In the Senate of the United States,
October 13 (legislative day, September 22), 2000.
Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representa-
tives (H.R. 2607) entitled ‘‘An Act to promote the develop-
ment of the commercial space transportation industry, to au-
thorize appropriations for the Office of the Associate Admin-
istrator for Commercial Space Transportation, to authorize
appropriations for the Office of Space Commercialization, and
for other purposes.’’, do pass with the following
AMENDMENT:
Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commercial Space
Transportation Competitiveness Act of 2000’’.
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SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) a robust United States space transportation
industry is vital to the Nation’s economic well-being
and national security;
(2) enactment of a 5-year extension of the excess
third party claims payment provision of chapter 701
of title 49, United States Code (Commercial Space
Launch Activities), will have a beneficial impact on
the international competitiveness of the United States
space transportation industry;
(3) space transportation may evolve into air-
plane-style operations;
(4) during the next 3 years the Federal Govern-
ment and the private sector should analyze the liabil-
ity risk-sharing regime to determine its appropriate-
ness and effectiveness, and, if needed, develop and
propose a new regime to Congress at least 2 years
prior to the expiration of the extension contained in
this Act;
(5) the areas of responsibility of the Office of the
Associate 
Administrator 
for 
Commercial 
Space
Transportation have significantly increased as a re-
sult of—
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(A) the rapidly expanding commercial
space transportation industry and associated
government licensing requirements;
(B) regulatory activity as a result of the
emerging commercial reusable launch vehicle in-
dustry; and
(C) the increased regulatory activity associ-
ated with commercial operation of launch and
reentry sites; and
(6) the Office of the Associate Administrator for
Commercial Space Transportation should continue to
limit its promotional activities to those which support
its regulatory mission.
SEC. 3. OFFICE OF COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION.
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 70119 of title 49, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
‘‘§ 70119. Office of Commercial Space Transportation
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec-
retary of Transportation for the activities of the Office of
the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space
Transportation—
‘‘(1) $12,607,000 for fiscal year 2001; and
‘‘(2) $16,478,000 for fiscal year 2002.’’.
(b) TABLE OF SECTIONS AMENDMENT.—The item re-
lating to section 70119 in the table of sections of chapter
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amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2000’’ and inserting
‘‘December 31, 2004’’.
(b) AMENDMENT OF MODIFIED SECTION.—If, on the
date of enactment of this Act, section 70113(f) of title 49,
United States Code, has been amended by the Departments
of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development,
and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001, then
that section is amended by striking ‘‘December 31, 2001’’
and inserting ‘‘December 31, 2004’’.
SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AMENDMENT TO SECTION 70113 OF
TITLE 49.
(a) Section 70113 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by striking ‘‘———, 19——.’,’’ in subsection
(e)(1)(A) and inserting ‘‘———, 20——.’,’’.
(b) The amendment made by subsection (a) takes effect
on January 1, 2000.
SEC. 7. LIABILITY REGIME FOR COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANS-
PORTATION.
(a) REPORT
REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 18
months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Transportation shall transmit to the Congress a
report on the liability risk-sharing regime in the United
States for commercial space transportation.
(b) CONTENTS.—The report required by this section
shall—
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(1) analyze the adequacy, propriety, and effec-
tiveness of, and the need for, the current liability risk-
sharing regime in the United States for commercial
space transportation;
(2) examine the current liability and liability
risk-sharing regimes in other countries with space
transportation capabilities;
(3) examine the appropriateness of deeming all
space transportation activities to be ‘‘ultrahazardous
activities’’ for which a strict liability standard may
be applied and which liability regime should attach
to 
space 
transportation 
activities, 
whether
ultrahazardous activities or not;
(4) examine the effect of relevant international
treaties on the Federal Government’s liability for
commercial space launches and how the current do-
mestic liability risk-sharing regime meets or exceeds
the requirements of those treaties;
(5) examine the appropriateness, as commercial
reusable launch vehicles enter service and demonstrate
improved safety and reliability, of evolving the com-
mercial space transportation liability regime towards
the approach of the airline liability regime;
(6) examine the need for changes to the Federal
Government’s indemnification policy to accommodate
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the risks associated with commercial spaceport oper-
ations; and
(7) recommend appropriate modifications to the
commercial space transportation liability regime and
the actions required to accomplish those modifica-
tions.
(c) SECTIONS.—The report required by this section
shall contain sections expressing the views and rec-
ommendations of—
(1) interested Federal agencies, including—
(A) the Office of the Associate Adminis-
trator for Commercial Space Transportation;
(B) the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration;
(C) the Department of Defense; and
(D) the Office of Space Commercialization;
and
(2) the public, received as a result of notice in
Commerce Business Daily, the Federal Register, and
appropriate Federal agency Internet websites.
SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF INTERAGENCY SUPPORT FOR
GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM.
The use of interagency funding and other forms of sup-
port is hereby authorized by Congress for the functions and
activities of the Interagency Global Positioning System Ex-
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ecutive Board, including an Executive Secretariat to be
housed at the Department of Commerce.
Attest:
Secretary.