---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 5502"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "5502"
heading: "Purposes"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/5502"
units:
  - "Chapter 81 — High-Performance Computing"
---

# §5502. Purposes


The purposes of this chapter are to help ensure the continued leadership of the United States in [networking and information technology](/usc/15/5503.md?p=6) and its applications by—

- (1) supporting Federal research, development, and application of [networking and information technology](/usc/15/5503.md?p=6) in order to—
  - (A) expand the number of researchers, educators, and students with training in [networking and information technology](/usc/15/5503.md?p=6) and access to [networking and information technology](/usc/15/5503.md?p=6) resources;
  - (B) promote the further development of an information infrastructure of data bases, services, access mechanisms, and research facilities available for use through the [Internet](/usc/15/5503.md?p=5);
  - (C) stimulate research on and promote more rapid development of [high-end computing](/usc/15/5503.md?p=4) systems software and applications software;
  - (D) accelerate the development of [high-end computing](/usc/15/5503.md?p=4) systems and subsystems;
  - (E) provide for the application of [networking and information technology](/usc/15/5503.md?p=6) to [Grand Challenges](/usc/15/5503.md?p=3);
  - (F) invest in basic research and education, and promote the inclusion of [networking and information technology](/usc/15/5503.md?p=6) into educational institutions at all levels; and
  - (G) promote greater collaboration among government, Federal laboratories, industry, [high-end computing](/usc/15/5503.md?p=4) centers, and universities;
- (2) improving the interagency planning and coordination of Federal research and development on [networking and information technology](/usc/15/5503.md?p=6) and maximizing the effectiveness of the Federal Government’s [networking and information technology](/usc/15/5503.md?p=6) research and development [programs](/usc/15/5503.md?p=8);
- (3) promoting the more rapid development and wider distribution of networking management and development tools; and
- (4) promoting the rapid adoption of open network standards.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 102–194, § 3, Dec. 9, 1991, 105 Stat. 1594; Pub. L. 105–305, § 3(b), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2920; Pub. L. 114–329, title I, § 105(c), Jan. 6, 2017, 130 Stat. 2976.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2017—Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(c)(1), substituted “networking and information technology” for “high-performance computing” in introductory provisions.

Par. (1). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(c)(2)(A), substituted “supporting Federal research, development, and application of networking and information technology” for “expanding Federal support for research, development, and application of high-performance computing” in introductory provisions.

Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(c)(2)(B), substituted “networking and information technology” for “high-performance computing” in two places.

Par. (1)(C). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(c)(2)(C), (D), added subpar. (C) and struck out former subpar. (C) which read as follows: “stimulate research on software technology;”.

Par. (1)(D). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(c)(2)(C), (E), (F), redesignated subpar. (E) as (D), inserted “high-end” after “the development of”, and struck out former subpar. (D) which read as follows: “promote the more rapid development and wider distribution of computing software tools and applications software;”.

Par. (1)(E), (F). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(c)(2)(E), (G), redesignated subpars. (F) and (G) as (E) and (F), respectively, and substituted “networking and information technology” for “high-performance computing”. Former subpar. (E) redesignated (D).

Par. (1)(G), (H). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(c)(2)(E), (H), redesignated subpar. (H) as (G) and substituted “high-end” for “high-performance”. Former subpar. (G) redesignated (F).

Par. (2). Pub. L. 114–329, § 105(c)(3), substituted “networking and information technology and” for “high-performance computing and” and “networking and information technology” for “high-performance computing network”.

1998—Pub. L. 105–305, § 3(b)(1), substituted “Purposes” for “Purpose” as section catchline.

Pub. L. 105–305, § 3(b)(2), substituted “purposes of this chapter are” for “purpose of this chapter is” in introductory provisions.

Par. (1)(A). Pub. L. 105–305, § 3(b)(3), redesignated subpar. (B) as (A) and struck out former subpar. (A) which read as follows: “establish a high-capacity and high-speed National Research and Education Network;”.

Par. (1)(B). Pub. L. 105–305, § 3(b)(3), (4), redesignated subpar. (C) as (B) and substituted “Internet” for “Network”. Former subpar. (B) redesignated (A).

Par. (1)(C) to (I). Pub. L. 105–305, § 3(b)(3), (5), redesignated subpars. (D) to (I) as (C) to (H), respectively, and struck out “and” at end of par. (H).

Par. (2). Pub. L. 105–305, § 3(b)(6), substituted “network research and development programs;” for “efforts.”

Pars. (3), (4). Pub. L. 105–305, § 3(b)(7), added pars. (3) and (4).