[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3219 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3219

     To establish an independent committee to oversee the National 
 Aeronautics and Space Administration's Space Shuttle return-to-flight 
                     plans, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 1, 2003

Mr. Hall (for himself, Mr. Rohrabacher, and Mr. Gordon) introduced the 
     following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To establish an independent committee to oversee the National 
 Aeronautics and Space Administration's Space Shuttle return-to-flight 
                     plans, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Space Shuttle Independent Oversight 
Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act--
            (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
        the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and
            (2) the term ``NASA'' means the National Aeronautics and 
        Space Administration.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall enter into an arrangement 
with the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of 
Engineering for the establishment of an independent committee to 
oversee NASA's implementation of the recommendations of the Columbia 
Accident Investigation Board, with the exception of those 
recommendations associated with return-to-flight activities of the 
Space Shuttle fleet.
    (b) Membership and Operating Procedures.--The size, composition, 
and operating procedures of the committee shall be determined solely by 
the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of 
Engineering, in consultation with the National Academy of Public 
Administration.
    (c) Tasks.--The committee shall--
            (1) review and evaluate the plans NASA develops to 
        implement the recommendations of the Columbia Accident 
        Investigation Board and make recommendations to the 
        Administrator as appropriate with respect to the plans' 
        adequacy and responsiveness to the findings and recommendations 
        of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board;
            (2) monitor and assess the implementation of the Columbia 
        Accident Investigation Board recommendations by NASA and report 
        the committee's findings on a semi-annual basis to the 
        Administrator;
            (3) provide technical oversight of any required design 
        activities and test or certification procedures and plans;
            (4) review and evaluate the results of any required test or 
        certification programs; and
            (5) each year for five years after the date of termination 
        of NASA's Return-to-Flight Task Force, determine whether NASA 
        is still complying with all of the Columbia Accident 
        Investigation Board's Return-to-Flight recommendations.
    (d) Support.--The Administrator shall provide to the committee in a 
timely manner--
            (1) all information and technical data necessary to 
        complete the committee's tasks;
            (2) briefings and interviews by personnel from NASA, its 
        contractors, and the Columbia Accident Investigation Board; and
            (3) access to all test and certification activities, as 
        needed.
    (e) Duration.--The committee shall be established within 60 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act and shall remain in existence 
for six years after the date of termination of NASA's Return-to-Flight 
Task Force unless otherwise extended by the Administrator.

SEC. 4. REPORTS.

    The committee established under section 3 shall provide to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and 
the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives--
            (1) copies of any interim reports or correspondence it 
        provides to the Administrator at the same time as they are 
        provided to the Administrator; and
            (2) at the conclusion of the committee's activities, a 
        final report summarizing the committee's findings, 
        recommendations, and any other matters that the committee 
        wishes to address.
                                 <all>