Source: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title51-section50905&num=0&edition=prelim
Timestamp: 2019-09-19 02:23:24
Document Index: 3071930

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 50905', '§1', '§70105', '§102', '§2', '§70105', '§50905', '§4', '§827', '§102', '§111', '§7', '§2', '§112', '§111', '§111', '§111', '§4', '§2', '§102']

[USC02] 51 USC 50905: License applications and requirements
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51 USC 50905: License applications and requirements Text contains those laws in effect on September 17, 2019
(a) Applications.-(1) A person may apply to the Secretary of Transportation for a license or transfer of a license under this chapter in the form and way the Secretary prescribes. Consistent with the public health and safety, safety of property, and national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, the Secretary, not later than 180 days after accepting an application in accordance with criteria established pursuant to subsection (b)(2)(D),1 shall issue or transfer a license if the Secretary decides in writing that the applicant complies, and will continue to comply, with this chapter and regulations prescribed under this chapter. The Secretary shall inform the applicant of any pending issue and action required to resolve the issue if the Secretary has not made a decision not later than 120 days after accepting an application in accordance with criteria established pursuant to subsection (b)(2)(D).1 The Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Science of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a written notice not later than 30 days after any occurrence when the Secretary has not taken action on a license application within the deadline established by this subsection.
(b) Requirements.-(1) Except as provided in this subsection, all requirements of the laws of the United States applicable to the launch of a launch vehicle or the operation of a launch site or a reentry site, or the reentry of a reentry vehicle, are requirements for a license or permit under this chapter.
(2) The Secretary may prescribe-
(4) The holder of a license or a permit under this chapter may launch or reenter crew only if-
(5) The holder of a license or a permit under this chapter may launch or reenter a space flight participant only if-
(c) Safety Regulations.-
(1) In general.-The Secretary may issue regulations governing the design or operation of a launch vehicle to protect the health and safety of crew, government astronauts, and space flight participants.
(2) Regulations.-Regulations issued under this subsection shall-
(C) be limited to restricting or prohibiting design features or operating practices that-
(3) Facilitation of standards.-The Secretary shall continue to work with the commercial space sector, including the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, or its successor organization, to facilitate the development of voluntary industry consensus standards based on recommended best practices to improve the safety of crew, government astronauts, and space flight participants as the commercial space sector continues to mature.
(4) Communication and transparency.-Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary to discuss potential regulatory approaches, potential performance standards, or any other topic related to this subsection with the commercial space industry, including observations, findings, and recommendations from the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, or its successor organization, prior to the issuance of a notice of proposed rulemaking. Such discussions shall not be construed to permit the Secretary to promulgate industry regulations except as otherwise provided in this section.
(5) Interim voluntary industry consensus standards reports.-
(A) In general.-Not later than December 31, 2016, and every 30 months thereafter until December 31, 2021, the Secretary, in consultation and coordination with the commercial space sector, including the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, or its successor organization, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report on the progress of the commercial space transportation industry in developing voluntary industry consensus standards that promote best practices to improve industry safety.
(B) Contents.-The report shall include, at a minimum-
(6) Report.-Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of the SPACE Act of 2015, the Secretary, in consultation and coordination with the commercial space sector, including the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, or its successor organization, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report specifying key industry metrics that might indicate readiness of the commercial space sector and the Department of Transportation to transition to a safety framework that may include regulations under paragraph (9) that considers space flight participant, government astronaut, and crew safety.
(7) Reports.-Not later than March 31 of each of 2018 and 2022, the Secretary, in consultation and coordination with the commercial space sector, including the Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee, or its successor organization, shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report that identifies the activities, described in this subsection and subsection (d) most appropriate for a new safety framework that may include regulatory action, if any, and a proposed transition plan for such safety framework.
(8) Independent review.-Not later than December 31, 2022, an independent systems engineering and technical assistance organization or standards development organization contracted by the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives an assessment of the readiness of the commercial space industry and the Federal Government to transition to a safety framework that may include regulations. As part of the review, the contracted organization shall evaluate-
(9) Learning period.-Beginning on October 1, 2023, the Secretary may propose regulations under this subsection without regard to subparagraphs (C) and (D) of paragraph (2). The development of any such regulations shall take into consideration the evolving standards of the commercial space flight industry as identified in the reports published under paragraphs (5), (6), and (7).
(10) Rule of construction.-Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary to issue requirements or regulations to protect the public health and safety, safety of property, national security interests, and foreign policy interests of the United States.
(d) Procedures and Timetables.-The Secretary shall establish procedures and timetables that expedite review of a license or permit application and reduce the regulatory burden for an applicant.
( Pub. L. 103–272, §1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1333 , §70105 of title 49; Pub. L. 105–303, title I, §102(a)(6), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2848 ; Pub. L. 108–492, §2(c)(6)–(15), Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3976–3979 ; renumbered §70105 then §50905 of title 51 and amended Pub. L. 111–314, §4(d)(2), (3)(E), (5)(F), Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3440 , 3441; Pub. L. 112–95, title VIII, §827, Feb. 14, 2012, 126 Stat. 133 ; Pub. L. 114–55, title I, §102(e), Sept. 30, 2015, 129 Stat. 523 ; Pub. L. 114–90, title I, §§111, 112(l), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 709 , 713.)
70105(a) 49 App.:2606 (1st sentence). Oct. 30, 1984, Pub. L. 98–575, §§7 (1st sentence), 8, 9(a), (b), 98 Stat. 3058 .
Subsection (b)(2)(D), referred to in subsec. (a)(1), was redesignated subsection (b)(2)(E) by Pub. L. 108–492, §2(c)(10), Dec. 23, 2004, 118 Stat. 3977 .
2015-Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 114–90, §112(l)(1), substituted "crew, government astronauts, and space flight participants" for "crews and space flight participants".
Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 114–90, §§111(1), 112(l)(3)(A), inserted "In general.-" before "The Secretary" and substituted "crew, government astronauts, and space flight participants" for "crew and space flight participants".
Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 114–90, §111(2), inserted "Regulations.-" before "Regulations" in introductory provisions.
Subsec. (c)(10). Pub. L. 114–90, §111(4), (6), redesignated par. (4) as (10) and inserted "Rule of construction.-" before "Nothing".
2012-Subsec. (c)(3). Pub. L. 112–95 substituted "Beginning on October 1, 2015," for "Beginning 8 years after the date of enactment of the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004,".
2010-Pub. L. 111–314, §4(d)(2), (3)(E), successively renumbered section 70105 of title 49 and section 70105 of this title as this section.
2004-Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 108–492, §2(c)(6)(A), substituted "the Secretary has not taken action on a license application" for "a license is not issued".
1998-Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–303, §102(a)(6)(B), substituted "accepting an application in accordance with criteria established pursuant to subsection (b)(2)(D)" for "receiving an application" in two places.