[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 67 (Wednesday, April 25, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E538-E539]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              AMERICAN SPACE COMMERCE FREE ENTERPRISE ACT

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                               speech of

                  HON. HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 24, 2018

  Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2809, 
American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act. This legislation grants 
the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) in the Department of Commerce the 
power to allow U.S. nationals and NGOs to operate objects manufactured 
or assembled in outer space, with or without human occupants, and all 
items used on these objects. To obtain an operation certification in 
outer space, all activities must include a clean-up plan for any debris 
that may result from their activities. This legislation will also 
establish an advisory committee within the OSC that will evaluate space 
activities and provide guidance on the U.S.

[[Page E539]]

private industry in outer space. Additionally, this bill abolishes the 
Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs Office of the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and establishes the Advisory 
Committee on Commercial Remote Sensing to advise U.S. commercial space-
based remote sensing industries.
  I believe that protecting our environment and natural habitats is 
critical, and outer space is no exception. As we venture further into 
the cosmos, making sure that the U.S. creates legislation to limit our 
space debris should be a priority for Congress. We are already facing 
the consequences of pollution on our planet and we must do better in 
this new frontier than we have done on earth. This legislation will 
provide the proper support and oversight that the space 
industrialization will need to ensure we are exploring the universe 
responsibly. We must build a solid framework for future space 
activities in order to create a proper path for exploration.

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