Apollo Exploration Award Act of 1999

Summary: Requires the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to design and present an Apollo Exploration Award, commemorating the accomplishments of the astronauts who flew in the Apollo program. Requires the award to make a lunar rock sample its central feature.Specifies award recipients.Prohibits: (1) the use of the award for monetary gain or profit; or (2) its transfer other than to a family member of the original recipient or by inheritance.Provides for: (1) recall of a lunar sample contained in the award if the Administrator determines that such sample is required for scientific purposes; (2) prompt return of the sample to its owner when it is no longer required; and (3) replacement of the sample with a substantially equivalent one if the Administrator determines that it will not be promptly returned in its entirety and without substantial degradation.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Apollo Exploration Award Act of 
2000''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) On July 20, 1969, Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. 
        ``Buzz'' Aldrin Jr., became the first humans to set foot on 
        another celestial body, during the Apollo 11 mission, 
        accompanied in lunar orbit by Michael Collins.
            (2) Between 1969 and 1972, ten other Americans courageously 
        completed the first human exploration of the lunar surface, 
        accompanied by five command module pilots:
                    (A) Apollo 12--Charles J. ``Pete'' Conrad Jr., Alan 
                L. Bean, and Richard F. Gordon Jr.
                    (B) Apollo 14--Alan B. Shepard Jr., Edgar D. 
                Mitchell, and Stuart A. Roosa.
                    (C) Apollo 15--David R. Scott, James B. Irwin, and 
                Alfred M. Worden.
                    (D) Apollo 16--John W. Young, Charles M. Duke Jr., 
                and Thomas K. Mattingly II.
                    (E) Apollo 17--Eugene A. Cernan, Ronald E. Evans, 
                and Harrison H. Schmitt.
            (3) In April 1970, James A. Lovell Jr., John L. Swigert 
        Jr., and Fred W. Haise Jr., valiantly made a safe return from 
        the Moon on the Apollo 13 mission, after their command module 
        was disabled by an explosion.
            (4) The enormous successes of the Apollo lunar landing 
        missions were only possible due to the pioneering work of the 
        previous Apollo missions, which performed critical testing of 
        the spacecraft and methods, and conducted the first human 
        travel to the Moon:
                    (A) Apollo 7--Walter M. Schirra Jr., Donn F. 
                Eisele, and R. Walter Cunningham.
                    (B) Apollo 8--Frank Borman, James A. Lovell Jr., 
                and William A. Anders.
                    (C) Apollo 9--James A. McDivitt, David R. Scott, 
                and Russell L. Schweickart.
                    (D) Apollo 10--Thomas P. Stafford, John W. Young, 
                and Eugene A. Cernan.
            (5) In January 1967, astronauts Virgil I. Grissom, Edward 
        H. White, and Roger B. Chaffee lost their lives in a tragic 
        fire in the command module while testing the spacecraft which 
        would have carried them on the first manned Apollo mission.
            (6) Since the time of the Apollo program, the program's 
        astronauts have promoted space exploration and human endeavor 
        by sharing their experiences with the American people and the 
        world, stimulating the imagination and the belief that any goal 
        can be achieved.
            (7) Sadly, astronauts John L. Swigert Jr., Donn F. Eisele, 
        Ronald E. Evans, James B. Irwin, Stuart A. Roosa, Alan B. 
        Shepard Jr., and Charles J. ``Pete'' Conrad Jr., have died 
        since completing their missions.

SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that the American people should 
provide a fitting and tangible tribute to each of the astronauts of the 
Apollo program, to recognize and commemorate their bravery, substantial 
scientific and technical accomplishments, and unique contributions to 
American and world history.

SEC. 4. APOLLO EXPLORATION AWARD.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration (hereafter in this Act referred to as the 
``Administrator'') shall design and present an appropriate award, to be 
named the ``Apollo Exploration Award'', commemorating the 
accomplishments of the astronauts who flew in the Apollo program.
    (b) Design.--The Administrator shall ensure that the Apollo 
Exploration Award shall have the following characteristics:
            (1) A lunar rock sample shall be the central feature of the 
        award.
            (2) The design of the award shall permit free access to and 
        removal of the lunar sample by the award recipient.
    (c) Presentation.--The Administrator shall present one award 
created under this Act to each of the following Apollo astronauts, or 
if such person is deceased, to his closest living family member or heir 
(as determined by the Administrator):
            (1) Buzz Aldrin (formerly known as Edwin E. Aldrin Jr.) of 
        Apollo 11.
            (2) William A. Anders of Apollo 8.
            (3) Neil A. Armstrong of Apollo 11.
            (4) Alan L. Bean of Apollo 12.
            (5) Frank Borman of Apollo 8.
            (6) Eugene A. Cernan of Apollo 10 and Apollo 17.
            (7) Roger B. Chafee of Apollo 1.
            (8) Michael Collins of Apollo 11.
            (9) Charles J. ``Pete'' Conrad Jr. of Apollo 12.
            (10) R. Walter Cunningham of Apollo 7.
            (11) Charles M. Duke Jr. of Apollo 16.
            (12) Donn F. Eisele of Apollo 7.
            (13) Ronald E. Evans of Apollo 17.
            (14) Richard F. Gordon Jr. of Apollo 12.
            (15) Virgil I. Grissom of Apollo 1.
            (16) Fred W. Haise Jr. of Apollo 13.
            (17) James B. Irwin of Apollo 15.
            (18) James A. Lovell Jr. of Apollo 8 and Apollo 13.
            (19) Thomas K. Mattingly II of Apollo 16.
            (20) James A. McDivitt of Apollo 9.
            (21) Edgar D. Mitchell of Apollo 14.
            (22) Stuart A. Roosa of Apollo 14.
            (23) Walter M. Schirra Jr. of Apollo 7.
            (24) Harrison H. Schmitt of Apollo 17.
            (25) Russell L. Schweickart of Apollo 9.
            (26) David R. Scott of Apollo 9 and Apollo 15.
            (27) Alan B. Shepard Jr. of Apollo 14.
            (28) Thomas P. Stafford of Apollo 10.
            (29) John L. Swigert Jr. of Apollo 13.
            (30) Edward H. White of Apollo 1.
            (31) Alfred M. Worden of Apollo 15.
            (32) John W. Young of Apollo 10 and Apollo 16.

SEC. 5. PROHIBITION ON PROFIT.

    No person may use an award presented under this Act for monetary 
gain or profit.

SEC. 6. TRANSFER OF AWARD.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, 
ownership interest in an award presented under this Act may not be--
            (1) sold, traded, bartered, or exchanged for anything of 
        value; or
            (2) otherwise transferred, other than to a family member of 
        the original recipient of the award or by inheritance.
    (b) Exception for Public Display.--The prohibition in subsection 
(a) does not apply to a transfer to a museum or nonprofit organization 
for the purpose of public display.
    (c) Reversion.--Ownership of an award presented under this Act 
reverts to the Administrator if--
            (1) no person inherits the award after the death of its 
        owner; or
            (2) the award is not being displayed publicly under 
        subsection (b).

SEC. 7. RECALL OF LUNAR MATERIAL.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator may recall a lunar sample 
contained in an award presented under this Act if the Administrator 
determines that the particular lunar sample is required for scientific 
purposes.
    (b) Prompt Return.--The Administrator shall promptly return a lunar 
sample recalled under subsection (a) to its owner when such sample is 
no longer required for scientific purposes.
    (c) Replacement.--The Administrator may replace a lunar sample 
recalled under subsection (a) with a substantially equivalent lunar 
sample if the Administrator determines that such recalled lunar sample 
will not be promptly returned in its entirety and without substantial 
degradation.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 26, 2000.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.