I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 10464 

To amend chapter 511 of title 51, United States Code, to modify the authority 

for space transportation infrastructure modernization grants, and for 

other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 17, 2024 

Mr. STRONG (for himself and Mr. FONG) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 

A BILL 

To amend chapter 511 of title 51, United States Code, 

to modify the authority for space transportation infrastructure modernization grants, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Spaceport Project Op5 portunities for Resilient Transportation Act’’ or the 

6 ‘‘SPACEPORT Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SPACE LAUNCH INFRASTRUCTURE. 

2 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Paragraph (5) of section 51101 

3 of title 51, United States Code, is amended to read as 

4 follows: 

5 ‘‘(5) ‘public agency’ means a State or an agen6 cy of a State, a political subdivision of a State, a 

7 public corporation, or a tax-supported organiza8 tion.’’. 

9 (b) MODIFICATION OF GRANT AUTHORITY.—Sub10 section (b) of section 51102 of title 51, United States 

11 Code, is amended to read as follows: 

12 ‘‘(b) LIMITATIONS.— 

13 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may make a 

14 project grant under this chapter only if the grant 

15 will not be for more than 80 percent of the total cost 

16 of the project. 

17 ‘‘(2) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the 

18 application of paragraph (1) if the Secretary deter19 mines that such a waiver is in the national inter20 est.’’. 

21 (c) ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.—Section 51103 of title 

22 51, United States Code, is amended— 

23 (1) in subsection (b)— 

24 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

25 (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

26 ‘‘the United States Government’s space 


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1 transportation needs’’ and inserting ‘‘the 

2 civil, national security, and commercial 

3 space transportation needs of the United 

4 States’’; 

5 (ii) in subparagraph (E), by striking 

6 ‘‘contributions’’ and inserting ‘‘support’’; 

7 and 

8 (iii) by amending subparagraph (F) to 

9 read as follows: 

10 ‘‘(F) the impact of the project and launch 

11 or reentry operations and other activities at 

12 Government launch ranges, as needed.’’; 

13 (B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as 

14 follows: 

15 ‘‘(2) The Secretary of Transportation shall develop 

16 specific criteria for evaluating and selecting proposed 

17 projects based on the considerations under paragraph 

18 (1).’’; and 

19 (C) by adding at the end the following new 

20 paragraph: 

21 ‘‘(3) The Secretary of Transportation shall consult 

22 with the Secretary of Defense, the Administrator of the 

23 National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Sec24 retary of Commerce, and the heads of other appropriate 


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1 agencies of the Government with respect to subparagraphs 

2 (A) and (F) of paragraph (1), as appropriate.’’; and 

3 (2) by adding at the end the following new sub4 section: 

5 ‘‘(e) FUNDING OF PROGRAM.—Activities carried out 

6 under this section shall be funded only through appropria7 tions approved by Congress and not through user fees or 

8 other funds.’’. 

9 (d) REPORT.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after 

11 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary 

12 of Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary 

13 of Defense, the Administrator of the National Aero14 nautics and Space Administration, the Secretary of 

15 Commerce, and the heads of other appropriate agen16 cies of the Government, shall submit to Congress a 

17 report that— 

18 (A) evaluates the demand for space trans19 portation services, including the civil, national 

20 security, and commercial space transportation 

21 needs of the United States and international 

22 commercial markets; 

23 (B) provides legislative, regulatory, and 

24 policy recommendations to ensure robust and 


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1 resilient space transportation capabilities in 

2 support of the national space policy; 

3 (C) examines a range of long-term funding 

4 options and related considerations for space 

5 transportation infrastructure projects; and 

6 (D) provides an assessment of inter7 national space transportation capabilities and 

8 investments, including recommendations for 

9 maintaining United States competitiveness and 

10 developing an international space transportation 

11 network. 

12 (2) UPDATES.—Not later than 6 years after the 

13 date of the enactment of this Act, and every 4 years 

14 thereafter, the Secretary of Transportation shall— 

15 (A) update the report submitted under 

16 paragraph (1); and 

17 (B) submit such updated report to Con18 gress. 

19 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 

20 51105 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by 

21 striking ‘‘Not more than’’ and all that follows through the 

22 period at the end and inserting ‘‘There is authorized to 

23 be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation for 

24 each fiscal year not more than $10,000,000 to make 

25 grants under this chapter.’’. 


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1 (f) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.— 

2 (1) CHAPTER HEADING.—The heading of chap3 ter 511 of title 51, United States Code, is amended 

4 to read as follows: 

5 ‘‘CHAPTER 511—SPACE TRANSPORTATION 

6 INFRASTRUCTURE MODERNIZATION 

7 GRANTS’’. 

8 (2) TABLE OF CHAPTERS.—The table of chap9 ters at the beginning of title 51, United States Code, 

10 is amended by striking the item relating to chapter 

11 511 and inserting the following: 

‘‘511. Space Transportation Infrastructure Modernization Grants ...............................................................51101’’. 

Æ 


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