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essary to implement the policy. The legislation also required an 

 annual report from the President to the Congress containing rec- 

 ommendations on: personnel requirements and standards for 

 Federal personnel involved in foreign relations and science and 

 technology, the continuation of existing bilateral and multilater- 

 al activities and agreements involving science and technology, in- 

 cluding an analysis of the foreign policy implications and scien- 

 tific benefits of such activities; the adequacy of funding and ad- 

 ministration of such activities; and plans for future evaluation of 

 such activities on a routine basis. 



October 7, 1978: The National Commission on Research was found- 

 ed as a private nonprofit organization to examine the relation- 

 ship between government agencies and universities involved in 

 research and to develop specific recommendations for improve- 

 ments. The Commission investigated and prepared reports on the 

 following research issues: accountability, peer review and other 

 selection processes, alternative funding mechanisms, industry, 

 university, and Government relationships, and development of 

 research personnel. 



November 6, 1978: The Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 

 1978, Public Law 95-599, established a National Alcohol Fuels 

 Commission to study alcohol fuels. The study was completed in 

 February 1981. 



November 9, 1978: Public Law 95-622, the Community Mental 

 Health Centers Extension Act of 1978 was signed into law. Title 

 III established the President's Commission for the Study of Ethi- 

 cal Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Re- 

 search. 



November 9, 1978: The National Center for Health Care Technolo- 

 gy was established in the Office for the Assistant Secretary for 

 Health by a provision of the Health Services Research, Health 

 Statistics, and Health Care Technology Act of 1978. (Public Law 

 95-623). 



January 1, 1979: The United States and the People's Republic of 

 China signed an agreement to begin scientific and technological 

 exchanges between the two countries. A Joint Science and Tech- 

 nology commission co-chaired by the Office of Science and Tech- 

 nology Policy and the Chinese State Science and Technology 

 Commission, coordinates and supervises activities under this 

 agreement. This agreement is now the largest such bilateral pro- 

 gram maintained by either country. 



March 7, 1979: The House Committee on Science and Technology, 

 Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space began hearings 

 to examine the status of U.S. research and development efforts 

 by industry, universities, and national laboratories. The Subcom- 

 mittee also assessed the role of the Office of Science and Technol- 

 ogy Policy in managing Federal science and technology activities. 



March 31, 1979: By Executive Order 12127, President Carter pro- 

 vided for the "orderly activation of the Federal Emergency Man- 

 agement Agency," (FEMA). The Executive Order, which took 

 effect on April 1, 1979, transferred the United States Fire Ad- 

 ministration, the Emergency Broadcast System, the National 

 Flood Insurance Program, and the Earthquake Hazards Reduc- 

 tion Program into FEMA. 



