I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5345 
To designate the Marshall Space Flight Center of the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration to provide leadership for the U.S. rocket 
propulsion industrial base, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 20, 2018 
Mr. BROOKS of Alabama (for himself and Mr. SMITH of Texas) introduced 
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, 
and Technology 
A BILL 
To designate the Marshall Space Flight Center of the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration to provide 
leadership for the U.S. rocket propulsion industrial base, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Leadership 
in Space Technology and Advanced Rocketry Act’’ or the 
‘‘ALSTAR Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) Rocket propulsion is an enabling technology 
for our Nation’s future prosperous way of life. 
(2) Rocket propulsion technologies are critical 
to national security, intelligence gathering, commu-
nications, weather forecasting, navigation, commu-
nications, entertainment, land use, Earth observa-
tion, and scientific exploration. 
(3) The rocket propulsion industry is a source 
of high-quality jobs. 
(4) Multiple Federal agencies and companies 
are involved in rocket propulsion research, develop-
ment, and manufacturing. 
(5) Integration, coordination, and cooperation 
would strengthen the United States rocket propul-
sion industrial base. 
(6) Erosion of the rocket propulsion industrial 
base would seriously impact national security, space 
exploration potential, and economic growth. 
(7) The Marshall Space Flight Center has dec-
ades of experience working with other Government 
agencies and industry partners to study and coordi-
nate these capabilities. 
(8) The Marshall Space Flight Center has made 
historic and unique contributions— 
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(A) by bringing stakeholders together to 
work on rocket propulsion industrial base 
sustainment; 
(B) of technical expertise to key studies 
and review boards; and 
(C) by consistently participating in inter-
agency working groups to address rocket pro-
pulsion issues. 
SEC. 3. ROCKET PROPULSION LEADERSHIP. 
(a) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the Marshall Space Flight Center is the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration’s lead center 
for rocket propulsion and is essential to sustaining and 
promoting U.S. leadership in rocket propulsion and devel-
oping the next generation of rocket propulsion capabilities. 
(b) LEADERSHIP
IN ROCKET PROPULSION.—The 
Marshall Space Flight Center shall provide national lead-
ership in rocket propulsion by— 
(1) contributing to interagency coordination for 
the preservation of critical national rocket propul-
sion capabilities; 
(2) collaborating with industry, academia, and 
professional organizations to most effectively use na-
tional capabilities and resources; 
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(3) monitoring public- and private-sector rocket 
propulsion activities to develop and promote a 
strong, healthy rocket propulsion industrial base; 
(4) facilitating technical solutions for existing 
and emerging rocket propulsion challenges; 
(5) supporting the development and refinement 
of rocket propulsion for small satellites; 
(6) evaluating and recommending, as appro-
priate, new rocket propulsion technologies for fur-
ther development; and 
(7) providing information required by national 
decisionmakers so that policies and other instru-
ments of the Government support the development 
and strengthening of the Nation’s rocket propulsion 
capabilities throughout the 21st century. 
Æ 
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