Sec. 508. International standards development
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/bill/117/hr/2153/ih/section-508·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Congress finds the following: Widespread use of standards facilitates technology advancement by defining and establishing common foundations for product differentiation, technological innovation, and other value-added services. Standards also promote an expanded, more interoperable, and efficient marketplace. Global cooperation and coordination on standards for emerging technologies will be critical for having a consistent set of rules to enable market competition, preclude barriers to trade, and allow innovation to flourish.
China’s Standardization Reform Plan and Five-Year Plan for Standardization highlight its high-level goals to establish China as a standards power by 2020, participate in at least half of all standards drafting and revision efforts in recognized international standards setting organizations, and to strengthen China’s participation in the governance of international standards setting organizations. As emerging technologies develop for global deployment, it is critical that the Unite States and its allies continue to shape standards that underpin the technologies themselves, and the future international governance of these technologies.
United States position on standardization in emerging technologies will be critical to United States economic competitiveness. NIST is in a unique position to strengthen United States leadership in standards development, particularly for emerging technologies, to ensure continuing United States economic competitiveness and national security. It is the sense of Congress that— while United States experts have historically been leaders in international standards development activities, there is concern that the United States is losing its edge; strengthening the unique United States public-private partnerships approach to standards development is critical to United States economic competitiveness; and the United States Government should ensure cooperation and coordination across Federal agencies to partner with and support private sector stakeholders to continue to shape international dialogues in regard to standards development for emerging technologies.
The Secretary, acting through the Director, shall— build capacity and training opportunities to help create a pipeline of talent and leadership in key standards development positions, including standards education and training related activities targeted at integrating standards content into undergraduate and graduate curricula in science, engineering, business, public policy, and law; partner with private sector entities to support strategically increased engagement and leadership in the development of international standards for digital economy technologies, including partnering with industry to incentivize private sector partners to develop standards strategies and support engagement and participation in the relevant standards activities; and develop approaches to prioritize standardization for emerging technologies, identify organization in which to develop these standards, identify leadership positions of interest to the United States, and identify key contributors for technical and leadership expertise in these areas.