Profound acknowledgment of the importance of materials research to the well-being of society has recently been provided by the government of the United States of America in the form of Public Law 98-373: National Critical Materials Act of 1984. This law provides for the establishment of a National Critical Materials Council within the Executive Office of the President that is responsible for coordination of the government's materials-related policies, programs, and research and technology activities. This new legislation, the major features of which are reproduced on the next page in this issue of the BULLETIN, promises to touch all of us in some way during the coming years.

The law establishes a National Critical Materials Council consisting of three presidential appointees who are qualified in materials policy or materials science and engineering. The Council is primarily responsible for the formulation of national materials policies consistent with other Federal policies. This activity includes establishing responsibilities for programs and priorities for materials activities in each Federal department or agency. The Council will also review materials programs and activities of the government for consistency with the National Materials and Minerals Policy Research and Development Act of 1980. It will monitor the critical needs of both industry and government, and it will advise the President of world trends and their implications for national and world economy and national security.