Page images
PDF
EPUB

APPENDIX II

APPENDIX II

LABORATORY AND INSTITUTE GOALS

NATIONAL MEASUREMENT LABORATORY

The Laboratory provides the national system of physical and chemical measurement; coordinating the system with measurement systems of other nations and furnishing essential services leading to accurate and uniform physical and chemical measurement throughout the Nation's scientific community, industry, and commerce. It conducts materials research leading to improved methods of measurement, standards, and data on the properties of materials needed by industry, commerce, educational institutions, and Government; provides advisory and research services to other Government agencies; and develops, produces, and distributes standard reference materials.

NATIONAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY

The Laboratory provides technical services to promote development and use of technology and to facilitate technological innovation in industry and Government; cooperates with public and private organizations in developing technological standards and test methods; and provides technical advice and services to Government agencies upon request. It conducts research in support of the specific objectives of these activities; monitors NBS engineering standards activities; and provides liaison between NBS and national and international engineering standards bodies. INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

The Institute develops and recommends uniform Federal automatic data processing standards; provides automatic data processing scientific and technological advisory services to Federal agencies; and undertakes necessary research in computer science and technology.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and its Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space, in a letter to you dated October 13, 1977, expressed concern about persistent reports of a decline in the scientific capabilities of the National Bureau of Standards, as well as the apparent inability of NBS to respond fully to specific congressional assignments. The General Accounting Office was asked to provide assistance to the Committee and to monitor NBS activities more extensively in the future.

The Committee appreciates the assistance GAO provided in its briefings to the Committee staff on January 13, 1978, and September 27, 1978. The Committee looks forward to receiving two reports discussed at the September 27, 1978 briefing -- one addressing several aspects of NBS's programs and activities and the other focusing on the effectiveness of NBS's ADP resources in accomplishing its mission. The analysis by the GAO will be essential to the oversight responsibilities of the Committee.

The purpose of this letter is to request that GAO continue monitoring NBS's programs and activities and provide the Committee an informal document on the results of this monitoring prior to consideration of legislation to reauthorize Bureau activities beyond FY 1980.

Your continued assistance will be very helpful to the Committee.

Sincerely,

Howard Wbannon

HOWARD W. CANNON
Chairman

Jamin Schmist

HARRISON "JACK" SCHMITT

Ranking Minority Member, Subcommittee

on Science, Technology and Space

ADLAI E. STEVENSON, Chairman
Subcommittee on Science,
Technology and Space

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and its Subcommittee on Science, Technology, and Space in a letter dated October 10, 1978, requested that GAO continue monitoring the National Bureau of Standards programs and activities. It was also requested that GAO provide the Committee with reports on the results of this monitoring prior to consideration of legislation to reauthorize NBS activities beyond fiscal year 1980.

The Committee is particularly interested in the areas of (1) the problems faced by NBS because of the "lead agency" concept of the Office of Management and Budget, (2) user satisfaction of NBS research efforts, and (3) an evaluation, time permitting, of the effects of the NBS major reprogramming of its research efforts.

To assist the Committee in its oversight responsibilities and consideration of legislation to reauthorize NBS activities beyond fiscal year 1980, it would be helpful if your Office of General Counsel would conduct a study of the numerous acts which assign responsibilities to NBS. There are at least 20 such acts (see enclosure). The Committee would be interested in being advised which of these acts (and any other acts) (1) overlap, duplicate, or are in conflict with other acts (including the organic act) and (2) should be amended or rescinded. In this connection, the Committee believes that there should be close coordination between your Office of General Counsel and the GAO team monitoring the NBS programs and activities particularly in the team's consideration of OMB's "lead agency" concept.

[blocks in formation]

Your continued assistance will be very helpful to the Committee.

[blocks in formation]

APPENDIX IV

APPENDIX IV

P.L. 56-177 Act of March 3, 1901, as amended (NBS Organic Act 31 Stat. 1449))

P.L. 89-306 Brooks Act (1965)

P.L. 89-755 Fair Packaging and Labeling Act of 1966

P.L. 90-396, P.L. 94-49 Standard Reference Data Act (1963)

P.L. 90-602 Radiation Control for Health and Safety Act of 1969

P.L. 92-573 Consumer Product Safety Act (1972)

P.L. 92-574 Noise Control Act of 1972

P.L. 93-409 Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act of 1974

P.L. 93-498 Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974

(c.872,

P.L. 93-577 Federal Nonnuclear Energy Research and Development Act of 1974

P.L. 93-579 Privacy Act of 1974

P.L. 94-121 FY 1976 Appropriation Act

P.L. 94-163 Energy Policy and Conservation Act (1975) - Recycled Oil
P.L. 94-163 Energy Policy and Conservation Act (1975) - Appliances
P.L. 94-168 Metric Conversion Act of 1975

[ocr errors]

P.L. 94-385 Energy Conservation and Production Act (1976) Appliances
P.L. 94-335 Energy Conservation and Production Act (1976) - Buildings
P.L. 94-580 Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976
P.L. 95-124 Earthquake Hazards Reduction Act of 1977

P.L. 95-619 National Energy Conservation Policy Act (1978)

[ocr errors]
« PreviousContinue »