[Senate Report 119-82]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
Calendar No. 193
119th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 119-82
_______________________________________________________________________
ASTRONAUT GROUND TRAVEL SUPPORT ACT
__________
R E P O R T
of the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
on
S. 582
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
October 20, 2025.--Ordered to be printed
------
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
69-010 * (Star Print) WASHINGTON : 2025
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
one hundred nineteenth congress
first session
TED CRUZ, Texas, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
TODD YOUNG, Indiana TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
TED BUDD, North Carolina JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico
JOHN CURTIS, Utah JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER, Colorado
BERNIE MORENO, Ohio JOHN FETTERMAN, Pennsylvania
TIM SHEEHY, Montana ANDY KIM, New Jersey
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia LISA BLUNT ROCHESTER, Delaware
CYNTHIA M. LUMMIS, Wyoming
Brad Grantz, Majority Staff Director
Lila Harper Helms, Democratic Staff Director
Calendar No. 193
119th Congress } { Report
SENATE
1st Session } { 119-82
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ASTRONAUT GROUND TRAVEL SUPPORT ACT
----------------
October 20, 2025.--Ordered to be printed
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Mr. Cruz, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany S. 582]
[Including Cost Estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to
which was referred the bill (S. 582) to provide for the
authorized use of Federal vehicle transportation by certain
astronauts, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon without amendment and recommends that the bill do pass.
Purpose of the Bill
The purpose of S. 582 is to direct the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration (NASA) to authorize the use of
official transportation for astronauts between residence and
worksite post-missions.
Background and Needs
Current human spaceflight missions to the International
Space Station are considered to be long-duration missions (any
trip to space longer than 30 days).\1\ NASA has invested in
gathering and analyzing data on changes to human physiology due
to extended stays in a zero-gravity environment, as well as the
process by which humans reacclimate to gravity upon returning
to Earth. Accurate data from returning crew members will help
us understand how to better protect the health of astronauts in
orbit and mitigate the harmful effects of zero gravity,
especially for long-duration missions.
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\1\NASA, Mission Duration, December 12, 2023, https://www.nasa.gov/
wp-content/uploads/2023/12/ochmo-tb-007-mission-duration.pdf.
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Returning crew members take part in scientific experiments
carried out at NASA facilities for post-flight baseline data
collection. This data will help address the medical challenges
of future space exploration missions to the Moon and Mars. The
most critical data is time sensitive and needs to be gathered
in the initial weeks upon the return to Earth.
Astronauts undergo well-documented adaptive changes due to
exposure to weightlessness, including loss of blood volume and
blood cells, muscle mass and strength, bone density, and
neurosensory responses.\2\ Upon returning to Earth, they face
degraded strength, fitness, balance, motor control, and blood
pressure regulation.\3\ NASA has dedicated considerable
resources to understanding these physiological changes. It
implements a rehabilitation program developed by the space
medicine community to ensure timely and safe recovery from
prolonged exposure to weightlessness. This enables astronauts
to gradually return to normal activities, such as driving.
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\2\Nathan Crawford and Jennifer Turner, The Human Body in Space,
NASA, February 2, 2021, https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/the-human-
body-in-space/.
\3\Monica Edward and Laurie Abadie, Walk the Line: NASA Studies
Physical Performance After Spaceflight, NASA, September 29, 2015,
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/walk-the-line-nasa-studies-
physical-performance-after-spaceflight/.
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NASA has determined that returning long-duration astronauts
should not drive motor vehicles for 2 weeks (more time may be
required in individual cases). However, to allow for extensive
baseline data collection, which requires specialized equipment,
crew members must be able to travel to and from their homes to
NASA facilities and other locations before they are medically
cleared to drive.
NASA currently authorizes home-to-work transportation for
returning astronauts.\4\ The agency must report to Congress the
name and title of any employees who utilize this
transportation.\5\ But crew members may be subsequently
replaced or reassigned, making it difficult to maintain valid
and consistent authorizations for returning astronauts to
receive transportation services. This bill would allow NASA's
Administrator to authorize use of official transportation
between residence and worksite and eliminate the reporting
requirement for what has become a routine practice.
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\4\Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1344(b)(9).
\5\Pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1344(d)(4).
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Summary of Provision
S. 582 would allow NASA's Administrator to authorize
official transportation between residence and worksite and
eliminate the requirement for the Administrator to report every
mission change, such as a change in date or crew complement, to
Congress.
Legislative History
S. 582 was introduced on February 13, 2025, by Senator Cruz
(for himself and Senator Peters) and was referred to the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate. On March 12, 2025, the Committee met in open Executive
Session and, by voice vote, ordered S. 582 reported favorably
without amendment.
Estimated Costs
In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget
Office:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
S. 582 would authorize the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) to provide transportation for specified
purposes for government astronauts after they return to Earth
until they are medically cleared to operate a motor vehicle.
Using information from NASA, CBO estimates that implementing S.
582 would cost less than $500,000 over the 2025-2030 period.
Any related spending would be subject to the availability of
appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Johnny Willing.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
Regulatory Impact Statement
In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the
legislation, as reported:
number of persons covered
S. 582 would authorize the use of official transportation
for astronauts between residence and worksite post-missions.
This would only apply to those astronauts or spaceflight
participants in the course of their employment for official
NASA business. As such, it would only affect a very limited
number of persons.
economic impact
S. 582 is not expected to have an adverse impact on the
Nation's economy. While the amount of time and resources freed
up by this reduction in bureaucracy would likely be minimal, it
would still represent resources which could be used on other
projects.
privacy
S. 582 would not impact the personal privacy of
individuals.
paperwork
The Committee anticipates a decrease in paperwork burdens.
NASA currently authorizes home-to-work transportation for
returning astronauts pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1344(b)(9), the
exercise of which requires the name and title of the employee
to be contemporaneously reported to Congress pursuant to 31
U.S.C. 1344(d)(4), which means any change in the mission date
or personnel requires a new authorization by NASA's
Administrator. The new process would only require a single
approval per mission, reducing the paperwork burden to the
agency.
Congressionally Directed Spending
In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the
rule.
Section-by-Section Analysis
Section 1. Short title.
This section would provide that the bill may be cited as
the ``Astronaut Ground Travel Support Act''.
Section 2. Passenger carrier use for astronaut transportation.
This section would define the terms used in the bill:
``government astronaut'', ``international partner astronaut'',
``space flight participant'', ``space support vehicle'',
``mission'', ``official purpose'', and ``passenger carrier''.
This section would also add a new section 20150 to title
51. It would enable the NASA Administrator to authorize the use
of official NASA vehicles to transport astronauts for an
official purpose with the written approval of the Chief of the
Astronaut Office.
This section would require an international partner
astronaut or space flight participant who is not an employee of
the Federal Government to reimburse the U.S. Treasury for
transportation under this section.
Lastly, this section would require the NASA Administrator
to promulgate regulations necessary to carry out this section.
Changes in Existing Law
In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change
is proposed is shown in roman):
UNITED STATES CODE
* * * * * * *
TITLE 51
* * * * * * *
Subtitle II
* * * * * * *
CHAPTER 201
* * * * * * *
Subchapter III: General Administrative Provisions
Sec. 20131. Public access to information
(a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(c) * * *
* * * * * * *
Sec. 20149. Medical monitoring and research relating to human space
flight
(a) * * *
* * * * * * *
(g) * * *
Sec. 20150. Passenger carrier use for astronaut transportation
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Government astronaut; international partner
astronaut; space flight participant; space support
vehicle.--The terms ``government astronaut'',
``international partner astronaut'', ``space flight
participant'', and ``space support vehicle'' have the
meanings given such terms in section 50902.
(2) Mission.--The term ``mission'' means an
assignment to a space support vehicle of one or more--
(A) government astronauts in the course of
their employment; or
(B) space flight participants.
(3) Official purpose.--With respect to
transportation, the term ``official purpose'' means
transportation necessary for post-mission activities,
including medical research, monitoring, diagnosis, and
treatment of a government astronaut or space flight
participant before receiving post-mission medical
clearance to operate a motor vehicle.
(4) Passenger carrier.--The term ``passenger
carrier'' means a passenger motor vehicle, aircraft,
boat, vessel, or other similar means of transportation
that is owned or leased by the United States
Government.
(b) Authority.--
(1) In general.--The Administrator may authorize the
use of a passenger carrier to transport a government
astronaut or space flight participant between the
residence of the individual and various locations if--
(A) such transportation is provided for an
official purpose; and
(B) the Chief of the Astronaut Office has
approved, in writing, post-mission
transportation of government astronauts and
space flight participants under this section.
(2) Maintenance, operation, and repair.--The
Administrator may maintain, operate, and repair one or
more passenger carriers for the purpose of providing
transportation pursuant to the authority provided in
paragraph (1).
(c) Reimbursement.--Transportation under subsection (b)(1) of
an international partner astronaut or a space flight
participant who is not an employee of the United States
Government shall be subject to reimbursement to the Treasury.
(d) Regulations.--The Administrator shall promulgate such
regulations as are necessary to carry out this section.
(e) Applicability of Section 1344 of Title 31.--In carrying
out subsection (b), the Administrator may expend funds
available to the Administration, by appropriation or otherwise,
notwithstanding section 1344(a) of title 31.
* * * * * * *
[all]