[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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