---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 3480"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "3480"
heading: "Copyrights and patents"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/3480"
units:
  - "Chapter 48 — Department of Education"
  - "Subchapter IV — Administrative Provisions"
  - "Part B — General Administrative Provisions"
---

# §3480. Copyrights and patents


The [Secretary](/usc/20/3404.md?p=2) is authorized to acquire any of the following described rights if the property acquired thereby is for use by or for, or useful to, the [Department](/usc/20/3404.md?p=1):

- (1) copyrights, patents, and applications for patents, designs, processes, and manufacturing data;
- (2) licenses under copyrights, patents, and applications for patents; and
- (3) releases, before suit is brought, for past infringement of patents or copyrights.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–88, title IV, § 420, Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 687.)