[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5696-H5697]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AMENDING TITLE 49 TO INCLUDE CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN IMPACTS ON 
             COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH AND REENTRY ACTIVITIES

  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
pass the bill (H.R. 6007) to amend title 49, United States Code, to 
include consideration of certain impacts on commercial space launch and 
reentry activities in a navigable airspace analysis, and for other 
purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6007

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. NAVIGABLE AIRSPACE ANALYSIS FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE 
                   LAUNCH SITE RUNWAYS.

       (a) In General.--Section 44718(b)(1) of title 49, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``air navigation facilities and equipment'' 
     and inserting ``air or space navigation facilities and 
     equipment'';
       (2) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``; and'' and 
     inserting a semicolon;
       (3) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end 
     and inserting ``; and''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(F) the impact on launch and reentry for launch and 
     reentry vehicles arriving or departing from a launch site or 
     reentry site licensed by the Secretary.''.
       (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration shall initiate a rulemaking to 
     implement the amendments made by subsection (a).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Missouri (Mr. Graves) and the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Carson) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.


                             General Leave

  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their 
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 6007.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Missouri?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6007. The bill will 
improve aviation safety by requiring the Federal Aviation 
Administration to take commercial space transportation activity into 
consideration when conducting aeronautical studies at spaceports 
licensed by the FAA. This is an important safety issue that has to be 
addressed as commercial space transportation is integrated into the 
National Airspace System.
  The Aviation Subcommittee recently held a hearing on the FAA's 
oversight of the commercial space transportation industry. The hearing 
examined important issues facing the industry, including the 
development of commercial spaceports that have yet to be fully 
addressed by Congress.

                              {time}  1915

  The committee looks forward to working with all individuals, 
obviously, on this. I know that the majority leader, Mr. McCarthy--and 
I do want to thank him for his strong leadership on this issue--worked 
very hard on it, and we are also going to be looking forward to working 
with him on this.
  I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6007.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in support of H.R. 6007. This legislation, Mr. Speaker, 
provides the FAA with authority to review whether or not a proposed 
structure will present a hazard to commercial space vehicle launches 
and reentries.
  The FAA is entrusted, Mr. Speaker, with providing for the safety of 
people and property in the air and on the ground, so it is very 
critical that the agency has the tools it needs to account for the 
rapidly-changing uses of the skies.
  The FAA already has authority to evaluate whether proposed new 
structures will interfere with the safe operation of aircraft or air 
traffic control. However, this statutory authority does not explicitly 
direct the FAA, Mr. Speaker, to consider whether a new structure might 
interfere with the safe launch and reentry of commercial space 
vehicles.
  H.R. 6007 provides the FAA with the authority it needs to maintain 
the highest levels of safety while allowing this dynamic industry to 
continue to grow.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the 
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Bridenstine).
  Mr. BRIDENSTINE. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the majority 
leader for introducing this bill H.R. 6007, and for his efforts on 
behalf of the entire commercial space industry. Due to his efforts, we 
got a great bill in the Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act 
last year. Nine months into the bill, it has had a great impact on this 
industry.
  Space represents what is exceptional about the United States of 
America. We are characterized by a spirit of adventure, risk taking, 
entrepreneurialism, and a spirit that has revolutionized access and 
operations in space, to the point where our very way of life now 
depends on space. We have transformed how we communicate, how we 
navigate, how we produce food and energy, how we conduct banking, 
predict weather, perform disaster relief, provide security, and so much 
more.
  But to be able to access space, we need robust infrastructure. 
Spaceports--and I would mention that we have a licensed spaceport in 
the great State of Oklahoma--are a key cog in that infrastructure, 
facilitating launches and reentries, not only by

[[Page H5697]]

government agencies but also now by private companies.
  In order to ensure these entities can operate efficiently and 
facilitate space launch and reentry, government policy needs to treat 
them as it treats other key pieces of transportation infrastructure.
  This legislation, which I am proud to cosponsor, simply gives the FAA 
the ability to analyze the navigable airspace around spaceports, an 
authority it currently lacks. This will help the FAA and spaceports 
understand how structures and other features around spaceports will 
affect the operation of space vehicles.
  As a pilot myself, I can tell you, I have used approach plates, and I 
have used departures. And what we need now is an ability for the future 
infrastructure to incorporate space vehicles into these approach plates 
so that we can integrate commercial air traffic with space traffic.
  This is an important tool, and I urge passage of this bill.
  Mr. CARSON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I will conclude by saying that I 
urge all Members to support H.R. 6007.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6007.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HUELSKAMP. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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