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Japanese Technical Literature Act of 1986

Public Law 99-382 · S. 1073 · 99th Congress · began in the Senate

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Aug 14, 1986 · Science, Technology, Communications

Sponsor: Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT)

Cosponsors (5): Sen. Jay Rockefeller,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Japanese Technical Literature Act of 1986 - Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to direct the Secretary of Commerce to establish a program to: (1) monitor Japanese technical activities and developments; (2) consult with businesses, professional societies, and libraries in the United States on their needs for information on Japanese developments in technology and engineering; (3) acquire and translate selected Japanese technical reports and documents that may be of value to Federal agencies and to businesses and researchers in the United States; and (4) coordinate with other Federal agencies to identify significant gaps and avoid duplication in Federal Government efforts to acquire, translate, index, and disseminate Japanese technical literature. Directs the Secretary to maintain such program, including an office in Japan, through the National Technical Information Service and other appropriate offices within the Department of Commerce.

Requires that such acquisition and translation of Japanese technical reports and documents be performed only on a cost-reimbursable basis. Requires that such translations be performed only if they are not otherwise available within the private sector in the United States.

Directs the Secretary, beginning in 1986, to report annually on important Japanese scientific discoveries and technical innovations in areas such as computers, semiconductors, biotechnology, and robotics and manufacturing. Directs the Secretary to consult with professional societies and businesses in the United States in preparing such reports. Authorizes the Secretary, to the extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, to contract with private organizations to acquire and translate information relevant to the preparation of such reports.

Directs the Secretary to encourage professional societies and private businesses in the United States to increase their efforts to acquire, screen, translate, and disseminate Japanese technical literature.

Directs the Secretary to compile, publish, and disseminate an annual directory which lists: (1) all programs and services in the United States that collect, abstract, translate, and distribute Japanese scientific and technical information; and (2) all translations of Japanese technical documents performed by Federal agencies in the preceding 12 months that are available to the public.

Directs the Secretary, within one year after the enactment of this Act, to report to the Congress on Federal activities to collect, abstract, translate, and distribute declassified Japanese scientific and technical information.

Authorizes appropriations to carry out this Act.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 16 actions.

  1. Aug 14, 1986Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 99-382.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Aug 5, 1986PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Aug 2, 1986Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to the House amendments by Voice Vote.
  5. Jun 23, 1986FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  6. Jun 4, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  7. May 22, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  8. Mar 19, 1986CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  9. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  10. Dec 3, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Science, Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  11. Dec 2, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Science, Space, and Technology Committee
  12. Nov 23, 1985FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  13. Nov 4, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  14. Sep 11, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  15. May 6, 1985CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
  16. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.