I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 823 
To preserve American space leadership, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 26, 2013 
Mr. CULBERSON (for himself, Mr. WOLF, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. 
POSEY, and Mr. OLSON) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to 
the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined 
by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To preserve American space leadership, 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 ‘‘Space Leadership 
Preservation Act of 2013’’. 
SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 
The purpose of this Act is to ensure that the Amer-
ican space program will always be the best in the world, 
and to ensure that America will always be able to preserve 
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and protect our leadership in the exploration of outer 
space, the high ground of the future. Congress is hopeful 
that by restructuring NASA we can make the Agency less 
political and more professional so that visionary NASA 
scientists, engineers, and astronauts will continue to in-
spire future generations by their continuing mission: to 
explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life, to boldly 
go where no one has gone before. 
SEC. 3. ADMINISTRATOR AND DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR. 
Section 20111 of title 51, United States Code, is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘ADMINISTRATOR.—There 
is 
established’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘ADMINIS-
TRATOR.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—There is established’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1), as so designated by 
subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by insert-
ing ‘‘The Administrator shall serve for a term 
of 6 years.’’ after ‘‘and activities thereof.’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(2) BOARD
OF
DIRECTORS
NOMINATIONS.— 
The President may appoint the Administrator under 
paragraph (1) from among the list of nominees pro-
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‘‘(c) QUALIFICATIONS.—The persons appointed as 
members of the Board shall be— 
‘‘(1) former astronauts or scientists or engi-
neers eminent in the fields of human spaceflight, 
planetary science, space science, Earth science, and 
aeronautics, or other scientific, engineering, busi-
ness, and social science disciplines related to space 
and aeronautics; 
‘‘(2) selected on the basis of established records 
of distinguished service; and 
‘‘(3) so selected as to provide representation of 
the views of engineering, science, and aerospace 
leaders in all areas of the Nation. 
‘‘(d) LIMITATION ON MEMBERS.—An individual em-
ployed by or representing an organization with which the 
Administration has a contract is not eligible to serve on 
the Board, except for scientists employed by or rep-
resenting colleges, universities, and other not-for-profit or-
ganizations. Any such scientists serving on the Board shall 
not directly work on a study, project, or program that re-
ceives funding through a grant from or contract with the 
Administration, and shall recuse themselves from any 
Board consideration of programs affecting their place of 
employment. Additionally, a former Board member may 
not take employment with or represent an organization 
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with which the Administration has a contract, or which 
is seeking such a contract, for a period of 2 years following 
completion of service on the Board. 
‘‘(e) TERMS.—The term of office of each member of 
the Board shall be 3 years, except that any member ap-
pointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration 
of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall 
be appointed for the remainder of such term. Any person 
who has been a member of the Board for 12 consecutive 
years shall thereafter be ineligible for appointment during 
the 2-year period following the expiration of such 12th 
year. 
‘‘(f) MEETINGS.—The Board shall meet quarterly 
and at such other times as the Chairman may determine, 
but the Chairman shall also call a meeting whenever one- 
third of the members so request in writing. The Board 
shall adopt procedures governing the conduct of its meet-
ings, including delivery of notice and a definition of a 
quorum, which in no case shall be less than one-half plus 
one of the members of the Board. 
‘‘(g) CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMAN.—The election 
of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board shall 
take place at each first quarter meeting occurring in an 
even-numbered year. The Vice Chairman shall perform the 
duties of the Chairman in his absence. In case a vacancy 
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occurs in the chairmanship or vice chairmanship, the 
Board shall elect a member to fill such vacancy. 
‘‘(h) STAFF.—The Board may, with the concurrence 
of a majority of its members, permit the appointment of 
a staff consisting of professional staff members, technical 
and professional personnel on leave of absence from aca-
demic, industrial, or research institutions for a limited 
term, and such operations and support staff members as 
may be necessary. Such staff shall be appointed by the 
Chairman and assigned at the direction of the Board. The 
professional members and limited term technical and pro-
fessional personnel of such staff may be appointed without 
regard to the provisions of title 5, United States Code, 
governing appointments in the competitive service, and the 
provisions of chapter 51 of such title relating to classifica-
tion, and shall be compensated at a rate not exceeding 
the maximum rate payable under section 5376 of such 
title, as may be necessary to provide for the performance 
of such duties as may be prescribed by the Board in con-
nection with the exercise of its powers and functions under 
this section. 
‘‘(i) COMMITTEES.—The Board is also authorized to 
appoint from among its members such committees as it 
deems necessary, and to assign to committees so appointed 
such survey and advisory functions as the Board deems 
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appropriate to assist it in exercising its powers and func-
tions under this section. 
‘‘(j) FUNCTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) BUDGET PROPOSAL.—Not later than No-
vember 15 of each year, the Board shall provide to 
the President, and to the Committee on Appropria-
tions and the Committee on Science, Space, and 
Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Sen-
ate, a proposed budget for the National Aeronautics 
and Space Administration for the next fiscal year. 
Such budget shall— 
‘‘(A) carry out the purpose described in 
section 20102(h); 
‘‘(B) be based on— 
‘‘(i) the best professional judgement 
of the Board; 
‘‘(ii) recommendations from the sci-
entific, engineering, and other technical ex-
perts communities; and 
‘‘(iii) the recommendations of the 
most recent National Research Council 
decadal surveys; and 
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‘‘(C) follow such decadal surveys’ rec-
ommended decision rules regarding program 
implementation, including a strict adherence to 
the recommendation that the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration include in a 
balanced program a flagship class mission, 
which may be executed in cooperation with one 
or more international partners. 
‘‘(2) NOMINEES FOR ADMINISTRATOR, DEPUTY 
ADMINISTRATOR, AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER.— 
The Board shall provide to the President— 
‘‘(A) a list of 3 nominees from which the 
President may appoint an Administrator pursu-
ant to section 20111(a); 
‘‘(B) a list of 3 nominees from which the 
President may appoint a Deputy Administrator 
pursuant to section 20111(b) and 
‘‘(C) a list of 3 nominees from which the 
President may appoint a Chief Financial Offi-
cer pursuant to section 205(a) of the Chief Fi-
nancial Officers Act (31 U.S.C. 901(a)). 
The Board shall provide the first set of nominees 
under this paragraph not later than 15 months after 
the date of enactment of the Space Leadership Pres-
ervation Act of 2013. 
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