Source: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/12/1701j%E2%80%932
Timestamp: 2019-10-17 02:47:02
Document Index: 565546608

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1701', '§ 1701', '§\u202f1701', '§\u202f809', '§\u202f24', '§\u202f319', '§\u202f339', '§\u202f462', '§\u202f570', '§\u202f952', '§\u202f904', '§\u202f570', '§\u202f570', '§\u202f339', '§\u202f339']

12 U.S. Code § 1701j–2 - National Institute of Building Sciences | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute
12 U.S. Code § 1701j–2 - National Institute of Building Sciences
§ 1701j–2.
The Congress finds (A) that the lack of an authoritative national source to make findings and to advise both the public and private sectors of the economy with respect to the use of building science and technology in achieving nationally acceptable standards and other technical provision for use in Federal, State, and local housing and building regulations is an obstacle to efforts by and imposes severe burdens upon all those who procure, design, construct, use, operate, maintain, and retire physical facilities, and frequently results in the failure to take full advantage of new and useful developments in technology which could improve our living environment; (B) that the establishment of model buildings codes or of a single national building code will not completely resolve the problem because of the difficulty at all levels of government in updating their housing and building regulations to reflect new developments in technology, as well as the irregularities and inconsistencies which arise in applying such requirements to particular localities or special local conditions; (C) that the lack of uniform housing and building regulatory provisions increases the costs of construction and thereby reduces the amount of housing and other community facilities which can be provided; and (D) that the existence of a single authoritative nationally recognized institution to provide for the evaluation of new technology could facilitate introduction of such innovations and their acceptance at the Federal, State, and local levels.
There is authorized to be established, for the purposes described in subsection (a)(3), an appropriate nonprofit, non­governmental instrument to be known as the National Institute of Building Sciences (hereinafter referred to as the “Institute”), which shall not be an agency or establishment of the United States Government. The Institute shall be subject to the provisions of this section and, to the extent consistent with this section, to a charter of the Congress if such a charter is requested and issued or to the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act if that is deemed preferable.
The Academies-Research Council, along with other agencies and organizations which are knowledgeable in the field of building technology, shall advise and assist in (A) the establishment of the Institute; (B) the development of an organizational framework to encourage and provide for the maximum feasible participation of public and private scientific, technical, and financial organizations, institutions, and agencies now engaged in activities pertinent to the development, promulgation, and maintenance of performance criteria, standards, and other technical provisions for building codes and other regulations; and (C) the promulgation of appropriate organizational rules and procedures including those for the selection and operation of a technical staff, such rules and procedures to be based upon the primary object of promoting the public interest and insuring that the widest possible variety of interests and experience essential to the functions of the Institute are represented in the Institute’s operations. Recommendations of the Academies-Research Council shall be based upon consultations with and recommendations from various private organizations and institutions, labor, private industry, and governmental agencies entities operating in the field, and the Consultative Council as provided for under subsection (c)(8).
The Institute shall have a Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as the “Board”) consisting of not less than fifteen nor more than twenty-one members, appointed by the President of the United States by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Board shall be representative of the various segments of the building community, of the various regions of the country, and of the consumers who are or would be affected by actions taken in the exercise of the functions and responsibilities of the Institute, and shall include (A) representatives of the construction industry, including representatives of construction labor organizations, product manufacturers, and builders, housing management experts, and experts in building standards, codes, and fire safety, and (B) members representative of the public interest in such numbers as may be necessary to assure that a majority of the members of the Board represent the public interest and that there is adequate consideration by the Institute of consumer interests in the exercise of its functions and responsibilities. Those representing the public interest on the Board shall include architects, professional engineers, officials of Federal, State, and local agencies, and representatives of consumer organizations. Such members of the Board shall hold no financial interest or membership in, nor be employed by, or receive other compensation from, any company, association, or other group associated with the manufacture, distribution, installation, or maintenance of specialized building products, equipment, systems, subsystems, or other construction materials and techniques for which there are available substitutes.
The members of the initial Board shall serve as incorporators and shall take whatever actions are necessary to establish the Institute as provided for under subsection (b)(1).
The term of office of each member of the initial and succeeding Boards shall be three years; except that (A) any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term; and (B) the terms of office of members first taking office shall begin on the date of incorporation and shall expire, as designated at the time of their appointment, one-third at the end of one year, one-third at the end of two years, and one-third at the end of three years. No member shall be eligible to serve in excess of three consecutive terms of three years each. Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this subsection, a member whose term has expired may serve until his successor has qualified.
The Institute in exercising its functions and responsibilities under paragraphs (1) and (2) shall (A) give particular attention to the development of methods for encouraging all sectors of the economy to cooperate with the Institute and to accept and use its technical findings, and to accept and use the nationally recognized performance criteria, standards, and other technical provisions developed for use in Federal, State, and local building codes and other regulations which result from the program of the Institute; (B) seek to assure that its actions are coordinated with related requirements which are imposed in connection with community and environmental development generally; and (C) consult with the Department of Justice and other agencies of government to the extent necessary to insure that the national interest is protected and promoted in the exercise of its functions and responsibilities.
The Institute may, in accordance with rates and schedules established with guidance as provided under subsection (b)(2), establish fees and other charges for services provided by the Institute or under its authorization.
Amounts received by the Institute under this section shall be in addition to any amounts which may be appropriated to provide its initial operating capital under subsection (h).
The Institute shall establish and carry on a specific and continuing program of cooperation with the States and their political subdivisions designed to encourage their acceptance of its technical findings and of nationally recognized performance criteria, standards, and other technical provisions for building regulations brought about by the Institute. Such program shall include (A) efforts to encourage any changes in existing State and local law to utilize or embody such findings and regulatory provisions; and (B) assistance to States in the development of inservice training programs for building officials, and in the establishment of fully staffed and qualified State technical agencies to advise local officials on questions of technical interpretation.
There is established within the Institute, the Advanced Building Technology Council (hereafter referred to as the “Council”).
(2) PurposesThe Council shall carry out an Advanced Building Technology Program for the purposes of—
(3) Council membershipThe Council shall be comprised of not less than 6 and not more than 11 members selected by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development from among representatives of the various segments of the nationwide building community that have extensive experience in building industries, including, but not limited to—
(B) Required assurancesUpon agreement between a participating Federal agency and the Council, with respect to the selection of the appropriate technology and the schedule of necessary work, the Council shall—
(i) provide the Federal agency with a 5-year guarantee from the technology manufacturer that—
The Council shall submit to the Institute annually a description of its activities under the Advanced Building Technology Program for inclusion in the Institute’s annual report to the Congress under subsection (j).
The Institute shall submit an annual report for the preceding fiscal year to the President for transmittal to the Congress within sixty days of its receipt. The report shall include a comprehensive and detailed report of the Institute’s operations, activities, financial condition, and accomplishments under this section and may include such recommendations as the Institute deems appropriate.
(Pub. L. 93–383, title VIII, § 809, Aug. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 729; Pub. L. 94–375, § 24, Aug. 3, 1976, 90 Stat. 1078; Pub. L. 95–557, title III, § 319, Oct. 31, 1978, 92 Stat. 2101; Pub. L. 97–35, title III, § 339E, Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 417; Pub. L. 98–181, title I [title IV, § 462], Nov. 30, 1983, 97 Stat. 1232; Pub. L. 100–242, title V, § 570(f), Feb. 5, 1988, 101 Stat. 1950; Pub. L. 101–625, title IX, § 952(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4418; Pub. L. 102–550, title IX, § 904(a), Oct. 28, 1992, 106 Stat. 3868.)
1992—Subsecs. (h) to (j). Pub. L. 102–550 added subsec. (h) and redesignated former subsecs. (h) and (i) as (i) and (j), respectively.
1990—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 101–625 amended second sentence generally. Prior to amendment, second sentence read as follows: “In addition to the amounts authorized to be appropriated under the first sentence of this section, there is authorized to be appropriated to the Institute to carry out the provisions of this section not to exceed $250,000 for fiscal year 1984.”
1988—Subsec. (g)(4). Pub. L. 100–242, § 570(f)(1), substituted “of its” for “and its”.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 100–242, § 570(f)(2), substituted “preceding” for “preceeding”.
1983—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 98–181 inserted provisions relating to the appropriation of not to exceed $250,000 for fiscal 1984, such amount to be made available for expenditure only to the extent of an equal amount received from persons or entities other than the Federal Government.
1981—Subsec. (c)(4). Pub. L. 97–35, § 339E(b), inserted provisions respecting Presidential appointment powers to the Board.
Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 97–35, § 339E(a), inserted provisions which extended authorization from 1982 to 1984, and enumerated amount for fiscal years 1982, 1983, and 1984.
1978—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 95–557 inserted “, and any amounts not appropriated in fiscal years 1977 and 1978 may be appropriated in any fiscal year through 1982” after “1978”.
1976—Subsec. (h). Pub. L. 94–375 inserted “, and $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1977 and 1978” after “fiscal year 1976”.
Pub. L. 98–396, title I, Aug. 22, 1984, 98 Stat. 1384, provided that:
“There is appropriated out of funds not otherwise appropriated, the sum of $5,000,000 to a ‘National Institute of Building Sciences Trust Fund’ which is hereby established in the Treasury of the United States: Provided, That the Secretary shall invest such funds in U.S. Treasury special issue securities at a fixed rate of ten per centum per annum, that such interest shall be credited to the Trust Fund on a quarterly basis, and that the Secretary shall make quarterly disbursements from such interest to the National Institute of Building Sciences: Provided further, That the total amount of such payment during any fiscal year may not exceed $500,000 or the amount equivalent to non-Federal funds received by the Institute during the preceding fiscal year, whichever is less: Provided further, That any amount of interest not used for any such annual payment shall be paid into the general fund of the Treasury: Provided further, That the appropriation of $5,000,000 made in this paragraph shall revert to the Treasury, on October 1, 1989, and the National Institute of Building Sciences Trust Fund shall terminate following the final quarterly disbursement of interest provided for in this paragraph.”