A bill entitled the "Science and Technology Research and Development Utilization Policy Act".
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Title I: Policy - Declares the purpose of this Act to be: (1) to establish and maintain a Federal policy for the use and management of the results of federally-sponsored science and technology research and development programs; and (2) to monitor the impact of such programs on innovation and technology development. Title II: Implementation - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to coordinate, direct, and review the utilization and protection of rights in Government-owned inventions. Directs each Federal agency to develop and implement programs for the transfer of Government-owned innovative technology for application and use in industry, agriculture, medicine, transportation, and other critical sectors of the economy. Title III: Allocation of Rights - Government Contractors - Requires each Federal agency to acquire, on behalf of the United States, title to any invention made under Federal contract if the agency determines: (1) the contractor's services are for the operation of a Government-owned research or production facility; (2) the work performed is of a classified nature; (3) Government retention of title is necessary for protection of the public health, safety, or welfare; (4) a nonprofit organization under contract does not have a qualified technology transfer program; and (5) the contract's principal purpose is to develop products, processes, or methods for general public use. Authorizes an agency to waive all or any part of the right of the United States to an invention if it is in the interest of the Government and the general public. Reserves to the contractor the option of acquiring title to any invention in all other situations. Provides that if a contractor has acquired title to an invention the Federal agency may, in the interest of public safety or specified economic needs, require the contractor to grant a nonexclusive, partially exclusive, or exclusive license to a responsible applicant. Title IV: Allocation of Rights-Federal Employees - Directs the Government to obtain the entire right, title, and interest in and to any invention made by a Federal employee if the agency determines that the invention was conceived in the normal course of employment duties, unless the Government's interest in such invention is negligible. Provides for a review by the Secretary, if requested, for determination as to the right of title. Authorizes incentive awards to Federal employee-inventors for any inventions of significant value. Title V: Miscellaneous - Repeals certain existing statutory authorizations. Amends the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 to direct the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish an Inventions and Contributions Board to hear, and make findings and recommendations with respect to, every proposal for any waiver of patent rights held by the Administrator. Authorizes appropriations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on May 22, 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 May 22, 1979: Referred to Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- 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?
HARRISON SCHMITT (R-NM) introduced it on May 22, 1979, and 8 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 3 Democrats, 5 Republicans.
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 May 22, 1979, 17278 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17278 days ago, on May 22, 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
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers