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<bill bill-stage="Referred-in-Senate" dms-id="H2256C95BBB1E4853AB2259C67F65C1BD" public-private="public" key="G" bill-type="olc" stage-count="1"><metadata xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
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<dc:title>118 HR 682 : Launch Communications Act</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. House of Representatives</dc:publisher>
<dc:date>2023-07-26</dc:date>
<dc:format>text/xml</dc:format>
<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<distribution-code display="yes">IIB</distribution-code><congress display="yes">118th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">1st Session</session><legis-num display="yes">H. R. 682</legis-num><current-chamber>IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES</current-chamber><action><action-date date="20230726">July 26, 2023</action-date><action-desc>Received; read twice and referred to the <committee-name committee-id="SSCM00">Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation</committee-name></action-desc></action><legis-type>AN ACT</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.</official-title></form><legis-body id="HA9596B7CCA2E43B6BFE611557E530562" style="OLC"><pagebreak></pagebreak><section id="H43D49605720C4EC99F2939E92E7D7B55" section-type="section-one"><enum>1.</enum><header>Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Launch Communications Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section id="HFE508B2E272748CAB630F9B65FEDEE0D" section-type="subsequent-section"><enum>2.</enum><header>Access to spectrum for commercial space launches and reentries</header><subsection id="H3A6F56C67636492E93BC468E7E622FA2" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(a)</enum><header>Service rules; allocation</header><paragraph id="H8D37CB6B6A864826B61C6B488B4C99CB"><enum>(1)</enum><header>In general</header><text>Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall complete any proceeding in effect as of such date of enactment related to the adoption of service rules for access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, including technical specifications, eligibility requirements, coordination procedures to preserve the Nation’s defense capabilities, and the allocation on a secondary basis of the frequencies described in subsection (c).</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H5EBC436A522D47AC84C6450E5D92BD72"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Coordination with National Telecommunications and Information Administration</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The coordination procedures adopted under paragraph (1) shall include requirements for persons conducting commercial space launches and commercial space reentries to coordinate with the Assistant Secretary regarding access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HC0AEF62EEB3F4B6BAFC435A66C727E2F"><enum>(b)</enum><header>Streamlining of process for granting authorizations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue new regulations to streamline the process for granting authorizations for access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries so as to provide for—</text><paragraph id="HD4FC86C2FF5D4471AF9832A4025A0184"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">authorizations that include access to such frequencies for multiple commercial space launches from one or more Federal space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to one or more Federal space launch sites;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9D6EA7F8987A42539AB7DAB9C4076FCC"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">authorizations that include access to such frequencies for multiple commercial space launches from one or more private space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to one or more private space launch sites;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HF472021B44A246D68AD92A79627AB448"><enum>(3)</enum><text>authorizations that include access to multiple uses of such frequencies for commercial space launch or commercial space reentry;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA5019FAFFFB24608AD6963A6566B40F0"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">automation of the processes of the Commission to review applications for authorizations for access to such frequencies for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries; and</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HAFC31DFDCED2451A9AC021E2C8183224" commented="no"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">improved coordination by the Commission with the Assistant Secretary (who shall coordinate with the heads of such other Federal agencies as the Assistant Secretary considers appropriate) to increase the speed of review of applications for authorizations for access to such frequencies for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H1612DBAE9923434888C4E5F070C93FB5"><enum>(c)</enum><header>Frequencies described</header><text>The frequencies described in this subsection are the frequencies between 2025 and 2110 megahertz, between 2200 and 2290 megahertz, between 2360 and 2395 megahertz, and between 5650 and 5925 megahertz.</text></subsection><subsection id="H5725ECE85CC94FECB5E14469C681AF70"><enum>(d)</enum><header>Rules of construction</header><paragraph id="H40E15EE1300C4CA7916ED3983D3D95D8"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Frequency ranges</header><text>Each range of frequencies described in this section shall be construed to be inclusive of the upper and lower frequencies in the range.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HCEFE6459D47849E989775E873DDCF661"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Special temporary authority</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Nothing in this section may be construed to authorize or require elimination or limitation of, or any amendment to, or otherwise to affect, special temporary authority, as provided for by section 1.931 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H7D1C9721989F4F30AAB2FE8526A61BD7"><enum>(e)</enum><header>Definitions</header><text>In this section:</text><paragraph id="H9D43986E082E4F7F9FA624DF6AF0E510"><enum>(1)</enum><header>Assistant Secretary</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <quote>Assistant Secretary</quote> means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9FEB25A0783745AC96EAB699909B2DEE"><enum>(2)</enum><header>Commercial space launch</header><text>The term <term>commercial space launch</term> means a launch licensed under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/51/509">chapter 509</external-xref> of title 51, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H802BC0748B6E4EFD9CF7DFCABC3F8807"><enum>(3)</enum><header>Commercial space reentry</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>commercial space reentry</term> means a reentry licensed under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/51/509">chapter 509</external-xref> of title 51, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HAE70B0710A754B2AA5CD659F7DF3166E"><enum>(4)</enum><header>Commission</header><text>The term <term>Commission</term> means the Federal Communications Commission.</text></paragraph></subsection></section></legis-body><attestation><attestation-group><attestation-date date="20230725" chamber="House">Passed the House of Representatives July 25, 2023.</attestation-date><attestor display="yes">Kevin F. McCumber,</attestor><role>Clerk.</role></attestation-group></attestation></bill> 

