Voting Resources
Senate Approves U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act
Last week, the Senate unanimously approved S. 1297, the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act. The legislation, which the full Commerce Committee approved by voice vote with an amendment on May 20, 2015, extends the operational use of the International Space Station (ISS) until 2024, a regulatory moratorium on commercial space activity through FY 2020, and ensures stability for the continued development and growth of the U.S. commercial space sector and other space initiatives.
This bipartisan legislation makes a commitment to supporting the continued development of a strong commercial space sector and recognizes that Texas has a major stake in space exploration. My legislation also provides NASA and the International Space Station with nearly a decade of mission certainty by extending the operation and utilization of the International Space Station until 2024. This certainty signifies that the men and women at Johnson Space Center will continue to play a vital role in the future of manned spaceflight.
