http://www.house.gov/science/press/108/108-121.htm<br /><br />Committee on Science Press Contacts:<br />SHERWOOD BOEHLERT, CHAIRMAN Heidi Mohlman Tringe<br />Ralph M. Hall, Texas, Ranking Democrat Jeff Donald<br /> (202) 225-4275<br /><br />SPACE SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES FOUR BILLS<br /><br />WASHINGTON, D.C., October 8, 2003 - The House Science Subcommittee on<br />Space and Aeronautics today approved four bills by voice vote, listed<br />below.<br /><br />H.R. 3245, "Commercial Space Act of 2003," sponsored by Rep. Dana <br />Rohrabacher (R-CA)<br /><br />This bill clarifies the legislative framework for commercial human space<br />flight. Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of<br />Space Transportation (AST) regulates U.S. commercial space launches for<br />television, telecommunications and imagery satellites. H.R. 3245 ensures<br />that commercial launchers - such as those being built by entrepreneurs to<br />take people to the edge of space - would also be regulated by AST.<br /><br />Last July, the Space & Aeronautics Subcommittee held a joint hearing with<br />the Senate Commerce Committee on the regulatory issues facing such<br />commercial human space. All of the witnesses at that hearing called for<br />legislation to clearly define the FAA's regulatory responsibilities on<br />this issue.<br /><br />"I believe that most Members of Congress share my view that the aerospace<br />industry plays a critical role in advancing America's space frontier,"<br />said Subcommittee Chairman Rohrabacher. "This bill tells the Department of<br />Transportation that this new commercial human space flight industry should<br />be nurtured by streamlined and careful regulation"<br /><br />The bill authorizes $11,523,000 and $11,000,000 for fiscal years 2004 and<br />2005, respectively, for the AST. The bill also authorizes $1,800,000 and<br />$2,000,000 for fiscal years 2004 and 2005, respectively, for the<br />Department of Commerce's Office of Space Commerce, and delegates licensing<br />authority for private-sector remote sensing systems to this Office.<br /><br />H.R. 912, "Charles `Pete' Conrad Astronomy Awards Act," sponsored by Rep.<br />Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA)<br /><br />The Charles "Pete" Conrad Astronomy Awards Act, named for the third man to<br />walk on the moon, establishes awards to encourage amateur astronomers to<br />discover and track asteroids crossing in a near-Earth orbit. Earth has<br />experienced several near-misses with asteroids that would have proven<br />catastrophic, and the scientific community relies heavily on amateur<br />astronomers to discover and track these objects. The bill authorizes<br />$10,000 for each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005 for NASA to administer the<br />program. The House approved the bill by voice vote last year.<br /><br />"Pete Conrad was a pilot, explorer, and entrepreneur of the highest<br />caliber. I think it is fitting that we honor Pete Conrad by establishing<br />this award to encourage amateur astronomers and private citizens to keep<br />looking up and out into the future," said Rohrabacher.<br /><br />H.R. 1292, "Remote Sensing Applications Act of 2003," sponsored by Rep.<br />Mark Udall (D-CO)<br /><br />The Remote Sensing Applications Act, also approved by the House last year,<br />will establish a grant program to help integrate remote sensing data to<br />address state, local and regional needs. The U.S. already collects an<br />abundant amount of remote sensing data, but it is often used only for<br />scientific ventures. However, it can have countless local applications<br />including urban planning, coastal zone management, resource supervision<br />and disaster monitoring for state and local authorities. The bill<br />authorizes $15,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2004 through 2008 for<br />NASA to carry out this program.<br /><br />"The Remote Sensing Applications Act gives state and local governments<br />21st century tools to deal with 21st century challenges. My bill will help<br />begin to bridge the gap between established and emerging technology<br />solutions and the problems and challenges we face regarding growth<br />management, homeland security, forest fire management and other issues,"<br />said Udall. "I am pleased the Subcommittee passed the bill today, and hope<br />the full Committee will soon follow suit."<br /><br />H.R. 2450, "Human Space Flight Independent Investigation Commission Act of<br />2003," sponsored by Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN)<br /><br />H.R. 2450 would establish an independent, Presidentially-appointed<br />investigative Commission in the event of incidents in the nation's human<br />space flight program that result in loss of crew, passengers, or<br />spacecraft, including the International Space Station.<br /><br />The Commission will consist of 15 members, to include the Chairman of the<br />NTSB and 14 members appointed by the President and drawn in part from<br />lists of candidates from the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate,<br />and the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.<br />Except for the Chairman of the NTSB, no officer or employee of the Federal<br />Government would serve as a member of the Commission.<br /><br />Subcommittee Ranking Democrat Gordon said, "I appreciate the<br />subcommittee's support for this legislation, which provides for an<br />independent and accountable accident investigation commission if, God<br />forbid, we have another mishap in space. I hope the rest of my colleagues<br />in the full Science Committee will act quickly to get this bill enacted<br />into law."<br /><br />The Subcommittee accepted an amendment offered by Chairman Rohrabacher,<br />clarifying that only those incidents involving missions carrying out U.S.<br />Government activities would trigger the Presidentially-appointed<br />Commission.<br /><br />###