(a) Notwithstanding the limitations under section 105 of title 17 , the Secretary may secure copyright and renewal thereof on behalf of the United States as author or proprietor in all or any part of any standard reference data which he prepares or makes available under this chapter, and may authorize the reproduction and publication thereof by others. (b) The publication or republication by the Government under this chapter, either separately or in a public document, of any material in which copyright is subsisting shall not be taken to cause any abridgment or annulment of the copyright or to authorize any use or appropriation of such material without the consent of the copyright proprietor. ( Pub. L. 90–396, § 6 , July 11, 1968 , 82 Stat. 340 ; Pub. L. 94–553, § 105(f) , Oct. 19, 1976 , 90 Stat. 2599 ; Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title III, § 13211(b) , Nov. 2, 2002 , 116 Stat. 1910 .) Editorial Notes Amendments 2002—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–273, § 13211(b)(2) , substituted “Notwithstanding the limitations under section 105 of title 17 ,” for “Notwithstanding the limitations contained in section 105 of title 17 ,”. Pub. L. 107–273, § 13211(b)(1) , made technical amendment to directory language of Pub. L. 94–553 . See 1976 Amendment note below. 1976—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 94–553 , as amended by Pub. L. 107–273, § 13211(b)(1) , substituted “ section 105 of title 17 ” for “ section 8 of title 17 ”. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries Effective Date of 1976 Amendment Amendment by Pub. L. 94–553 effective Jan. 1, 1978 , see section 102 of Pub. L. 94–553 , set out as an Effective Date note preceding section 101 of Title 17 , Copyrights.