119-s434

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 434 Reported in Senate

    (RS) ]

<DOC>

 Calendar No. 198
119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 434

 [Report No. 119-87]

To establish the Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee, and for 
 other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 February 5, 2025

Mr. Peters (for himself and Mr. Wicker) introduced the following bill; 
 which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
 Science, and Transportation

 October 21, 2025

 Reported by Mr. Cruz, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
 in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To establish the Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee, and for 
 other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Space Commerce Advisory 
Committee Act''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED> In this Act:</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the 
 Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Office of Space 
 Commerce.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) Space object.--The term ``space object''--
 </DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) means--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (i) a human-made object located in 
 outer space, including on the Moon or other 
 celestial bodies, with or without human 
 occupants, that was launched from Earth, such 
 as a satellite or a spacecraft, including 
 component parts of the object; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (ii) all items carried on such 
 object that are intended for use in outer space 
 outside of, and independent of, the operation 
 of such object;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) includes any human-made object that 
 is--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (i) manufactured or assembled in 
 outer space; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (ii) intended for operations in 
 outer space other than, and independent of, the 
 operations of such object in which the 
 manufacturing or assembly occurred; 
 and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (C) does not include--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (i) an article aboard a space 
 object that is only intended for use inside the 
 space object;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (ii) an article manufactured or 
 processed in outer space that is a material; 
 or</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (iii) an article intended for use 
 outside a space object as part of the 
 authorized operations of the space 
 object.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (3) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the 
 several States of the United States, the District of Columbia, 
 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin 
 Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern 
 Mariana Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or 
 possession of the United States.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (4) United states entity.--The term ``United 
 States entity'' means--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) an individual who is a national of the 
 United States (as defined in 

section 101

    (a) of the 
 Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101

    (a) )); 
 and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) a nongovernmental entity organized or 
 existing under, and subject to, the laws of the United 
 States or a State.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

SEC. 3. COMMERCIAL SPACE ACTIVITY ADVISORY 
 COMMITTEE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a 
Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee (in this section referred 
to as the ``Committee'').</DELETED>
<DELETED>

    (b) Membership.--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) In general.--The Committee shall be composed 
 of 15 members appointed by the Secretary.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) Qualifications.--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) In general.--The Committee shall be 
 composed of representatives from a variety of space 
 policy, engineering, technical, science, legal, and 
 finance fields who have significant experience in the 
 commercial space industry.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) Limitation.--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (i) In general.--Except as 
 provided in clause
            (i) , the Secretary may not 
 appoint as a member of the Committee any 
 employee or official of the Federal 
 Government.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (ii) Exception.--The Secretary may 
 appoint as a member of the Committee a special 
 government employee (as defined in 

section 202

    (a) of title 18, United States Code) who 
 serves on 1 or more other Federal advisory 
 committees.</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (3) Term.--Each individual appointed as a member 
 of the Committee--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) shall be appointed for a term of 4 
 years; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) during the 2-year period beginning on 
 the date on which such term ends, may not serve as a 
 member of the Committee.</DELETED>
<DELETED>
            (c) Duties.--The duties of the Committee shall be--
</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (1) to advise on the status and recent 
 developments of nongovernmental space activities;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (2) to provide to the Secretary and Congress 
 recommendations on the manner in which the United States may 
 facilitate and promote a robust and innovative commercial 
 sector that is investing in, developing, and operating space 
 objects;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (3) to identify any challenge faced by the United 
 States commercial sector relating to--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) international obligations of the 
 United States relevant to commercial space sector 
 activities in outer space;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) export controls that affect the 
 commercial space sector;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (C) harmful interference with commercial 
 space sector activities in outer space; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
            (D) access to adequate, predictable, and 
 reliable radio frequency spectrum;</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (4) to review existing best practices for United 
 States entities to avoid--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) the harmful contamination of the Moon 
 and other celestial bodies; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) adverse changes in the environment of 
 the Earth resulting from the introduction of 
 extraterrestrial matter; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>

    (5) to provide information, advice, and 
 recommendations on matters relating to--</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (A) United States commercial space sector 
 activities in outer space; and</DELETED>
 <DELETED>
        (B) other commercial space sector 
 activities, as the Committee considers 
 necessary.</DELETED>
<DELETED>
            (d) Termination.--The Committee shall terminate on the 
date that is 10 years after the date on which the Committee is 
established.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Space Commerce Advisory Committee 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Commerce, acting through the Office of Space Commerce.

    (2) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
 States of the United States, the District of Columbia, the 
 Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, 
 Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
 Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession 
 of the United States.

    (3) United states entity.--The term ``United States 
 entity'' means--
        (A) an individual who is a national of the United 
 States (as defined in 

section 101

    (a) of the Immigration 
 and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101

    (a) )); and
        (B) a nongovernmental entity organized or existing 
 under, and subject to, the laws of the United States or 
 a State.

SEC. 3. COMMERCIAL SPACE ACTIVITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a Commercial Space 
Activity Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the 
``Committee'').

    (b) Membership.--

    (1) In general.--The Committee shall be composed of 15 
 members appointed by the Secretary.

    (2) Qualifications.--
        (A) In general.--The Committee shall be composed of 
 representatives from a variety of space policy, 
 engineering, technical, science, legal, academic, and 
 finance fields who have significant experience in the 
 commercial space industry, which may include previous 
 Government experience.
        (B) Limitation.--
            (i) In general.--Except as provided in 
 clause
            (i) , the Secretary may not appoint as a 
 member of the Committee any employee or 
 official of the Federal Government.
            (ii) Exception.--The Secretary may appoint 
 as a member of the Committee a special 
 government employee (as defined in 

section 202

    (a) of title 18, United States Code) who 
 serves on 1 or more other Federal advisory 
 committees.

    (3) Term.--Each individual appointed as a member of the 
 Committee--
        (A) shall be appointed for a term of not more than 
 4 years; and
        (B) during the 2-year period beginning on the date 
 on which such term ends, may not serve as a member of 
 the Committee.
            (c) Duties.--The duties of the Committee shall be--

    (1) to advise on the status and recent developments of 
 nongovernmental space activities;

    (2) to provide to the Secretary and Congress 
 recommendations on the manner in which the United States may 
 facilitate and promote a safe, sustainable, robust, 
 competitive, and innovative commercial sector that is investing 
 in, developing, and conducting space activities within the 
 jurisdiction of the Department of Commerce, including through 
 the development and implementation of any regulatory framework 
 applicable to the commercial space industry;

    (3) to identify, and provide recommendations in response 
 to, any challenge faced by the United States commercial sector 
 relating to--
        (A) the application of international obligations of 
 the United States relevant to commercial space sector 
 activities in outer space;
        (B) export controls that affect the commercial 
 space sector;
            (C) harmful interference with commercial space 
 sector activities in outer space; and
            (D) access to adequate, predictable, and reliable 
 radio frequency spectrum;

    (4) to review existing best practices for United States 
 entities to avoid--
        (A) the harmful contamination of the Moon and other 
 celestial bodies; and
        (B) adverse changes in the environment of the Earth 
 resulting from the introduction of extraterrestrial 
 matter; and

    (5) to provide information, advice, and recommendations on 
 matters relating to--
        (A) United States commercial space sector 
 activities in outer space; and
        (B) other commercial space sector activities, as 
 the Committee considers necessary.
            (d) Termination.--The Committee shall terminate on the date that is 
10 years after the date on which the Committee is established.
 Calendar No. 198

119th CONGRESS

 1st Session

 S. 434

 [Report No. 119-87]

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To establish the Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee, and for 
 other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 October 21, 2025

 Reported with an amendment