[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2780 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2780

 To establish a training facility to support functions and activities 
   relating to the licensing of commercial space launch and reentry 
                  activities, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 5, 2019

 Mr. Wicker (for himself and Mrs. Hyde-Smith) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To establish a training facility to support functions and activities 
   relating to the licensing of commercial space launch and reentry 
                  activities, 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 ``Licensing Innovations and Future 
Technologies in Space Act'' or the ``LIFTS Act''.

SEC. 2. COMMERCIAL SPACE LICENSING TRAINING FACILITY.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation, in collaboration 
with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, the 
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and 
the Secretary of Commerce, shall establish a facility (referred to in 
this section as the ``training facility'') at which Federal employees 
may receive training on functions and activities relating to the 
licensing of commercial space launch and reentry activities.
    (b) Requirements.--The training facility shall--
            (1) provide initial and recurrent training relating to the 
        requirements set forth in section 50905 of title 51, United 
        States Code, and any relevant regulations promulgated under 
        that section;
            (2) coordinate with institutions of higher education (as 
        defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001)) to develop curricula; and
            (3) coordinate with industry partners to ensure that 
        training facility curricula incorporates new and emerging 
        spaceflight technology, including automatic flight termination 
        systems and reusable launch vehicles.
    (c) Selection of Location.--The training facility shall be located 
at a current center of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration that--
            (1) has expertise relating to the design and testing of 
        space propulsion systems;
            (2) is capable of conducting a wide range of testing 
        capabilities, including large thrust-level atmospheric and 
        altitude engines and engine systems test capabilities;
            (3) has a commercial space industry presence;
            (4) has sufficient restricted airspace to conduct any 
        necessary testing or field demonstration; and
            (5) has readily available buildings, facilities, and other 
        resources to minimize the need for the construction of new 
        facilities.
    (d) Implementation Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation 
        shall develop, and submit to the appropriate committees of 
        Congress, an implementation plan with respect to the 
        establishment of the training facility.
            (2) Employee skills and knowledge assessment.--In 
        developing the implementation plan under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary of Transportation shall--
                    (A) in collaboration with such organizations as the 
                Secretary considers appropriate, develop and carry out 
                an employee skills and knowledge assessment for 
                employees of the Office of Commercial Space 
                Transportation, and
                    (B) use the results of the assessment to inform the 
                development of the implementation plan.
            (3) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation 
        shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on progress 
        toward completion of the implementation plan under paragraph 
        (1).
    (e) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
        of the Senate; and
            (2) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the 
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives.
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