To make revisions in title 51, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current, and to make technical amendments to improve the United States Code.
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMs. Crockett introduced the following bill; which was referred to …
Summary
What This Bill Does
This bill makes technical revisions to Title 51 of the United States Code, which governs NASA and commercial space programs. The revisions reorganize existing provisions, update outdated references, correct drafting errors, and modernize terminology without changing the actual meaning or effect of existing space law. It also codifies previously uncodified space policy provisions from multiple NASA Authorization Acts (2005, 2008, 2010, 2017).
Who Benefits and How
- NASA administrators and legal professionals benefit from a clearer, better-organized statutory framework that is easier to navigate and interpret.
- Commercial space companies (such as SpaceX, Boeing, Blue Origin) benefit from the codification of policies supporting the Commercial Crew Program, commercial cargo services, and commercial use of the International Space Station.
- Aerospace manufacturers and contractors benefit from the codification of Space Launch System, Orion crew vehicle, and deep space exploration program requirements that ensure continued government investment.
- Research institutions and universities benefit from codified STEM education, aeronautics research, and science program provisions.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Since this is primarily a technical codification bill that does not create new requirements, there are minimal new burdens:
- Electronic parts suppliers to NASA face codified anti-counterfeiting compliance requirements for supply chain security.
- NASA IT contractors face codified information security and cybersecurity training requirements.
- NASA contractors generally face codified cost control, baseline reporting, and Space Act Agreement compliance requirements that were already in effect.
Key Provisions
- Explicitly states that the restatement does NOT change the meaning or effect of existing law
- Updates all references from "Committee on Science and Technology" to "Committee on Science, Space, and Technology" reflecting the 2011 House committee name change
- Codifies the Commercial Crew Program for crew transportation to the ISS by commercial providers
- Codifies Space Launch System and Orion multipurpose crew vehicle development requirements
- Codifies ISS operations, extension through 2030, and commercial utilization policies
- Codifies NASA facilities and infrastructure planning requirements
- Codifies anti-counterfeiting program for electronic parts in NASA supply chain
- Codifies orbital debris mitigation research and international coordination
- Codifies human exploration roadmap and deep space exploration goals
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
This bill makes technical revisions to Title 51, United States Code (National and Commercial Space Programs), reorganizing provisions, conforming style and terminology, modernizing obsolete language, and correcting drafting errors without changing the meaning or effect of existing law.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Reorganize, modernize, and correct Title 51 of the United States Code related to NASA and space programs without substantively changing existing law; codify previously enacted but uncodified space policy provisions from NASA Authorization Acts of 2005, 2008, 2010, 2017 and other laws"
Likely Beneficiaries
- NASA and space program administrators (clearer, modernized statutory framework)
- Legal practitioners and researchers (improved code organization and accessibility)
- Commercial space companies (codified policies supporting commercial space transportation)
- Aerospace industry (codified Space Launch System, Orion, and ISS utilization policies)
Likely Burden Bearers
- None significant - this is a technical codification bill that does not create new requirements or burdens
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_administrator"
- → Administrator of NASA
- "the_director_ostp"
- → Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy
- "the_secretary_of_state"
- → Secretary of State
- "the_secretary_of_defense"
- → Secretary of Defense
- "the_chief_information_officer"
- → Chief Information Officer of NASA
- "the_director_of_national_intelligence"
- → Director of National Intelligence
Note: This is a technical codification bill - "The Administrator" consistently refers to the NASA Administrator throughout
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
The follow-on Government-owned civil launch system developed, managed, and operated by the Administration to serve as a key component to expand human presence beyond low-Earth orbit
The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives
The multipurpose crew vehicle described under section 71522 of title 51
The region of space from the Earth out to and including the region around the surface of the Moon
The region of space that includes low-Earth orbit and extends out to and includes geo-synchronous orbit
The region of space beyond low-Earth orbit, to include cis-lunar space
Any person providing human space flight transportation services, primary control of which is held by persons other than the Federal Government, a State or local government, or a foreign government
A commercial provider, organized under the laws of the United States or of a State, that is more than 50 percent owned by United States nationals
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