[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 78 (Monday, May 6, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H2853-H2855]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               ASTRONAUT SAFE TEMPORARY RIDE OPTIONS ACT

  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 272) to amend title 31, United

[[Page H2854]]

States Code, to authorize transportation for Government astronauts 
returning from space between their residence and various locations, and 
for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 272

       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 ``Astronaut Safe Temporary 
     Ride Options Act'' or the ``ASTRO Act''.

     SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION OF ASTRONAUTS RETURNING FROM SPACE.

       (a) In General.--Section 1344(a)(2) of title 31, United 
     States Code, is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the end;
       (2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or'' after the 
     comma at the end; and
       (3) by inserting before the matter following subparagraph 
     (B) the following:
       ``(C) necessary for post-flight transportation of 
     Government astronauts, and others subject to reimbursable 
     arrangements, returning from space for the performance of 
     medical research, monitoring, diagnosis, or treatment, or 
     other official duties, prior to receiving post-flight medical 
     clearance to operate a motor vehicle,''.
       (b) Report.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the 
     Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration shall submit an annual report to Congress on 
     the use of the authority providing transportation under 
     subparagraph (C) of section 1344(a)(2) of title 31, United 
     States Code (as added by subsection (a) of this Act).
       (2) Contents.--Any such report shall include the name of 
     any individual who received such transportation, the number 
     of instances such transportation was provided, and the total 
     cost of such transportation for the year preceding the date 
     such report is submitted.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. LaTurner) and the gentlewoman from the District of Columbia 
(Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kansas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on this measure.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kansas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 272, the ASTRO Act.
  First of all, let's give respect for the name ASTRO Act. As far as 
the names of bills go, that ranks way up there as far as the ones I 
have seen, so high compliments.
  This will streamline a burdensome administrative process regarding 
government-provided transportation for astronauts returning from space 
flight. When astronauts return from space travel, NASA provides them 
with home-to-work transportation so that the agency can monitor, 
evaluate, diagnose, and provide these brave men and women with medical 
treatment until they are medically cleared to drive.
  Under existing statute, NASA's authorization of this transportation 
for the astronauts must include concurrent reports to Congress with 
details about the authorized transportation. Reporting in this manner 
can be challenging to NASA as it can make it difficult to maintain up-
to-date authorizations as crewmembers are replaced or reassigned to 
different missions.
  The ASTRO Act will amend current law to enable NASA to authorize the 
use of official transportation between residence and worksite without 
such unworkable reporting requirements. However, the bill maintains 
appropriate congressional transparency by requiring NASA to provide 
Congress with an annual report on its use of this new authorization.
  I thank the sponsor of the bill, Congressman Babin, for his work. I 
also thank the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology for 
its bipartisan support of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this commonsense 
bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The ASTRO Act would give the Administrator of NASA the authority to 
allow astronauts returning from space to receive home-to-work 
transportation from the agency. Such transportation is currently 
permitted only on a case-by-case basis, and it must be reported to 
Congress. This bill also requires NASA to report annually to Congress 
on the use of this authority.
  These seem like reasonable changes to me, and I support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Babin).
  Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 272, the Astronaut 
Safe Temporary Ride Options Act, or, for short, the ASTRO Act. As the 
bill's sponsor, I thank Chairman Comer for his help in getting the bill 
to the floor.
  One of the great honors of serving as the chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics is having the opportunity to meet 
our astronauts preparing to go to space and to hear from them after 
they return from their missions. The ASTRO Act is a result of these 
conversations and NASA's advocacy for increased astronaut safety.
  The brave men and women who wear the iconic blue flight suit risk 
their lives to advance America's leadership in space. We owe it to them 
to ensure that when they return from long-duration space missions, 
their recovery and health studies are not hampered by bureaucracy.
  The space environment poses significant medical issues, such as 
osteoporosis, muscle atrophy, broken bones from reentry, vision and 
ocular changes, and disrupted equilibrium, which prevent astronauts 
from being able to drive when they come back home.
  However, NASA astronauts' participation in physiological research and 
longitudinal studies upon their return from space informs future 
exploration efforts and how we treat future astronauts. It is 
imperative that they get these things checked.
  The ASTRO Act streamlines the approval process for astronauts to 
receive transportation to and from their homes and the Johnson Space 
Center for doctor visits until they are medically cleared to resume 
driving. There are no costs associated with this bill but, rather, a 
significant paperwork reduction in the approval process.
  Additionally, my bill provides transparency by requiring NASA to send 
an annual report to Congress on how this authority is used in the 
future.
  Astronauts' health data acquired by the Johnson Space Center upon 
return from space is invaluable. This bill ensures hassle-free 
transportation to and from these important medical evaluations so that 
we can appropriately study the impacts of space exploration on the 
human body.
  As we prepare to go to the Moon and farther to Mars and beyond, it is 
incumbent upon us to streamline operations to enable discovery and 
innovation. America has long been the leader in space exploration, and 
we must remain there. We will continue to push the bounds of our 
universe outward.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Jeff Jackson for cosponsoring this 
legislation bipartisanly as well as Chairman Comer and Chairman Lucas 
for their support. I urge my colleagues to please support this bill.
  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support this bill, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, while it may sound like a mundane problem, 
the underlying need for this bill is anything but that. We owe it to 
these courageous men and women who leave behind families and friends to 
spend months in space to cut through the red tape and take care of them 
upon their return.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kansas (Mr. LaTurner) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 272.
  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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