[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 144 (Tuesday, September 17, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H5309-H5310]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       LAUNCH COMMUNICATIONS ACT

  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and pass the bill (S. 1648) to facilitate access to the electromagnetic 
spectrum for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries, 
and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is 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.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Washington (Mrs. Rodgers) and the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. 
Pallone) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Washington.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative

[[Page H5310]]

days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous 
material in the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Washington?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as 
I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1648, the Launch Communications 
Act. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed a similar 
version, H.R. 682, which was led by the gentlemen from Florida's Second 
and Ninth Districts, Representatives Soto and Dunn.
  This legislation is the product of bipartisan, bicameral 
negotiations. It takes important steps to streamline the process for 
commercial space launch providers to access the spectrum frequencies 
they need and ensure that a lack of coordination between Federal 
agencies does not hamper the thriving commercial space economy.
  Importantly, just like Congressman Dunn's H.R. 682, this bill not 
only adds a new license model to meet growing demand, but preserves the 
ability of launch providers to avail themselves of the special 
temporary authority model that has served us so well.
  I thank Senator Schmitt for working with us and for leading this 
product in the Senate, and I urge my colleagues to support S. 1648.
  Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support the bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 1648, the Launch Communications 
Act.
  Over the last decade, we have seen the costs for exploring space drop 
dramatically. As a result, space launches in this country have 
increased dramatically. In 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration 
authorized eight launches. By 2023, just a decade later, the number was 
117, and the number of space launches is only expected to increase in 
the years to come. Indeed, the FAA has already authorized over 100 
launches this year.

                              {time}  2120

  To ensure our Nation as a global leader in space and other cutting-
edge technologies, we must continue to foster this growth, which, in 
turn, will enhance our national security capabilities.
  Transporting satellites to space cannot happen without launch 
entities having reliable access to electromagnetic spectrum. While the 
FCC has made impressive strides in the last year to allocate more 
spectrum for space launches, additional spectrum resources are needed. 
Congress must build on the FCC's efforts by making more spectrum 
available for commercial space launches as well as the space reentries.
  This bill would help solve this challenge. Specifically, the Launch 
Communications Act directs the FCC to complete a rulemaking proceeding 
and adopt rules so that commercial space launches and reentries have 
access to the spectrum bands identified in the bill. The bill also 
requires the FCC to streamline its process for licensing spectrum to 
commercial space launch providers. Taken together, these efforts will 
better support providers as they communicate with their space vehicles 
during flight and upon reentry.
  While this bill and its House companion are nearly identical, I will 
note that the differences between the two should not have a significant 
impact on the effect of the bill.
  For instance, the House bill included a savings clause to specify 
that nothing in the bill would change the current special temporary 
authority for launch spectrum. While the version we are debating today 
does not have the savings clause, nothing in this bill should impact 
the ability of the FCC to provide access to launch spectrum using its 
special temporary authority.
  I commend Representatives Soto and Dunn for their bipartisan work on 
the House version of the bill. S. 1648 will help secure America's 
leadership in the commercial space industry by strengthening our 
Nation's position as a prime destination for launching satellites into 
space.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and 
I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle to support this bill that basically provides commercial space 
launches access to spectrum and does other things to promote space 
launches and reentries.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. RODGERS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I also urge and encourage 
everyone to vote ``yes'' on the bill, and I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from Washington (Mrs. Rodgers) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, S. 1648.
  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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