15 U.S.C. § 205a: Congressional statement of findings

The United States was an original signatory party to the 1875 Treaty of the Meter ( 20 Stat. 709 ), which established the General Conference of Weights and Measures, the International Committee of Weights and Measures and the International Bureau of Weights and Measures. Although the use of metric measurement standards in the United States has been authorized by law since 1866 (Act of July 28, 1866 ; 14 Stat. 339 ), this Nation today is the only industrially developed nation which has not established a national policy of committing itself and taking steps to facilitate conversion to the metric system. World trade is increasingly geared towards the metric system of measurement. Industry in the United States is often at a competitive disadvantage when dealing in international markets because of its nonstandard measurement system, and is sometimes excluded when it is unable to deliver goods which are measured in metric terms. The inherent simplicity of the metric system of measurement and standardization of weights and measures has led to major cost savings in certain industries which have converted to that system. The Federal Government has a responsibility to develop procedures and techniques to assist industry, especially small business, as it voluntarily converts to the metric system of measurement. The metric system of measurement can provide substantial advantages to the Federal Government in its own operations. The Metric Conversion Act of 1975 [ 15 U.S.C. 205a et seq.] was enacted in order to set forth the policy of the United States to convert to the metric system. Section 3 of that Act [ 15 U.S.C. 205b ] requires that each Federal agency use the metric system of measurements in its procurement, grants, and other business-related activities, unless that use is likely to cause significant cost or loss of markets to United States firms, such as when foreign competitors are producing competing products in non-metric units. In accordance with that Act and Executive Order 12770, of July 25, 1991 [set out below], Federal agencies increasingly construct new Federal buildings in round metric dimensions. As a result, companies that wish to bid on Federal construction projects increasingly are asked to supply materials or products in round metric dimensions. While the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 currently provides an exemption to metric usage when impractical or when such usage will cause economic inefficiencies, amendments are warranted to ensure that the use of specific metric components in metric construction projects do not increase the cost of Federal buildings to the taxpayers.”