[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5063 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 5063

To promote the development of a commercial asteroid resources industry 
 for outer space in the United States and to increase the exploration 
         and utilization of asteroid resources in outer space.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 10, 2014

 Mr. Posey (for himself and Mr. Kilmer) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To promote the development of a commercial asteroid resources industry 
 for outer space in the United States and to increase the exploration 
         and utilization of asteroid resources in outer space.

    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 ``American Space Technology for 
Exploring Resource Opportunities In Deep Space Act'' or the ``ASTEROIDS 
Act''.

SEC. 2. TITLE 51 AMENDMENT.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle V of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new chapter:

      ``CHAPTER 513--ASTEROID RESOURCE EXPLORATION AND UTILIZATION

``Sec.
``51301. Commercialization of asteroid resource exploration and 
                            utilization in outer space.
``51302. Legal framework.
``51303. Definitions.
``Sec. 51301. Commercialization of asteroid resource exploration and 
              utilization in outer space
    ``The President, through the Administration, the Federal Aviation 
Administration, and other appropriate Federal agencies, shall--
            ``(1) facilitate the commercial exploration and utilization 
        of asteroid resources to meet national needs;
            ``(2) discourage government barriers to the development of 
        economically viable, safe, and stable industries for the 
        exploration and utilization of asteroid resources in outer 
        space in manners consistent with the existing international 
        obligations of the United States;
            ``(3) promote the right of United States commercial 
        entities to explore and utilize resources from asteroids in 
        outer space, in accordance with the existing international 
        obligations of the United States, free from harmful 
        interference, and to transfer or sell such resources; and
            ``(4) develop the frameworks necessary to meet the 
        international obligations of the United States.
``Sec. 51302. Legal framework
    ``(a) Property Rights.--Any resources obtained in outer space from 
an asteroid are the property of the entity that obtained such 
resources, which shall be entitled to all property rights thereto, 
consistent with applicable provisions of Federal law.
    ``(b) Freedom From Harmful Interference.--As between any entities 
over which the United States can exercise jurisdiction, any assertion 
of superior right to execute specific commercial asteroid resource 
utilization activities in outer space shall prevail if it is found to 
be first in time, derived upon a reasonable basis, and in accordance 
with all existing international obligations of the United States.
    ``(c) Safety of Operations.--A United States commercial asteroid 
resource utilization entity shall avoid harmful interference to other 
spacecraft.
    ``(d) Relief From Harmful Interference.--A United States commercial 
asteroid resource utilization entity may bring an action for 
appropriate legal or equitable relief, or both, under this chapter for 
any action, by another private entity, compromising the right to 
conduct its operations free of harmful interference.
    ``(e) Exclusive Jurisdiction.--The district courts of the United 
States shall have exclusive jurisdiction of an action under this 
chapter without regard to the amount in controversy.
``Sec. 51303. Definitions
    ``For the purposes of this chapter:
            ``(1) State.--The term `State' means any of the several 
        States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto 
        Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the 
        Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other 
        commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
            ``(2) United states commercial asteroid resource 
        utilization entity.--The term `United States commercial 
        asteroid resource utilization entity' means a person or company 
        providing asteroid exploration or utilization services, the 
        control of which is held by persons other than a Federal, 
        State, local, or foreign government, that is--
                    ``(A) duly organized under the laws of a State;
                    ``(B) subject to the subject matter and personal 
                jurisdiction of the courts of the United States; or
                    ``(C) a foreign entity that has voluntarily 
                submitted to the subject matter and personal 
                jurisdiction of the courts of the United States.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of chapters for title 51, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end of the items for subtitle 
V the following:

``513. Asteroid resource exploration and utilization........   51301''.
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