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<dc:title>118 S1648 ES: Launch Communications Act</dc:title>
<dc:publisher>U.S. Senate</dc:publisher>
<dc:date></dc:date>
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<dc:language>EN</dc:language>
<dc:rights>Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.</dc:rights>
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<congress display="yes">118th CONGRESS</congress><session display="yes">1st Session</session><legis-num display="yes">S. 1648</legis-num><current-chamber display="no">IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES</current-chamber><legis-type display="yes">AN ACT</legis-type><official-title display="yes">To facilitate access to the electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, and for other purposes.</official-title></form><legis-body style="OLC" display-enacting-clause="yes-display-enacting-clause" id="HA9596B7CCA2E43B6BFE611557E530562"><section section-type="section-one" id="H1FEE15EFCD644CCC9521DE232AF3F06C" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>1.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Short title</header><text display-inline="no-display-inline">This Act may be cited as the <quote><short-title>Launch Communications Act</short-title></quote>.</text></section><section section-type="subsequent-section" id="H1904B4576A1446939B0F6016554028B0" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>2.</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Access to electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches and reentries</header><subsection display-inline="no-display-inline" id="H83CF9C7D1AD8412094F07B65EB8187C5" commented="no"><enum>(a)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Service rules; allocation</header><paragraph id="H082F9C4BCAEF42BEBDB74753D13FB54D" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">In general</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 90 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall—</text><subparagraph id="HB38369A5DD6B46A69AFE189CD9875745" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(A)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">complete any proceeding in effect as of such date of enactment related to the adoption of service rules for access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, including technical specifications, eligibility requirements, and coordination procedures to preserve the defense capabilities of the United States; and</text></subparagraph><subparagraph commented="no" id="H33109D1415114D90A078F80A6B4B43E3" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(B)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">allocate on a secondary basis such frequencies for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.</text></subparagraph></paragraph><paragraph id="HF111443F02C24AF98C06D3EC4810798D" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Coordination with National Telecommunications and Information Administration</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The coordination procedures adopted under paragraph (1)(A) shall include requirements for persons conducting commercial space launches and commercial space reentries to coordinate with the Assistant Secretary regarding access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="HC5C37D3C772E4474A32BE408241D1836" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(3)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Limitation</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) in accordance with the service rules adopted under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), and the allocation of such frequencies under subparagraph (B) of that paragraph, shall be limited to the use of such frequencies for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="HFC4C2C62E7E547B3B917B0029C873B99" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(b)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Streamlining of process for granting authorizations</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue new regulations to streamline the process for granting authorizations for access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries so as to provide for—</text><paragraph id="H083A0D240D434740A3A3CF8D02D3933C" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">authorizations that include access to such frequencies for multiple commercial space launches from 1 or more Federal space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to 1 or more Federal space reentry sites;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H7D0C7AE7161E4675AE8F409621E3EB72" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">authorizations that include access to such frequencies for multiple commercial space launches from 1 or more private space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to 1 or more private space reentry sites, upon successful coordination with any Federal space launch site within a range for access to such frequencies such that such a commercial space launch or commercial space reentry would not cause harmful interference with Federal systems;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HDE0DD4BDBCA149D1AA6D7DA0E111A657" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(3)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">authorizations that include access to multiple uses of such frequencies for commercial space launch or commercial space reentry;</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HE744040DB48C4D2B8C78DBCD955D3571" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(4)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">electronic filing and processing of applications for authorizations for access to such frequencies for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries; and</text></paragraph><paragraph commented="no" id="H257937AD3AC54D5686340E4E48DA9D43" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(5)</enum><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">improved coordination by the Commission with the Assistant Secretary (who shall coordinate with the head of any other Federal agency, as the Assistant Secretary considers appropriate) to increase the speed of review of applications for authorizations for access to such frequencies for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, including coordination to increase automation similar to the automation described in the service rules established by the Commission and the Assistant Secretary to promote the development and use, by entities other than the Federal Government, of spectrum in other bands, including bands with the frequencies between 71 and 76 gigahertz, between 81 and 86 gigahertz, and between 92 and 95 gigahertz.</text></paragraph></subsection><subsection id="H74E682F9F17942B7AA8793555D642084" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(c)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Frequencies described</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The frequencies described in this subsection are the frequencies between 2025 and 2110 megahertz, between 2200 and 2290 megahertz, and between 2360 and 2395 megahertz.</text></subsection><subsection id="HADD7BA7F2FA74844A4EDCD5018C03091" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(d)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Rule of construction</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">Each range of frequencies described in this section shall be construed to be inclusive of the upper and lower frequencies in the range. </text></subsection><subsection id="HEC884BB2872E42E792AC931ADB8B140B" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(e)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Definitions</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">In this section:</text><paragraph id="H2C11D7F3380446598F52E12755D2F684" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(1)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Assistant Secretary</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>Assistant Secretary</term> means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="HA20C03A367D5474D8441498B06961DD9" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(2)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Commercial space launch</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>commercial space launch</term> means a launch licensed under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/51/509">chapter 509</external-xref> of title 51, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H07B63C64C58546AA8CF6015274CCBB67" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(3)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Commercial space reentry</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>commercial space reentry</term> means a reentry licensed under <external-xref legal-doc="usc-chapter" parsable-cite="usc-chapter/51/509">chapter 509</external-xref> of title 51, United States Code.</text></paragraph><paragraph id="H9F164D7ED515496B9102BD7A45E1E4AC" commented="no" display-inline="no-display-inline"><enum>(4)</enum><header display-inline="yes-display-inline">Commission</header><text display-inline="yes-display-inline">The term <term>Commission</term> means the Federal Communications Commission.</text></paragraph></subsection></section></legis-body><attestation><attestation-group><attestation-date date="20231031" chamber="Senate">Passed the Senate October 31, 2023.</attestation-date><attestor display="no"></attestor><role>Secretary</role></attestation-group></attestation><endorsement display="yes"></endorsement></bill> 

