[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)]
[House]
[Pages H2242-H2244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ACCESSING SATELLITE CAPABILITIES TO ENABLE NEW DISCOVERIES ACT
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2600) to require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate,
acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and
imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and
educational requirements of the Administration, and for other purposes,
as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2600
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 ``Accessing Satellite
Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act'' or the ``ASCEND
Act''.
SEC. 2. 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 commercial 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 cost-effective and
appropriate commercial Earth remote sensing 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 to augment or complement the suite of Earth
observations acquired by the Administration, other United
States Government agencies, and international partners.
``(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.--In carrying out the program under
this section, the Administrator may--
``(1) procure commercial Earth remote sensing data and
imagery from commercial vendors to advance scientific
research and applications in accordance with subsection (a);
and
``(2) 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.
``(d) United States Vendors.--Commercial Earth remote
sensing data and imagery referred to in subsections (a) and
(c) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be procured
from United States vendors.
``(e) 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
[[Page H2243]]
a report that includes the following information regarding
the agreements, vendors, license terms, and uses of
commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery under this
section:
``(1)(A) In the case of the initial report, a list of all
agreements 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 agreements
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
agreement 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.''.
(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.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Babin) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
{time} 1610
General Leave
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 2600, the bill that is now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2600, the ASCEND Act,
sponsored by Representatives Hurd and Bonamici.
Commercial remote sensing is an increasingly important part of the
growing space economy. In recent years, technological advancements and
lower launch costs have enabled American companies to expand their
remote sensing capabilities and to deliver innovative, high-quality
satellite data at competitive prices.
Recognizing this potential, NASA established a pilot program in 2017
to assess how the agency could leverage commercial satellite data to
support mission objectives.
Through this effort, NASA gained valuable experience working directly
with the commercial sector. The agency evaluated available satellite
data, explored how it could advance scientific research and
applications, and developed acquisition approaches that allowed for
appropriate government use and dissemination.
The pilot program demonstrated that commercially provided datasets
can effectively complement NASA's existing capabilities. The ASCEND Act
builds on that success by authorizing the Commercial Satellite Data
Acquisition program within NASA's Science Mission Directorate.
This legislation ensures that NASA can continue to evaluate, access,
and utilize cost-effective, cutting-edge commercial data to advance its
scientific research and applications. At the same time, it supports the
growth of the space economy and strengthens the United States
leadership in space.
I thank Representatives Hurd and Bonamici for their bipartisan work
to bring this bill to the House floor.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the ASCEND Act,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the ASCEND Act. The bill would
codify the successful Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition pilot
program.
The data acquired from the pilot project was shown to complement
Earth observations from NASA's fleet of satellites and instruments.
NASA has continued these activities as the Commercial SmallSat Data
Acquisition Pilot Program.
This bill also allows us to acquire commercial Earth remote sensing
data and imagery from vendors. The bill also includes provisions to
support data publication, transparency, and reports to Congress, and to
ensure the widest possible use of the data procured under the program
consistent with program goals.
This bill supports both science and our commercial remote sensing
industry, such as companies in my home Commonwealth of Virginia, by
augmenting scientific research with additional sources of data and
leveraging commercial capabilities.
I thank the bill's sponsors for their work on the ASCEND Act and
encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, as well.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Hurd).
Mr. HURD of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my
legislation, H.R. 2600, the Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable
New Discoveries Act, the ASCEND Act.
This bill builds on a model that already works. In 2017, NASA
launched the Commercial Small Satellite Data Acquisition Pilot Program
to test whether commercially available Earth observation data could
support NASA's scientific missions. The results were clear:
Participating scientists found the data reliable, valuable, and highly
effective across a broad range of research applications.
The ASCEND Act takes that successful pilot and makes it permanent. It
directs NASA to formally establish a commercial satellite acquisition
program within the Science Mission Directorate so that the agency can
routinely access cost-effective commercial data to complement its own
Earth observation missions.
This is a practical approach. Instead of duplicating capabilities,
NASA can leverage private-sector innovation. Through commercial
licensing, researchers gain access to high-quality satellite data that
supports wildfire response, agricultural monitoring, disaster
preparedness, reforestation, and environmental tracking. That data
translates directly into better decisionmaking on the ground.
This is a model where private investment strengthens public missions,
and it supports American jobs, including in Colorado's growing
commercial space sector.
The bill also includes appropriate oversight. It requires an annual
report to Congress detailing the data acquired, its sources, how it is
used within NASA, as well as its measurable impact. That transparency
ensures accountability while allowing the program to grow.
At a time when commercial space innovation is accelerating rapidly,
Congress should ensure NASA has the flexibility to use the best tools
available. The ASCEND Act strengthens America's scientific leadership,
supports our domestic space industry, and ensures taxpayer dollars are
used efficiently.
I thank Chairman Babin for advancing my bill to the floor. I urge my
colleagues to support H.R. 2600.
Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time
to close.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues, Mr. Hurd and Ms. Bonamici, for
their work on this legislation. It is a great bill. I am a cosponsor
myself. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 2600, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to
close.
Mr. Speaker, over the past two decades, the United States commercial
space sector has experienced significant growth and maturity.
The Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition pilot program that NASA
launched in 2017 is one example of how the agency has embraced this
evolution.
By enabling the continued acquisition of commercial satellite data,
the ASCEND Act will complement NASA's scientific efforts and ensure
that the agency has access to the innovative capabilities being
developed by America's commercial space sector. The ability to procure
this data will strengthen U.S. leadership in the global space industry.
Again, I thank Representatives Hurd, Kean, and Bonamici for their
work on this important legislation. I yield back the balance of my
time.
[[Page H2244]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 2600, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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