The subcommittee has legislative jurisdiction and general and special oversight and investigative authority on all matters relating to competitiveness, technology, and environmental research, development, and demonstration including:

• standardization of weights and measures including technical standards, standardization, and conformity assessment;
• measurement, including the metric system of measurement;
• the Technology Administration of the Department of Commerce;
• the National Institute of Standards and Technology;
• the National Technical Information Service;
• competitiveness, including small business competitiveness;
• tax, antitrust, regulatory and other legal and governmental policies as they relate to technological development and commercialization;
• technology transfer, including civilian use of defense technologies;
• patent and intellectual property policy;
• international technology trade;
• research, development, and demonstration activities of the Department of Transportation;
• surface and water transportation research, development, and demonstration programs;
• earthquake programs (except for NSF) and fire research programs including those related to wildfire proliferation research and prevention;
• biotechnology policy;
• research, development, demonstration, and standards related activities of the Department of Homeland Security;
• scientific issues related to environmental policy, including climate change;
• Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer; and
• voting technologies and standards.

Chairs of the subcommittee:

• Thomas Massie, (R), 2013–present
• Ben Quayle (R), 2011–2013
• David Wu (D), 2007-2011
• Vern Ehlers (R), 2005-2007

• Subcommittee on Research and Technology, official web site
• Republican Subcommittee website
• Democratic Subcommittee website