[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.

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