I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3219

To establish an independent committee to oversee the National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration’s Space Shuttle return-to-flight plans, and 

for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 1, 2003

Mr. HALL (for himself, Mr. ROHRABACHER, and Mr. GORDON) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science 

NOVEMBER 4, 2003

Additional sponsors: Mr. BARTON of Texas, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. 

EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. MILLER of North Carolina, Mr. 

SHERMAN, Mr. LAMPSON, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. BELL, Mr. 

ORTIZ, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. MATHESON, Mr. WU, Mr. 

UDALL of Colorado, Mr. HONDA, Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. BAIRD, 

Mr. WEINER, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, and Mr. 

COSTELLO

A BILL

To establish an independent committee to oversee the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Space 

Shuttle return-to-flight plans, 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 ‘‘Space Shuttle Inde5 pendent Oversight Act of 2003’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act—

3 (1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Ad4 ministrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 

5 Administration; and 

6 (2) the term ‘‘NASA’’ means the National Aer7 onautics and Space Administration. 

8 SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT 

9 COMMITTEE. 

10 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall enter 

11 into an arrangement with the National Academy of 

12 Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering for the 

13 establishment of an independent committee to oversee 

14 NASA’s implementation of the recommendations of the 

15 Columbia Accident Investigation Board, with the excep16 tion of those recommendations associated with return-to17 flight activities of the Space Shuttle fleet. 

18 (b) MEMBERSHIP AND OPERATING PROCEDURES.—

19 The size, composition, and operating procedures of the 

20 committee shall be determined solely by the National 

21 Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engi22 neering, in consultation with the National Academy of 

23 Public Administration. 

24 (c) TASKS.—The committee shall—

25 (1) review and evaluate the plans NASA devel26 ops to implement the recommendations of the Co-
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1 lumbia Accident Investigation Board and make rec2 ommendations to the Administrator as appropriate 

3 with respect to the plans’ adequacy and responsive4 ness to the findings and recommendations of the Co5 lumbia Accident Investigation Board; 

6 (2) monitor and assess the implementation of 

7 the Columbia Accident Investigation Board rec8 ommendations by NASA and report the committee’s 

9 findings on a semi-annual basis to the Adminis10 trator; 

11 (3) provide technical oversight of any required 

12 design activities and test or certification procedures 

13 and plans; 

14 (4) review and evaluate the results of any re15 quired test or certification programs; and 

16 (5) each year for five years after the date of 

17 termination of NASA’s Return-to-Flight Task 

18 Force, determine whether NASA is still complying 

19 with all of the Columbia Accident Investigation 

20 Board’s Return-to-Flight recommendations. 

21 (d) SUPPORT.—The Administrator shall provide to 

22 the committee in a timely manner—

23 (1) all information and technical data necessary 

24 to complete the committee’s tasks; 
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1 (2) briefings and interviews by personnel from 

2 NASA, its contractors, and the Columbia Accident 

3 Investigation Board; and 

4 (3) access to all test and certification activities, 

5 as needed. 

6 (e) DURATION.—The committee shall be established 

7 within 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act 

8 and shall remain in existence for six years after the date 

9 of termination of NASA’s Return-to-Flight Task Force 

10 unless otherwise extended by the Administrator. 

11 SEC. 4. REPORTS. 

12 The committee established under section 3 shall pro13 vide to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans14 portation of the Senate and the Committee on Science of 

15 the House of Representatives—

16 (1) copies of any interim reports or correspond17 ence it provides to the Administrator at the same 

18 time as they are provided to the Administrator; and 

19 (2) at the conclusion of the committee’s activi20 ties, a final report summarizing the committee’s 

21 findings, recommendations, and any other matters 

22 that the committee wishes to address.

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