National Technology Innovation Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Science and Technology.
National Technology Innovation Act of 1979 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish and maintain an Office of Industrial Technology to enhance technological innovation for the improvement of the economic, environmental and social well-being of the United States. Requires the Secretary to prepare and submit to the President and Congress, within three years after the date of enactment of this Act, a report on the progress, findings, recommendations, and conclusions of activities conducted. Requires the President, with the advice and consent of the Senate, to appoint a Director of the Office who shall provide assistance for the establishment of Centers of Industrial Technology, whose activities shall include: (1) research supportive of technology and industrial innovation including cooperative industry-university basic and applied research; (2) assistance in the evaluation and development of technological ideas supportive of industrial innovation and new business ventures; (3) technological assistance and advisory services to industry; and (4) curriculum development and instruction in invention, entrepreneurship, and industrial innovation. Declares that such centers shall be affiliated with a university or nonprofit institution, and authorizes the Director to make available nonrenewable planning grants to such universities or nonprofit institutions for the purpose of developing a plan for the management and evaluation of the activities proposed within the particular Center, including the consideration of means to place the Center on a self-sustaining basis. Declares that each Center has the option of acquiring title to any invention conceived under the auspices of the Center that was supported at least in part by Federal funds and that the Secretary shall obtain title to any invention for which such option is not exercised. Authorizes the Director to make grants and enter into cooperative agreements to assist any activity established under this Act. Prohibits any such grant or cooperative agreement from exceeding 75 percent of the total cost of the program or project involved. Sets forth the terms and conditions for such grants or cooperative agreements. Requires the Director to seek the advice and cooperation of departments and agencies whose missions contribute to or are affected by the programs established under this Act. Authorizes the Director to receive moneys from other departments and agencies to support activities of the Centers. Establishes an independent committee to be known as the Industrial Technology Review Panel which shall review annually the activities of the Office and advise the Secretary and the Director with respect to such activities. Authorizes appropriations to carry out the purposes of this Act through fiscal year 1984.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on December 19, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on December 19, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Science and Technology.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JOHN LAFALCE (D-NY) introduced it on December 19, 1979, and 5 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 4 Democrats, 1 Republican.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on December 19, 1979, 17067 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17067 days ago, on December 19, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers