Cuyamaca College
Environmental Technology Program
Legislation
A very large portion of R&D efforts in the United States occurs in Federal laboratories. Therefore, it was logical for Congress to pave the way for commercial access to the results of R&D efforts at Federal laboratories, which has not only the potential for substantial contribution to the economic base of the U.S., but also to our international competitiveness.
Since 1980, Congress has strengthened technology transfer legislation. This legislation has provided the foundation for initiatives to stimulate the U.S. economy.
There is no comprehensive national policy that enhances technological innovation for commercial and public purposes. There is a need for such a policy, including a strong national policy supporting technology transfer and using the science and technological resources of the Federal government.
Some issues that can potentially influence legislation are:
- Government purchasing strategies that may give domestic suppliers a competitive advantage
- Procurement laws, practices, and procedures that can be used as strategic tools to foster the use of emerging technologies
- Proposed government standards that are potentially beneficial to domestic suppliers, aid the compatibility of advanced technologies, and expedite the commercial acceptance of those technologies
- Government purchases that could require state-of-the-art technology
Technology transfer is not new. In fact, since the establishment of the Atomic Energy Commission more than 50 years ago, the government has partnered with industry in applied research areas.
Some of the most important pieces of legislation that have influenced technology transfer are presented on the following pages.
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 Last update 05/12/98 by Cuyamaca Web Team |