§ 1803. Responsibilities and authorities of Council

(a) Primary responsibilities of Council It shall be the primary responsibility of the Council—

(1) to assist and advise the President in establishing coherent national materials policies consistent with other Federal policies, and making recommendations necessary to implement such policies;

(2) to assist in establishing responsibilities for, and to coordinate, Federal materials-related policies, programs, and research and technology activities, as well as recommending to the Office of Management and Budget budget priorities for materials activities in each of the Federal departments and agencies;

(3) to review and appraise the various programs and activities of the Federal Government in accordance with the policy and directions given in the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980 (30 U.S.C. 1601) [30 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.], and to determine the extent to which such programs and activities are contributing to the achievement of such policy and directions;

(4) to monitor and evaluate the critical materials needs of basic and advanced technology industries and the Government, including the critical materials research and development needs of the private and public sectors;

(5) to advise the President of mineral and material trends, both domestic and foreign, the implications thereof for the United States and world economies and the national security, and the probable effects of such trends on domestic industries;

(6) to assess through consultation with the materials academic community the adequacy and quality of materials-related educational institutions and the supply of materials scientists and engineers;

(7) to make or furnish such studies, analyses, reports, and recommendations with respect to matters of materials-related policy and legislation as the President may request;

(8)

(A) to prepare a report providing a domestic inventory of critical materials with projections on the prospective needs of Government and industry for these materials, including a long-range assessment, prepared in conjunction with the Office of Science and Technology Policy in accordance with the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980, and in conjunction with such other Government departments or agencies as may be considered necessary, of the prospective major critical materials problems which the United States is likely to confront in the immediate years ahead and providing advice as to how these problems may best be addressed, with the first such report being due on April 1, 1985, and (B) review and update such report and assessment as appropriate and report thereon to the Congress at least biennially; and

(9) to recommend to the Congress such changes in current policies, activities, and regulations of the Federal Government, and such legislation, as may be considered necessary to carry out the intent of this chapter and the National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980.

(b) Specific authorities of Council In carrying out its responsibilities under this section the Council shall have the authority—

(1) to establish such special advisory panels as it considers necessary, with each such panel consisting of representatives of industry, academia, and other members of the private sector, not to exceed ten members, and being limited in scope of subject and duration; and

(2) to establish and convene such Federal interagency committees as it considers necessary in carrying out the intent of this chapter.

(c) Collaboration and cooperation of Council and Federal agencies with responsibilities related to materials

In seeking to achieve the goals of this chapter and related Acts, the Council and other Federal departments and agencies with responsibilities or jurisdiction related to materials or materials policy, including the National Security Council, the Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, shall work collaboratively and in close cooperation.

(Pub. L. 98–373, title II, § 204, July 31, 1984, 98 Stat. 1250.)

References In Text

References in Text

The National Materials and Minerals Policy, Research and Development Act of 1980, referred to in subsec. (a)(3), (8), and (9), is Pub. L. 96–479, Oct. 21, 1980, 94 Stat. 2305, which is classified generally to chapter 28 (§ 1601 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1601 of this title and Tables.

Miscellaneous

Review of Research and Development Priorities in Superconductors

Pub. L. 100–418, title V, § 5143, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1446, provided that:

“(a)National Commission on Superconductivity.—The President shall appoint a National Commission on Superconductivity to review all major policy issues regarding United States applications of recent research advances in superconductors in order to assist the Congress in devising a national strategy, including research and development priorities, the development of which will assure United States leadership in the development and application of superconducting technologies.

“(b)Membership.—The membership of the National Commission on Superconductivity shall include representatives of—

“(1) the National Critical Materials Council, the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Department of Energy, the Department of Justice, the Department of Commerce (including the National Institute of Standards and Technology), the Department of Transportation, the Department of the Treasury, and the Department of Defense;

“(2) organizations whose membership is comprised of physicists, engineers, chemical scientists, or material scientists; and

“(3) industries, universities, and national laboratories engaged in superconductivity research.

“(c)Chairman.—A representative of the private sector shall be designated as chairman of the Commission.

“(d)Coordination.—The National Critical Materials Council shall be the coordinating body of the National Commission on Superconductivity and shall provide staff support for the Commission.

“(e)Report.—Within 6 months after the date of the enactment of this Act [Aug. 23, 1988], the National Commission on Superconductivity shall submit a report to the President and the Congress with recommendations regarding methods of enhancing the research, development, and implementation of improved superconductor technologies in all major applications.

“(f)Scope of Review.—In preparing the report required by subsection (e), the Commission shall consider addressing, but need not limit, its review to—

“(1) the state of United States competitiveness in the development of improved superconductors;

“(2) methods to improve and coordinate the collection and dissemination of research data relating to superconductivity;

“(3) methods to improve and coordinate funding of research and development of improved superconductors;

“(4) methods to improve and coordinate the development of viable commercial and military applications of improved superconductors;

“(5) foreign government activities designed to promote research, development, and commercial application of improved superconductors;

“(6) the need to provide increased Federal funding of research and development of improved superconductors;

“(7) the impact on the United States national security if the United States must rely on foreign producers of superconductors;

“(8) the benefit, if any, of granting private companies partial exemptions from United States antitrust laws to allow them to coordinate research, development, and products containing improved superconductors;

“(9) options for providing income tax incentives for encouraging research, development, and production in the United States of products containing improved superconductors; and

“(10) methods to strengthen domestic patent and trademark laws to ensure that qualified superconductivity discoveries receive the fullest protection from infringement.

“(g)Sunset.—The Commission shall disband within a year of its establishment. Thereafter the National Critical Materials Council may review and update the report required by subsection (e) and make further recommendations as it deems appropriate.”