[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 190 (Thursday, October 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S7513]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 4041. Mr. CRUZ submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to 
amendment SA 3867 submitted by Mr. Reed and intended to be proposed to 
the bill H.R. 4350, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2022 
for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

        At the end of subtitle A of title XV, add the following:

     SEC. 1516. CONTINUATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.

       (a) Presence in Low-Earth Orbit.--
       (1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) it is in the national and economic security interests 
     of the United States to maintain a continuous human presence 
     in low-Earth orbit;
       (B) the International Space Station is a strategic national 
     security asset vital to the continued space exploration and 
     scientific advancements of the United States; and
       (C) low-Earth orbit should be utilized as a testbed to 
     advance human space exploration, scientific discoveries, and 
     United States economic competitiveness and commercial 
     participation.
       (2) Human presence requirement.--The United States shall 
     continuously maintain the capability for a continuous human 
     presence in low-Earth orbit through and beyond the useful 
     life of the International Space Station.
       (b) Maintaining a National Laboratory in Space.--
       (1) Sense of congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--
       (A) the United States national laboratory in space, which 
     currently consists of the United States segment of the 
     International Space Station (designated as a national 
     laboratory under section 70905 of title 51, United States 
     Code)--
       (i) benefits the scientific community and promotes commerce 
     in space;
       (ii) fosters stronger relationships among the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this 
     section as ``NASA'') and other Federal agencies, the private 
     sector, and research groups and universities;
       (iii) advances science, technology, engineering, and 
     mathematics education through utilization of the unique 
     microgravity environment; and
       (iv) advances human knowledge and international 
     cooperation;
       (B) after the International Space Station is 
     decommissioned, the United States should maintain a national 
     microgravity laboratory in space;
       (C) in maintaining a national microgravity laboratory 
     described in subparagraph (B), the United States should make 
     appropriate accommodations for different types of ownership 
     and operational structures for the International Space 
     Station and future space stations;
       (D) the national microgravity laboratory described in 
     subparagraph (B) should be maintained beyond the date on 
     which the International Space Station is decommissioned and, 
     if possible, in cooperation with international space partners 
     to the extent practicable; and
       (E) NASA should continue to support fundamental science 
     research on future platforms in low-Earth orbit and cis-lunar 
     space, short duration suborbital flights, drop towers, and 
     other microgravity testing environments.
       (2) Report.--The Administrator of NASA shall produce, in 
     coordination with the National Space Council and other 
     Federal agencies as the Administrator considers relevant, a 
     report detailing the feasibility of establishing a 
     microgravity national laboratory federally funded research 
     and development center to undertake the work related to the 
     study and utilization of in-space conditions.
       (c) Continuation of Authority.--
       (1) In general.--Section 501(a) of the National Aeronautics 
     and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 
     18351(a)) is amended by striking ``2024'' and inserting 
     ``2030''.
       (2) Maintenance of the united states segment and assurance 
     of continued operations of the international space station.--
     Section 503(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (42 U.S.C. 18353(a)) 
     is amended by striking ``2024'' and inserting ``2030''.
       (3) Research capacity allocation and integration of 
     research payloads.--Section 504(d) of the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 
     2010 (42 U.S.C. 18354(d)) is amended by striking ``2024'' 
     each place it appears and inserting ``2030''.
       (4) Maintaining use through at least 2030.--Section 70907 
     of title 51, United States Code, is amended--
       (A) in the section heading, by striking ``2024'' and 
     inserting ``2030''; and
       (B) by striking ``2024'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``2030''.
       (d) Transition Plan Reports.--Section 50111(c)(2) of title 
     51, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
     ``2023'' and inserting ``2028''; and
       (2) in subparagraph (J), by striking ``2028'' and inserting 
     ``2030''.
       (e) Department of Defense Activities on International Space 
     Station.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall--
       (A) identify and review each activity, program, and project 
     of the Department of Defense completed, being carried out, or 
     planned to be carried out on the International Space Station 
     as of the date of the review; and
       (B) provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
     briefing that describes the results of the review.
       (2) Appropriate committees of congress defined.--In this 
     subsection, the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' 
     means--
       (A) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the Senate; and
       (B) the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on 
     Science, Space, and Technology, and the Committee on 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
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