I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3697 
To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study, and publish guidance, 
on the conversion of rural abandoned factories, space centers, and mili-
tary bases into space-related manufacturing facilities and space com-
plexes, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 3, 2025 
Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Armed Services 
A BILL 
To require the Secretary of Defense to conduct a study, 
and publish guidance, on the conversion of rural aban-
doned factories, space centers, and military bases into 
space-related manufacturing facilities and space com-
plexes, 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 ‘‘Rural American Vital-
ization in Extraterrestrial Space Reporting Act of 2025’’ 
or the ‘‘RAVES Reporting Act of 2025’’. 
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SEC. 2. STUDY AND GUIDANCE ON CONVERSION OF RURAL, 
ABANDONED 
FACTORIES 
INTO 
SPACE-RE-
LATED MANUFACTURING FACILITIES. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, 
acting through the Office of Local Defense Community 
Cooperation, and in consultation with the Office of Space 
Affairs of the Department of State and the Small Busi-
ness Development Center of the Small Business Adminis-
tration, shall conduct a study, and publish guidance, on 
the conversion of abandoned factories, space centers, and 
military bases in rural areas into space-related manufac-
turing facilities and space complexes. 
(b) ELEMENTS.—The study and guidance required 
under subsection (a) shall include information relating to 
the following: 
(1) On average and by State, the cost of con-
versions of abandoned factories, and space centers, 
and abandoned military bases in rural areas into 
space-related manufacturing facilities and space 
complexes. 
(2) Greatest needs for terrestrial space manu-
facturing. 
(3) Environmental and sustainability concerns 
relating to such conversions. 
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(4) Impact on local economies of region in 
which such conversions are carried out. 
(5) Technical skills and relevant education 
needed for construction workers, engineers, sci-
entists, and other elements of the workforce relating 
to such conversions, as well as for the operation of 
such facilities. 
(6) Potential for collaboration with local com-
munity colleges relating to such conversions. 
(7) Effects of artificial intelligence on workforce 
development relating to such conversions. 
(8) The number of factories and military bases 
in rural areas abandoned as of 2025. 
(9) Potential for development within rural com-
munities relating to such conversions. 
(10) Viable sources of potential funding or in-
centives for private sector entities for such conver-
sions. 
(11) Potential national security implications re-
lating to such conversions, in particular with regard 
to United States adversaries and the Space Com-
mand. 
(12) An estimate of the time required to com-
plete such conversions. 
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(13) Input from private and public entities that 
have collaborated or currently collaborate with the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
(NASA) regarding space manufacturing. 
(14) An analysis undertaken in consultation 
with outside experts in the aerospace field on the 
current state of the aerospace industry in rural 
areas of the United States, including a description 
of best practices relating to such conversions. 
(c) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—The Secretary of 
Defense shall submit to Congress the study and guidance 
required under subsection (a). 
(d) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) 
ABANDONED.—The 
term 
‘‘abandoned’’ 
means out of use or underutilized for at least five 
years, with no apparent plans to restart production 
or repurpose for other uses. 
(2) FACTORY.—The term ‘‘factory’’ means an 
industrial facility for manufacturing goods or parts. 
(3) RURAL AREA.—The term ‘‘rural area’’, with 
respect to an abandoned factory, space center, or 
military base, means such a factory, center, or base, 
as the case may be, that is located in any area other 
than— 
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