III. SUPPLEMENT

To authorize the Secretary of Commerce to make a study to determine the advan-
tages and disadvantages of increased use of the metric system in the United
States

82 STAT 693

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in ('ongress assembled, That the Secretary of Metric system. Commerce is hereby authorized to conduct a program of investigation, Study. research, and survey to determine the impact of increasing worldwide use of the metric system on the United States; to appraise the desirability and practicability of increasing the use of metric weights and measures in the United States; to study the feasibility of retaining and promoting by international use of dimensional and other engineering standards based on the customary measurement units of the United States; and to evaluate the costs and benefits of alternative courses of action which may be feasible for the United States.

SEC. 2. In carrying out the program described in the first section of Investigation this Act, the Secretary, among other things, shall

and appraisal

(1) investigate and appraise the advantages and disadvantages requirements. to the United States in international trade and commerce, and in military and other areas of international relations, of the increased use of an internationally standardized system of weights and measures;

(2) appraise economic and military advantages and disadvantages of the increased use of the metric system in the United States or of the increased use of such system in specific fields and the impact of such increased use upon those affected;

(3) conduct extensive comparative studies of the systems of weights and measures used in educational, engineering, manufacturing, commercial, public, and scientific areas, and the relative advantages and disadvantages, and degree of standardization of each in its respective field;

(4) investigate and appraise the possible practical difficulties which might be encountered in accomplishing the increased use of the metric system of weights and measures generally or in specific fields or areas in the United States;

(5) permit appropriate participation by representatives of United States industry, science, engineering, and labor, and their associations, in the planning and conduct of the program authorized by the first section of this Act, and in the evaluation of the information secured under such program; and

(6) consult and cooperate with other government agencies, Federal, State, and local, and, to the extent practicable, with foreign governments and international organizations.

SEC. 3. In conducting the studies and developing the recommenda- Results of tions required in this Act, the Secretary shall give full consideration to changes in the advantages, disadvantages, and problems associated with possible measurement changes in either the system of measurement units or the related di- system. mensional and engineering standards currently used in the United States, and specifically shall

(1) investigate the extent to which substantial changes in the
size, shape, and design of important industrial products would be
necessary to realize the benefits which might result from general
use of metric units of measurement in the United States;

(2) investigate the extent to which uniform and accepted engi-
neering standards based on the metric system of measurement
units are in use in each of the fields under study and compare the
extent to such use and the utility and degree of sophistication of
such metric standards with those in use in the United States; and
(3) recommend specific means of meeting the practical diffi-
culties and costs in those areas of the economy where any recom-
mended change in the system of measurement units and related
dimensional and engineering standards would raise significant
practical difficulties or entail significant costs of conversion.
SEC. 4. The Secretary shall submit to the Congress such interim
reports as he deems desirable, and within three years after the date of
the enactment of this Act, a full and complete report of the findings
ninde under the program authorized by this Act, together with such
recommendations as he considers to be appropriate and in the best
interests of the United States.

SEC. 5. From funds previously appropriated to the Department of
Commerce, the Secretary is authorized to utilize such appropriated
sums as are necessary, but not to exceed $500,000, to carry out the pur-
poses of this Act for the first year of the program.

SEC. 6. This Act shall expire thirty days after the submission of the final report pursuant to section 3.

Approved August 9, 1968.

Report to
Congress.

Funds.

Expiration date.

86

Packages Labeled in Terms of Units of Linear or Square Measure

Minus errors greater than 3 percent of the labeled quantity, and plus errors greater than 6 percent of the labeled quantity should be considered unreasonable.

Packages Labeled in Terms of Count

Minus errors greater than 2 percent of the labeled quantity, and plus errors greater than 4 percent of the labeled quantity should be considered unreasonable.

1

Excerpts from the Report of the 54th National Conference on Weights1 and Measures 1969, NBS Special Publication 318

RESOLUTION ON METRIC STUDY

Whereas, the Congress of the United States has enacted Public Law 90-472 authorizing the Secretary of Commerce to make a study to determine the advantages and disadvantages of increased use of the Metric System in the United States; and

Whereas, changes in the measurement system at home and abroad would no doubt have substantial impact on the weighing and measuring field; and

Whereas, the National Bureau of Standards, which has been assigned the responsibility for conducting this study, has requested that the National Conference on Weights and Measures assist it in gathering pertinent information in the weights and measures area: Therefore, be it

Resolved by the 54th National Conference on Weights and Measures, that the Executive Committee is hereby authorized to conduct a study into the problems that measurement changes might have on the weighing and measuring field and to coordinate its efforts fully with the National Bureau of Standards, and is authorized to take whatever action is deemed appropriate in this matter.

Page 236

Executive Committee Motion Establishing the Task Force on Metrication
The Executive Committee hereby authorizes the Executive Secretary
to establish a task force on metrication, composed of the representatives
from the active, advisory, and associate members of this Conference and
such consultants as may be necessary to study the possible effects that
increased use or non-use of the Metric System might have on the weigh-
ing and measuring field and to report such effects along with any recom-
mendations it may have to the Conference in 1970.

Such task force would be expected to give special attention to, but not
limit itself to, the impacts that metrication might have on (1) State and
local laws, regulations, and on the duties of weights and measures offi-
cials; (2) device manufacturers; and (3) users of commercial weighing
and measuring devices.

In carrying out its responsibilities, the task force would coordinate its efforts with similar ones at the National Bureau of Standards. The Executive Secretary is further authorized to take whatever action or actions deemed necessary and proper to aid the task force in its assignment.

Page 161

The Conference Executive Secretary, because of budget restrictions, limited the scope of the Task Force's inquiry to investigating the impacts of metrication upon weights and measures jurisdictions.