To provide for transparent licensing of commercial remote sensing systems, and for other purposes.
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Commercial Remote Sensing Amendment Act of 2025 increases transparency in the federal licensing system for private remote sensing space systems. It shortens two statutory reporting timelines from 120 days to 60 days. It changes the annual reporting content so the government must disclose all terms, conditions, or restrictions placed on licensees under section 60122, and must list all applications submitted and licenses granted by tier as defined in regulation, including the rationale for each tier categorization. It also extends the relevant reporting provision from September 30, 2020, to September 30, 2030. The practical effect is more frequent and more detailed visibility into NOAA and Commerce licensing decisions for commercial satellite imaging and remote sensing systems.
Who Benefits and How
Commercial remote sensing applicants, prospective satellite operators, competing remote sensing companies, congressional space committees, public-interest groups, space policy researchers, national security reviewers, and investors in satellite imaging companies benefit from more frequent reports and clearer disclosure of license conditions, restrictions, applications, grants, and tier rationales. Applicants can better understand how similar systems are categorized and what conditions NOAA places on licenses.
Who Bears the Burden and How
NOAA Office of Space Commerce licensing staff, Department of Commerce administrative staff, commercial remote sensing licensees, satellite imaging companies, application reviewers, national security reviewers, and regulatory reporting teams must prepare more frequent reports, disclose conditions and restrictions, explain tier categorizations, and manage greater public exposure of application and license information.
Key Provisions
- Reduces certain commercial remote sensing reporting timelines from 120 days to 60 days.
- Requires reporting of all terms, conditions, or restrictions placed on licensees.
- Requires lists of applications submitted and licenses granted by regulatory tier.
- Requires rationales for each tier categorization.
- Extends the reporting provision through September 30, 2030.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Amends title 51 commercial remote sensing reporting rules by shortening certain reporting periods from 120 days to 60 days, requiring disclosure of license terms, conditions, restrictions, applications, licenses granted, tier categorizations and rationales, and extending the reporting authority through September 30, 2030.
Key Policy Areas
Space, Commercial Remote Sensing, Government Transparency
Primary Purpose
Amends title 51 commercial remote sensing reporting rules by shortening certain reporting periods from 120 days to 60 days, requiring disclosure of license terms, conditions, restrictions, applications, licenses granted, tier categorizations and rationales, and extending the reporting authority through September 30, 2030.
Policy Domains
Substantive provisions
Identified Gains
- Commercial remote sensing applicants
- Prospective satellite operators
- Competing remote sensing companies
- Congressional space committees
- Public-interest groups
- Space policy researchers
- National security reviewers
Identified Costs
- NOAA Office of Space Commerce licensing staff
- Department of Commerce administrative staff
- Commercial remote sensing licensees
- Satellite imaging companies
- Application reviewers
- Regulatory reporting teams
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
Passed HouseReceived; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, …
Passed House (inferred from eh version)
Mr. Lucas (for himself and Ms. Lofgren) introduced the following …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Commercial remote sensing licensees, Competing remote sensing companies, Prospective satellite operators
Positive-direction: Competing remote sensing companies, Prospective satellite operators
Negative-direction: Commercial remote sensing licensees
Congressional space committees, NOAA Office of Space Commerce
Positive-direction: Congressional space committees
Negative-direction: NOAA Office of Space Commerce
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology