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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 682 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 682

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 26, 2023

    Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 AN ACT

 
 To facilitate access to electromagnetic spectrum for commercial space 
                launches and commercial space reentries.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Launch Communications Act''.

SEC. 2. ACCESS TO SPECTRUM FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCHES AND REENTRIES.

    (a) Service Rules; Allocation.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall complete any 
        proceeding in effect as of such date of enactment related to 
        the adoption of service rules for access to the frequencies 
        described in subsection (c) for commercial space launches and 
        commercial space reentries, including technical specifications, 
        eligibility requirements, coordination procedures to preserve 
        the Nation's defense capabilities, and the allocation on a 
        secondary basis of the frequencies described in subsection (c).
            (2) Coordination with national telecommunications and 
        information administration.--The coordination procedures 
        adopted under paragraph (1) shall include requirements for 
        persons conducting commercial space launches and commercial 
        space reentries to coordinate with the Assistant Secretary 
        regarding access to the frequencies described in subsection (c) 
        for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
    (b) Streamlining of Process for Granting Authorizations.--Not later 
than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Commission shall issue new regulations to streamline the process for 
granting authorizations for access to the frequencies described in 
subsection (c) for commercial space launches and commercial space 
reentries so as to provide for--
            (1) authorizations that include access to such frequencies 
        for multiple commercial space launches from one or more Federal 
        space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to 
        one or more Federal space launch sites;
            (2) authorizations that include access to such frequencies 
        for multiple commercial space launches from one or more private 
        space launch sites and multiple commercial space reentries to 
        one or more private space launch sites;
            (3) authorizations that include access to multiple uses of 
        such frequencies for commercial space launch or commercial 
        space reentry;
            (4) automation of the processes of the Commission to review 
        applications for authorizations for access to such frequencies 
        for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries; 
        and
            (5) improved coordination by the Commission with the 
        Assistant Secretary (who shall coordinate with the heads of 
        such other Federal agencies as the Assistant Secretary 
        considers appropriate) to increase the speed of review of 
        applications for authorizations for access to such frequencies 
        for commercial space launches and commercial space reentries.
    (c) Frequencies Described.--The frequencies described in this 
subsection are the frequencies between 2025 and 2110 megahertz, between 
2200 and 2290 megahertz, between 2360 and 2395 megahertz, and between 
5650 and 5925 megahertz.
    (d) Rules of Construction.--
            (1) Frequency ranges.--Each range of frequencies described 
        in this section shall be construed to be inclusive of the upper 
        and lower frequencies in the range.
            (2) Special temporary authority.--Nothing in this section 
        may be construed to authorize or require elimination or 
        limitation of, or any amendment to, or otherwise to affect, 
        special temporary authority, as provided for by section 1.931 
        of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor 
        regulation).
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Assistant secretary.--The term ``Assistant Secretary'' 
        means the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications 
        and Information.
            (2) Commercial space launch.--The term ``commercial space 
        launch'' means a launch licensed under chapter 509 of title 51, 
        United States Code.
            (3) Commercial space reentry.--The term ``commercial space 
        reentry'' means a reentry licensed under chapter 509 of title 
        51, United States Code.
            (4) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the Federal 
        Communications Commission.

            Passed the House of Representatives July 25, 2023.

            Attest:

                                             KEVIN F. MCCUMBER,

                                                                 Clerk.
```