IB 

Union Calendar No. 240

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 912

[Report No. 108–418] 

To authorize the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish an awards program in honor of Charles ‘‘Pete’’ 

Conrad, astronaut and space scientist, for recognizing the discoveries 

made by amateur astronomers of asteroids with near-Earth orbit trajectories. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2003

Mr. ROHRABACHER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Science 

FEBRUARY 11, 2004

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 February 25, 2003] 

A BILL

To authorize the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 

and Space Administration to establish an awards program in honor of Charles ‘‘Pete’’ Conrad, astronaut and 

space scientist, for recognizing the discoveries made by 

amateur astronomers of asteroids with near-Earth orbit 

trajectories.
2

•HR 912 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 ‘‘Charles ‘Pete’ Conrad 

5 Astronomy Awards Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 For the purposes of this Act—

8 (1) the term ‘‘Administrator’’ means the Admin9 istrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Ad10 ministration; 

11 (2) the term ‘‘amateur astronomer’’ means an 

12 individual whose employer does not provide any 

13 funding, payment, or compensation to the individual 

14 for the observation of asteroids and other celestial bod15 ies, and does not include any individual employed as 

16 a professional astronomer; 

17 (3) the term ‘‘Minor Planet Center’’ means the 

18 Minor Planet Center of the Smithsonian Astro19 physical Observatory; 

20 (4) the term ‘‘near-Earth asteroid’’ means an as21 teroid with a perihelion distance of less than 1.3 As22 tronomical Units from the Sun; and 

23 (5) the term ‘‘Program’’ means the Charles 

24 ‘‘Pete’’ Conrad Astronomy Awards Program estab25 lished under section 3. 
3

•HR 912 RH 

1 SEC. 3. PETE CONRAD ASTRONOMY AWARD PROGRAM. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall establish 

3 the Charles ‘‘Pete’’ Conrad Astronomy Awards Program. 

4 (b) AWARDS.—The Administrator shall make awards 

5 under the Program based on the recommendations of the 

6 Minor Planet Center. 

7 (c) AWARD CATEGORIES.—The Administrator shall 

8 make one annual award, unless there are no eligible discov9 eries or contributions, for each of the following categories: 

10 (1) The amateur astronomer or group of amateur 

11 astronomers who in the preceding calendar year dis12 covered the intrinsically brightest near-Earth asteroid 

13 among the near-Earth asteroids that were discovered 

14 during that year by amateur astronomers or groups 

15 of amateur astronomers. 

16 (2) The amateur astronomer or group of amateur 

17 astronomers who made the greatest contribution to the 

18 Minor Planet Center’s mission of cataloguing near19 Earth asteroids during the preceding year. 

20 (d) AWARD AMOUNT.—An award under the Program 

21 shall be in the amount of $3,000. 

22 (e) GUIDELINES.—(1) No individual who is not a cit23 izen or permanent resident of the United States at the time 

24 of his discovery or contribution may receive an award 

25 under this Act. 
4

•HR 912 RH 

1 (2) The decisions of the Administrator in making 

2 awards under this Act are final. 

3 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—From 

4 sums otherwise authorized to be appropriated, there are au5 thorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary 

6 to carry out this Act. 

Union Calendar No. 240

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 912

[Report No. 108–418] 

A BILL

To authorize the Administrator of the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish an awards program in honor of Charles ‘‘Pete’’ Conrad, astronaut and space scientist, for recognizing the discoveries made by amateur astronomers of asteroids with near-Earth orbit trajectories. 

FEBRUARY 11, 2004

Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, 

and ordered to be printed