[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 656 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 656

  To amend title 49, United States Code, to enhance the safety of the 
                commercial human space flight industry.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 8, 2005

 Mr. Oberstar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                          Committee on Science

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 49, United States Code, to enhance the safety of the 
                commercial human space flight industry.

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

SECTION 1. COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCHES.

    (a) Applications.--Section 70105(a) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``subsection (b)(2)(D)'' 
        each place it appears and inserting ``subsection (b)(2)(E)''; 
        and
            (2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following:
    ``(2) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure 
that each license approved includes minimum standards to protect the 
health and safety of crews and space flight participants, taking into 
account the inherently risky nature of human flight.
    ``(3) In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary may establish 
procedures for safety approvals of launch vehicles, reentry vehicles, 
safety systems, processes, services, or personnel that may be used in 
conducting licensed commercial space launch or reentry activities.''.
    (b) Requirements.--Section 70105(b)(2)(D) of such title is amended 
by striking ``, only if'' and all that follows before the semicolon.
    (c) Safety Regulations.--Section 70105(c) of such title is 
amended--
            (1) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3); and
            (2) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (2).
    (d) Experimental Permits.--Section 70105a of such title is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the second sentence by striking ``120 days'' 
                and inserting ``180 days''; and
                    (B) in the third sentence by striking ``90 days'' 
                and inserting ``120 days''; and
            (2) in subsection (h) by inserting before the period at the 
        end the following: ``or a human being not involved in any 
        activity identified in subsection (d)''.
    (e) Regulations.--Section 70120 of such title is amended by 
striking subsection (d).
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