-CITE-
 
    15 USC Sec. 205a                                             01/22/02
 
-EXPCITE-
 
    TITLE 15 - COMMERCE AND TRADE
 
    CHAPTER 6 - WEIGHTS AND MEASURES AND STANDARD TIME
 
    SUBCHAPTER II - METRIC CONVERSION
 
-HEAD-
 
    Sec. 205a. Congressional statement of findings
 
-STATUTE-
 
      The Congress finds as follows:
 
        (1) The United States was an original signatory party to the
 
      1875 Treaty of the Meter (20 Stat. 709), which established the
 
      General Conference of Weights and Measures, the International
 
      Committee of Weights and Measures and the International Bureau of
 
      Weights and Measures.
 
        (2) Although the use of metric measurement standards in the
 
      United States has been authorized by law since 1866 (Act of July
 
      28, 1866; 14 Stat. 339), this Nation today is the only
 
      industrially developed nation which has not established a
 
      national policy of committing itself and taking steps to
 
      facilitate conversion to the metric system.
 
        (3) World trade is increasingly geared towards the metric
 
      system of measurement.
 
        (4) Industry in the United States is often at a competitive
 
      disadvantage when dealing in international markets because of its
 
      nonstandard measurement system, and is sometimes excluded when it
 
      is unable to deliver goods which are measured in metric terms.
 
        (5) The inherent simplicity of the metric system of measurement
 
      and standardization of weights and measures has led to major cost
 
      savings in certain industries which have converted to that
 
      system.
 
        (6) The Federal Government has a responsibility to develop
 
      procedures and techniques to assist industry, especially small
 
      business, as it voluntarily converts to the metric system of
 
      measurement.
 
        (7) The metric system of measurement can provide substantial
 
      advantages to the Federal Government in its own operations.
 
-SOURCE-
 
    (Pub. L. 94-168, Sec. 2, Dec. 23, 1975, 89 Stat. 1007; Pub. L.
 
    100-418, title V, Sec. 5164(a), Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1451.)
 
-REFTEXT-
 
                             REFERENCES IN TEXT
 
      Act of July 28, 1866; 14 Stat. 339, referred to in par. (2), is
 
    predecessor of R.S. Sec. 3569 authorizing use of the metric system,
 
    which is classified to section 204 of this title.
 
-MISC2-
 
                                 AMENDMENTS
 
      1988 - Pars. (3) to (7). Pub. L. 100-418 added pars. (3) to (7).
 
                       SHORT TITLE OF 1996 AMENDMENT
 
      Pub. L. 104-289, Sec. 1, Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3411, provided
 
    that: ''This Act (enacting section 205l of this title, amending
 
    sections 205c and 205l of this title, and enacting provisions set
 
    out as notes under this section and section 205c of this title) may
 
    be cited as the 'Savings in Construction Act of 1996'.''
 
                                SHORT TITLE
 
      Section 1 of Pub. L. 94-168, Dec. 23, 1975, 89 Stat. 1007,
 
    provided: ''That this Act (enacting this subchapter) may be cited
 
    as the 'Metric Conversion Act of 1975'.''
 
     CONGRESSIONAL STATEMENT OF FINDINGS; METRIC CONVERSION IN FEDERAL
 
                           CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
 
      Pub. L. 104-289, Sec. 2, Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3411, provided
 
    that: ''The Congress finds the following:
 
        ''(1) The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 (15 U.S.C. 205a et
 
      seq.) was enacted in order to set forth the policy of the United
 
      States to convert to the metric system.  Section 3 of that Act
 
      (15 U.S.C. 205b) requires that each Federal agency use the metric
 
      system of measurements in its procurement, grants, and other
 
      business-related activities, unless that use is likely to cause
 
      significant cost or loss of markets to United States firms, such
 
      as when foreign competitors are producing competing products in
 
      non-metric units.
 
        ''(2) In accordance with that Act and Executive Order 12770, of
 
      July 25, 1991 (set out below), Federal agencies increasingly
 
      construct new Federal buildings in round metric dimensions.  As a
 
      result, companies that wish to bid on Federal construction
 
      projects increasingly are asked to supply materials or products
 
      in round metric dimensions.
 
        ''(3) While the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 currently
 
      provides an exemption to metric usage when impractical or when
 
      such usage will cause economic inefficiencies, amendments are
 
      warranted to ensure that the use of specific metric components in
 
      metric construction projects do not increase the cost of Federal
 
      buildings to the taxpayers.''
 
-EXEC-
 
      EX. ORD. NO. 12770. METRIC USAGE IN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS
 
      Ex. Ord. No. 12770, July 25, 1991, 56 F.R. 35801, provided:
 
      By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution
 
    and the laws of the United States of America, including the Metric
 
    Conversion Act of 1975, Public Law 94-168 (15 U.S.C. 205a et seq.)
 
    (''the Metric Conversion Act''), as amended by section 5164 of the
 
    Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988, Public Law 100-418
 
    (''the Trade and Competitiveness Act''), and in order to implement
 
    the congressional designation of the metric system of measurement
 
    as the preferred system of weights and measures for United States
 
    trade and commerce, it is hereby ordered as follows:
 
      Section 1. Coordination by the Department of Commerce. (a) The
 
    Secretary of Commerce (''Secretary'') is designated to direct and
 
    coordinate efforts by Federal departments and agencies to implement
 
    Government metric usage in accordance with section 3 of the Metric
 
    Conversion Act (15 U.S.C. 205b), as amended by section 5164(b) of
 
    the Trade and Competitiveness Act.
 
      (b) In furtherance of his duties under this order, the Secretary
 
    is authorized:
 
      (1) to charter an Interagency Council on Metric Policy
 
    (''ICMP''), which will assist the Secretary in coordinating Federal
 
    Government-wide implementation of this order.  Conflicts and
 
    questions regarding implementation of this order shall be resolved
 
    by the ICMP. The Secretary may establish such subcommittees and
 
    subchairs within this Council as may be necessary to carry out the
 
    purposes of this order.(;)
 
      (2) to form such advisory committees representing other
 
    interests, including State and local governments and the business
 
    community, as may be necessary to achieve the maximum beneficial
 
    effects of this order; and
 
      (3) to issue guidelines, to promulgate rules and regulations, and
 
    to take such actions as may be necessary to carry out the purposes
 
    of this order.  Regulations promulgated by the Secretary shall
 
    function as policy guidelines for other agencies and departments.
 
      (c) The Secretary shall report to the President annually
 
    regarding the progress made in implementing this order.  The report
 
    shall include:
 
      (1) an assessment of progress made by individual Federal agencies
 
    towards implementing the purposes underlying this order;
 
      (2) an assessment of the effect that this order has had on
 
    achieving the national goal of establishing the metric system as
 
    the preferred system of weights and measures for United States
 
    trade and commerce; and
 
      (3) on October 1, 1992, any recommendations which the Secretary
 
    may have for additional measures, including proposed legislation,
 
    needed to achieve the full economic benefits of metric usage.
 
      Sec. 2. Department and Agency Responsibilities. All executive
 
    branch departments and agencies of the United States Government are
 
    directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to
 
    carry out the provisions of this order.  Consistent with this
 
    mission, the head of each executive department and agency shall:
 
      (a) use, to the extent economically feasible by September 30,
 
    1992, or by such other date or dates established by the department
 
    or agency in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce, the
 
    metric system of measurement in Federal Government procurements,
 
    grants, and other business-related activities.  Other
 
    business-related activities include all use of measurement units in
 
    agency programs and functions related to trade, industry, and
 
    commerce.
 
      (1) Metric usage shall not be required to the extent that such
 
    use is impractical or is likely to cause significant inefficiencies
 
    or loss of markets to United States firms.
 
      (2) Heads of departments and agencies shall establish an
 
    effective process for a policy-level and program-level review of
 
    proposed exceptions to metric usage.  Appropriate information about
 
    exceptions granted shall be included in the agency annual report
 
    along with recommendations for actions to enable future metric
 
    usage.
 
      (b) seek out ways to increase understanding of the metric system
 
    of measurement through educational information and guidance and in
 
    Government publications.  The transition to use of metric units in
 
    Government publications should be made as publications are revised
 
    on normal schedules or new publications are developed, or as metric
 
    publications are required in support of metric usage pursuant to
 
    paragraph (a) of this section.
 
      (c) seek the appropriate aid, assistance, and cooperation of
 
    other affected parties, including other Federal, State, and local
 
    agencies and the private sector, in implementing this order.
 
    Appropriate use shall be made of governmental, trade, professional,
 
    and private sector metric coordinating groups to secure the maximum
 
    benefits of this order through proper communication among affected
 
    sectors.
 
      (d) formulate metric transition plans for the department or
 
    agency which shall incorporate the requirements of the Metric
 
    Conversion Act and this order, and which shall be approved by the
 
    department or agency head and be in effect by November 30, 1991.
 
    Copies of approved plans shall be forwarded to the Secretary of
 
    Commerce. Such metric transition plans shall specify, among other
 
    things:
 
      (1) the total scope of the metric transition task for that
 
    department or agency, including firm dates for all metric
 
    accomplishment milestones for the current and subsequent fiscal
 
    year;
 
      (2) plans of the department or agency for specific initiatives to
 
    enhance cooperation with industry, especially small business, as it
 
    voluntarily converts to the metric system, and with all affected
 
    parties in undertaking the requirements of paragraph (a) of this
 
    section; and
 
      (3) specific steps and associated schedules through which the
 
    department or agency will seek to increase understanding of the
 
    metric system through educational information and guidance, and in
 
    department or agency publications.
 
      (e) designate a senior-level official as the Metric Executive for
 
    the department or agency to assist the head of each executive
 
    department or agency in implementing this order.  The
 
    responsibilities of the Metric Executive shall include, but not be
 
    limited to:
 
      (1) acting as the department's or agency's policy-level
 
    representative to the ICMP and as a liaison with other government
 
    agencies and private sector groups:
 
      (2) management oversight of department or agency outreach and
 
    response to inquiries and questions from affected parties during
 
    the transition to metric system usage; and
 
      (3) management oversight of preparation of the department's or
 
    agency's metric transition plans and progress reports, including
 
    the Annual Metric Report required by 15 U.S.C. 205j and OMB
 
    Circular A-11.
 
      (4) preparation by June 30, 1992, of an assessment of agency
 
    progress and problems, together with recommendations for steps to
 
    assure successful implementation of the Metric Conversion Act. The
 
    assessment and recommendations shall be approved by the head of the
 
    department or agency and provided to the Secretary by June 30,
 
    1992, for inclusion in the Secretary's October 1, 1992, report on
 
    implementation of this order.
 
      Sec. 3. Application of Resources. The head of each executive
 
    department and agency shall be responsible for implementing and
 
    applying the necessary resources to accomplish the goals set forth
 
    in the Metric Conversion Act and this order.
 
      Sec. 4. Judicial Review. This order is intended only to improve
 
    the internal management of the executive branch and is not intended
 
    to create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
 
    enforceable at law by a party against the United States, its
 
    agencies, its officers, or any other person.            George Bush.