The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) was signed into law on March 7, 1996. By enacting the NTTAA into law, Congress found that it could:
Promote economic, environmental, and social well-being by bringing technology and industrial innovation to the marketplace.
Help U.S. business speed the development of new products and processes by making available federal laboratories to the private sector.
Foster commercialization of technology and industrial innovation by making it easier for companies to obtain exclusive licenses to inventions which result from cooperative research with the federal government.

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Source: Environmental Protection Agency