[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 27, 2018)]
[House]
[Pages H5770-H5771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
COMMERCIAL SPACE SUPPORT VEHICLE ACT
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 5346) to amend title 51, United States Code, to provide for
licenses and experimental permits for space support vehicles, and for
other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5346
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Commercial Space Support
Vehicle Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Section 50902 of title 51, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (21) through (25) as
paragraphs (23) through (27), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (20) the following:
``(21) `space support flight' means a flight in the air
that is--
``(A) not a launch or reentry; but
``(B) related to launch or reentry services.
``(22) `space support vehicle' means a vehicle that is--
``(A) a launch vehicle;
``(B) a reentry vehicle; or
``(C) a component of a launch or reentry vehicle.''.
SEC. 3. LICENSING OF SPACE SUPPORT FLIGHTS.
(a) In General.--Section 50904 of title 51, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(e) Space Support Flights.--
``(1) The Secretary of Transportation may issue or transfer
a license for multiple space support flights of a space
support vehicle to a citizen of the United States, but only
if such citizen holds an operator license issued under this
chapter for launch or reentry of such space support vehicle
as, or included as a component of, a launch vehicle or
reentry vehicle.
``(2) A licensee may only carry out a space support flight
of a space support vehicle under a license for carrying a
person or property for compensation or hire if such flight
lands at the same site from which the vehicle took flight.''.
(b) Limitation on Wavier of Requirements.--Section
50905(b)(3) of title 51, United States Code, is amended by
inserting ``, or the operation of a space support vehicle,''
after ``or a reentry vehicle''.
SEC. 4. EXPERIMENTAL PERMITS FOR SPACE SUPPORT FLIGHTS.
Section 50906 of title 51, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
``(d) The Secretary may issue a permit only for--
``(1) reusable suborbital rockets or reusable launch
vehicles that will be launched into a suborbital trajectory
or reentered under that permit solely for--
``(A) research and development to test design concepts,
equipment, or operating techniques;
``(B) showing compliance with requirements as part of the
process for obtaining a license for launch or reentry under
this chapter; or
``(C) crew training for a launch or reentry using the
design of the rocket or vehicle for which the permit would be
issued; or
``(2) a space support vehicle, or a vehicle that is in
development to become a space support vehicle, operated by a
citizen of the United States for space support flights that
will be conducted under the permit for, or in support of, the
purposes described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of
paragraph (1).''; and
(2) by striking subsection (h) and inserting the following:
``(h) No person may, under a permit, operate a reusable
suborbital rocket, reusable launch vehicle, or space support
vehicle for carrying any property or human being for
compensation or hire.''.
SEC. 5. COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY.
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act
shall be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary of
Transportation to discuss potential regulatory approaches,
potential performance standards, or any other topic related
to this Act and the amendments made by this Act with the
commercial space industry prior to the issuance of a notice
of proposed rulemaking.
SEC. 6. APPLICABILITY.
(a) In General.--The amendments made by this Act shall take
effect on March 1, 2019.
(b) Regulations.--The Secretary of Transportation may issue
such regulations as are necessary to carry out the amendments
made by this Act beginning on the date of enactment of this
Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Posey) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey) each will
control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Florida.
General Leave
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on H.R. 5346, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5346, the Commercial Space Support Vehicle Act, was
largely developed with input from a Department of Transportation report
on approaches for streamlining the licensing and permitting of hybrid
launch vehicles to enable non-launch flight operations. Hybrid launch
vehicles are those that have some of the
[[Page H5771]]
characteristics of aircraft and some of the characteristics of launch
vehicles.
Companies would like to utilize space support vehicles to train crews
and spaceflight participants by exposing them to the physiological
effects encountered in spaceflight or conduct research in reduced
gravity environments. Spaceports, like those in Florida and other
States, would like to attract those companies to operate out of their
facilities.
The DOT report concluded that: ``The option of having a single
statutory regime and regulatory office oversee a demonstrated
commercial space program throughout its operational life cycle would
allow consistent application of regulatory philosophy and safety
oversight and be more efficient and cost effective for the launch
operator as well as the licensing agency. For an evolving industry, a
regulatory environment that can adjust to accommodate changes would
allow for more flexible and more responsive oversight.''
Additionally, a GAO report issued last year recommended that the FAA
examine the FAA's current regulatory framework for space support
vehicles and suggest legislative or regulatory changes as applicable.
I believe H.R. 5346 provides the appropriate regulatory approach by
authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to develop the regulations
by March 1, 2019, allowing licensed space support flights. The intent
of timing is to include the development of regulations in the
regulatory reform process that the Vice President and the National
Space Council tasked the FAA to complete by that date.
Of course, I want to thank my friend of many, many decades,
Congressman Lawson from the great State of Florida, for his
cosponsorship and support of this bill, as well as Chairman Lamar Smith
and Subcommittee Chairman Brian Babin, both of Texas, for advancing and
cosponsoring this great piece of legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support a robust and successful commercial
space industry. In that regard, I look forward to continuing to work
with my colleagues on policies that facilitate the Nation's continued
growth and leadership in space.
The bill before us today, H.R. 5346, known as the Commercial Space
Support Vehicle Act, will amend the statute to provide the Secretary of
Transportation with authority to license or permit space support
vehicles for space support flights such as crew training or research
and development that are related to space launch or reentry.
While I am not aware of any pressing need for this amendment at this
time, it may provide the industry with some additional flexibility.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, it is very important to point out, too,
that the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation is
sufficiently resourced to accommodate any additional work so that the
office can continue to focus on its core responsibilities of licensing
and permitting commercial space launch and reentry vehicles.
Mr. Speaker, I support moving the bill out of the House, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Smith).
Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the longtime efforts of
the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Posey) to advance space initiatives.
His efforts are reflected in H.R. 5346, the Commercial Space Support
Vehicle Act, which he authored and brings to the floor today.
Maintaining and expanding America's leadership in human space
activity, especially in the commercial space sector, is a priority of
mine and of paramount importance to Mr. Posey and the members on the
Science, Space, and Technology Committee.
The Commercial Space Support Vehicle Act was developed with input
from the Department of Transportation as a new and better approach to
streamline the licensing and permitting process of hybrid launch
vehicles.
Private companies would like to use space support vehicles to train
crews and spaceflight participants by exposing them to the
physiological effects and reduced gravity environment encountered in
spaceflight, and many spaceports would like to encourage those
companies to operate out of their facilities.
H.R. 5346 provides the fairest, most appropriate regulatory approach
by authorizing the Secretary of Transportation to develop regulations,
according to the requirements of the bill, by March 1, 2019, thereby
enabling licensed space support flights.
Mr. Speaker, again, I want to thank Mr. Posey who is always a leader
on space issues for taking the initiative on this bill.
{time} 1430
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. Babin).
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman
from Florida, Mr. Bill Posey, for his tireless efforts in drafting the
Commercial Space Support Vehicle Act and his leadership in the Space
Subcommittee in moving this bill to the House floor today. He has
always been and continues to be one of the leading champions in
Congress for American leadership in space. I am pleased to be a
cosponsor of this bill.
Simply said, this bill will create jobs and economic growth in the
Nation's commercial spaceports, and it will streamline licensing
requirements so that our innovators in the hybrid launch vehicle market
can train future space flight crews and participants. These innovators
are at the forefront of providing aerial platforms for very important
microgravity research.
GAO recommended in its report that the FAA examine the FAA's current
regulatory framework for space support vehicles and suggest legislative
or regulatory changes as applicable. I believe H.R. 5346 provides the
appropriate regulatory approach by authorizing the Secretary of
Transportation to develop the regulations by March 1, 2019, which will
allow licensed space support flights.
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I once again want to thank the cosponsors on
both sides of the aisle. This has been about a 9-year journey to make
this much-needed change to our laws.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. VEASEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. POSEY. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Hultgren). The question is on the motion
offered by the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Posey) that the House
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5346.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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