IIB 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1159 
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 
DECEMBER 21, 2017 
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 
AN ACT 
To provide for continuing cooperation between the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Israel 
Space Agency, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:28 Dec 22, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1159.RFS
H1159
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
HR 1159 RFS
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘United States and 
Israel Space Cooperation Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds that— 
(1) authorized in 1958, the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration (NASA) supports 
and coordinates United States Government research 
in aeronautics, human exploration and operations, 
science, and space technology; 
(2) established in 1983, the Israel Space Agen-
cy (ISA) supports the growth of Israel’s space indus-
try by supporting academic research, technological 
innovation, and educational activities; 
(3) the mutual interest of the United States 
and Israel in space exploration affords both nations 
an opportunity to leverage their unique abilities to 
advance scientific discovery; 
(4) in 1996, NASA and the ISA entered into 
their first agreement outlining areas of mutual co-
operation, which remained in force until 2005; 
(5) since 1996, NASA and the ISA have suc-
cessfully cooperated on many space programs sup-
porting the Global Positioning System and research 
related to the sun, earth science, and the environ-
ment; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:28 Dec 22, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1159.RFS
H1159
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
HR 1159 RFS
(6) the bond between NASA and the ISA was 
permanently forged on February 1, 2003, with the 
loss of the crew of STS–107 including Israeli Astro-
naut Ilan Ramon; 
(7) the United States-Israel Strategic Partner-
ship Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–296) designated 
Israel as a Major Strategic Partner of the United 
States; and 
(8) on October 13, 2015, the United States and 
Israel signed the Framework Agreement between the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration of 
the United States of America and the Israel Space 
Agency for Cooperation in Aeronautics and the Ex-
ploration and Use of Airspace and Outer Space for 
Peaceful Purposes. 
SEC. 3. CONTINUING COOPERATION. 
The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration shall continue to work with the 
Israel Space Agency to identify and cooperatively pursue 
peaceful space exploration and science initiatives in areas 
of mutual interest, taking all appropriate measures to pro-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:28 Dec 22, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1159.RFS
H1159
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS
HR 1159 RFS
tect sensitive information, intellectual property, trade se-
crets, and economic interests of the United States. 
Passed the House of Representatives December 20, 
2017. 
Attest: 
KAREN L. HAAS, 
Clerk. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
03:28 Dec 22, 2017
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H1159.RFS
H1159
SSpencer on DSKBBXCHB2PROD with BILLS