Title 15Commerce and TradeRelease 119-73

§3703 Definitions

Title 15 › Chapter CHAPTER 63— - TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION › § 3703

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines key words used in the chapter. "Secretary" means the Secretary of Commerce. "Centers" means the Cooperative Research Centers created under sections 3705 or 3707. "Nonprofit institution" means an organization run only for science or education with no private owners profiting. "Federal laboratory" means any lab, federally funded R&D center, or a center under sections 3705 or 3707 that a Federal agency owns, leases, or uses and that the Federal Government funds, whether run by the Government or a contractor. "Supporting agency" means the Department of Commerce or the National Science Foundation. "Federal agency" follows sections 105 and 102 of title 5 and includes legislative branch agencies. "Invention" covers things that can be patented under title 35 or new plant varieties protected under the Plant Variety Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.). "Made" means the idea or first real working example of an invention. "Small business firm" follows section 632 and SBA rules. "Training technology" means agency-made training software and related materials. "Clearinghouse" means the Clearinghouse set up by section 3704a.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §3703

Commerce and Trade — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the term—
(1)“Secretary” means the Secretary of Commerce.
(2)“Centers” means the Cooperative Research Centers established under section 3705 or 3707 of this title.
(3)“Nonprofit institution” means an organization owned and operated exclusively for scientific or educational purposes, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual.
(4)“Federal laboratory” means any laboratory, any federally funded research and development center, or any center established under section 3705 or 3707 of this title that is owned, leased, or otherwise used by a Federal agency and funded by the Federal Government, whether operated by the Government or by a contractor.
(5)“Supporting agency” means either the Department of Commerce or the National Science Foundation, as appropriate.
(6)“Federal agency” means any executive agency as defined in section 105 of title 5 and the military departments as defined in section 102 of such title, as well as any agency of the legislative branch of the Federal Government.
(7)“Invention” means any invention or discovery which is or may be patentable or otherwise protected under title 35 or any novel variety of plant which is or may be protectable under the Plant Variety Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 2321 et seq.).
(8)“Made” when used in conjunction with any invention means the conception or first actual reduction to practice of such invention.
(9)“Small business firm” means a small business concern as defined in section 632 of this title and implementing regulations of the Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(10)“Training technology” means computer software and related materials which are developed by a Federal agency to train employees of such agency, including but not limited to software for computer-based instructional systems and for interactive video disc systems.
(11)“Clearinghouse” means the Clearinghouse for State and Local Initiatives on Productivity, Technology, and Innovation established by section 3704a of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Plant Variety Protection Act, referred to in par. (7), is Pub. L. 91–577, Dec. 24, 1970, 84 Stat. 1542, which is classified principally to chapter 57 (§ 2321 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2321 of Title 7 and Tables.

Amendments

2007—Pub. L. 110–69 redesignated pars. (2) and (4) to (13) as (1) and (2) to (11), respectively, and struck out pars. (1) and (3) which defined “Office” and “Under Secretary”, respectively. 2000—Pars. (4), (6). Pub. L. 106–404 made technical

Amendments

to references in original act which appear in text as references to section 3705 and 3707 of this title. 1992—Par. (8). Pub. L. 102–245 inserted before period at end “, as well as any agency of the legislative branch of the Federal Government”. 1988—Par. (1). Pub. L. 100–519, § 201(d)(1)(A), substituted “Technology Policy” for “Productivity, Technology, and Innovation”. Par. (3). Pub. L. 100–519, § 201(d)(1)(B), amended par. (3) generally, substituting provisions defining “Under Secretary” for provisions defining “Assistant Secretary”. Par. (13). Pub. L. 100–418 added par. (13). 1986—Par. (1). Pub. L. 99–502, § 9(b)(2)(A), substituted “Productivity, Technology, and Innovation” for “Industrial Technology”. Par. (3). Pub. L. 99–502, § 9(b)(2)(B), substituted “ ‘Assistant Secretary’ means the Assistant Secretary for Productivity, Technology, and Innovation” for “ ‘Director’ means the Director of the Office of Industrial Technology”. Par. (4). Pub. L. 99–502, § 9(b)(2)(C), substituted “Cooperative Research Centers” for “Centers for Industrial Technology”. Par. (6). Pub. L. 99–502, § 9(b)(2)(D), (E), redesignated par. (7) as (6), substituted “owned, leased, or otherwise used by a Federal agency and funded” for “owned and funded”, and struck out former par. (6) which defined “Board” to mean the National Industrial Technology Board established pursuant to section 3709 of this title. Pars. (7) to (12). Pub. L. 99–502, § 9(b)(2)(D), (d), redesignated pars. (7) and (8) as (6) and (7), respectively, and added pars. (8) to (12).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 3703

Title 15Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73