[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 132 (Thursday, July 31, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5072-S5073]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3265. Mr. HICKENLOOPER (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 2296, to
authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2026 for military activities
of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for
defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military
personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which
was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the end of subtitle F of title X, add the following:
SEC. 1607. COMMERCIAL SATELLITE DATA.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Section 60501 of title 51, United States Code, states
that the goal for the Earth Science program of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this
section as ``NASA'') shall be to pursue a program of Earth
observations, research, and applications activities to better
understand the Earth, how it supports life, and how human
activities affect its ability to do so in the future.
(2) Section 50115 of title 51, United States Code, states
that the Administrator of NASA shall, to the extent possible
and while satisfying the scientific or educational
requirements of NASA, and where appropriate, of other Federal
agencies and scientific researchers, acquire, where cost
effective, space-based and airborne commercial Earth remote
sensing data, services, distribution, and applications from a
commercial provider.
(3) The Administrator of NASA established the Commercial
SmallSat Data Acquisition Pilot Program in 2019 to identify,
validate, and acquire from commercial sources data that
support the Earth science research and application goals.
(4) The Administrator of NASA has--
(A) determined that the pilot program described in
paragraph (3) has been a success, as described in the final
evaluation entitled ``Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition
Program Pilot Evaluation Report'' issued in 2020;
(B) established a formal process for evaluating and
onboarding new commercial vendors in such pilot program;
(C) increased the number of commercial vendors and
commercial data products available through such pilot
program; and
(D) expanded procurement arrangements with commercial
vendors to broaden user access to provide Earth remote
sensing data and imagery to federally funded researchers.
(b) Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 603 of title 51, United States
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 60307. Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program
``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish within
the Earth Science Division of the Science Mission Directorate
a program to acquire and disseminate commercial Earth
observation data and imagery in order to satisfy the
scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the
Administration, and where appropriate, of other Federal
agencies and scientific researchers.
``(b) Data Publication and Transparency.--The terms and
conditions of commercial Earth remote sensing data and
imagery acquisitions under the program described in
subsection (a) shall not prevent--
``(1) the publication of commercial data or imagery for
scientific purposes; or
``(2) the publication of information that is derived from,
incorporates, or enhances the original commercial data or
imagery of a vendor.
``(c) Authorization.--
``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program under this
section, the Administrator may--
``(A) procure commercial Earth remote sensing data and
imagery from commercial
[[Page S5073]]
vendors to advance scientific research and applications for
the purpose set forth in subsection (a); and
``(B) establish or modify end-use license terms and
conditions to allow for the widest possible use of procured
commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery by
individuals other than NASA-funded users, consistent with the
goals of the program.
``(2) Acquisition from united states vendors.--The
commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery procured
under this subsection shall be procured, to the maximum
extent practicable, from United States vendors.
``(d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the
Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives a report that includes the following:
``(1)(A) In the case of the initial report, a list of all
vendors that are providing commercial Earth remote sensing
data and imagery to NASA as of the date of the report.
``(B) For each subsequent report, a list of all vendors
that have provided commercial Earth remote sensing data and
imagery to NASA during the reporting period.
``(2) A description of the end-use license terms and
conditions for each such vendor.
``(3) A description of the manner in which each such vendor
is advancing scientific research and applications, including
priorities recommended by the National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine decadal surveys.
``(4) Information specifying whether the Administrator has
entered into an agreement with a commercial vendor or a
Federal agency that permits the use of data and imagery by
Federal Government employees, contractors, or non-Federal
users.
``(e) Definition of United States Vendor.--In this section,
the term `United States vendor' means a commercial or
nonprofit entity incorporated in the United States.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for chapter
603 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at
the end the following new item:
``60307. Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program.''.
______