100 
(A) by striking subsection (c) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(c) SOLICITATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Prior to the conclusion of 
each preceding award cycle, the Administrator shall 
issue a solicitation to space grant consortia for the 
award of grants or contracts under this section. The 
Administrator shall implement the allocation guid-
ance under subsection (e) during each fiscal year 
covered by an award cycle. 
‘‘(2) PROPOSALS.—A lead institution of a space 
grant consortium that seeks a grant or contract 
under this section shall submit, on behalf of such 
space grant consortium, an application to the Ad-
ministrator at such time and in such manner and 
accompanied by such information as the Adminis-
trator may require. 
‘‘(3) AWARDS.—The Administrator shall award 
one or more multi-year grants or contracts, dis-
bursed in annual installments, to the lead institution 
of an eligible space grant consortium of— 
‘‘(A) each of the 50 States of the United 
States; 
‘‘(B) the District of Columbia; and 
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‘‘(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.’’; 
and 
(B) by inserting after subsection (d) the 
following: 
‘‘(e) ALLOCATION OF FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) PROGRAM
IMPLEMENTATION.—To carry 
out the purposes set forth in section 40301 of this 
title, each fiscal year, of the funds appropriated for 
this program of that fiscal year, the Administrator 
shall allocate not less than 85 percent among eligible 
space grant consortia as follows: 
‘‘(A) The space grant consortia identified 
in paragraph 40304(c)(3) shall each receive an 
equal share. 
‘‘(B) The territories of Guam and the U.S. 
Virgin Islands shall each receive funds equal to 
one-fifth of the share for each space grant con-
sortium. 
‘‘(2) PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Each fiscal year, of 
the funds made available for the National Space 
Grant College and Fellowship Program, the Ad-
ministrator shall allocate not more than 10 per-
cent for the administration of the program. 
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‘‘(B) COSTS
COVERED.—The funds allo-
cated under paragraph (1)(A) of this section 
shall cover all costs of the Administration asso-
ciated with the administration of the National 
Space Grant College and Fellowship Program, 
including— 
‘‘(i) direct costs to the program, in-
cluding costs relating to support services 
and civil service salaries and benefits; 
‘‘(ii) indirect general and administra-
tive costs of centers and facilities of the 
Administration; and 
‘‘(iii) indirect general and administra-
tive costs of the Administration head-
quarters. 
‘‘(3) SPECIAL
OPPORTUNITIES.—Each fiscal 
year, of the funds made available for the National 
Space Grant College and Fellowship program, the 
Administrator shall allocate not more than 5 percent 
to lead institutions of Space Grant Consortia for 
grants to carry out innovative approaches and pro-
grams to further science and education relating to 
the missions of the Administration pursuant to sub-
section (b).’’. 
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(b) REVIEW.—The Administrator shall make ar-
rangements for an independent external review of the Na-
tional Space Grant College and Fellowship Program to— 
(1) evaluate its management, accomplishments, 
approach to funding allocation as described in sec-
tion 40303(e) of title 51, United States Code, and 
responsiveness to the purposes and goals defined in 
chapter 403 of title 51, United States Code; 
(2) consider the benefits partnerships with local 
education agencies, including those in underserved 
and rural areas, may provide; and 
(3) propose any statutory updates that may be 
needed to implement recommendations of the review. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than nine months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall sub-
mit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
on the independent external review of the National Space 
Grant College and Fellowship Program described in sub-
section (a). 
SEC. 702. SKILLED TECHNICAL WORKFORCE EDUCATION 
OUTREACH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may conduct 
or support STEM engagement activities that focus on ex-
panding opportunities for students to pursue skilled tech-
nical workforce occupations in space and aeronautics. 
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(b) LEVERAGING EXISTING PROGRAMS.—The Ad-
ministrator, in conducting activities pursuant to sub-
section (a), shall consider leveraging, as appropriate, exist-
ing programs of NASA or other Federal programs and 
interagency initiatives, such as the Manufacturing USA 
program under section 34 of the National Institute of 
Standards and Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s). 
(c) INCLUSION.—Activities under subsection (a) may 
include outreach activities that engage secondary and 
post-secondary students, including students at institutions 
of higher education, two-year colleges, and high schools, 
and students in vocational or career and technical edu-
cation programs, and that— 
(1) expose students to careers that require ca-
reer and technical education; 
(2) encourage students to pursue careers that 
require career and technical education; and 
(3) provide students hands-on learning opportu-
nities to view the manufacturing, assembly, and test-
ing of NASA-funded space and aeronautical systems, 
as the Administrator considers appropriate and with 
consideration of relevant factors such as workplace 
safety, mission needs, and the protection of sensitive 
and proprietary technologies. 
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(d) BRIEFING.—Not later than one year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
brief the appropriate committees of Congress on NASA’s 
current and planned activities under this section. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(2) SKILLED
TECHNICAL
WORKFORCE.—The 
term ‘‘skilled technical workforce’’ has the meaning 
given the term in section 4(b)(3) of the Innovations 
in Mentoring, Training, and Apprenticeships Act (42 
U.S.C. 1862p note; Public Law 115–402). 
TITLE VIII—POLICY OF NASA 
SEC. 801. MAJOR PROGRAMS. 
Section 30104 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended in subsection (a)(1) by striking ‘‘7120.5E, dated 
August 14, 2012’’ and inserting ‘‘7120.5F, dated August 
3, 2021’’. 
SEC. 802. NASA ADVISORY COUNCIL. 
(a) CONSULTATION AND ADVICE.—Section 20113(g) 
of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding 
‘‘and Congress’’ after ‘‘advice to the Administration’’. 
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(b) SUNSET.—Effective September 30, 2028, section 
20113(g) of title 51, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ‘‘and Congress’’. 
SEC. 803. NASA ASSESSMENT OF EARLY COST ESTIMATES. 
Not later than 12 months after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a review of the development, application, and assess-
ment of early cost estimates made prior to preliminary de-
sign review for NASA missions. The review may include— 
(1) an assessment of NASA processes related to 
the formation and evaluation of proposed and early- 
stage cost estimates; 
(2) an evaluation of NASA’s monitoring and 
management of cost estimates throughout mission 
development, in accordance with section 10861(b)(4) 
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administra-
tion Authorization Act of 2022 (Public Law 117– 
167); and 
(3) any such recommendations as the Comp-
troller General determines appropriate. 
SEC. 804. INDEPENDENT COST ESTIMATE. 
Section 30307 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended— 
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(1) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘anal-
ysis’’ and inserting ‘‘estimate’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Before any funds may be 
obligated for implementation’’ and inserting 
‘‘After the Administrator completes the prelimi-
nary design review’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘analysis’’ and inserting 
‘‘estimate’’; and 
(C) by inserting after the first sentence, 
‘‘No funds may be obligated for implementation 
of the project before the Administrator reports 
the results of the life-cycle cost estimate to 
Congress.’’. 
SEC. 805. AUTHORIZATION FOR THE TRANSFER TO NASA OF 
FUNDS FROM OTHER AGENCIES FOR SCI-
ENTIFIC OR ENGINEERING RESEARCH OR 
EDUCATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (f) of section 20113 
of title 51, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘In the performance of its func-
tions’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) COOPERATION.—In the performance of its 
functions’’; and 
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(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) FUNDS.—Funds available to any depart-
ment or agency of the Federal Government for sci-
entific or engineering research or education, or the 
provision of facilities therefor, shall, subject to the 
approval of the head of such department or agency 
or as delegated pursuant to such department’s or 
agency’s regulation, be available for transfer, in 
whole or in part, to the Administration for such use 
as is consistent with the purposes for which such 
funds were appropriated. Funds so transferred shall 
be merged with the appropriation to which trans-
ferred, except that such transferred funds shall be 
limited to the awarding of grants or cooperative 
agreements for scientific or engineering research or 
education.’’. 
(b) ANNUAL
INFORMATION
ON
FUNDS
TRANS-
FERRED.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than two years 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the 
Administrator shall include in the annual budget 
justification materials of the Administration, as sub-
mitted to Congress with the President’s budget re-
quest under section 1105 of title 31, United States 
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Code, information describing the activities conducted 
under subsection (f) of section 20113 of title 51, 
United States Code (as amended by subsection (a)), 
during the immediately preceding fiscal year. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The information referred to in 
paragraph (1) shall contain a description of each 
transfer of funds under the authority provided for in 
paragraph (2) of subsection (f) of section 20113 of 
title 51, United States Code (as added and amend-
ed, respectively, by this section), during the imme-
diately preceding fiscal year, including the following: 
(A) An identification of the department or 
agency of the Federal Government from which 
such funds were transferred. 
(B) The total amount of funds so trans-
ferred, disaggregated by each such department 
or agency. 
(C) The purposes for which such funds 
were appropriated to each agency or depart-
ment. 
(D) The program or activity of the Admin-
istration to which such funds were made avail-
able by each such transfer. 
(E) The purposes of each such administra-
tion program or activity, and the amount of 
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funding appropriated to the Administration for 
such purposes. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than three years after the 
date of the enactment of the section, the Administrator 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
a report that includes the following: 
(1) A summary of the value of the authority 
provided for in paragraph (2) of subsection (f) of 
section 209113 of title 51, United States Code (as 
added and amended, respectively, by this section), 
including the extent to which such authority has 
benefited the Administration and its ability to meet 
its needs, achieve its mission, or more effectively 
conduct interagency collaborations. 
(2) An identification of any barriers or chal-
lenges to implementing such authority, or otherwise 
to managing funding required to conduct joint pro-
grams and award jointly funded grants and coopera-
tive agreements by the administration with other 
Federal departments and agencies to advance the 
missions of each such department and agency. 
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SEC. 806. REPORT ON MERITS AND OPTIONS FOR ESTAB-
LISHING AN INSTITUTE RELATING TO SPACE 
RESOURCES. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator and Sec-
retary shall jointly submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report on the merits of, and options for, 
establishing an institute relating to space resources to ad-
vance the objectives of NASA and the Department in 
maintaining United States preeminence in space. Such ob-
jectives shall include the following: 
(1) Identifying, developing, and distributing 
space resources, including by encouraging the devel-
opment of foundational science, industrial capability, 
and technology. 
(2) Reducing the technological and business 
risks associated with identifying, developing, and dis-
tributing space resources. 
(3) Research to maximize the responsible use of 
space resources. 
(4) Developing options for using space re-
sources to carry out the following. 
(A) Support current and future space ar-
chitectures, programs, business, and missions. 
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(B) Enable such architectures, programs, 
business, and missions that would not otherwise 
be possible. 
(C) Supplement the supply of such re-
sources available on Earth. 
(b) ADDITIONAL MATTERS.—The report required 
under subsection (a) shall also include the following as-
sessments of the Administrator and the Secretary: 
(1) Whether a virtual or physical institute relat-
ing to space resources is most cost effective and ap-
propriate. 
(2) Whether partnering with institutions of 
higher education and the aerospace industry, and 
the extractive industry as appropriate, would be ef-
fective in increasing information available to the in-
stitute with respect to advancing the objectives de-
scribed in such subsection. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) DEPARTMENT.—The term ‘‘Department’’ 
means the Department of Commerce. 
(2) EXTRACTIVE
INDUSTRY.—The term ‘‘ex-
tractive industry’’ means companies and individuals 
involved in the processes of extracting, including 
mining, quarrying, drilling, and dredging, raw, nat-
ural materials or energy sources. 
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(3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 
term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 101(a) of the 
Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)). 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Commerce. 
(5) SPACE RESOURCE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘‘space re-
source’’ means an abiotic resource in situ in 
outer space. 
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘‘space re-
source’’ includes a raw, natural material or en-
ergy source. 
SEC. 807. REPORTS TO CONGRESS. 
(a) CONGRESSIONAL REPORTS AND NOTICES.—Any 
report or notice provided to Congress by NASA shall be 
provided to the appropriate committees of Congress, con-
currently with its delivery to any other Committee or of-
fice. 
(b) REPORTS ON INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS.—If 
the United States becomes a signatory to an international 
agreement or nonbinding instrument concerning NASA 
activities, the Administrator shall submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report containing a copy 
of such agreement or instrument, as the case may be. 
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SEC. 808. CONTRACT FLEXIBILITY. 
Congress finds that NASA FAR Supplement (NFS) 
1852.242–72, Denied Access to NASA Facilities instructs 
that for the period that NASA facilities were not acces-
sible to contractor employees, the contracting officer may 
adjust the contract performance or delivery schedule, fore-
go the work, reschedule the work, or consider requests for 
equitable adjustment to the contract. 
SEC. 809. GAO REPORT. 
Not later than one year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a review of fire and emergency services at NASA 
launch and reentry facilities that assesses the following: 
(1) Current capabilities and projected demands 
for NASA-provided fire and emergency services. 
(2) How demand for NASA-provided fire and 
emergency services have been impacted by the fol-
lowing: 
(A) An increased rate of launch and re-
entry operations. 
(B) An increased number of leases with 
commercial launch and reentry service providers 
for use of NASA property. 
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(3) Current fire and emergency services pro-
vided by commercial providers to support launch and 
reentry operations that are conducted— 
(A) to fulfill a contractual obligation with 
NASA; or 
(B) for non-NASA purposes using NASA- 
leased property. 
(4) Whether NASA-provided and commercially- 
provided fire and emergency services are able to 
meet current and projected demands and support all 
fire response areas on NASA property. 
SEC. 810. NASA PUBLIC-PRIVATE TALENT PROGRAM. 
Section 20113 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new sub-
section: 
‘‘(o) PUBLIC-PRIVATE TALENT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) ASSIGNMENT AUTHORITY.—Under policies 
and procedures prescribed by the Administration, 
the Administrator may, with the agreement of a pri-
vate sector entity and the consent of an employee of 
the Administration or of such entity, arrange for the 
temporary assignment of such employee of the Ad-
ministration to such private sector entity, or of such 
employee of such entity to the Administration, as 
the case may be. 
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‘‘(2) AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Administrator 
shall provide for a written agreement among 
the Administration, the private sector entity, 
and the employee concerned regarding the 
terms and conditions of the employee’s assign-
ment under this subsection. The agreement 
shall— 
‘‘(i) require that the employee of the 
Administration, upon completion of the as-
signment, will serve in the Administration, 
or elsewhere in the civil service if approved 
by the Administrator, for a period equal to 
twice the length of the assignment; 
‘‘(ii) provide that if the employee of 
the Administration or of the private sector 
entity (as the case may be) fails to carry 
out the agreement, such employee shall be 
liable to the United States for payment of 
all expenses of the assignment, unless such 
failure was for good and sufficient reason, 
as determined by the Administrator; and 
‘‘(iii) contain language ensuring that 
such employee of the Administration or of 
the private sector entity (as the case may 
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be) does not improperly use predecisional 
or draft deliberative information that such 
employee may be privy to or aware of re-
lated to Administration programing, budg-
eting, resourcing, acquisition, or procure-
ment for the benefit or advantage of the 
private sector entity. 
‘‘(B) TREATMENT.—An amount for which 
an employee is liable under subparagraph (A) 
shall be treated as a debt due the United 
States. 
‘‘(C) WAIVER.—The Administrator may 
waive, in whole or in part, collection of a debt 
described in subparagraph (B) based on a de-
termination that the collection would be against 
equity and good conscience and not in the best 
interests of the United States, after taking into 
account any indication of fraud, misrepresenta-
tion, fault, or lack of good faith on the part of 
the employee concerned. 
‘‘(3) TERMINATION.—An assignment under this 
section may, at any time and for any reason, be ter-
minated by the Administration or the private-sector 
entity concerned, as the case may be. 
‘‘(4) DURATION.— 
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‘‘(ii) Criteria for making such assign-
ments, including the needs of the Adminis-
tration relating thereto. 
‘‘(iii) How the Administration will 
oversee such assignments, in particular 
with respect to paragraphs (2)(A)(iii), 
(7)(C), and (7)(D). 
‘‘(iv) Criteria for issuing waivers. 
‘‘(v) How expenses under paragraph 
(2)(A)(ii) would be determined. 
‘‘(vi) Guidance for participants in 
such assignments. 
‘‘(vii) Mission Directorate, Office, and 
organizational structure to implement and 
manage such assignments. 
‘‘(viii) Any other necessary policies, 
procedures, or guidelines to ensure such 
assignments comply with all relevant statu-
tory authorities and ethics rules, and effec-
tively contribute to one or more of the Ad-
ministration’s missions. 
‘‘(C) INHERENTLY
GOVERNMENTAL
AC-
TIVITIES.—Assignments made under this sub-
section shall not have responsibilities or per-
form duties or decision making regarding Ad-
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ministration activities that are inherently gov-
ernmental, pursuant to subpart 7.500 of title 
48, Code of Federal Regulations, and Office of 
Management and Budget review. 
‘‘(6) STATUS
OF
FEDERAL
EMPLOYEES
AS-
SIGNED TO PRIVATE SECTOR ENTITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—An employee of the 
Administration who is assigned to a private sec-
tor entity under this subsection shall be consid-
ered, during the period of such assignment, to 
be on detail to a regular work assignment in 
the Administration for all purposes. The written 
agreement established under paragraph (2)(A) 
shall address the specific terms and conditions 
related to such employee’s continued status as 
a Federal employee. 
‘‘(B) CERTIFICATION.—In establishing a 
temporary assignment of an employee of the 
Administration to a private sector entity, the 
Administrator or Administrator’s designee shall 
certify that such temporary assignment shall 
not have an adverse or negative impact on the 
mission of the Administration or organizational 
capabilities associated with such assignment. 
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‘‘(7) TERMS
AND
CONDITIONS
FOR
PRIVATE 
SECTOR EMPLOYEES.—An employee of a private sec-
tor entity who is assigned to the Administration 
under this subsection— 
‘‘(A) shall continue to receive pay and ben-
efits from the private sector entity from which 
such employee is assigned and shall not receive 
pay or benefits from the Administration, except 
as provided in subparagraph (B); 
‘‘(B) is deemed to be an employee of the 
Administration for the purposes of— 
‘‘(i) chapters 73 and 81 of title 5; 
‘‘(ii) sections 201, 203, 205, 207, 
208, 209, 603, 606, 607, 643, 654, 1905, 
and 1913 of title 18, except that such sec-
tion 209 does not apply to any salary, or 
contribution or supplementation of salary 
made pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this 
paragraph; 
‘‘(iii) 
sections 
1343, 
1344, 
and 
1349(b) of title 31; 
‘‘(iv) the Federal Tort Claims Act and 
any other Federal tort liability statute; 
‘‘(v) the Ethics in Government Act of 
1978; and 
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‘‘(vi) chapter 21 of title 41; 
‘‘(C) shall not have access to any trade se-
crets or any other nonpublic information which 
is of commercial value to the private sector en-
tity from which such employee is assigned; 
‘‘(D) may not perform work that is consid-
ered inherently governmental in nature, in ac-
cordance with paragraph (5)(C); and 
‘‘(E) may not be used to circumvent— 
‘‘(i) section 1710 of title 41, United 
States Code; or 
‘‘(ii) any limitation or restriction on 
the size of the Administration’s civil serv-
ant workforce. 
‘‘(8) ADDITIONAL
REQUIREMENTS.—The Ad-
ministrator shall ensure that— 
‘‘(A) the normal duties and functions of an 
employee of the Administration who is assigned 
to a private sector entity under this subsection 
can be reasonably performed by other employ-
ees of the Administration without the perma-
nent transfer or reassignment of other per-
sonnel of the Administration; 
‘‘(B) normal duties and functions of such 
other employees of the Administration are not, 
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123 
as a result of and during the course of such 
temporary assignment, performed or augmented 
by contractor personnel in violation of section 
1710 of title 41; and 
‘‘(C) not more than two percent of the Ad-
ministration’s civil servant workforce may par-
ticipate in an assignment under this subsection 
at the same time. 
‘‘(9) CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.—The Adminis-
trator shall implement a system to identify, mitigate, 
and manage any conflicts of interests that may arise 
as a result of an employee’s assignment under this 
subsection. 
‘‘(10) PROHIBITION
AGAINST
CHARGING
CER-
TAIN
COSTS
TO
THE
FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.—A 
private-sector entity may not charge the Administra-
tion or any other agency of the Federal Government, 
as direct or indirect costs under a Federal contract, 
the costs of pay or benefits paid by the entity to an 
employee assigned to the Administration under this 
subsection for the period of the assignment con-
cerned. 
‘‘(11) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out this 
subsection, the Administrator shall take into consid-
eration— 
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‘‘(A) the question of how assignments 
under this subsection might best be used to 
help meet the needs of the Administration with 
respect to the training of employees; and 
‘‘(B) where applicable, areas of particular 
private sector expertise, such as cybersecurity. 
‘‘(12) NASA REPORTING.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than April 
30 of each year, the Administrator shall submit 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Tech-
nology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Trans-
portation of the Senate a report summarizing 
the implementation of this subsection. 
‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—Each report under sub-
paragraph (A) shall include, with respect to the 
annual period to which such report relates, the 
following: 
‘‘(i) Information relating to the total 
number of employees of private sector enti-
ties assigned to the Administration, and 
the total number of employees of the Ad-
ministration assigned to private sector en-
tities. 
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sources required to implement this sub-
section. 
‘‘(13) FEDERAL ETHICS.—Nothing in this sub-
section shall affect existing Federal ethics rules ap-
plicable to Federal personnel. 
‘‘(14) GAO REPORTING.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than three 
years after the date of the enactment of this 
subsection, the Comptroller General of the 
United States shall submit to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate a report summarizing the implementation of 
this subsection. 
‘‘(B) CONTENTS.—The report under sub-
paragraph (A) shall include the following: 
‘‘(i) A review of the implementation of 
this subsection, according to law and the 
Administration policies and procedures es-
tablished for assignments under this sub-
section. 
‘‘(ii) Information relating to the ex-
tent to which such assignments adhere to 
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127 
best practices relating to public-private tal-
ent exchange programs. 
‘‘(iii) A determination as to whether 
there should be limitations on the number 
of individuals participating in such assign-
ments. 
‘‘(iv) Information relating to the ex-
tent to which the Administration complies 
with statutory requirements and ethics 
rules, and appropriately handles potential 
conflicts of interest and access to non-
public information with respect to such as-
signments. 
‘‘(v) Information relating to the extent 
to which such assignments effectively con-
tribute to one or more of the Administra-
tion’s missions. 
‘‘(vi) Information relating to Adminis-
tration resources, including employee time, 
dedicated to administering such assign-
ments, and whether such resources are suf-
ficient for such administration.’’. 
SEC. 811. REPORT ON SPACE ACT AGREEMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
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of the United States shall submit to the appropriate com-
mittees of Congress a report describing the following: 
(1) Intellectual property considerations in Space 
Act agreements. 
(2) Feedback shared by industry groups regard-
ing intellectual property considerations in Space Act 
agreements. 
(3) Differences between NASA policies regard-
ing intellectual property in Space Act agreements 
and policies utilized in similar situations by other 
Federal agencies. 
(b) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term ‘‘Space 
Act agreements’’ means agreements entered into by NASA 
pursuant to its authorities under the National Aeronautics 
and Space Act of 1958 (Public Law 85–568). 
SEC. 812. MENTORING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall establish 
a comprehensive NASA-wide mentoring program for early- 
career, mid-level, and senior-level employees at all NASA 
Centers and NASA Headquarters to ensure a robust pipe-
line for NASA’s civil servant workforce and support the 
preparation of employees, including those from popu-
lations that are historically underrepresented in STEM, 
for promotion and leadership roles. 
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(b) BRIEFING.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the imple-
mentation of subsection (a). 
SEC. 813. RESTRICTION ON FEDERAL FUNDS RELATING TO 
CERTAIN SPACE AND SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES 
OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—No Federal funds authorized in 
this Act may be obligated or expended for the following: 
(1) For the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration (NASA), the Office of Science and 
Technology Policy (OSTP), or the National Space 
Council (NSC) to develop, design, plan, promulgate, 
implement, or execute a bilateral policy, program, 
order, or contract of any kind to participate, collabo-
rate, or coordinate bilaterally in any way with the 
People’s Republic of China or any company owned 
by the People’s Republic of China, or incorporated 
under the laws of the People’s Republic of China, 
unless such activities are specifically authorized by a 
law enacted after the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(2) To effectuate the hosting of official visitors 
from the People’s Republic of China at facilities be-
longing to or utilized by NASA. 
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(b) EXCEPTION.—The restrictions described in sub-
section (a) shall not apply to activities with respect to 
which NASA, OSTP, or NSC, after consultation with the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation, have certified— 
(1) pose no risk of resulting in the transfer of 
technology, data, or other information with national 
security or economic security implications to the 
People’s Republic of China or a company owned by 
the People’s Republic of China or incorporated 
under the laws of the People’s Republic of China; 
and 
(2) will not involve knowing interactions with 
officials who have been determined by the United 
States to have direct involvement with violations of 
human rights. 
(c) SUBMISSION.—Any certification made under sub-
section (b) shall be submitted to the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Ap-
propriations of the House of Representatives, the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the 
Committee on Appropriations of the Senate, and the Fed-
eral Bureau of Investigation, not later than 30 days prior 
to the activity in question. Any such certification shall in-
clude a description of the purpose of such activity, its 
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