§ 763. — Interagency Committee.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 29USC763]
TITLE 29--LABOR
CHAPTER 16--VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND OTHER REHABILITATION SERVICES
SUBCHAPTER II--RESEARCH AND TRAINING
Sec. 763. Interagency Committee
(a) Establishment; membership; meetings
(1) In order to promote coordination and cooperation among Federal
departments and agencies conducting rehabilitation research programs,
including programs relating to assistive technology research and
research that incorporates the principles of universal design, there is
established within the Federal Government an Interagency Committee on
Disability Research (hereinafter in this section referred to as the
``Committee''), chaired by the Director and comprised of such members as
the President may designate, including the following (or their
designees): the Director, the Commissioner of the Rehabilitation
Services Administration, the Assistant Secretary for Special Education
and Rehabilitative Services, the Secretary of Education, the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs, the Director of the National Institutes of Health,
the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health, the
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the
Secretary of Transportation, the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for
Indian Affairs, the Director of the Indian Health Service, and the
Director of the National Science Foundation.
(2) The Committee shall meet not less than four times each year.
(b) Duties
(1) After receiving input from targeted individuals, the Committee
shall identify, assess, and seek to coordinate all Federal programs,
activities, and projects, and plans for such programs, activities, and
projects with respect to the conduct of research (including assistive
technology research and research that incorporates the principles of
universal design) related to rehabilitation of individuals with
disabilities.
(2) In carrying out its duties with respect to the conduct of
Federal research (including assistive technology research and research
that incorporates the principles of universal design) related to
rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities, the Committee shall--
(A) share information regarding the range of assistive
technology research, and research that incorporates the principles
of universal design, that is being carried out by members of the
Committee and other Federal departments and organizations;
(B) identify, and make efforts to address, gaps in assistive
technology research and research that incorporates the principles of
universal design that are not being adequately addressed;
(C) identify, and establish, clear research priorities related
to assistive technology research and research that incorporates the
principles of universal design for the Federal Government;
(D) promote interagency collaboration and joint research
activities relating to assistive technology research and research
that incorporates the principles of universal design at the Federal
level, and reduce unnecessary duplication of effort regarding these
types of research within the Federal Government; and
(E) optimize the productivity of Committee members through
resource sharing and other cost-saving activities, related to
assistive technology research and research that incorporates the
principles of universal design.
(c) Annual report
Not later than December 31 of each year, the Committee shall prepare
and submit, to the President and to the Committee on Education and the
Workforce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Labor and
Human Resources of the Senate, a report that--
(1) describes the progress of the Committee in fulfilling the
duties described in subsection (b) of this section;
(2) makes such recommendations as the Committee determines to be
appropriate with respect to coordination of policy and development
of objectives and priorities for all Federal programs relating to
the conduct of research (including assistive technology research and
research that incorporates the principles of universal design)
related to rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities; and
(3) describes the activities that the Committee recommended to
be funded through grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and
other mechanisms, for assistive technology research and development
and research and development that incorporates the principles of
universal design.
(d) Recommendations
(1) In order to promote coordination and cooperation among Federal
departments and agencies conducting assistive technology research
programs, to reduce duplication of effort among the programs, and to
increase the availability of assistive technology for individuals with
disabilities, the Committee may recommend activities to be funded
through grants, contracts or cooperative agreements, or other
mechanisms--
(A) in joint research projects for assistive technology research
and research that incorporates the principles of universal design;
and
(B) in other programs designed to promote a cohesive, strategic
Federal program of research described in subparagraph (A).
(2) The projects and programs described in paragraph (1) shall be
jointly administered by at least 2 agencies or departments with
representatives on the Committee.
(3) In recommending activities to be funded in the projects and
programs, the Committee shall obtain input from targeted individuals,
and other organizations and individuals the Committee determines to be
appropriate, concerning the availability and potential of technology for
individuals with disabilities.
(e) Definitions
In this section, the terms ``assistive technology'', ``targeted
individuals'', and ``universal design'' have the meanings given the
terms in section 3002 of this title.
(Pub. L. 93-112, title II, Sec. 203, as added Pub. L. 105-220, title IV,
Sec. 405, Aug. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1173; amended Pub. L. 105-277, div. A,
Sec. 101(f) [title VIII, Sec. 401(16)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681-
337, 2681-412; Pub. L. 105-394, title II, Sec. 201, Nov. 13, 1998, 112
Stat. 3651.)
Prior Provisions
Provisions similar to this section were contained in section 761b of
this title prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L.
105-220.
A prior section 763, Pub. L. 93-112, title II, Sec. 203, Sept. 26,
1973, 87 Stat. 376, relating to making of grants and contracts for
training of personnel involved in vocational services to handicapped
individuals, was renumbered section 304 of Pub. L. 93-112 and
transferred to section 774 of this title.
Amendments
1998--Pub. L. 105-277 made technical amendment to directory language
of Pub. L. 105-220, Sec. 405, which enacted this section.
Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 105-394, Sec. 201(1), inserted ``including
programs relating to assistive technology research and research that
incorporates the principles of universal design,'' after ``programs,''.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 105-394, Sec. 201(2), designated existing
provisions as par. (1), substituted ``targeted individuals'' for
``individuals with disabilities and the individuals' representatives'',
inserted ``(including assistive technology research and research that
incorporates the principles of universal design)'' after ``research'',
and added par. (2).
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 105-394, Sec. 201(3), added subsec. (c) and
struck out former subsec. (c) which read as follows: ``The Committee
shall annually submit to the President and to the appropriate committees
of the Congress a report making such recommendations as the Committee
deems appropriate with respect to coordination of policy and development
of objectives and priorities for all Federal programs relating to the
conduct of research related to rehabilitation of individuals with
disabilities.''
Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 105-394, Sec. 201(4), added subsecs. (d)
and (e).
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in sections 762, 3037 of this title.
