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Union Calendar No. 124 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 682 

[Report No. 118–156] 

To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space launches 

and commercial space reentries. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 31, 2023 

Mr. SOTO (for himself and Mr. DUNN of Florida) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 

JULY 25, 2023 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 

House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on January 31, 2023] 


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•HR 682 RH

A BILL 

To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for 

commercial space launches and commercial space reentries. 


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•HR 682 RH

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 ‘‘Launch Communica5 tions Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ACCESS TO SPECTRUM FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE 

7 LAUNCHES AND REENTRIES. 

8 (a) SERVICE RULES; ALLOCATION.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 

10 the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission 

11 shall complete any proceeding in effect as of such date 

12 of enactment related to the adoption of service rules 

13 for access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) 

14 for commercial space launches and commercial space 

15 reentries, including technical specifications, eligibility 

16 requirements, coordination procedures to preserve the 

17 Nation’s defense capabilities, and the allocation on a 

18 secondary basis of the frequencies described in sub19 section (c). 

20 (2) COORDINATION WITH NATIONAL TELE21 COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION ADMINISTRA22 TION.—The coordination procedures adopted under 

23 paragraph (1) shall include requirements for persons 

24 conducting commercial space launches and commer25 cial space reentries to coordinate with the Assistant 


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1 Secretary regarding access to the frequencies described 

2 in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and 

3 commercial space reentries. 

4 (b) STREAMLINING OF PROCESS FOR GRANTING AU5 THORIZATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 

6 the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue new 

7 regulations to streamline the process for granting author8 izations for access to the frequencies described in subsection 

9 (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space re10 entries so as to provide for— 

11 (1) authorizations that include access to such fre12 quencies for multiple commercial space launches from 

13 one or more Federal space launch sites and multiple 

14 commercial space reentries to one or more Federal 

15 space launch sites; 

16 (2) authorizations that include access to such fre17 quencies for multiple commercial space launches from 

18 one or more private space launch sites and multiple 

19 commercial space reentries to one or more private 

20 space launch sites; 

21 (3) authorizations that include access to multiple 

22 uses of such frequencies for commercial space launch 

23 or commercial space reentry; 

24 (4) automation of the processes of the Commis25 sion to review applications for authorizations for acVerDate Sep 11 2014 01:52 Jul 26, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6203 E:\BILLS\H682.RH H682

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1 cess to such frequencies for commercial space launches 

2 and commercial space reentries; and 

3 (5) improved coordination by the Commission 

4 with the Assistant Secretary (who shall coordinate 

5 with the heads of such other Federal agencies as the 

6 Assistant Secretary considers appropriate) to increase 

7 the speed of review of applications for authorizations 

8 for access to such frequencies for commercial space 

9 launches and commercial space reentries. 

10 (c) FREQUENCIES DESCRIBED.—The frequencies de11 scribed in this subsection are the following: 

12 (1) The frequencies between 2025 and 2110 

13 megahertz, between 2200 and 2290 megahertz, between 

14 2360 and 2395 megahertz, and between 5650 and 

15 5925 megahertz. 

16 (2) Any additional frequencies identified by the 

17 Commission (in coordination with the Assistant Sec18 retary, in the case of potential impact to Federal 

19 spectrum use) as necessary to conduct commercial 

20 space launches and commercial space reentries. 

21 (d) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.— 

22 (1) FREQUENCY RANGES.—Each range of fre23 quencies described in this section shall be construed to 

24 be inclusive of the upper and lower frequencies in the 

25 range. 


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1 (2) SPECIAL TEMPORARY AUTHORITY.—Nothing 

2 in this section may be construed to authorize or re3 quire elimination or limitation of, or any amendment 

4 to, or otherwise to affect, special temporary authority, 

5 as provided for by section 1.931 of title 47, Code of 

6 Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation). 

7 (e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

8 (1) ASSISTANT SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Assist9 ant Secretary’’ means the Assistant Secretary of Com10 merce for Communications and Information. 

11 (2) COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH.—The term 

12 ‘‘commercial space launch’’ means a launch licensed 

13 under chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code. 

14 (3) COMMERCIAL SPACE REENTRY.—The term 

15 ‘‘commercial space reentry’’ means a reentry licensed 

16 under chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code. 

17 (4) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ 

18 means the Federal Communications Commission. 


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Union Calendar No. 124 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 682 

[Report No. 118–156] 

A BILL 

To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for 

reentries. commercial space launches and commercial space 

JULY 25, 2023 

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Comand ordered to be printed mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 


rfrederick on DSKB3L4F33PROD with BILLS