Revised: 2023-04-12
Title: The Trade and Competitiveness act of 2023.
Whereas the Metric Conversion Act of 1975 set guidelines for converting the United States of America to the SI Metric system of measurement but did not set deadlines or time lines of when that was to occur,
Whereas the measurements of environmental, fuel economy, and other items are still given in legacy measures,
Whereas the measures now used are difficult to compare between those in the United States and those of foreign countries in order to get an accurate picture of environmental issues such as global warming,
Whereas the productivity of American workers is way below those of foreign workers with much of the problem attributed to having to deal with measurement units that include inches (with fractions), feet, yards, fathoms, chains, furlongs, statute and nautical miles, cubic inches vs quarts, gallons, acres, etc.
Whereas drivers of trucks entering the United States from places such as Canada and Mexico may not be completely familiar with US Highway speed, distance and clearance signs and could possibly cause damage to highways from oversize loads.
The following schedule is to be implemented:
1. All highway clearance signs on highway overpasses on highways that receive federal funding must have dual signs showing the height in meters as well as feet and inches by January 1, 2025. After January 1, 2028, the feet and inches may be omitted on new signs.
2. All weather forecasts on radio and television stations licensed by the FCC in the United States must begin including SI Metric units such as temperature in Celsius and rainfall and snowfall precipitation in either millimeters, centimeters or meters, and barometric pressure in kilopascals starting July 1, 2025.
3. Screen sizes of television sets and computer monitors must be given in millimeters by July 1, 2024.
4. All weighing devices such as scales sold in the United States must report a person's mass in grams and/or kilograms starting July 1, 2025
5. Sellers of motor vehicle and heating fuel, lubricating oil, or any fuel to be used for on or off road motor vehicles or for devices or power tools such as electric generators, chain saws, leaf blowers, lawn mowers, weed cutters, grass and hedge trimmers, or any other such device that uses fuel such as fuel oil, gasoline, ethanol, E85, diesel, liquid propane, liquid natural gas, or other fuel must sell such fuel in appropriate SI Metric units and must cease the sale of such product(s) in legacy units commonly called gallons or quarts starting July 1, 2025.
7. All packaged Dairy products sold in grocery stores or other public retail sales establishments in the United States must include SI metric units such as liters, milliliters, grams, or kilograms starting January 1, 2025. Such products may include equivalent legacy units until January 1, 2025 but must drop such legacy units after that date.
8. All packaged non dairy food products sold in grocery stores in the United States must label the quantity in liters, milliliters, grams, or kilograms starting July 1, 2025. Such products may include equivalent customary units until January 1, 2028 but must drop such customary units after that date.
The Attorney General or such other administrators will have the power to enforce these provisions.