S. 4044 — Introduced in Senate

II 119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4044 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES March 10, 2026Mr. Markey (for himself and Ms. Warren) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to designate national high-energy astrophysics hubs. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Support for Astrophysical Observatories and National High-Energy Astrophysics Hubs Act of 2026. 2. Support for astrophysical observatories and national high-energy astrophysics hubs (a) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) the United States should maintain its global leadership in high-energy astrophysics; (2) in order to maintain such leadership, the United States should support X-ray flagship missions based on the recommendations of the most recent and future decadal Surveys in Astronomy and Astrophysics issued by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; (3) the workforce associated with high-energy astrophysics constitutes a national strategic asset that will be critical to the development and eventual operation of any such flagship mission; and (4) proactive steps should be taken to ensure that the capabilities of current high-energy astrophysics facilities continue to serve the scientific, educational, and commercial interests of the United States long beyond the duration of the current high-energy astrophysics flagship mission. (b) Designation (1) In general The Administrator shall designate as a national high-energy astrophysics hub each eligible facility described in paragraph (2). (2) Eligible facility described An eligible facility described in this paragraph is an entity that— (A) (i) is party to a contract with NASA; and (ii) plans and operates missions that conduct activities for purposes of— (I) ensuring continued United States leadership in high-energy astrophysics and related space sciences; (II) supporting training and workforce development in data-intensive high-energy astrophysics, aerospace engineering, and spacecraft operations; (III) advancing United States capabilities in high-performance scientific software, spaceflight operations, and technology transfer; (IV) enabling future high-energy astrophysics missions through mission design, planning, and scientific coordination; or (V) serving as a collaborative national resource for academic, governmental, and commercial partners; and (B) (i) is an institution of higher education; (ii) is an appropriate State or Federal entity, including a federally funded research and development center; or (iii) is a nongovernmental organization with expertise in advanced energy technology research, development, demonstration, or commercial application.