119-hr3697

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3697 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

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119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 3697

 To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study, and publish 
 guidance, on the conversion of rural abandoned factories, space 
centers, and military bases into space-related manufacturing facilities 
 and space complexes, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 June 3, 2025

 Mr. David Scott of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study, and publish 
 guidance, on the conversion of rural abandoned factories, space 
centers, and military bases into space-related manufacturing facilities 
 and space complexes, and for other purposes.

 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 ``Rural American Vitalization in 
Extraterrestrial Space Reporting Act of 2025'' or the ``RAVES Reporting 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. STUDY AND GUIDANCE ON CONVERSION OF RURAL, ABANDONED FACTORIES 
 INTO SPACE-RELATED MANUFACTURING FACILITIES.

    (a) Study.--Not later than one year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, acting through the Office of 
Local Defense Community Cooperation, and in consultation with the 
Office of Space Affairs of the Department of State and the Small 
Business Development Center of the Small Business Administration, shall 
conduct a study, and publish guidance, on the conversion of abandoned 
factories, space centers, and military bases in rural areas into space-
related manufacturing facilities and space complexes.

    (b) Elements.--The study and guidance required under subsection

    (a) shall include information relating to the following:

    (1) On average and by State, the cost of conversions of 
 abandoned factories, and space centers, and abandoned military 
 bases in rural areas into space-related manufacturing 
 facilities and space complexes.

    (2) Greatest needs for terrestrial space manufacturing.

    (3) Environmental and sustainability concerns relating to 
 such conversions.

    (4) Impact on local economies of region in which such 
 conversions are carried out.

    (5) Technical skills and relevant education needed for 
 construction workers, engineers, scientists, and other elements 
 of the workforce relating to such conversions, as well as for 
 the operation of such facilities.

    (6) Potential for collaboration with local community 
 colleges relating to such conversions.

    (7) Effects of artificial intelligence on workforce 
 development relating to such conversions.

    (8) The number of factories and military bases in rural 
 areas abandoned as of 2025.

    (9) Potential for development within rural communities 
 relating to such conversions.

    (10) Viable sources of potential funding or incentives for 
 private sector entities for such conversions.

    (11) Potential national security implications relating to 
 such conversions, in particular with regard to United States 
 adversaries and the Space Command.

    (12) An estimate of the time required to complete such 
 conversions.

    (13) Input from private and public entities that have 
 collaborated or currently collaborate with the National 
 Aeronautics and Space Administration

    (NASA) regarding space 
 manufacturing.

    (14) An analysis undertaken in consultation with outside 
 experts in the aerospace field on the current state of the 
 aerospace industry in rural areas of the United States, 
 including a description of best practices relating to such 
 conversions.
            (c) Submission to Congress.--The Secretary of Defense shall submit 
to Congress the study and guidance required under subsection

    (a) .
            (d) === Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) Abandoned.--The term ``abandoned'' means out of use or 
 underutilized for at least five years, with no apparent plans 
 to restart production or repurpose for other uses.

    (2) Factory.--The term ``factory'' means an industrial 
 facility for manufacturing goods or parts.

    (3) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'', with respect to 
 an abandoned factory, space center, or military base, means 
 such a factory, center, or base, as the case may be, that is 
 located in any area other than--
        (A) a city or town that has a population of greater 
 than 50,000 inhabitants; or
        (B) any urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a 
 city or town described in subparagraph
        (A) .

    (4) Space complex.--The term ``space complex'' means a 
 group of buildings designed for the purpose of building 
 spacecraft, instruments, or technologies to study space, or 
 testing or launching such devices.
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