[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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