[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3657 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3657

To preserve the cooperative, peaceful uses of space for the benefit of 
all humankind by prohibiting the basing of weapons in space and the use 
of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit, and 
                          for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 8, 2003

 Mr. Kucinich (for himself, Mr. Hoeffel, Mr. Conyers, and Mr. Hinchey) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
   Science, and in addition to the Committees on Armed Services and 
International Relations, for a period to be subsequently determined by 
the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
           within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To preserve the cooperative, peaceful uses of space for the benefit of 
all humankind by prohibiting the basing of weapons in space and the use 
of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit, 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 Preservation Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. REAFFIRMATION OF POLICY ON THE PRESERVATION OF PEACE IN SPACE.

    Congress reaffirms the policy expressed in section 102(a) of the 
National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (42 U.S.C. 2451(a)), stating 
that it ``is the policy of the United States that activities in space 
should be devoted to peaceful purposes for the benefit of all 
mankind.''.

SEC. 3. BAN ON BASING OF WEAPONS IN SPACE AND THE USE OF WEAPONS 
              AGAINST OBJECTS IN SPACE IN ORBIT.

    The President shall--
            (1) implement a ban on space-based weapons of the United 
        States and the use of weapons of the United States to destroy 
        or damage objects in space that are in orbit; and
            (2) immediately order the termination of research and 
        development, testing, manufacturing, production, and deployment 
        of all space-based weapons of the United States.

SEC. 4. INTERNATIONAL TREATY BANNING SPACE-BASED WEAPONS AND THE USE OF 
              WEAPONS AGAINST OBJECTS IN SPACE IN ORBIT.

    The President shall direct the United States representatives to the 
United Nations and other international organizations to immediately 
work toward negotiating, adopting, and implementing an international 
treaty banning space-based weapons and the use of weapons to destroy or 
damage objects in space that are in orbit.

SEC. 5. REPORT.

    The President shall submit to Congress not later than 90 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, and every 6 months thereafter, a 
report on--
            (1) the implementation of the ban on space-based weapons 
        and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space 
        that are in orbit required by section 3; and
            (2) progress toward negotiating, adopting, and implementing 
        the treaty described in section 4.

SEC. 6. SPACE-BASED NONWEAPONS ACTIVITIES.

    Nothing in this Act may be construed as prohibiting the use of 
funds for--
            (1) space exploration;
            (2) space research and development;
            (3) testing, manufacturing, or production that is not 
        related to space-based weapons or systems; or
            (4) civil, commercial, or defense activities (including 
        communications, navigation, surveillance, reconnaissance, early 
        warning, or remote sensing) that are not related to space-based 
        weapons or systems.

SEC. 7. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) The term ``space'' means all space extending upward 
        from an altitude greater than 110 kilometers above the surface 
        of the earth and any celestial body in such space.
            (2) The terms ``space-based weapon'' and ``space-based 
        system'' mean a device capable of damaging or destroying an 
        object or person (whether in outer space, in the atmosphere, or 
        on earth) by--
                    (A) firing one or more projectiles to collide with 
                that object or person;
                    (B) detonating one or more explosive devices in 
                close proximity to that object or person; or
                    (C) any other undeveloped means.
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