The Secretary is authorized to acquire any of the following described rights if the property acquired thereby is for use by or for, or useful to, the Department:

(1) copyrights, patents, and applications for patents, designs, processes, and manufacturing data;

(2) licenses under copyrights, patents, and applications for patents; and

(3) releases, before suit is brought, for past infringement of patents or copyrights.

(Pub. L. 96–88, title IV, §420, Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 687.)