Federal research facilities in the United States. The 
study shall include an analysis of--
        ``(1) the networking needs of the Nation's academic and Federal 
    research computer programs, including supercomputer programs, over 
    the period which is fifteen years after the date of enactment of 
    this Act [Aug. 21, 1986], including requirements in terms of volume 
    of data, reliability of transmission, software compatibility, 
    graphics capability, and transmission security;
        ``(2) the benefits and opportunities that an improved computer 
    network would offer for electronic mail, file transfer, and remote 
    access and communications for universities and Federal research 
    facilities in the United States; and
        ``(3) the networking options available for linking academic and 
    other federally supported research computers, including 
    supercomputers, with a particular emphasis on the advantages and 
    disadvantages, if any, of fiber optic systems.
    ``(b) The Office shall submit to the Congress--
        ``(1) within one year after the date of enactment of this Act 
    [Aug. 21, 1986], a report on findings from the study undertaken 
    pursuant to subsection (a) with respect to needs and options 
    regarding communications networks for university and Federal 
    research supercomputers within the United States; and
        ``(2) within two years after the date of enactment of this Act 
    [Aug. 21, 1986], a report on findings from the study undertaken 
    pursuant to subsection (a) with respect to needs and options 
    regarding communications networks for all research computers at 
    universities and Federal research facilities in the United States.''

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 6617 of this title.
