I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1562 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide certain authority to 

the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate commercial 

space transportation accidents, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 6, 2019 

Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. 

GRAVES of Missouri, and Mr. DEFAZIO) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide certain 

authority to the National Transportation Safety Board 

to investigate commercial space transportation accidents, 

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 ‘‘Commercial Space 

5 Transportation Safety Act of 2019’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. GENERAL AUTHORITY OF THE NATIONAL TRANS2 PORTATION SAFETY BOARD. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1131(a)(1) of title 49, 

4 United States Code, is amended— 

5 (1) in subparagraph (E) by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

6 the end; 

7 (2) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as sub8 paragraph (G); and 

9 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the fol10 lowing: 

11 ‘‘(F) a commercial space transportation acci12 dent in which there is— 

13 ‘‘(i) a known impact of a commercial 

14 launch vehicle, the payload of such vehicle, or 

15 any component thereof outside of the hazard 

16 area designated for the launch or reentry of 

17 such vehicle; 

18 ‘‘(ii) a fatality or significant injury of any 

19 individual, regardless of whether the individual 

20 was on board the commercial launch vehicle at 

21 the time of the accident; or 

22 ‘‘(iii) substantial damage to property that 

23 is not associated with commercial space launch 

24 activities and that is not located at the launch 

25 site; and’’. 


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1 (b) OTHER INVESTIGATIVE AGENCIES.—Section 

2 1131(a)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 

3 by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(D) The Board shall seek to enter into a memo5 randum of understanding with any Government agency 

6 with the authority to certify a commercial space transpor7 tation operation. Such memoranda shall delineate the con8 ditions under which a commercial space transportation ac9 cident that may be investigated by the Board under sub10 paragraph (F) or (G) of paragraph (1) will instead be in11 vestigated by the other Government agency. Such memo12 randa may not preclude the Board’s participation in the 

13 other Government agency’s investigation.’’. 

14 (c) SAVINGS PROVISION.—None of the amendments 

15 made by subsection (a) shall be construed to limit the au16 thority of the National Transportation Safety Board to 

17 investigate any other commercial space transportation ac18 cident that, in the judgement of the Board, falls under 

19 the authority of the Board under section 1131(a)(1)(G) 

20 (as redesignated by this Act). 

Æ 


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