Government Affairs Overview
The
standards community is often affected by a wide variety of federal, state and
local legislative and regulatory proposals, many of which are not front-page
news. Legislators and their staff often need a neutral source of information
regarding standards and how to gain access to the appropriate developers.
Additionally, government agencies use standards both directly and indirectly in
their work: in regulations and laws, in procurement, and in internal
operations.
ANSI’s role is as an information provider, bridging the gap between standards
developers and the governmental agencies that create legislation affecting the
standards community. In addition, since the passage of
The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-113)
(NTTAA) as well as the issuance of
The Office of Management and Budget Circular A-119, ANSI has worked to
facilitate the growing trend of government agencies using voluntary consensus
standards created by the private sector as an alternative to agency-developed
standards. Since the passage of the NTTAA, this trend has accelerated, as the
law makes clear that this is not just a good idea, but a requirement where use
of such standards is consistent with agency policy, and appropriate for agency
purposes.
Public Policy
ANSI works with its members to create outreach programs to legislators, to
increase understanding of the private sector standards community among agencies
involved in trade and commerce issues, and to provide testimony when requested
by legislative committees. These efforts are intended to give background
information on the Institute and its role in domestic and international
standards development, as well as to foster understanding among opinion leaders
of the major role standards play in the international and domestic marketplace.
To this end, ANSI works with organizations from various sectors to inform
others on how ANSs are developed and the contribution that the standards
community makes to the economy and the public as a whole. ANSI develops public
policy positions on issues that concern the standards community through the
work of the National Policy Committee (NPC).
Government Affairs
ANSI advocates greater use of voluntary consensus standards by government
agencies and broader participation by agency personnel in standards
development. Today, nearly every agency of government has a need for standards,
whether as an element of regulatory regime or as a key part of procurement
policy and operations. In fact, one important value of voluntary standards is
that it aids the government in tackling its mandate to ensure public safety and
health. ANSI facilitates this trend and maintains a close relationship with its
government members through the
Government Members Forum (GMF), which is made up of representatives
from a variety of state, local and federal agencies. The GMF provides an
opportunity for government members to network on issues relating to standards
and to provide input on issues of specific concern to government users and
participants in standards activities.
Federal Government Employees Involvement in ANSI
There are some old ethics opinions suggesting that Federal Agency employees may
not serve in leadership capacities or on the Boards of non-profit entities but,
as defined in the NTTAA, these opinions do not apply to involvement in
activities relating to standards development, such as ANSI’s. The
most recent opinion from the Department of Justice’s Office of Legal
Counsel, dated August 1998, addresses this issue clearly.
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