[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 179 (Tuesday, October 31, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5266-S5267]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LAUNCH COMMUNICATIONS ACT
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 209, S. 1648.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 1648) to facilitate access to the
electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches and
commercial space reentries, and for other purposes.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill
which was reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation with amendments as follows:
(The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are in boldfaced
brackets, and the parts of the bill intended to be inserted are in
italic.)
S. 1648
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 ``Launch Communications Act''.
SEC. 2. ACCESS TO ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM FOR COMMERCIAL
SPACE LAUNCHES AND REENTRIES.
(a) Service Rules; Allocation.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall--
(A) complete any proceeding in effect as of such date of
enactment related to the adoption of service rules for access
to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial
space launches and commercial space reentries, including
technical specifications, eligibility requirements, and
coordination procedures to preserve the defense capabilities
of the United States; and
(B) allocate on a secondary basis such frequencies for
commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
(2) Coordination with national telecommunications and
information administration.--The coordination procedures
adopted under paragraph (1)(A) shall include requirements for
persons conducting commercial space launches and commercial
space reentries to coordinate with the Assistant Secretary
regarding access to the frequencies described in subsection
(c) for commercial space launches and commercial space
reentries.
(3) Limitation.--Access to the frequencies described in
subsection (c) in accordance with the service rules adopted
under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), and the allocation
of such frequencies under subparagraph (B) of that paragraph,
shall be limited to the use of such frequencies for
commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
(b) Streamlining of Process for Granting Authorizations.--
Not later than 180
[[Page S5267]]
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
Commission shall issue new regulations to streamline the
process for granting authorizations for access to the
frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial space
launches and commercial space reentries so as to provide
for--
(1) authorizations that include access to such frequencies
for multiple commercial space launches from 1 or more Federal
space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to
1 or more Federal space [launch sites] reentry sites;
(2) authorizations that include access to such frequencies
for multiple commercial space launches from 1 or more private
space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to
1 or more private space [launch sites], reentry sites, upon
successful coordination with any Federal space launch site
within a range for access to such frequencies such that such
a commercial space launch or commercial space reentry [would
cause] would not cause harmful interference with Federal
systems;
(3) authorizations that include access to multiple uses of
such frequencies for commercial space launch or commercial
space reentry;
(4) [automation of the processes of the Commission to
review] electronic filing and processing of applications for
authorizations for access to such frequencies for commercial
space launches and commercial space reentries; and
(5) improved coordination by the Commission with the
Assistant Secretary (who shall coordinate with the head of
any other Federal agency, as the Assistant Secretary
considers appropriate) to increase the speed of review of
applications for authorizations for access to such
frequencies for commercial space launches and commercial
space reentries,including coordination to increase automation
similar to the automation described in the service rules
established by the Commission and the Assistant Secretary to
promote the development and use, by entities other than the
Federal Government, of spectrum in other bands, including
bands with the frequencies between 71 and 76 gigahertz,
between 81 and 86 gigahertz, and between 92 and 95 gigahertz.
(c) Frequencies Described.--The frequencies described in
this subsection are the frequencies between 2025 and 2110
megahertz, between 2200 and 2290 megahertz, and between 2360
and 2395 megahertz.
(d) Rule of Construction.--Each range of frequencies
described in this section shall be construed to be inclusive
of the upper and lower frequencies in the range.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary''
means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications
and Information.
(2) Commercial space launch.--The term ``commercial space
launch'' means a launch licensed under chapter 509 of title
51, United States Code.
(3) Commercial space reentry.--The term ``commercial space
reentry'' means a reentry licensed under chapter 509 of title
51, United States Code.
(4) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported
amendments be agreed to; that the bill, as amended, be considered read
a third time and passed; and that the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table.
The committee-reported amendments were agreed to.
The bill (S. 1648), as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a
third reading, was read the third time, and passed as follows:
S. 1648
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 ``Launch Communications Act''.
SEC. 2. ACCESS TO ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM FOR COMMERCIAL
SPACE LAUNCHES AND REENTRIES.
(a) Service Rules; Allocation.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall--
(A) complete any proceeding in effect as of such date of
enactment related to the adoption of service rules for access
to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial
space launches and commercial space reentries, including
technical specifications, eligibility requirements, and
coordination procedures to preserve the defense capabilities
of the United States; and
(B) allocate on a secondary basis such frequencies for
commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
(2) Coordination with national telecommunications and
information administration.--The coordination procedures
adopted under paragraph (1)(A) shall include requirements for
persons conducting commercial space launches and commercial
space reentries to coordinate with the Assistant Secretary
regarding access to the frequencies described in subsection
(c) for commercial space launches and commercial space
reentries.
(3) Limitation.--Access to the frequencies described in
subsection (c) in accordance with the service rules adopted
under subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), and the allocation
of such frequencies under subparagraph (B) of that paragraph,
shall be limited to the use of such frequencies for
commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
(b) Streamlining of Process for Granting Authorizations.--
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of
this Act, the Commission shall issue new regulations to
streamline the process for granting authorizations for access
to the frequencies described in subsection (c) for commercial
space launches and commercial space reentries so as to
provide for--
(1) authorizations that include access to such frequencies
for multiple commercial space launches from 1 or more Federal
space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to
1 or more Federal space reentry sites;
(2) authorizations that include access to such frequencies
for multiple commercial space launches from 1 or more private
space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to
1 or more private space reentry sites, upon successful
coordination with any Federal space launch site within a
range for access to such frequencies such that such a
commercial space launch or commercial space reentry would not
cause harmful interference with Federal systems;
(3) authorizations that include access to multiple uses of
such frequencies for commercial space launch or commercial
space reentry;
(4) electronic filing and processing of applications for
authorizations for access to such frequencies for commercial
space launches and commercial space reentries; and
(5) improved coordination by the Commission with the
Assistant Secretary (who shall coordinate with the head of
any other Federal agency, as the Assistant Secretary
considers appropriate) to increase the speed of review of
applications for authorizations for access to such
frequencies for commercial space launches and commercial
space reentries, including coordination to increase
automation similar to the automation described in the service
rules established by the Commission and the Assistant
Secretary to promote the development and use, by entities
other than the Federal Government, of spectrum in other
bands, including bands with the frequencies between 71 and 76
gigahertz, between 81 and 86 gigahertz, and between 92 and 95
gigahertz.
(c) Frequencies Described.--The frequencies described in
this subsection are the frequencies between 2025 and 2110
megahertz, between 2200 and 2290 megahertz, and between 2360
and 2395 megahertz.
(d) Rule of Construction.--Each range of frequencies
described in this section shall be construed to be inclusive
of the upper and lower frequencies in the range.
(e) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary''
means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications
and Information.
(2) Commercial space launch.--The term ``commercial space
launch'' means a launch licensed under chapter 509 of title
51, United States Code.
(3) Commercial space reentry.--The term ``commercial space
reentry'' means a reentry licensed under chapter 509 of title
51, United States Code.
(4) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal
Communications Commission.
____________________