IB
Union Calendar No. 503
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 4152
[Report No. 118–604]
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 15, 2023
Ms. Caraveo (for herself, Mr. Lamborn, Ms. Pettersen, and Mr. Neguse) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
July 23, 2024
Additional sponsor: Mr. Molinaro
July 23, 2024
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic
For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 15, 2023
A BILL
To direct the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and Secretary of Commerce to submit to Congress a report on the merits of, and options for, establishing an institute relating to space resources, and for other purposes.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the Space Resources Institute Act
.
Report on merits and options for establishing an institute relating to space resources
Report
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator and Secretary shall jointly submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the merits of, and options for, establishing an institute relating to space resources to advance the objectives of NASA and the Department in maintaining United States preeminence in space. Such objectives shall include the following:
Identifying, developing, and distributing space resources, including by encouraging the development of foundational science and technology.
Reducing the technological risks associated with identifying, developing, and distributing space resources.
Research to maximize the responsible use of space resources.
Developing options for using space resources to—
support current and future space architectures, programs, and missions; and
enable such architectures, programs, and missions that would not otherwise be possible.
Additional matters
The report required under subsection (a) shall also include the following assessments of the Administrator and the Secretary:
Whether a virtual or physical institute relating to space resources is most cost effective and appropriate.
Whether partnering with institutions of higher education and the aerospace industry, and the extractive industry as appropriate, would be effective in increasing information available to the institute with respect to advancing the objectives described in subsection (a).
Definitions
In this section:
Administrator
The term Administrator
means the Administrator of NASA.
Appropriate congressional committees
The term appropriate congressional committees
means—
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives; and
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
Department
The term Department
means the Department of Commerce.
Extractive industry
The term extractive industry
means companies and individuals involved in the processes of extracting, including mining, quarrying, drilling, and dredging, raw, natural materials or energy sources.
Institution of higher education
The term institution of higher education
has the meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)).
NASA
The term NASA
means the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Secretary
The term Secretary
means the Secretary of Commerce.
Space resource
In general
The term space resource
means an abiotic resource in situ in outer space.
Inclusions
The term space resource
includes a raw, natural material or energy source.
July 23, 2024
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed