Proposed Legislation

The Department of Commerce submitted the following legislative proposal to Congress in September 2007. The purpose of the bill is to update existing legislation establishing the Office of Space Commercialization within the Department. The new language would rename the Office, streamline its functions, and add new responsibilities to promote geospatial technology and support the National Executive Committee for Space-Based PNT.

At this time, the legislation has not been introduced in Congress, so it does not yet have a bill number.

A BILL

To provide technical corrections to the Technology Administration Act of 1998, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1: SHORT TITLE.

(a) This Act may be cited as the “Space Commerce Act of 2007.”

SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCE.

(a) The heading of 15 U.S.C. § 1511e is deleted and replaced with the following:

“Office of Space Commerce”.

(b) Section 8(a) of the Technology Administration Act of 1998 (15 U.S.C. § 1511e(a)) is amended to read as follows:

“There is established within the Department of Commerce an Office of Space Commerce (referred to in this section as the “Office”).”.

SEC. 3. FUNCTIONS OF THE OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCE.

Section 8(c) of the Technology Administration Act of 1998 (15 U.S.C. § 1511e(c)) is amended to read as follows:

“Functions of Office.― The Office shall be the principal unit for space commerce policy activities within the Department of Commerce.  The Office shall―

“(1) Foster the conditions for the economic growth and technological advancement of the United States’ space commerce industry;

“(2) Coordinate space commerce policy issues and actions within the Department of Commerce;

“(3) Represent the Department of Commerce in the development of United States policies and in negotiations with foreign countries to promote United States’ space commerce;

“(4) Promote the advancement of United States’ geospatial technologies related to space commerce, in cooperation with relevant interagency working groups; and

“(5) Provide support to the U.S. Government organizations established pursuant to the United States Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing Policy issued December 8, 2004 (and any successor organizations).”.