[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2351 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 369
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2351
[Report No. 119-117]
To supplement existing lease authorities available to the Administrator
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to support
research, education, and training, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 17, 2025
Mr. Cruz (for himself, Mr. Padilla, Mrs. Britt, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Schiff,
and Mr. Wicker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
April 13, 2026
Reported by Mr. Cruz, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To supplement existing lease authorities available to the Administrator
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to support
research, education, and training, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Space Exploration Research
Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
SUPPLEMENTAL LEASE AUTHORITY.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Supplemental Lease Authority.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this Act
as the ``Administrator'') may, using existing lease authorities
available to the Administrator and on such terms as the
Administrator considers appropriate, lease, for a term not to
exceed 99 years, real property under the jurisdiction of the
Administrator to 1 or more entities described in subsection (c)
for the purpose of the construction and operation on such real
property of 1 or more facilities the purposes of which shall
be--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) to conduct aeronautical and space
research;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) to educate and train individuals for
careers in the space industry;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) to carry out the transfer of
aeronautical and space technology between the United
States public and domestic private sectors;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) to conduct scientific, engineering,
medical, or academic activities; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) to conduct any other space-related
activity.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Renewal.--The Administrator may renew a lease
under this subsection for 1 or more additional
periods.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Administrative, Maintenance, and Instructional
Support.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the
Administrator may--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) enter into 1 or more agreements, on such terms
as the Administrator considers appropriate, with 1 or more
entities described in subsection (c) to lease back real
property described in subsection (a), including such real
property that has been--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) leased to a private entity under other
lease authority available to the Administrator;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) subleased to an entity described in
subsection (c);</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) enter into 1 or more contracts, grant
agreements, cooperative agreements, or other authorized
transactions with an entity described in subsection (c) with
respect to such property; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) provide administrative, maintenance,
instructional, and other appropriate support, with or without
reimbursement, to the 1 or more facilities described in
subsection (a).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Entities Described.--An entity described in this
subsection is--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the State in which the real property described
in subsection (a) is located;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) a subdivision, agent, or agency of such a
State;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) a corporation or foundation organized
exclusively for education or scientific purposes that is exempt
from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) an institution of higher education (as defined
in section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001)).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Delegation.--The Administrator may delegate the
authorities under subsections (a) and (b) to subordinate officers and
employees of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as the
Administrator considers appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Effect of Other Law.--The authority provided by this
section shall apply--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) regardless of the existing authority used by
the Administrator to lease the real property described in
subsection (a); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) notwithstanding any provision of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) section 1302 of title 40, United
States Code;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) section 20145 of title 51, United
States Code; or</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) section 306121 of title 54, United
States Code.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Space Exploration Research Act''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION SUPPLEMENTAL
LEASE AUTHORITY.
(a) Supplemental Lease Authority.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this Act
as the ``Administrator'') may, using existing lease authorities
available to the Administrator and on such terms as the
Administrator considers appropriate to protect the interests of
the United States, lease, for a term not to exceed 50 years,
real property under the jurisdiction of the Administrator to 1
or more entities described in subsection (c) for the purpose of
the construction and operation on such real property of 1 or
more facilities the purposes of which shall be--
(A) to conduct aeronautical and space research;
(B) to educate and train individuals for careers in
the space industry;
(C) to carry out the transfer of aeronautical and
space technology between the United States public and
domestic private sectors;
(D) to conduct space-related and aeronautics-
related scientific, engineering, medical, or academic
activities; and
(E) to conduct any other space-related activity
relevant to the mission of the National Aeronautics and
Space Administration.
(2) Renewal.--The Administrator may renew a lease under
this subsection for 1 or more additional periods.
(b) Administrative, Maintenance, and Instructional Support.--
Subject to the availability of appropriations, the Administrator may--
(1) enter into 1 or more agreements, on such terms as the
Administrator considers appropriate, with 1 or more entities
described in subsection (c) to lease back real property
described in subsection (a), including such real property that
has been subleased to a third party by an entity described in
subsection (c);
(2) enter into 1 or more contracts, grant agreements,
cooperative agreements, or other authorized transactions with
an entity described in subsection (c) with respect to such
property; and
(3) provide administrative, instructional, and other
appropriate support, with or without reimbursement, to the 1 or
more entities described in subsection (c) that are a party to
such a contract, agreement, or transaction.
(c) Entities Described.--An entity described in this subsection
is--
(1) the State in which the real property described in
subsection (a) is located;
(2) a subdivision, agent, or agency of such a State;
(3) a corporation or foundation organized exclusively for
education or scientific purposes that is exempt from taxation
under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986
(26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)); and
(4) an institution of higher education (as defined in
section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C.
1001)).
(d) Delegation.--The Administrator may delegate the authorities
under subsections (a) and (b) to subordinate officers and employees of
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, as the Administrator
considers appropriate.
(e) Effect of Other Law.--The authority provided by this section
shall apply--
(1) regardless of the existing authority used by the
Administrator to lease the real property described in
subsection (a) to entities described in subsection (c); and
(2) notwithstanding--
(A) section 1302 of title 40, United States Code;
(B) subsection (b)(1) and (e)(1) of section 20145
of title 51, United States Code; or
(C) section 306121 of title 54, United States Code.
(f) Annual Report.--Not later than January 31 each year, the
Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives a report that includes the
following:
(1) Mission relevance.--Information that explains the
importance of each lease and leaseback agreement to the
accomplishment of 1 or more mission requirements of the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(2) Value of arrangements and expenditures of revenues.--
Information that identifies and quantifies the value of the
arrangements and expenditures of revenues received under this
section.
(3) Availability and use of funds for operating plan.--The
availability and use of funds received under this section for
the Administration's operating plan.
(4) Annual and cumulative number of leases.--The annual and
cumulative number of leases entered into under this section, by
National Aeronautics and Space Administration center and
facility.
(5) Estimated cost savings.--For each active lease
agreement under this section, the estimated cost savings to the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration resulting from
reduced maintenance, operating, and associated costs in the
previous fiscal year.
(6) Other quantifiable benefits.--Other quantifiable
benefits, including additional cost savings not included under
paragraph (4), to the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration resulting from the use of leases under this
section.
Calendar No. 369
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2351
[Report No. 119-117]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To supplement existing lease authorities available to the Administrator
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to support
research, education, and training, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
April 13, 2026
Reported with an amendment