Oversight of the United States Metric Board

The role of the U.S. Metric Board in implementing the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 was discussed. A previous report mentioned that many people and organizations believed a decision had already been made to make adoption of the metric system in the United States mandatory. However, the purpose of the Metric Board is to carry out a broad program of planning, coordination, and public education, and to assist sectors when and if they choose to convert. In enacting the law, Congress did not intend for the Board to either advocate or discourage conversion. While the present national policy allows for a dual system, GAO does not believe that the Board must assume a passive role, but rather assist entities in deciding whether or not to convert to the metric system.