---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 18951"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "18951"
heading: "International standards development"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/18951"
units:
  - "Chapter 163 — Research and Development, Competition, and Innovation"
  - "Subchapter II — National Institute of Standards and Technology for the Future"
  - "Part B — General Activities"
---

# §18951. International standards development

- (a) **Sense of Congress—** It is the sense of Congress that—
  - (1) the principles of openness, transparency, due process, balance of interests, appeals, and consensus in the development of international standards are critical;
  - (2) voluntary consensus standards, developed through an industry-led process, serve as the cornerstone of the United States standardization system and have become the basis of a sound national economy and the key to global market access;
  - (3) strengthening the unique United States public-private partnerships approach to standards development is critical to United States economic competitiveness; and
  - (4) the United States Government should ensure cooperation and coordination across Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) to partner with and support private sector stakeholders to continue to shape international dialogues in regard to standards development for emerging technologies.
- (b) **International standards engagement—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall lead information exchange and coordination among Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) and communication from Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1) to the private sector of the United States to ensure effective Federal engagement in the development and use of international [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29).
  - (2) **Requirements—** To support private sector-led engagement and ensure effective Federal engagement in the development and use of international [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29), the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall consider—
    - (A) the role and needs of the Federal Government with respect to international [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29);
    - (B) organizations developing international [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) of interest to the United States, United States representation and influence in these organizations, and key contributors for technical and leadership expertise in these organizations;
    - (C) support for persons with domain subject matter expertise, especially from small businesses located in the United States, to influence and engage in [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) leadership positions, working groups and meetings;
    - (D) opportunities for partnerships for supporting international [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) from across the Federal Government, Federally funded research and development [centers](/usc/42/18901.md?p=17), university-affiliated research [centers](/usc/42/18901.md?p=17), institutions of higher education, industry, industry associations, [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations, and other key contributors;
    - (E) support for activities to encourage the adoption of [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) developed in the United States to be adopted by [international standards organizations](/usc/42/18921.md?p=5); and
    - (F) other activities determined by the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) to be necessary to support United States participation in international standards development, economic competitiveness, and national security in the development and use of international [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29).
- (c) **Capacity building guidance—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall support education and workforce development efforts to promote United States participation in [international standards organizations](/usc/42/18921.md?p=5). The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall—
  - (1) identify and create, as appropriate, [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) education and training resources for interested businesses, industry associations, academia, [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations, Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), and other relevant standards contributors, including activities targeted at integrating standards content into undergraduate and graduate curricula in science, engineering, business, public policy, and law;
  - (2) conduct outreach, including to private sector leaders, to support engagement by more United States stakeholders in international [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) development; and
  - (3) other activities determined necessary by the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) to support increased engagement, influence, and leadership of United States organizations in the development of international [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29).
- (d) **Capacity building pilot program—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1), in coordination with the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) of the National Science [Foundation](/usc/42/18901.md?p=11), and the heads of other relevant Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), as appropriate, shall establish or enter into cooperative agreements with appropriate nongovernmental organizations to establish a 5-year pilot program to award [grants](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5), on a merit-reviewed, competitive basis, to private sector entities, institutions of higher education, or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) institutions based in the United States to support increased participation and leadership by small business and academic interests in [international standards organizations](/usc/42/18921.md?p=5).
  - (2) **Use of funds—** [Grants](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5) awarded to eligible entities under this subsection may be used to cover reasonable costs, up to a specified ceiling set by the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1), of activities to support increased engagement and leadership of eligible entity employees in [international standards organizations](/usc/42/18921.md?p=5), which may include costs associated with—
    - (A) travel;
    - (B) education and training;
    - (C) dues or fees related to participation in [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) development activities; and
    - (D) other such costs that the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) determines may reasonably support participation of the eligible entity in [international standards organizations](/usc/42/18921.md?p=5).
  - (3) **Award criteria—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall ensure that award decisions made under this subsection take into account the extent to which the eligible entity—
    - (A) employs full-time an individual or individuals who demonstrate deep [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) expertise;
    - (B) employs full-time an individual or individuals who demonstrate knowledge with the processes of the standards development organization in which the eligible entity intends to engage using [grant](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5) funds;
    - (C) proposes a feasible set of standard deliverables to be completed over the period of the [grant](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5);
    - (D) explains how the eligible entity will fund additional standards-related activities necessary to achieve the deliverables referred to in [subparagraph (C)](#d-3-C) if the [grant](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5) funds are insufficient to cover all costs of such activities;
    - (E) commits personnel with appropriate expertise to regularly engage in relevant international organizations responsible for developing [technical standards](/usc/42/18901.md?p=29) over the period of the [grant](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5); and
    - (F) identifies a clearly defined current or anticipated market need or gap that would be addressed by their standards development proposal.
  - (4) **Eligibility—** A small business concern (as such term is defined in [section 632 of title 15](/usc/15/632.md) based in the United States, an [institution of higher education](/usc/42/18901.md?p=13), or a [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) institution (as such term is defined in [section 3703 of title 15](/usc/15/3703.md)) shall be eligible to receive [grants](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5) under this program.
  - (5) **Guidance on application and award process—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall develop, and periodically update, guidance, including eligibility, applicant disclosure requirements, [grant](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5) amount and duration, the merit review process, priority areas for standards development, and any additional requirements for how [grants](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5) are awarded under this subsection.
  - (6) **Merit review process—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall ensure that [grants](/usc/42/19291.md?p=5) under this subsection are awarded based on a competitive, merit review process including the use of merit review panels that may include experts from both government, the private sector, and, as appropriate, academic, [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3), or other organizations as the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) determines appropriate.
  - (7) **Consultation—** In carrying out the pilot program established under this subsection, the [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall consult with other Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), private sector organizations, institutions of higher education, and [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) organizations to help inform the pilot program, including the guidance developed under [paragraph (5)](#d-5).
  - (8) **Report to Congress—** The [Director](/usc/42/18921.md?p=1) shall brief Congress after the second year of the pilot program and each year following that includes the following:
    - (A) An assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot program for improving the participation of United States small businesses, United States institutions of higher education, or other [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) research institutions in [international standards organizations](/usc/42/18921.md?p=5), including—
      - (i) the type of activities supported, including leadership roles;
      - (ii) the [international standards organizations](/usc/42/18921.md?p=5) participated in; and
      - (iii) the technical areas covered by the activities.
    - (B) If determined effective, a plan for permanent implementation of the pilot program.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 117–167, div. B, title II, § 10245, Aug. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 1488.)