•HRES 473 IH 
Whereas the Commercial Space Launch Act (Public Law 98– 
575) forms the basis of commercial space legislation and 
is codified as chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code; 
Whereas chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code, estab-
lishes the licensing, experimental permit, and monitoring 
processes required for commercial space launch and re-
entry activities; 
Whereas commercial space launch regulations are published 
in parts 400 through 460 of chapter III of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations (as of the date of the adoption of 
this resolution); 
Whereas commercial space launch licensees— 
(1) are required by Federal statute and regulation to 
submit an accident investigation plan as part of a launch 
application and to submit to Federal Government ob-
server access at licensee sites; and 
(2) are, under such chapter 509, subject to modifica-
tions, prohibitions, preemptions, suspensions, and revoca-
tions of licenses and to administrative hearings, judicial 
review, and investigations and inquiries; 
Whereas the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
of the House of Representatives (in this resolution re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Committee’’), through both oversight 
and legislation, has, since the 1960s, been the lead entity 
in addressing the tragic loss of life related to catastrophic 
spaceflight accidents; 
Whereas after a fire occurred in the Apollo 1 capsule during 
ground tests on January 7, 1967, which resulted in the 
deaths of Edward White, Gus Grissom, and Roger 
Chaffee, the Committee held a series of oversight hear-
ings into the cause; 
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•HRES 473 IH 
Whereas, as a result of these efforts, the Committee, in the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Author-
ization Act of 1968 (Public Law 90–67), required the es-
tablishment of the independent Aerospace Safety Advi-
sory Panel, resulting in the first time Congress addressed 
issues relating to space accidents; 
Whereas the Committee held extensive oversight hearings 
after the Space Shuttle Challenger and Space Shuttle Co-
lumbia accidents, and considered legislation related to 
space accident investigations that was referred exclusively 
to the Committee; 
Whereas chapter 707 of title 51, United States Code, estab-
lished the Human Space Flight Independent Investiga-
tion Commission, pursuant to provisions from the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration Authoriza-
tion Act of 2005 (Public Law 109–155) and in response 
to the Space Shuttle Columbia accident; 
Whereas the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (referred 
to in this resolution as the ‘‘Board’’) found ‘‘[I]t is un-
likely that launching a space vehicle will ever be as rou-
tine an undertaking as commercial air travel—certainly 
not in the lifetime of anybody who reads this.’’; 
Whereas the Board continued by reporting ‘‘Columbia’s fail-
ure to return home is a harsh reminder that the Space 
Shuttle is a developmental vehicle that operates not in 
routine flight but in the realm of dangerous explo-
ration.’’; 
Whereas the Board concluded, ‘‘[b]ecause of the dangers of 
ascent and re-entry, because of the hostility of the space 
environment, and because we are still relative newcomers 
to this realm, operation of the Shuttle and indeed all 
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•HRES 473 IH 
human spaceflight must be viewed as a developmental ac-
tivity. It is still far from a routine, operational under-
taking. Throughout the Columbia accident investigation, 
the Board has commented on the widespread but erro-
neous perception that the Space Shuttle as somehow 
comparable to civil or military air transport. They are 
not comparable; the inherent risks of spaceflight are vast-
ly higher, and our experience level with spaceflight is 
vastly lower . . . . The Board urges NASA leadership, 
the architects of U.S. space policy, and the American 
people to adopt a realistic understanding of the risks and 
rewards of venturing into space.’’; 
Whereas Rule X(1)(p) of the Rules of the House of Rep-
resentatives for the 116th Congress, assigns the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology jurisdiction 
over ‘‘astronautical research and development, including 
resources, personnel, equipment, and facilities’’, ‘‘Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration’’, ‘‘National 
Space Council’’, and ‘‘Outer space, including exploration 
and control thereof’’; and 
Whereas the Rules of the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives for the 
116th Congress state that the Subcommittee on Space 
and Aeronautics ‘‘Shall have jurisdiction over the fol-
lowing subject matter: all matters relating to astronau-
tical and aeronautical research and development; national 
space policy, including access to space; sub-orbital access 
and applications; National Aeronautics and Space Admin-
istration and its contractors and government-operated 
labs; space commercialization, including commercial space 
activities related to the Department of Transportation 
and Department of Commerce; exploration and use of 
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•HRES 473 IH 
outer space; international space cooperation; the National 
Space Council; space applications, space communications 
and related matters; Earth remote sensing policy; civilian 
aviation research, development, and demonstration pro-
grams of the Federal Aviation Administration; space law; 
other appropriate matters referred by the Chair, and rel-
evant oversight.’’: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) declares that space launch is a develop-
mental activity, not a form of transportation; and 
(2) finds that a process exists for investigating 
commercial space launch and reentry activities. 
Æ 
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