[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2607 Engrossed Amendment Senate (EAS)]
In the Senate of the United States,
October 13 (legislative day, September 22), 2000.
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives (H.R.
2607) entitled ``An Act to promote the development of the commercial
space transportation industry, to authorize appropriations for the
Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space
Transportation, to authorize appropriations for the Office of Space
Commercialization, and for other purposes.'', do pass with the
following
AMENDMENT:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Commercial Space Transportation
Competitiveness Act of 2000''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that--
(1) a robust United States space transportation industry is
vital to the Nation's economic well-being and national
security;
(2) enactment of a 5-year extension of the excess third
party claims payment provision of chapter 701 of title 49,
United States Code (Commercial Space Launch Activities), will
have a beneficial impact on the international competitiveness
of the United States space transportation industry;
(3) space transportation may evolve into airplane-style
operations;
(4) during the next 3 years the Federal Government and the
private sector should analyze the liability risk-sharing regime
to determine its appropriateness and effectiveness, and, if
needed, develop and propose a new regime to Congress at least 2
years prior to the expiration of the extension contained in
this Act;
(5) the areas of responsibility of the Office of the
Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation
have significantly increased as a result of--
(A) the rapidly expanding commercial space
transportation industry and associated government
licensing requirements;
(B) regulatory activity as a result of the emerging
commercial reusable launch vehicle industry; and
(C) the increased regulatory activity associated
with commercial operation of launch and reentry sites;
and
(6) the Office of the Associate Administrator for
Commercial Space Transportation should continue to limit its
promotional activities to those which support its regulatory
mission.
SEC. 3. OFFICE OF COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION.
(a) Amendment.--Section 70119 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 70119. Office of Commercial Space Transportation
``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of
Transportation for the activities of the Office of the Associate
Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation--
``(1) $12,607,000 for fiscal year 2001; and
``(2) $16,478,000 for fiscal year 2002.''.
(b) Table of Sections Amendment.--The item relating to section
70119 in the table of sections of chapter 701 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``70119. Office of Commercial Space Transportation.''.
SEC. 4. OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION.
(a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be
appropriated to the Secretary of Commerce for the activities of the
Office of Space Commercialization--
(1) $590,000 for fiscal year 2001;
(2) $608,000 for fiscal year 2002; and
(3) $626,000 for fiscal year 2003.
(b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Commerce shall transmit to
the Congress a report on the Office of Space Commercialization
detailing the activities of the Office, the materials produced by the
Office, the extent to which the Office has fulfilled the functions
established for it by the Congress, and the extent to which the Office
has participated in interagency efforts.
SEC. 5. COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION INDEMNIFICATION EXTENSION.
(a) In General.--If, on the date of enactment of this Act, section
70113(f) of title 49, United States Code, has not been amended by the
Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and
Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, then that section is
amended by striking ``December 31, 2000'' and inserting ``December 31,
2004''.
(b) Amendment of Modified Section.--If, on the date of enactment of
this Act, section 70113(f) of title 49, United States Code, has been
amended by the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban
Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, then
that section is amended by striking ``December 31, 2001'' and inserting
``December 31, 2004''.
SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT TO SECTION 70113 OF TITLE 49.
(a) Section 70113 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by
striking ``------, 19----.','' in subsection (e)(1)(A) and inserting
``------, 20----.',''.
(b) The amendment made by subsection (a) takes effect on January 1,
2000.
SEC. 7. LIABILITY REGIME FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION.
(a) Report Requirement.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall
transmit to the Congress a report on the liability risk-sharing regime
in the United States for commercial space transportation.
(b) Contents.--The report required by this section shall--
(1) analyze the adequacy, propriety, and effectiveness of,
and the need for, the current liability risk-sharing regime in
the United States for commercial space transportation;
(2) examine the current liability and liability risk-
sharing regimes in other countries with space transportation
capabilities;
(3) examine the appropriateness of deeming all space
transportation activities to be ``ultrahazardous activities''
for which a strict liability standard may be applied and which
liability regime should attach to space transportation
activities, whether ultrahazardous activities or not;
(4) examine the effect of relevant international treaties
on the Federal Government's liability for commercial space
launches and how the current domestic liability risk-sharing
regime meets or exceeds the requirements of those treaties;
(5) examine the appropriateness, as commercial reusable
launch vehicles enter service and demonstrate improved safety
and reliability, of evolving the commercial space
transportation liability regime towards the approach of the
airline liability regime;
(6) examine the need for changes to the Federal
Government's indemnification policy to accommodate the risks
associated with commercial spaceport operations; and
(7) recommend appropriate modifications to the commercial
space transportation liability regime and the actions required
to accomplish those modifications.
(c) Sections.--The report required by this section shall contain
sections expressing the views and recommendations of--
(1) interested Federal agencies, including--
(A) the Office of the Associate Administrator for
Commercial Space Transportation;
(B) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
(C) the Department of Defense; and
(D) the Office of Space Commercialization; and
(2) the public, received as a result of notice in Commerce
Business Daily, the Federal Register, and appropriate Federal
agency Internet websites.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF INTERAGENCY SUPPORT FOR GLOBAL POSITIONING
SYSTEM.
The use of interagency funding and other forms of support is hereby
authorized by Congress for the functions and activities of the
Interagency Global Positioning System Executive Board, including an
Executive Secretariat to be housed at the Department of Commerce.
Attest:
Secretary.
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 2607
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AMENDMENT