§6615 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

Summary

Requires the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, working with the National Science and Technology Council, to develop and send Congress a comprehensive national science and technology strategy that covers the next 4-year period. The strategy must be delivered no later than December 31 of the year after the calendar year when the review under section 6615b is finished. In making the strategy, the Director must use the review’s recommendations, the latest national security strategy report under section 3043 of title 50, other relevant plans, and agencies’ strategic plans. The strategy must set strategic goals and research priorities to keep and grow U.S. leadership in science and technology (including key technology areas and short-, medium-, and long-term economic competitiveness), address societal and national challenges (for example, moving to a circular economy), recommend programs and policies across federal agencies, support sustainability and U.S. job growth, assess global trends and risks, and plan international partnerships. The Director must work with the Office of Management and Budget so strategy priorities feed into annual budget requests. After each strategy is released, the Director must brief the relevant congressional committees twice a year on status, implementation, and other updates. The strategy must be posted on the OSTP website as much as possible while protecting national security and sensitive matters; a classified annex may be added if needed. This requirement ends ten years after August 9, 2022.

Title 42, §6615

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Not later than December 31 of the year immediately after the calendar year in which a review under section 6615b of this title is completed, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall, in coordination with the National Science and Technology Council, develop and submit to Congress a comprehensive national science and technology strategy of the United States to meet national research and development objectives for the following 4-year period (in this section referred to as “the national science and technology strategy”).

(b)In developing each national science and technology strategy described in subsection (a), the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall—

(1)(A)the recommendations and priorities developed by the review under section 6615b of this title;

(B)the most recently published interim or final national security strategy report submitted pursuant to section 3043 of title 50;

(C)other relevant national plans, reports, and strategies; and

(D)the strategic plans of relevant Federal departments and agencies; and

(2)(A)strategic objectives and research priorities necessary to maintain and advance—

(i)the leadership of the United States in science and technology, including in the key technology focus areas, including near-term, medium-term, and long-term economic competitiveness; and

(ii)the leadership of the United States in technologies required to address societal and national challenges, including a transition to a circular economy;

(B)programs, policies, and activities that the President recommends across all Federal departments and agencies to achieve the strategic objectives and research priorities described in subparagraph (A);

(C)plans to promote sustainability practices and strategies for increasing jobs in the United States;

(D)global trends in science and technology, including potential threats to the leadership of the United States in science and technology and opportunities for international collaboration in science and technology; and

(E)plans to foster the development of international partnerships to reinforce domestic policy actions, build new markets, engage in collaborative research, and create an international environment that reflects United States values and protects United States interests.

(c)The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall consult as necessary with the Office of Management and Budget and other appropriate elements of the Executive Office of the President to ensure that the recommendations and priorities delineated in the science and technology strategy are incorporated in the development of annual budget requests.

(d)The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall provide on a bi-annual basis, after each release of the national science and technology strategy, a briefing to the relevant congressional committees, which may include updates on the following:

(1)The status and development of the national science and technology strategy, including any significant changes.

(2)The implementation of the national science and technology strategy.

(3)Any other information about the national science and technology strategy, as determined by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

(e)The Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall, consistent with the protection of national security and other sensitive matters to the maximum extent practicable, make each national science and technology strategy publicly available on an internet website of the Office. Each report may include a classified annex if the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy determines such is appropriate.

(f)This section terminates on the date that is ten years after August 9, 2022.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 6618 of this title, Pub. L. 94–282, title II, § 209, May 11, 1976, 90 Stat. 468, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 97–375, title II, § 215(1), Dec. 21, 1982, 96 Stat. 1826.

Amendments

2022—Pub. L. 117–167 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to biennial science and technology report and outlook. 1982—Pub. L. 97–375 substituted provisions requiring the President to submit to Congress in odd numbered years a science and technology report and outlook for provisions which required the Office of Science and Technology Policy to create a five-year science and technology outlook, dealing with current and emerging problems and with opportunities for and constraints on new and existing capabilities, to be revised annually, composed with the consultation of officials of departments and agencies having related programs and responsibilities, and with officials of the Office of Management and Budget and other appropriate elements of the Executive Office of the President.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Termination of Reporting RequirementsFor termination, effective May 15, 2000, of provisions in subsec. (a) of this section relating to submission of biennial report to Congress, see section 3003 of Pub. L. 104–66, as amended, set out as a note under section 1113 of Title 31, Money and Finance, and the 16th item on page 42 of House Document No. 103–7.

§6615 National science and technology strategy