42 U.S.C. § 6624: Federal scientific collections

Federal agencies with such collections; and representatives of other organizations, institutions, and other entities not a part of the Federal Government that have a stake in the preservation, maintenance, and accessibility of such collections, including State and local government agencies, institutions of higher education, museums, and other entities engaged in the acquisition, holding, management, or use of scientific collections. The Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with relevant Federal agencies, shall ensure the development of an online clearinghouse for information on the contents of and access to Federal scientific collections. conduct a review of the research value of the collection; and the collection’s value for research purposes; and possible additional educational uses for the collection; and include procedures for Federal agencies to transfer scientific collections they no longer need to researchers at institutions or other entities qualified to manage the collections. The Office of Science and Technology Policy, in consultation with relevant Federal agencies, shall develop a common set of methodologies to be used by Federal agencies for the assessment and projection of costs associated with the management and preservation of their scientific collections. In this section, the term “scientific collection” means a set of physical specimens, living or inanimate, created for the purpose of supporting science and serving as a long-term research asset, rather than for their market value as collectibles or their historical, artistic, or cultural significance, and, as appropriate and feasible, the associated specimen data and materials.