,,ii  #aaith ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aifa  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,june #e1      
#bjbe,mr4 ,cornyn 7for himself1 ,mr4    
,lujn1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,florida1 and ,mr4
 ,kelly7 introduced the following bill2 
which was read twice and referred to the
 ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and 
,transportation  ,a ,,bill  ,to         
streamline the application of           
regulations relating to commercial space
 launch and reentry requirements and    
licensing of private remote sensing     
space systems1 and for other purposes4  
#a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited
 as the ,licensing ,aerospace ,units to 
,new ,commercial ,heights ,act or the   
,,launch ,act4  #b4 ,streamlining       
regulations relating to commercial space
 launch and reentry requirements  7a7   
,evaluation of implementation of part   
#dej  7#a7 ,in general ,not later than  
#abj days after the date of the         
enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary  
of ,transportation 7referred to in this 

,act as the ,secretary7 shall evaluate  
the implementation of part #dej of title
 #ad1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7in
 this section referred to as part #dej7 
and the impacts of part #dej on the     
commercial spaceflight industry4  7#b7  
,elements ,the evaluation required by   
paragraph 7#a7 shall include an         
assessment of-- 7,a7 whether increased  
uncertainty in the commercial           
spaceflight industry has resulted from  
the implementation of part #dej2  7,b7  
whether part #dej has resulted in       
operational delays to launch2 and  7,c7 
whether timelines for reviews have      
changed1 including an assessment of the 
impact of the incremental review process
 on those timelines and the root cause  
for multiple reviews1 if applicable4    
7#c7 ,report required ,not later than   
#ij days after completing the review    
required by paragraph 7#a71 the         
,secretary shall submit to the          
,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1 and  
,transportation of the ,senate and the  

,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and     
,technology of the ,house of            
,representatives a report that          
includes-- 7,a7 the findings of the     
review2  7,b7 recommendations for       
reducing delays and inefficiencies      
resulting from part #dej that do not    
rely solely on additional personnel or  
funding2 and  7,c7 an estimate for a    
timeline and funding for implementing   
the recommendations described in        
subparagraph 7,b74  7b7 ,rulemaking     
committee  7#a7 ,in general ,the        
,secretary shall continue to support an 
,aerospace ,rulemaking ,committee for   
the commercial space transportation     
industry1 comprised of established and  
emerging ,united ,states commercial     
space launch and reentry services       
providers 7including providers that     
hold1 and providers that have applied   
for but not yet received1 licenses      
issued under chapter #eji of title #ea1 
,united ,states ,code7-- 7,a7 to        
facilitate industry participation in    

developing recommendations for          
amendments to part #dej to address the  
challenges identified in conducting the 
review required by subsection 7a7 or    
under paragraph 7#b7 of section         
#ejije7;d7 of title #ea1 ,united ,states
 ,code 7as added by subsection 7d77#c772
 and  7,b7 to provide a long-term forum 
for the ,united ,states commercial      
spaceflight industry to share           
perspectives relating to regulations    
affecting the industry4  7#b7           
,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 ,committee4  7c7              
,encouragement of innovation ,the       
,secretary shall1 on an ongoing basis1  
determine whether any requirements for a
 license issued under chapter #eji of   

title #ea1 ,united ,states ,code1 can be
 modified or eliminated to encourage    
innovative new technologies and         
operations4  7d7 ,modifications to      
requirements and procedures for license 
applications  7#a7 ,consideration of    
safety rationales of license applicants 
,section #ejije7;a77#b7 of title #ea1   
,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7,a7
 by striking ,secretary may inserting   
the following3 8,secretary--  7,a7 may  
2  7,b7 by striking the period at the   
end and inserting 2 and2 and  7,c7 by   
adding at the end the following3  7,b7  
shall accept a reasonable safety        
rationale proposed by an applicant for a
 license under this chapter1 including  
new approaches1 consistent with         
paragraph 7#a74  4  7#b7 ,facilitation  
of license applications and assistance  
to applicants ,section #ejije7;a7 of    
title #ea1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by adding at the end the        
following3  7#c7 ,in carrying out       
paragraph 7#a71 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 application4  
4  7#c7 ,streamlining of review         
processes ,section #ejije7;d7 of title  
#ea1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended  
by striking the end period and inserting
 the following3 81 including by--  7#a7 
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 #dej4cc of title  
#ad1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations 7or 
a successor regulation72 and  7#b7      
eliminating and streamlining duplicative
 review processes with other agencies1  
particularly relating to the use of     
,federal ranges or requirements to use  
the assets of ,federal ranges4  4  #c4  
,digital licensing1 permitting1 and     
approval system  7a7 ,in general        
,section #ejije of title #ea1 ,united   

,states ,code1 is amended by adding at  
the end the following3  7e7 ,digital    
licensing1 permitting1 and approval     
system  7#a7 ,establishment  7,a7 ,in   
general ,subject to paragraph 7#d71 not 
later than #fj days after the date of   
the enactment of this subsection1 the   
,secretary shall develop and maintain a 
digital licensing1 permitting1 and      
approval system-- 7i7 to accept1 track1 
and provide relevant status information 
regarding each license or permit        
application under this chapter1         
beginning with receipt of the initial   
application through final approval or   
denial of the application2 and  7ii7 to 
provide notifications to an applicant   
with respect to the status of such an   
application4  7,b7 ,elements ,the system
 required by subparagraph 7,a7 shall    
include1 at a minimum1 information on-- 
7i7 the date on which an application was
 received by the ,secretary2  7ii7 each 
date on which the application was       
referred to any other agency of the     

,federal ,government for review1 as     
applicable2  7iii7 each date on which   
additional information was requested    
from the applicant1 as applicable2  7iv7
 the date on which the ,secretary       
notified the applicant of a final       
approval or denial of the application2  
and  7v7 the overall rate of success of 
such system in meeting the timelines set
 forth in this section4  7#b7 ,public   
availability ,the ,secretary shall--    
7,a7 make the information maintained by 
the system required by paragraph 7#a7   
available on a publicly accessible      
website of the ,department of           
,transportation2 and  7,b7 ensure that  
such information is updated on such     
website not less frequently than        
quarterly4  7#c7 ,notification ,with    
respect to an application for a license 
or permit under this chapter1 the       
,secretary shall provide through the    
digital licensing1 permitting1 and      
approval system developed under this    
subsection electronic notification to an

 applicant-- 7,a7 immediately on-- 7i7  
receipt of a license or permit          
application2  7ii7 a determination under
 subsection 7f7 that an application     
received by the ,secretary is complete2 
7iii7 initiation of application         
processing2  7iv7 transmission of the   
application1 in whole or part1 for      
interagency review1 as applicable1 and  
such notification shall include an      
identification of the #a or more        
agencies with which application         
information is shared2 and  7v7 approval
 or denial of the application2 and  7,b7
 with respect to-- 7i7 any question     
proposed by the ,secretary to the       
applicant2  7ii7 responses provided to  
the ,secretary by any agency involved in
 interagency review1 as applicable2 and 
7iii7 any other status update the       
,secretary considers necessary4  7#d7   
,existing systems ,in carrying out      
paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall    
utilize a commercially available system 
that can be used off-the-shelf4  7f7    

,complete application ,an application   
submitted under this section shall be   
considered complete if1 at the time of  
electronic submission1 the applicant has
 provided in standard digital format all
 information required under subsection  
7b74  4  7b7 ,funding ,of the amounts   
made available for the ,federal         
,aviation ,administration for           
,commercial ,space ,transportation      
,safety ,research and ,development for  
fiscal year #bjbe1 not more than        
#e1jjj1jjj may be made available to     
develop the digital licensing1          
permitting1 and approval system         
described in section #ejije7;e7 of title
 #ea1 ,united ,states ,code4  #d4       
,annual briefing on government          
processing of commercial space launch   
and reentry licenses  7a7 ,requirement  
,not later than ,march #ca each calendar
 year1 the ,secretary shall brief the   
appropriate committees of ,congress on  
the licensing and permitting process for
 space activities required by section   

#ejije of title #ea1 ,united ,states    
,code4  7b7 ,elements ,the briefing     
required by subsection 7a7 shall        
include1 with respect to the preceding  
calendar year1 the following3 7#a7 ,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 application4  7#b7 ,the   
frequency and average duration of       
tolling against submitted applications4 
7#c7 ,the number of applications        
reviewed that exceeded the statutorily  
provided review timelines4  7#d7 ,a     
description of efforts made by the      
,secretary to streamline1 under section 
#ejije7;d7 of title #ea1 ,united ,states
 ,code1 the processes required for      
review of applications4  7#e7 ,a summary
 of the information generated by the    
digital licensing1 permitting1 and      
approval system established under       
section #ejije7;e7 of title #ea1 ,united
 ,states ,code1 including any additional

 information the ,secretary considers   
relevant with respect to the function or
 processes of such system4  7#f7 ,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 ,states4  7c7   
,appropriate committees of ,congress    
defined ,in this section1 the term      
appropriate committees of ,congress     
means-- 7#a7 the ,committee on          
,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
 and the ,committee on ,appropriations  
of the ,senate2 and  7#b7 the ,committee
 on ,science1 ,space1 and ,technology1  
the ,committee on ,transportation and   
,infrastructure1 and the ,committee on  
,appropriations of the ,house of        
,representatives4  #e4 ,direct hire for 
,office of ,commercial ,space           
,transportation  7a7 ,in general ,the   
,secretary of ,transportation shall use 
direct hire authorities 7as such        
authorities existed on the day before   

the date of the enactment of this ,act7 
to hire individuals on a noncompetitive 
basis for positions related to space    
launch and reentry licensing and permit 
activities4  7b7 ,annual report ,not    
less frequently than annually1 the      
,secretary of ,transportation shall     
submit to the ,committee on ,commerce1  
,science1 and ,transportation of the    
,senate and the ,committee on ,science1 
,space1 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 activities4  #f4 ,establishment  
of ,commercial ,space ,transportation   
,administration  7a7 ,in general        
,chapter #eji of title #ea1 ,united     
,states ,code1 is amended by inserting  
after section #ejijb the following3     
#ejijb;,a4 ,commercial ,space           
,transportation ,administration  7a7    

,establishment ,there is established    
within the ,department of               
,transportation a ,commercial ,space    
,transportation ,administration4  7b7   
,leadership ,the ,commercial ,space     
,transportation ,administration shall be
 headed by an ,administrator1 who shall 
report directly to the ,secretary of    
,transportation4  7c7 ,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 activities1 including the       
authorities provided under this chapter4
  4  7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the table 
of sections at the beginning of chapter 
#eji of such title is amended by        
inserting after the item relating to    
section #ejijb the following3           
#ejijb;,a4 ,commercial ,space           
,transportation ,administration4  4  #g4
 ,flight safety analysis workforce  7a7 
,sense of ,congress ,it is the sense of 

,congress that-- 7#a7 flight safety     
analysis is critical to maintaining a   
high level of public safety for         
commercial space launches from1 and     
reentries to1 ,federal ranges2  7#b7    
significant expertise in flight safety  
analysis exists within the ,department  
of ,defense1 the ,department of         
,transportation1 and the ,national      
,aeronautics and ,space ,administration2
 and  7#c7 the increasing pace of       
commercial launch and reentries requires
 greater cooperation among the          
,secretary of ,defense1 the ,secretary1 
and the ,administrator of the ,national 
,aeronautics and ,space ,administration 
to support commercial launch and reentry
 activities at ,federal ranges4  7b7    
,report ,not later than #ahj days after 
the date of the enactment of this ,act1 
the ,secretary1 in consultation with the
 ,secretary of ,defense and the         
,administrator of the ,national         
,aeronautics and ,space ,administration1
 shall submit to the ,committee on      

,commerce1 ,science1 and ,transportation
 and the ,committee on ,armed ,services 
of the ,senate and the ,committee on    
,science1 ,space1 and ,technology and   
the ,committee on ,armed ,services of   
the ,house of ,representatives a report 
that identifies roles1 responsibilities1
 expertise1 and knowledge that exists   
within the executive branch of the      
,federal ,government relating to        
analysis of flight safety for space     
launch and reentry activities4  7c7     
,memorandum of understanding ,upon      
completion of the report required by    
subsection 7b71 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 activities4  #h4     
,streamlining licensing of private      
remote sensing space systems  7a7       

,clarification of remote sensing        
regulatory authority over certain       
imaging systems ,section #fjaba7;a77#b7 
of title #ea1 ,united ,states ,code1 is 
amended by adding at the end the        
following3 ,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      
sensing4 ,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 operations1        
including instruments used to support   
on-board self-monitoring for technical  
assurance1 flight reliability1          
spaceflight safety1 navigation1 attitude
 control1 separation events1 payload    
deployments1 or instruments collecting  
self-images44  7b7 ,facilitation of     
license applications and assistance to  
applicants  7#a7 ,in general ,section   

#fjaba of title #ea1 ,united ,states    
,code1 is amended-- 7,a7 by             
redesignating subsections 7d7 and 7e7 as
 subsections 7e7 and 7f71 respectively2 
and  7,b7 by inserting after subsection 
7c7 the following3  7d7 ,assignment of  
dedicated licensing officer ,the        
,secretary shall assign a licensing     
officer to oversee the application of   
the applicant for a license under       
subsection 7a74 ,the licensing officer  
shall assist the applicant by           
facilitating the application process1   
minimizing license conditions1 and      
expediting the review and approval of   
the application1 to the extent          
authorized by law4  4  7#b7 ,conforming 
amendment ,section #fjabb7;b77#c7 of    
title #ea1 ,united ,states ,code1 is    
amended by striking section #fjaba7;e7  
and inserting section #fjaba7;f74  7c7  
,transparency and expeditious review of 
licenses ,in carrying out the           
authorities under subchapter ,,iii of   
chapter #fja of title #ea1 ,united      

,states ,code1 the ,secretary shall--   
7#a7 provide transparency to and        
engagement with applicants throughout   
the licensing process1 including by     
stating with specificity to the         
applicant or licensee what basis caused 
the tiering determination of the        
license2  7#b7 minimize the timelines   
for review of commercial remote sensing 
licensing applications2 and  7#c7 not   
less frequently than annually1          
reevaluate the criteria for the tiering 
of satellite systems1 with a goal of    
expeditiously recategorizing ,tier #c   
systems to a lower tier without         
temporary license conditions4  #i4 ,,gao
 report  7a7 ,in general ,not later than
 #a year after the date of the enactment
 of this ,act1 the ,comptroller ,general
 of the ,united ,states shall submit to 
the ,committee on ,commerce1 ,science1  
and ,transportation of the ,senate and  
the ,committee on ,science1 ,space1 and 
,technology of the ,house of            
,representatives a report on the        

policies1 regulations1 and practices of 
the ,department of ,commerce 7referred  
to in this section as the ,department7  
with respect to the private remote      
sensing space industry4  7b7 ,elements  
,the report required by subsection 7a7  
shall include the following3 7#a7 ,an   
assessment of the extent to which such  
licensing policies1 regulations1 and    
practices of the ,department promote or 
inhibit a robust domestic private remote
 sensing industry1 including any        
restrictions that impede innovative     
remote sensing capabilities4  7#b7      
,recommendations on changes to policies1
 regulations1 and practices for         
consideration by the ,secretary of      
,commerce to promote ,united ,states    
industry leadership in private remote   
sensing capabilities1 including         
recommendations for-- 7,a7 determining  
whether the costs to industry outweigh  
the benefits of conducting on-site      
ground station visits1 and possible     
alternatives to ensuring compliance2    

7,b7 assessing the information in a     
license application that should be      
treated as a material fact and the      
justification for such treatment2  7,c7 
incorporating industry feedback into    
,department policies1 regulations1 and  
practices2 and  7,d7 increasing         
,department transparency by-- 7i7       
ensuring the wide dissemination of      
,department guidance2  7ii7 providing   
clear application instructions2 and     
7iii7 establishing written precedent of 
,department actions4