§ 205e. — Functions and powers of Board.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 15USC205e]
TITLE 15--COMMERCE AND TRADE
CHAPTER 6--WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND STANDARD TIME
SUBCHAPTER II--METRIC CONVERSION
Sec. 205e. Functions and powers of Board
It shall be the function of the Board to devise and carry out a
broad program of planning, coordination, and public education,
consistent with other national policy and interests, with the aim of
implementing the policy set forth in this subchapter. In carrying out
this program, the Board shall--
(1) consult with and take into account the interests, views, and
conversion costs of United States commerce and industry, including
small business; science; engineering; labor; education; consumers;
government agencies at the Federal, State, and local level;
nationally recognized standards developing and coordinating
organizations; metric conversion planning and coordinating groups;
and such other individuals or groups as are considered appropriate
by the Board to the carrying out of the purposes of this subchapter.
The Board shall take into account activities underway in the private
and public sectors, so as not to duplicate unnecessarily such
activities;
(2) provide for appropriate procedures whereby various groups,
under the auspices of the Board, may formulate, and recommend or
suggest, to the Board specific programs for coordinating conversion
in each industry and segment thereof and specific dimensions and
configurations in the metric system and in other measurements for
general use. Such programs, dimensions, and configurations shall be
consistent with (A) the needs, interests, and capabilities of
manufacturers (large and small), suppliers, labor, consumers,
educators, and other interested groups, and (B) the national
interest;
(3) publicize, in an appropriate manner, proposed programs and
provide an opportunity for interested groups or individuals to
submit comments on such programs. At the request of interested
parties, the Board, in its discretion, may hold hearings with regard
to such programs. Such comments and hearings may be considered by
the Board;
(4) encourage activities of standardization organizations to
develop or revise, as rapidly as practicable, engineering standards
on a metric measurement basis, and to take advantage of
opportunities to promote (A) rationalization or simplification of
relationships, (B) improvements of design, (C) reduction of size
variations, (D) increases in economy, and (E) where feasible, the
efficient use of energy and the conservation of natural resources;
(5) encourage the retention, in new metric language standards,
of those United States engineering designs, practices, and
conventions that are internationally accepted or that embody
superior technology;
(6) consult and cooperate with foreign governments, and
intergovernmental organizations, in collaboration with the
Department of State, and, through appropriate member bodies, with
private international organizations, which are or become concerned
with the encouragement and coordination of increased use of metric
measurement units or engineering standards based on such units, or
both. Such consultation shall include efforts, where appropriate, to
gain international recognition for metric standards proposed by the
United States, and, during the United States conversion, to
encourage retention of equivalent customary units, usually by way of
dual dimensions, in international standards or recommendations;
(7) assist the public through information and education
programs, to become familiar with the meaning and applicability of
metric terms and measures in daily life. Such programs shall
include--
(A) public information programs conducted by the Board,
through the use of newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and
other media, and through talks before appropriate citizens'
groups, and trade and public organizations;
(B) counseling and consultation by the Secretary of
Education; the Secretary of Labor; the Administrator of the
Small Business Administration; and the Director of the National
Science Foundation, with educational associations, State and
local educational agencies, labor education committees,
apprentice training committees, and other interested groups, in
order to assure (i) that the metric system of measurement is
included in the curriculum of the Nation's educational
institutions, and (ii) that teachers and other appropriate
personnel are properly trained to teach the metric system of
measurement;
(C) consultation by the Secretary of Commerce with the
National Conference of Weights and Measures in order to assure
that State and local weights and measures officials are (i)
appropriately involved in metric conversion activities and (ii)
assisted in their efforts to bring about timely amendments to
weights and measures laws; and
(D) such other public information activities, by any Federal
agency in support of this subchapter, as relate to the mission
of such agency;
(8) collect, analyze, and publish information about the extent
of usage of metric measurements; evaluate the costs and benefits of
metric usage; and make efforts to minimize any adverse effects
resulting from increasing metric usage;
(9) conduct research, including appropriate surveys; publish the
results of such research; and recommend to the Congress and to the
President such action as may be appropriate to deal with any
unresolved problems, issues, and questions associated with metric
conversion, or usage, such problems, issues, and questions may
include, but are not limited to, the impact on workers (such as
costs of tools and training) and on different occupations and
industries, possible increased costs to consumers, the impact on
society and the economy, effects on small business, the impact on
the international trade position of the United States, the
appropriateness of and methods for using procurement by the Federal
Government as a means to effect conversion to the metric system, the
proper conversion or transition period in particular sectors of
society, and consequences for national defense;
(10) submit annually to the Congress and to the President a
report on its activities. Each such report shall include a status
report on the conversion process as well as projections for the
conversion process. Such report may include recommendations covering
any legislation or executive action needed to implement the the \1\
programs of conversion accepted by the Board. The Board may also
submit such other reports and recommendations as it deems necessary;
and
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\1\ So in original.
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(11) submit to the Congress and to the President, not later than
1 year after the date of enactment of the Act making appropriations
for carrying out this subchapter, a report on the need to provide an
effective structural mechanism for converting customary units to
metric units in statutes, regulations, and other laws at all levels
of government, on a coordinated and timely basis, in response to
voluntary conversion programs adopted and implemented by various
sectors of society under the auspices and with the approval of the
Board. If the Board determines that such a need exists, such report
shall include recommendations as to appropriate and effective means
for establishing and implementing such a mechanism.
(Pub. L. 94-168, Sec. 6, Dec. 23, 1975, 89 Stat. 1008; Pub. L. 96-88,
title III, Sec. 301, title V, Sec. 507, Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 677,
692.)
Transfer of Functions
``Secretary of Education'' substituted for ``Secretary of Health,
Education, and Welfare'' in par. (7)(B) pursuant to sections 301 and 507
of Pub. L. 96-88, which are classified to sections 3441 and 3507 of
Title 20, Education.
Termination of Reporting Requirements
For termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions in par. (10)
of this section relating to annual report to Congress, see section 3003
of Pub. L. 104-66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of
Title 31, Money and Finance, and page 194 of House Document No. 103-7.
