119 S1962 IS: Secure Space Act of 2025
U.S. Senate
2025-06-05
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II
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 1962
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 5, 2025
Mrs. Fischer (for herself and Mr. Luján) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
A BILL
To amend the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 to prohibit the Federal Communications Commission from granting a license or United States market access for a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by an entity that produces or provides any covered communications equipment or service or an affiliate of such an entity, and for other purposes.
1.

Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Secure Space Act of 2025”.
2.

Prohibition on grant of certain satellite licenses, United States market access, or earth station authorizations
(a)

In general
The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (47 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) is amended—
(1)
by redesignating sections 10 and 11 as sections 11 and 12, respectively; and
(2)
by inserting after section 9 the following:
“10.

Prohibition on grant of certain satellite licenses, United States market access, or earth station authorizations
(a)

Definitions
In this section:
(1)

Affiliate
(A)

In general
The term affiliate means an entity that (directly or indirectly) owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, another entity.
(B)

Own
For purposes of this paragraph, the term own means to have, possess, or otherwise control an equity interest (or the equivalent thereof) of not less than 10 percent.
(2)

Blanket-licensed earth station
The term blanket-licensed earth station means an earth station that is licensed with a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system.
(3)

Gateway station
The term gateway station means an earth station or a group of earth stations that—
(A)
supports the routing and switching functions of a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system;
(B)
may also be used for telemetry, tracking, and command transmissions;
(C)
does not originate or terminate communication traffic; and
(D)
is not for the exclusive use of any customer.
(4)

Individually licensed earth station
The term individually licensed earth station means—
(A)
an earth station (other than a blanket-licensed earth station) that sends a signal to, and receives a signal from, a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system; or
(B)
a gateway station.
(b)

Prohibition
The Commission may not grant a license for, or a petition for a declaratory ruling to access the United States market using, a geostationary orbit satellite system or a nongeostationary orbit satellite system, or an authorization to use an individually licensed earth station or a blanket-licensed earth station, if the license, grant of market access, or authorization would be held or controlled by—
(1)
an entity that produces or provides any covered communications equipment or service; or
(2)
an affiliate of an entity described in paragraph (1).”.
(b)

Applicability
Section 10 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, as added by subsection (a), shall apply with respect to the grant of a license, petition, or authorization on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
(c)

Rules
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall issue rules to implement section 10 of the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019, as added by subsection (a).