of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate prior to 
awarding a development contract for the Crew Ex-
ploration Vehicle, explaining why such a requirement 
should not be met and the impact of not meeting the 
requirement on the ISS research agenda and oper-
ations; 
(3) support Crew Exploration Vehicle docking 
and automated docking of cargo vehicles or modules 
launched by either heavy-lift or commercially-devel-
oped launch vehicles; and 
(4) be operated at an appropriate risk level. 
(b) CONTINGENCY PLAN.—The transportation plan 
to support ISS shall include contingency options to ensure 
sufficient logistics and on-orbit capabilities to support any 
potential period during which the Space Shuttle or its fol-
low-on crew and cargo systems is unavailable, and require 
sufficient surge delivery capability or prepositioning of 
spares and other supplies needed to accommodate any 
such hiatus. 
(c) CERTIFICATION.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and before making any 
change in the ISS assembly sequence in effect on the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall certify 
in writing to the Committee on Science of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate NASA’s plan 
to meet the requirements of subsections (a) and (b). 
(d) CENTRIFUGE.—Nothing in this Act shall be con-
strued to prohibit the installation of the centrifuge on the 
ISS. 
SEC. 502. HUMAN EXPLORATION PRIORITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall—
(1) construct an architecture and implementa-
tion plan for NASA’s human exploration program 
that is not critically dependent on the achievement 
of milestones by fixed dates; and 
(2) determine the relative priority of each of the 
potential elements of NASA’s implementation plan 
for its human exploration program in case funding 
shortfalls or cost growth necessitate the adjustment 
of NASA’s implementation plan. 
(b) PRIORITIES.—Development of a Crew Explo-
ration Vehicle with a robust crew escape system, develop-
ment of a launch system for the Crew Exploration Vehicle, 
and definition of an overall architecture and prioritized 
implementation plan shall be the highest priorities of the 
human exploration program over the period governed by 
this Act.
SEC. 503. GAO ASSESSMENT. 
Not later than 9 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit to the 
Committee on Science of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate an assessment of the milestones and 
estimated costs of the plans submitted under section 
102(a)(7). 
TITLE VI—OTHER PROGRAM 
AREAS 
Subtitle A—Space and Flight 
Support 
SEC. 601. ORBITAL DEBRIS. 
The Administrator, in conjunction with the heads of 
other Federal agencies, shall take steps to develop or ac-
quire technologies that will enable NASA to decrease the 
risks associated with orbital debris. 
SEC. 602. SECONDARY PAYLOAD CAPABILITY. 
The Administrator is encouraged to provide the capa-
bilities to support secondary payloads on United States 
launch vehicles, including freeflyers, for satellites or sci-
entific payloads.
Subtitle B—Education 
SEC. 611. INSTITUTIONS IN NASA’S MINORITY INSTITU-
TIONS PROGRAM. 
The matter appearing under the heading ‘‘NATIONAL 
AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION, SMALL AND 
DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS’’ in title III of the Depart-
ments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Devel-
opment, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 
1990 (42 U.S.C. 2473b; 103 Stat. 863) is amended by 
striking ‘‘Historically Black Colleges and Universities 
and’’ and inserting ‘‘Historically Black Colleges and Uni-
versities that are part B institutions (as defined in section 
322(2) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
1061(2))), Hispanic-serving institutions (as defined in sec-
tion 502(a)(5) of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1101a(a)(5))), Trib-
al Colleges or Universities (as defined in section 316(b)(3) 
of that Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)(3))), Alaskan Native-
serving institutions (as defined in section 317(b)(2) of 
that Act (20 U.S.C. 1059d)(b)(2))), Native Hawaiian-
serving institutions (as defined in section 317(b)(4) of 
that Act (20 U.S.C. 1059d(b)(4))), and’’. 
SEC. 612. PROGRAM TO EXPAND DISTANCE LEARNING IN 
RURAL UNDERSERVED AREAS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall develop 
or expand programs to extend science and space edu-
cational outreach to rural communities and schools 
through video conferencing, interpretive exhibits, teacher 
education, classroom presentations, and student field 
trips. 
(b) PRIORITIES.—In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall give priority to existing programs—
(1) that utilize community-based partnerships 
in the field; 
(2) that build and maintain video conference 
and exhibit capacity; 
(3) that travel directly to rural communities 
and serve low-income populations; and 
(4) with a special emphasis on increasing the 
number of women and minorities in the science and 
engineering professions. 
SEC. 613. CHARLES ‘‘PETE’’ CONRAD ASTRONOMY AWARDS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Charles ‘Pete’ Conrad Astronomy Awards Act’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—For the purposes of this sec-
tion—
(1) the term ‘‘amateur astronomer’’ means an 
individual whose employer does not provide any 
funding, payment, or compensation to the individual 
for the observation of asteroids and other celestial
bodies, and does not include any individual employed 
as a professional astronomer; 
(2) the term ‘‘Minor Planet Center’’ means the 
Minor Planet Center of the Smithsonian Astro-
physical Observatory; 
(3) the term ‘‘near-Earth asteroid’’ means an 
asteroid with a perihelion distance of less than 1.3 
Astronomical Units from the Sun; and 
(4) the term ‘‘Program’’ means the Charles 
‘‘Pete’’ Conrad Astronomy Awards Program estab-
lished under subsection (c). 
(c) PETE CONRAD ASTRONOMY AWARD PROGRAM.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall es-
tablish the Charles ‘‘Pete’’ Conrad Astronomy 
Awards Program. 
(2) AWARDS.—The Administrator shall make 
awards under the Program based on the rec-
ommendations of the Minor Planet Center. 
(3) AWARD
CATEGORIES.—The Administrator 
shall make one annual award, unless there are no el-
igible discoveries or contributions, for each of the 
following categories: 
(A) The amateur astronomer or group of 
amateur astronomers who in the preceding cal-
endar year discovered the intrinsically brightest
near-Earth asteroid among the near-Earth as-
teroids that were discovered during that year by 
amateur astronomers or groups of amateur as-
tronomers. 
(B) The amateur astronomer or group of 
amateur astronomers who made the greatest 
contribution to the Minor Planet Center’s mis-
sion of cataloguing near-Earth asteroids during 
the preceding year. 
(4) AWARD
AMOUNT.—An award under the 
Program shall be in the amount of $3,000. 
(5) GUIDELINES.—(A) No individual who is not 
a citizen or permanent resident of the United States 
at the time of his discovery or contribution may re-
ceive an award under this section. 
(B) The decisions of the Administrator in mak-
ing awards under this section are final. 
SEC. 614. REVIEW OF EDUCATION PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall enter 
into an arrangement with the National Research Council 
of the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a review 
and evaluation of NASA’s science, technology, engineer-
ing, and mathematics education program. The review and 
evaluation shall be documented in a report to the Adminis-
trator and shall include such recommendations as the Na-
tional Research Council determines will improve the effec-
tiveness of the program. 
(b) REVIEW.—The review and evaluation under sub-
section (a) shall include—
(1) an evaluation of the effectiveness of the 
overall program in meeting its defined goals and ob-
jectives; 
(2) an assessment of the quality and edu-
cational effectiveness of the major components of the 
program, including an evaluation of the adequacy of 
assessment metrics and data collection requirements 
available for determining the effectiveness of indi-
vidual projects; 
(3) an evaluation of the funding priorities in 
the program, including a review of the funding level 
and funding trend for each major component of the 
program and an assessment of whether the resources 
made available are consistent with meeting identified 
goals and priorities; and 
(4) a determination of the extent and the effec-
tiveness of coordination and collaboration between 
NASA and other Federal agencies that sponsor 
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics 
education activities.
(c) REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Ad-
ministrator shall transmit to the Committee on Science 
of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate the 
report required under subsection (a). 
SEC. 615. EQUAL ACCESS TO NASA’S EDUCATION PRO-
GRAMS. 
The Administrator shall strive to ensure equal access 
for minority and economically disadvantaged students to 
NASA’s Education programs. Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, and every 2 years there-
after, the Administrator shall submit a report to the Com-
mittee on Science of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
the Senate describing the efforts by the Administrator to 
ensure equal access for minority and economically dis-
advantaged students under this section, and the results 
of such efforts. As part of the report, the Administrator 
shall provide data on minority participation in NASA’s 
education programs, at a minimum in the following cat-
egories: elementary and secondary education, under-
graduate education, and graduate education.
SEC. 616. MUSEUMS. 
The Administrator may provide grants to, and enter 
into cooperative agreements with museums and planetar-
iums to enable them to enhance programs related to space 
exploration, aeronautics, space science, earth science, or 
microgravity. 
SEC. 617. REVIEW OF MUST PROGRAM. 
Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit a report to 
Congress on the legal status of the Motivating Under-
graduates in Science and Technology program. If the re-
port concludes that the program is in compliance with the 
laws of the United States, NASA shall implement the pro-
gram, as planned in the July 5, 2005 National Research 
Announcement. 
TITLE VII—MISCELLANEOUS 
AMENDMENTS 
SEC. 701. RETROCESSION OF JURISDICTION. 
The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (42 
U.S.C. 2451 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 
of title III the following new section: 
‘‘RETROCESSION OF JURISDICTION 
‘‘SEC. 316. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, the Administrator may relinquish to a State all 
or part of the legislative jurisdiction of the United States
over lands or interests under the control of the Adminis-
trator in that State. 
‘‘(b) For purposes of this section, the term ‘State’ 
means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, 
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Vir-
gin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mar-
iana Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or 
possession of the United States.’’. 
SEC. 702. EXTENSION OF INDEMNIFICATION. 
Section 309 of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Act of 1958 (42 U.S.C. 2458c) is amended in subsection 
(f)(1) by striking ‘‘December 31, 2002’’ through ‘‘Sep-
tember 30, 2005’’ and inserting, ‘‘December 31, 2010, ex-
cept that the Administrator may extend the termination 
date to a date not later than September 30, 2015, if the 
Administrator has entered into an arrangement with the 
National Academy of Public Administration to determine 
the impact on private parties and the Federal Government 
of eliminating this section’’. 
SEC. 703. NASA SCHOLARSHIPS. 
(a) AMENDMENTS.—Section 9809 of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended—
(1) in subsection (a)(2) by striking ‘‘Act.’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Act (42 U.S.C. 1885a or 1885b).’’;
(2) in subsection (c) by striking ‘‘require.’’ and 
inserting ‘‘require to carry out this section.’’; 
(3) in subsection (f)(1) by striking the last sen-
tence; and 
(4) in subsection (g)(2) by striking ‘‘Treasurer 
of the’’ and all that follows through ‘‘by 3’’ and in-
serting ‘‘Treasurer of the United States’’. 
(b) REPEAL.—The Vision 100—Century of Aviation 
Reauthorization Act is amended by striking section 703 
(42 U.S.C. 2473e). 
SEC. 704. INDEPENDENT COST ANALYSIS. 
Section 301 of the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration Authorization Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 
2459g) is amended—
(1) by striking ‘‘Phase B’’ in subsection (a) and 
inserting ‘‘implementation’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘Chief Financial Officer’’ each 
place it appears in subsection (a) and inserting ‘‘Ad-
ministrator’’; 
(3) by inserting ‘‘and consider’’ in subsection 
(a) after ‘‘shall conduct’’; and 
(4) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(b) IMPLEMENTATION DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘implementation’ means all activity in the life
cycle of a project after preliminary design, independent as-
sessment of the preliminary design, and approval to pro-
ceed into implementation, including critical design, devel-
opment, certification, launch, operations, disposal of as-
sets, and, for technology programs, development, testing, 
analysis and communication of the results.’’. 
SEC. 705. LIMITATIONS ON OFF-SHORE PERFORMANCE OF 
CONTRACTS FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF 
GOODS AND SERVICES. 
(a) CONVERSIONS TO CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE 
OF ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES.—Except as provided in 
subsection (c), an activity or function of the Administra-
tion that is converted to contractor performance under Of-
fice of Management and Budget Circular A–76 may not 
be performed by the contractor or any subcontractor at 
a location outside the United States. 
(b) CONTRACTS FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF SERV-
ICES.—(1) Except as provided in subsection (c), a contract 
for the procurement of goods or services that is entered 
into by the Administrator may not be performed outside 
the United States unless it is to meet a requirement of 
the Administration for goods or services specifically at a 
location outside the United States. 
(2) The President may waive the prohibition in para-
graph (1) in the case of any contract for which the Presi-
dent determines in writing that it is necessary in the na-
tional security interests of the United States for goods or 
services under the contract to be performed outside the 
United States. 
(3) The Administrator may waive the prohibition in 
paragraph (1) in the case of any contract for which the 
Administrator determines in writing that essential goods 
or services under the contract are only available from a 
source outside the United States. 
(c) EXCEPTION.—Subsections (a) and (b)(1) shall 
not apply to the extent that the activity or function under 
the contract was previously performed by Federal Govern-
ment employees outside the United States. 
(d) CONSISTENCY WITH INTERNATIONAL AGREE-
MENTS.—The provisions of this section shall not apply to 
the extent that they are inconsistent with obligations of 
the United States under international agreements. 
(e) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Administrator shall sub-
mit to Congress, not later than 120 days after the end 
of each fiscal year, a report on the contracts performed 
overseas and amount of purchases by NASA from foreign 
entities in that fiscal year. Such report shall separately 
indicate the dollar value of contracts for which the provi-
sions of this section were waived and the dollar value of 
items for which the Buy American Act was waived pursu-
ant to obligations of the United States under international 
agreements. 
SEC. 706. LONG DURATION FLIGHT. 
No provision of this or any other Act shall be con-
strued to prohibit NASA from accommodating the exercise 
of religion by astronauts engaged in long duration space 
flight missions. 
TITLE VIII—INDEPENDENT 
COMMISSIONS 
SEC. 801. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this title—
(1) the term ‘‘Commission’’ means a Commis-
sion established under this title; and 
(2) the term ‘‘incident’’ means either an acci-
dent or a deliberate act. 
Subtitle 
A—International 
Space 
Station 
Independent 
Safety 
Commission 
SEC. 811. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall establish 
an independent, nonpartisan Commission within the exec-
utive branch to discover and assess any vulnerabilities of 
the International Space Station that could lead to its de-
struction, compromise the health of its crew, or necessitate 
its premature abandonment.
(b) DEADLINE FOR ESTABLISHMENT.—The Presi-
dent shall issue an executive order establishing a Commis-
sion within 30 days after the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
SEC. 812. TASKS OF THE COMMISSION. 
The Commission established under section 811 shall, 
to the extent possible, undertake the following tasks: 
(1) Catalog threats to and vulnerabilities of the 
ISS, including design flaws, natural phenomena, 
computer software or hardware flaws, sabotage or 
terrorist attack, number of crewmembers, and inabil-
ity to adequately deliver replacement parts and sup-
plies, and management or procedural deficiencies. 
(2) Make recommendations for corrective ac-
tions. 
(3) Provide any additional findings or rec-
ommendations related to ISS safety. 
(4) Prepare a report to Congress, the Presi-
dent, and the public. 
SEC. 813. SUNSET. 
The Commission established under this subtitle shall 
transmit its final report not later than 1 year after the 
date on which the full Commission membership is ap-
pointed.
Subtitle B—Human Space Flight 
Independent Investigation Com-
mission 
SEC. 821. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The President shall establish 
an independent, nonpartisan Commission within the exec-
utive branch to investigate any incident that results in the 
loss of—
(1) a Space Shuttle; 
(2) the International Space Station or its oper-
ational viability; 
(3) any other United States space vehicle car-
rying humans that is owned by the Federal Govern-
ment or that is being used pursuant to a contract 
with the Federal Government; or 
(4) a crew member or passenger of any space 
vehicle described in this subsection. 
(b) DEADLINE FOR ESTABLISHMENT.—The Presi-
dent shall issue an executive order establishing a Commis-
sion within 7 days after an incident specified in subsection 
(a). 
SEC. 822. TASKS OF THE COMMISSION. 
A Commission established pursuant to this subtitle 
shall, to the extent possible, undertake the following tasks: 
(1) Investigate the incident.
(2) Determine the cause of the incident. 
(3) Identify all contributing factors to the cause 
of the incident. 
(4) Make recommendations for corrective ac-
tions. 
(5) Provide any additional findings or rec-
ommendations deemed by the Commission to be im-
portant, whether or not they are related to the spe-
cific incident under investigation. 
(6) Prepare a report to Congress, the Presi-
dent, and the public. 
Subtitle C—Organization and 
Operation of Commissions 
SEC. 831. COMPOSITION OF COMMISSIONS. 
(a) NUMBER OF COMMISSIONERS.—A Commission 
established pursuant to this title shall consist of 15 mem-
bers. 
(b) SELECTION.—The members of a Commission 
shall be chosen in the following manner: 
(1) The President shall appoint the members, 
and shall designate the Chairman and Vice Chair-
man of the Commission from among its members. 
(2) Four of the 15 members appointed by the 
President shall be selected by the President in the 
following manner:
(A) The majority leader of the Senate, the 
minority leader of the Senate, the Speaker of 
the House of Representatives, and the minority 
leader of the House of Representatives shall 
each provide to the President a list of can-
didates for membership on the Commission. 
(B) The President shall select one of the 
candidates from each of the 4 lists for member-
ship on the Commission. 
(3) In the case of a Commission established 
under subtitle A, the President shall select one can-
didate from a list of candidates for membership on 
the Commission provided by the President of the col-
lective-bargaining organization including the largest 
number of NASA engineers. 
(4) No officer or employee of the Federal Gov-
ernment shall serve as a member of the Commission. 
(5) No member of the Commission shall have, 
or have pending, a contractual relationship with 
NASA. 
(6) The President shall not appoint any indi-
vidual as a member of a Commission under this sec-
tion who has a current or former relationship with 
the Administrator that the President determines 
would constitute a conflict of interest.
(7) To the extent practicable, the President 
shall ensure that the members of the Commission in-
clude some individuals with experience relative to 
human carrying spacecraft, as well as some individ-
uals with investigative experience and some individ-
uals with legal experience. 
(8) To the extent practicable, the President 
shall seek diversity in the membership of the Com-
mission. 
(9) The President may waive the prohibitions in 
paragraphs (5) and (6) with respect to the selection 
of not more than two members of a Commission es-
tablished under subtitle A. 
(c) DEADLINE FOR APPOINTMENT.—All members of 
a Commission established under subtitle A shall be ap-
pointed no later than 60 days after issuance of the execu-
tive order establishing the Commission. All members of a 
Commission established under subtitle B shall be ap-
pointed no later than 30 days after the incident. 
(d) INITIAL MEETING.—A Commission shall meet 
and begin operations as soon as practicable. 
(e) QUORUM; VACANCIES.—After its initial meeting, 
a Commission shall meet upon the call of the Chairman 
or a majority of its members. Eight members of a Com-
mission shall constitute a quorum. Any vacancy in a Com-
mission shall not affect its powers, but shall be filled in 
the same manner in which the original appointment was 
made. 
SEC. 832. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) HEARINGS AND EVIDENCE.—A Commission or, 
on the authority of the Commission, any subcommittee or 
member thereof, may, for the purpose of carrying out this 
title—
(1) hold such hearings and sit and act at such 
times and places, take such testimony, receive such 
evidence, administer such oaths; and 
(2) require, by subpoena or otherwise, the at-
tendance and testimony of such witnesses and the 
production of such books, records, correspondence, 
memoranda, papers, and documents, 
as the Commission or such designated subcommittee or 
designated member may determine advisable. 
(b) CONTRACTING.—A Commission may, to such ex-
tent and in such amounts as are provided in appropriation 
Acts, enter into contracts to enable the Commission to dis-
charge its duties under this title. 
(c) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Commission may secure 
directly from any executive department, bureau, 
agency, board, commission, office, independent es-
tablishment, or instrumentality of the Government, 
information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics 
for the purposes of this title. Each department, bu-
reau, agency, board, commission, office, independent 
establishment, or instrumentality shall, to the extent 
authorized by law, furnish such information, sugges-
tions, estimates, and statistics directly to the Com-
mission, upon request made by the Chairman, the 
chairman of any subcommittee created by a majority 
of the Commission, or any member designated by a 
majority of the Commission. 
(2) RECEIPT, HANDLING, STORAGE, AND DIS-
SEMINATION.—Information shall only be received, 
handled, stored, and disseminated by members of 
the Commission and its staff consistent with all ap-
plicable statutes, regulations, and Executive orders. 
(d) ASSISTANCE FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—
(1) GENERAL
SERVICES
ADMINISTRATION.—
The Administrator of General Services shall provide 
to a Commission on a reimbursable basis adminis-
trative support and other services for the perform-
ance of the Commission’s tasks. 
(2) OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.—In 
addition to the assistance prescribed in paragraph 
(1), departments and agencies of the United States
100
may provide to the Commission such services, funds, 
facilities, staff, and other support services as they 
may determine advisable and as may be authorized 
by law. 
(3) NASA ENGINEERING
AND
SAFETY
CEN-
TER.—The NASA Engineering and Safety Center 
shall provide data and technical support as re-
quested by a Commission. 
SEC. 833. PUBLIC MEETINGS, INFORMATION, AND HEAR-
INGS. 
(a) PUBLIC MEETINGS AND RELEASE OF PUBLIC 
VERSIONS OF REPORTS.—A Commission shall—
(1) hold public hearings and meetings to the ex-
tent appropriate; and 
(2) release public versions of the reports re-
quired under this Act. 
(b) PUBLIC HEARINGS.—Any public hearings of a 
Commission shall be conducted in a manner consistent 
with the protection of information provided to or developed 
for or by the Commission as required by any applicable 
statute, regulation, or Executive order. 
SEC. 834. STAFF OF COMMISSION. 
(a) 
APPOINTMENT
AND
COMPENSATION.—The 
Chairman, in consultation with Vice Chairman, in accord-
ance with rules agreed upon by a Commission, may ap-
101
point and fix the compensation of a staff director and such 
other personnel as may be necessary to enable the Com-
mission to carry out its functions. 
(b) DETAILEES.—Any Federal Government em-
ployee, except for an employee of NASA, may be detailed 
to a Commission without reimbursement from the Com-
mission, and such detailee shall retain the rights, status, 
and privileges of his or her regular employment without 
interruption. 
(c) CONSULTANT SERVICES.—A Commission may 
procure the services of experts and consultants in accord-
ance with section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, but 
at rates not to exceed the daily rate paid a person occu-
pying a position at level IV of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5315 of title 5, United States Code. Any 
consultant or expert whose services are procured under 
this subsection shall disclose any contract or association 
it has with NASA or any NASA contractor. 
SEC. 835. COMPENSATION AND TRAVEL EXPENSES. 
(a) COMPENSATION.—Each member of a Commission 
may be compensated at not to exceed the daily equivalent 
of the annual rate of basic pay in effect for a position 
at level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 
of title 5, United States Code, for each day during which
102
that member is engaged in the actual performance of the 
duties of the Commission. 
(b) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—While away from their 
homes or regular places of business in the performance 
of services for the Commission, members of a Commission 
shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu 
of subsistence, in the same manner as persons employed 
intermittently in the Government service are allowed ex-
penses under section 5703(b) of title 5, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 836. SECURITY CLEARANCES FOR COMMISSION MEM-
BERS AND STAFF. 
The appropriate Federal agencies or departments 
shall cooperate with a Commission in expeditiously pro-
viding to the Commission members and staff appropriate 
security clearances to the extent possible pursuant to ex-
isting procedures and requirements. No person shall be 
provided with access to classified information under this 
title without the appropriate security clearances. 
SEC. 837. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS AND TERMINATION. 
(a) INTERIM REPORTS.—A Commission may submit 
to the President and Congress interim reports containing 
such findings, conclusions, and recommendations for cor-
rective actions as have been agreed to by a majority of 
Commission members.
103
(b) FINAL REPORT.—A Commission shall submit to 
the President and Congress, and make concurrently avail-
able to the public, a final report containing such findings, 
conclusions, and recommendations for corrective actions 
as have been agreed to by a majority of Commission mem-
bers. Such report shall include any minority views or opin-
ions not reflected in the majority report. 
(c) TERMINATION.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A Commission, and all the 
authorities of this title with respect to that Commis-
sion, shall terminate 60 days after the date on which 
the final report is submitted under subsection (b). 
(2) ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES BEFORE TER-
MINATION.—A Commission may use the 60-day pe-
riod referred to in paragraph (1) for the purpose of 
concluding its activities, including providing testi-
mony to committees of Congress concerning its re-
ports and disseminating the final report.
Passed the House of Representatives July 22, 2005. 
Attest:
Clerk.