International Space Station Authorization Act of 1995

Summary: International Space Station Authorization Act of 1995 - Authorizes appropriations through FY 2002 to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for complete development and initial operations of the International Space Station.  Caps appropriations for any one fiscal year.  Makes appropriations contingent upon the Administrator of NASA certifying that Space Station budgetary, schedule, and technical commitments will be met.  Requires a report to the Congress if such certification cannot be made. 
Authorizes the Administrator to purchase the Clear Lake Development Facility, containing the Sonny Carter Training Facility, Texas. 
Provides for coordination of the Space Shuttle program with the Space Station Program Office. 
States that a priority goal of building the International Space Station is the economic development of Earth orbital space.  Requires a related commercialization market study. 
Expresses the sense of the Congress that the "cost incentive fee" single prime contract for the International Space Station and the consolidation of program management and financial accountability into a single Space Station Program Office should be applied throughout the civil space program. 
Requires the Administrator to submit to the Congress an annual Space Station report, including accounting of all payments to Russia.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``International Space Station 
Authorization Act of 1995''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) the development, assembly, and operation of the 
        International Space Station is in the national interest of the 
        United States;
            (2) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has 
        restructured and redesigned the International Space Station, 
        consolidated contract responsibility, and achieved program 
        management, control, and stability;
            (3) the significant involvement by private ventures in 
        marketing and using, competitively servicing, and commercially 
        augmenting the operational capabilities of the International 
        Space Station during its assembly and operational phases will 
        lower costs and increase benefits to the international 
        partners;
            (4) further rescoping or redesigns of the International 
        Space Station will lead to costly delays, increase costs to its 
        international partners, discourage commercial involvement, and 
        weaken the international space partnership necessary for future 
        space projects;
            (5) total program costs for development, assembly, and 
        initial operations have been identified and capped to ensure 
        financial discipline and maintain program schedule milestones;
            (6) in order to contain costs, mission planning and 
        engineering functions of the National Space Transportation 
        System (Space Shuttle) program should be coordinated with the 
        Space Station Program Office;
            (7) complete program authorizations for large development 
        programs promote program stability, reduce the potential for 
        cost growth, and provide necessary assurance to international 
        partners and commercial participants; and
            (8) the International Space Station represents an important 
        component of an adequately funded civil space program which 
        balances human space flight with science, aeronautics, and 
        technology.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For the purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
        the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; and
            (2) the term ``cost threat'' means a potential change to 
        the program baseline documented as a potential cost by the 
        Space Station Program Office.

SEC. 4. SPACE STATION COMPLETE PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Except as provided in 
subsection (b), there are authorized to be appropriated to the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration for the period encompassing fiscal 
year 1996 and all subsequent fiscal years not to exceed 
$13,141,000,000, to remain available until expended, for complete 
development and assembly of, and to provide for initial operations, 
through fiscal year 2002, of, the International Space Station. Not more 
than $2,121,000,000 may be appropriated for any one fiscal year.
    (b) Certification and Report.--None of the funds authorized under 
subsection (a) may be appropriated for any fiscal year unless, within 
60 days after the submission of the President's budget request for that 
fiscal year, the Administrator--
            (1) certifies to the Congress that--
                    (A) the program reserves available for such fiscal 
                year exceed the total of all cost threats known at the 
                time of certification;
                    (B) the Administrator does not foresee delays in 
                the International Space Station's development or 
                assembly, including any delays relating to agreements 
                between the United States and its international 
                partners; and
                    (C) the International Space Station can be fully 
                developed and assembled without requiring further 
                authorization of appropriations beyond amounts 
                authorized under subsection (a); or
            (2) submits to the Congress a report which describes--
                    (A) the circumstances which prevent a certification 
                under paragraph (1);
                    (B) remedial actions undertaken or to be undertaken 
                with respect to such circumstances;
                    (C) the effects of such circumstances on the 
                development and assembly of the International Space 
                Station; and
                    (D) the justification for proceeding with the 
                program, if appropriate.
If the Administrator submits a report under paragraph (2), such report 
shall include any comments relating thereto submitted to the 
Administrator by any involved party.
    (c) Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory.--The Administrator is authorized 
to exercise an option to purchase, for not more than $35,000,000, the 
Clear Lake Development Facility, containing the Sonny Carter Training 
Facility and the approximately 13.7 acre parcel of land on which it is 
located, using funds authorized by this Act.

SEC. 5. COORDINATION WITH SPACE SHUTTLE.

    The Administrator shall--
            (1) coordinate the engineering functions of the Space 
        Shuttle program with the Space Station Program Office to 
        minimize overlapping activities; and
            (2) in the interest of safety and the successful 
        integration of human spacecraft development with human 
        spaceflight operations, maintain at one lead center the 
        complementary capabilities of human spacecraft engineering and 
        astronaut training.

SEC. 6. COMMERCIALIZATION OF SPACE STATION.

    (a) Policy.--The Congress declares that a priority goal of 
constructing the International Space Station is the economic 
development of Earth orbital space. The Congress further declares that 
the use of free market principles in operating, allocating the use of, 
and adding capabilities to the Space Station, and the resulting fullest 
possible engagement of commercial providers and participation of 
commercial users, will reduce Space Station operational costs for all 
partners and the Federal Government's share of the United States burden 
to fund operations.
    (b) Report.--The Administrator shall deliver to the Congress, 
within 60 days after the submission of the President's budget request 
for fiscal year 1997, a market study that examines the role of 
commercial ventures which could supply, use, service, or augment the 
International Space Station, the specific policies and initiatives the 
Administrator is advancing to encourage these commercial opportunities, 
the cost savings to be realized by the international partnership from 
applying commercial approaches to cost-shared operations, and the cost 
reimbursements to the United States Federal Government from commercial 
users of the Space Station.

SEC. 7. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that the ``cost incentive fee'' single 
prime contract negotiated by the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration for the International Space Station, and the 
consolidation of programmatic and financial accountability into a 
single Space Station Program Office, are two examples of reforms for 
the reinvention of all National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
programs that should be applied as widely and as quickly as possible 
throughout the Nation's civil space program.

SEC. 8. SPACE STATION ACCOUNTING REPORT.

    Within one year after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
annually thereafter, the Administrator shall transmit to the Congress a 
report with a complete annual accounting of all costs of the space 
station, including cash and other payments to Russia.

            Passed the House of Representatives September 28, 1995.

            Attest:

                                                ROBIN H. CARLE,

                                                                 Clerk.