119-hr5602

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5602 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5602

 To streamline the application of regulations relating to commercial 
 space launch and reentry requirements and licensing of private remote 
 sensing space systems, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 September 26, 2025

 Mr. Pfluger (for himself and Mr. Whitesides) introduced the following 
 bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and 
 Technology

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To streamline the application of regulations relating to commercial 
 space launch and reentry requirements and licensing of private remote 
 sensing space systems, 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 ``Licensing Aerospace Units to New 
Commercial Heights Act'' or the ``LAUNCH Act''.

SEC. 2. STREAMLINING REGULATIONS RELATING TO COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH 
 AND REENTRY REQUIREMENTS.

    (a) Evaluation of Implementation of Part 450.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation 
 (referred to in this Act as the ``Secretary'') shall evaluate 
 the implementation of part 450 of title 14, Code of Federal 
 Regulations (in this section referred to as ``part 450'') and 
 the impacts of part 450 on the commercial spaceflight industry.

    (2) Elements.--The evaluation required by paragraph

    (1) shall include an assessment of--
        (A) whether increased uncertainty in the commercial 
 spaceflight industry has resulted from the 
 implementation of part 450;
        (B) whether part 450 has resulted in operational 
 delays to launch; and
            (C) whether timelines for reviews have changed, 
 including an assessment of the impact of the 
 incremental review process on those timelines and the 
 root cause for multiple reviews, if applicable.

    (3) Report required.--Not later than 90 days after 
 completing the review required by paragraph

    (1) , the Secretary 
 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--
        (A) the findings of the review;
        (B) recommendations for reducing delays and 
 inefficiencies resulting from part 450 that do not rely 
 solely on additional personnel or funding; and
            (C) an estimate for a timeline and funding for 
 implementing the recommendations described in 
 subparagraph
        (B) .

    (b) Rulemaking Committee.--

    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall continue to support an 
 Aerospace Rulemaking Committee for the commercial space 
 transportation industry, comprised of established and emerging 
 United States commercial space launch and reentry services 
 providers (including providers that hold, and providers that 
 have applied for but not yet received, licenses issued under 
 chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code)--
        (A) to facilitate industry participation in 
 developing recommendations for amendments to part 450 
 to address the challenges identified in conducting the 
 review required by subsection

    (a) or under paragraph

    (2) of 

section 50905
            (d) of title 51, United States Code 
 (as added by subsection
            (d) (3) ); and
        (B) to provide a long-term forum for the United 
 States commercial spaceflight industry to share 
 perspectives relating to regulations affecting the 
 industry.

    (2) Prevention of duplicative efforts.--The Secretary shall 
 ensure that an Aerospace Rulemaking Committee established under 
 this subsection does not provide services or make efforts that 
 are duplicative of the services provided and efforts made by 
 the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee.
            (c) Encouragement of Innovation.--The Secretary shall, on an 
ongoing basis, determine whether any requirements for a license issued 
under chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code, can be modified or 
eliminated to encourage innovative new technologies and operations.
            (d) Modifications to Requirements and Procedures for License 
Applications.--

    (1) Consideration of safety rationales of license 
 applicants.--

Section 50905

    (a)

    (2) of title 51, United States 
 Code, is amended--
        (A) by striking ``Secretary may'' inserting the 
 following: ``Secretary--
 ``
        (A) may'';
        (B) by striking the period at the end and inserting 
 ``; and''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
        (B) shall accept a reasonable safety rationale 
 proposed by an applicant for a license under this 
 chapter, including new approaches, consistent with 
 paragraph

    (1) .''.

    (2) Facilitation of license applications and assistance to 
 applicants.--

Section 50905

    (a) of title 51, United States Code, 
 is amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (3) In carrying out paragraph

    (1) , the Secretary shall 
 assign a licensing team lead to each applicant for a license 
 under this chapter to assist the applicant in streamlining the 
 process for reviewing and approving the license application.''.

    (3) Streamlining of review processes.--

Section 50905
            (d) of 
 title 51, United States Code, is amended by striking the end 
 period and inserting the following: ``, including by--
 ``

    (1) adjudicating determinations with respect to such 
 applications and revisions to such determinations in a timely 
 manner as part of the incremental review process under 

section 450.33 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor 
 regulation); and
 ``

    (2) eliminating and streamlining duplicative review 
 processes with other agencies, particularly relating to the use 
 of Federal ranges or requirements to use the assets of Federal 
 ranges.''.

SEC. 3. DIGITAL LICENSING, PERMITTING, AND APPROVAL SYSTEM.

    (a) In General.--

Section 50905 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (e) Digital Licensing, Permitting, and Approval System.--
 ``

    (1) Establishment.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--Subject to paragraph

    (4) , not 
 later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of 
 this subsection, the Secretary shall develop and 
 maintain a digital licensing, permitting, and approval 
 system--
 ``
            (i) to accept, track, and provide 
 relevant status information regarding each 
 license or permit application under this 
 chapter, beginning with receipt of the initial 
 application through final approval or denial of 
 the application; and
 ``
            (ii) to provide notifications to an 
 applicant with respect to the status of such an 
 application.
 ``
        (B) Elements.--The system required by 
 subparagraph
        (A) shall include, at a minimum, 
 information on--
 ``
            (i) the date on which an application was 
 received by the Secretary;
 ``
            (ii) each date on which the application 
 was referred to any other agency of the Federal 
 Government for review, as applicable;
 ``
            (iii) each date on which additional 
 information was requested from the applicant, 
 as applicable;
 ``
            (iv) the date on which the Secretary 
 notified the applicant of a final approval or 
 denial of the application; and
 ``
            (v) the overall rate of success of such 
 system in meeting the timelines set forth in 
 this section.
 ``

    (2) Public availability.--The Secretary shall--
 ``
        (A) make the information maintained by the system 
 required by paragraph

    (1) available on a publicly 
 accessible website of the Department of Transportation; 
 and
 ``
        (B) ensure that such information is updated on 
 such website not less frequently than quarterly.
 ``

    (3) Notification.--With respect to an application for a 
 license or permit under this chapter, the Secretary shall 
 provide through the digital licensing, permitting, and approval 
 system developed under this subsection electronic notification 
 to an applicant--
 ``
        (A) immediately on--
 ``
            (i) receipt of a license or permit 
 application;
 ``
            (ii) a determination under subsection

    (f) that an application received by the Secretary 
 is complete;
 ``
            (iii) initiation of application 
 processing;
 ``
            (iv) transmission of the application, in 
 whole or part, for interagency review, as 
 applicable, and such notification shall include 
 an identification of the 1 or more agencies 
 with which application information is shared; 
 and
 ``
            (v) approval or denial of the 
 application; and
 ``
        (B) with respect to--
 ``
            (i) any question proposed by the 
 Secretary to the applicant;
 ``
            (ii) responses provided to the Secretary 
 by any agency involved in interagency review, 
 as applicable; and
 ``
            (iii) any other status update the 
 Secretary considers necessary.
 ``

    (4) Existing systems.--In carrying out paragraph

    (1) , the 
 Secretary shall utilize a commercially available system that 
 can be used off-the-shelf.
 ``

    (f) Complete Application.--An application submitted under this 
section shall be considered complete if, at the time of electronic 
submission, the applicant has provided in standard digital format all 
information required under subsection

    (b) .''.

    (b) Funding.--Of the amounts made available for the Federal 
Aviation Administration for Commercial Space Transportation Safety 
Research and Development for fiscal year 2025, not more than $5,000,000 
may be made available to develop the digital licensing, permitting, and 
approval system described in 

section 50905

    (e) of title 51, United 
States Code.

SEC. 4. ANNUAL BRIEFING ON GOVERNMENT PROCESSING OF COMMERCIAL SPACE 
 LAUNCH AND REENTRY LICENSES.

    (a) Requirement.--Not later than March 31 each calendar year, the 
Secretary shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
licensing and permitting process for space activities required by 

section 50905 of title 51, United States Code.

    (b) Elements.--The briefing required by subsection

    (a) shall 
include, with respect to the preceding calendar year, the following:

    (1) The average number of days that elapsed between the 
 date on which an application is submitted and the date on which 
 an applicant receives final approval or denial of the 
 application.

    (2) The frequency and average duration of tolling against 
 submitted applications.

    (3) The number of applications reviewed that exceeded the 
 statutorily provided review timelines.

    (4) A description of efforts made by the Secretary to 
 streamline, under 

section 50905
            (d) of title 51, United States 
 Code, the processes required for review of applications.

    (5) A summary of the information generated by the digital 
 licensing, permitting, and approval system established under 
 

section 50905

    (e) of title 51, United States Code, including any 
 additional information the Secretary considers relevant with 
 respect to the function or processes of such system.

    (6) An assessment as to whether the application review 
 process operates in a manner that encourages the global 
 competitiveness of the commercial space industry of the United 
 States.
            (c) Appropriate Committees of Congress Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--

    (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
 and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

    (2) the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, the 
 Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the 
 Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 5. DIRECT HIRE FOR OFFICE OF COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall use direct 
hire authorities (as such authorities existed on the day before the 
date of the enactment of this Act) to hire individuals on a 
noncompetitive basis for positions related to space launch and reentry 
licensing and permit activities.

    (b) Annual Report.--Not less frequently than annually, the 
Secretary of Transportation 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 an annual report 
on the use of direct hiring authorities to fill such positions within 
the Commercial Space Transportation Administration related to 
commercial space launch and reentry licensing and permit activities.

SEC. 6. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION 
 ADMINISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after 

section 50902 the following:
``

Sec. 50902A. Commercial Space Transportation Administration
 ``

    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Department of 
Transportation a Commercial Space Transportation Administration.
 ``

    (b) Leadership.--The Commercial Space Transportation 
Administration shall be headed by an Administrator, who shall report 
directly to the Secretary of Transportation.
 ``
            (c) Duties.--The Administrator of the Commercial Space 
Transportation Administration shall exercise the authorities of the 
Secretary of Transportation with respect to commercial space launch and 
reentry activities, including the authorities provided under this 
chapter.''.

    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 509 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to 

section 50902 the following:

``50902A. Commercial Space Transportation Administration.''.

SEC. 7. FLIGHT SAFETY ANALYSIS WORKFORCE.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that--

    (1) flight safety analysis is critical to maintaining a 
 high level of public safety for commercial space launches from, 
 and reentries to, Federal ranges;

    (2) significant expertise in flight safety analysis exists 
 within the Department of Defense, the Department of 
 Transportation, and the National Aeronautics and Space 
 Administration; and

    (3) the increasing pace of commercial launch and reentries 
 requires greater cooperation among the Secretary of Defense, 
 the Secretary, and the Administrator of the National 
 Aeronautics and Space Administration to support commercial 
 launch and reentry activities at Federal ranges.

    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Armed Services of the 
Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the 
Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report 
that identifies roles, responsibilities, expertise, and knowledge that 
exists within the executive branch of the Federal Government relating 
to analysis of flight safety for space launch and reentry activities.
            (c) Memorandum of Understanding.--Upon completion of the report 
required by subsection

    (b) , the Secretary may enter into a memorandum 
of understanding with the Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to allow Federal 
range personnel to support flight safety analysis required for the 
licensing of commercial space launch and reentry activities.

SEC. 8. STREAMLINING LICENSING OF PRIVATE REMOTE SENSING SPACE SYSTEMS.

    (a) Clarification of Remote Sensing Regulatory Authority Over 
Certain Imaging Systems.--

Section 60121

    (a)

    (2) of title 51, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
``Instruments determined by the Secretary in writing to be used 
primarily for mission assurance or other technical purposes shall not 
be considered to be conducting remote sensing. Instruments used 
primarily for mission assurance or other technical purposes are 
instruments used to support the health of the launch vehicle or the 
operator's spacecraft or the safety of the operator's space operations, 
including instruments used to support on-board self-monitoring for 
technical assurance, flight reliability, spaceflight safety, 
navigation, attitude control, separation events, payload deployments, 
or instruments collecting self-images.''.

    (b) Facilitation of License Applications and Assistance to 
Applicants.--

    (1) In general.--

Section 60121 of title 51, United States 
 Code, is amended--
        (A) by redesignating subsections
            (d) and

    (e) as 
 subsections

    (e) and

    (f) , respectively; and
        (B) by inserting after subsection
            (c) the 
 following:
 ``
            (d) Assignment of Dedicated Licensing Officer.--The Secretary 
shall assign a licensing officer to oversee the application of the 
applicant for a license under subsection

    (a) . The licensing officer 
shall assist the applicant by facilitating the application process, 
minimizing license conditions, and expediting the review and approval 
of the application, to the extent authorized by law.''.

    (2) Conforming amendment.--

Section 60122

    (b)

    (3) of title 51, 
 United States Code, is amended by striking ``

section 60121

    (e) '' 
 and inserting ``

section 60121

    (f) ''.
            (c) Transparency and Expeditious Review of Licenses.--In carrying 
out the authorities under subchapter III of chapter 601 of title 51, 
United States Code, the Secretary shall--

    (1) provide transparency to and engagement with applicants 
 throughout the licensing process, including by stating with 
 specificity to the applicant or licensee what basis caused the 
 tiering determination of the license;

    (2) minimize the timelines for review of commercial remote 
 sensing licensing applications; and

    (3) not less frequently than annually, reevaluate the 
 criteria for the tiering of satellite systems, with a goal of 
 expeditiously recategorizing Tier 3 systems to a lower tier 
 without temporary license conditions.

SEC. 9. GAO REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States 
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 on the policies, regulations, and 
practices of the Department of Commerce (referred to in this section as 
the ``Department'') with respect to the private remote sensing space 
industry.

    (b) Elements.--The report required by subsection

    (a) shall include 
the following:

    (1) An assessment of the extent to which such licensing 
 policies, regulations, and practices of the Department promote 
 or inhibit a robust domestic private remote sensing industry, 
 including any restrictions that impede innovative remote 
 sensing capabilities.

    (2) Recommendations on changes to policies, regulations, 
 and practices for consideration by the Secretary of Commerce to 
 promote United States industry leadership in private remote 
 sensing capabilities, including recommendations for--
        (A) determining whether the costs to industry 
 outweigh the benefits of conducting on-site ground 
 station visits, and possible alternatives to ensuring 
 compliance;
        (B) assessing the information in a license 
 application that should be treated as a material fact 
 and the justification for such treatment;
            (C) incorporating industry feedback into Department 
 policies, regulations, and practices; and
            (D) increasing Department transparency by--
            (i) ensuring the wide dissemination of 
 Department guidance;
            (ii) providing clear application 
 instructions; and
            (iii) establishing written precedent of 
 Department actions.
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