[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4152 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4152

   To direct the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration and Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report 
 on the merits of, and options for, establishing an institute relating 
              to space resources, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 15, 2023

 Ms. Caraveo (for herself, Mr. Lamborn, Ms. Pettersen, and Mr. Neguse) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                     Science, Space, and Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To direct the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration and Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report 
 on the merits of, and options for, establishing an institute relating 
              to space resources, 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 Resources Institute Act''.

SEC. 2. REPORT ON MERITS AND OPTIONS FOR ESTABLISHING AN INSTITUTE 
              RELATING TO SPACE RESOURCES.

    (a) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator and Secretary shall jointly 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the 
merits of, and options for, establishing an institute relating to space 
resources to advance the objectives of NASA and the Department in 
maintaining United States preeminence in space. Such objectives shall 
include the following:
            (1) Identifying, developing, and distributing space 
        resources, including by encouraging the development of 
        foundational science and technology.
            (2) Reducing the technological risks associated with 
        identifying, developing, and distributing space resources.
            (3) Developing options for using space resources to--
                    (A) support current and future space architectures, 
                programs, and missions; and
                    (B) enable such architectures, programs, and 
                missions that would not otherwise be possible.
    (b) Additional Matters.--The report required under subsection (a) 
shall also include the following assessments of the Administrator and 
the Secretary:
            (1) Whether a virtual or physical institute relating to 
        space resources is most cost effective and appropriate.
            (2) Whether partnering with institutions of higher 
        education and the aerospace industry, and the extractive 
        industry as appropriate, would be effective in increasing 
        information available to the institute with respect to 
        advancing the objectives described in subsection (a).
    (c) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
        Administrator of NASA.
            (2) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term 
        ``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
                of the House of Representatives; and
                    (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate.
            (3) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
        Department of Commerce.
            (4) Extractive industry.--The term ``extractive industry'' 
        means companies and individuals involved in the processes of 
        extracting, including mining, quarrying, drilling, and 
        dredging, raw, natural materials or energy sources.
            (5) Institution of higher education.--The term 
        ``institution of higher education'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001(a)).
            (6) NASA.--The term ``NASA'' means the National Aeronautics 
        and Space Administration.
            (7) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Commerce.
            (8) Space resource.--
                    (A) In general.--The term ``space resource'' means 
                an abiotic resource in situ in outer space.
                    (B) Inclusions.--The term ``space resource'' 
                includes a raw, natural material or energy source.
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