legislation: 102-hr-3153
Data license: Public Domain (U.S. Government data) · Data source: Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API
This data as json
| bill_id | congress | bill_type | bill_number | title | policy_area | introduced_date | latest_action_date | latest_action_text | origin_chamber | sponsor_name | sponsor_state | sponsor_party | sponsor_bioguide_id | cosponsor_count | summary_text | update_date | url |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 102-hr-3153 | 102 | hr | 3153 | Omnibus Space Commercialization Act of 1991 | Science, Technology, Communications | 1991-07-31 | 1991-08-08 | Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic and Commercial Law. | House | Rep. Walker, Robert S. [R-PA-16] | PA | R | W000068 | 9 | Omnibus Space Commercialization Act of 1991 - Title I: Space Launch and Launch Support Facilities - Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a comprehensive inventory of all space launch and launch support facilities owned by the United States, identifying facilities that are surplus to public and national security needs, and report to the Congress. Requires all facilities identified as surplus to be referred to the General Services Administration for disposition. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish criteria for and designate launch facilities as Commercial Space Centers. Makes all Centers and associated property, services, and products, including such services and activities in space as are launched from a Center, and proceeds from insurance exempt from all Federal corporate income and other taxes and all Federal excises, imports, duties, and all other Federal tariffs. Requires the United States to make available to commercial providers on a fair rental basis, based on the cost to the United States, launch and support facilities not in use for public and national security needs. Title II: Purchase of Space Transportation Services - Space Transportation Services Purchase Act of 1991 - Amends the Launch Services Purchase Act of 1990 to require the Federal Government to purchase space transportation services from commercial providers, unless the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) or the Secretary of Defense, on a case-by-case basis, determines: (1) the payload requires the unique capabilities of the space shuttle; (2) commercial services are not or would not be available when required; or (3) the use of commercial services poses an unacceptable risk of loss of a unique scientific opportunity. Allows space transportation vehicles to be acquired or owned by the Government only in such circumstances or for research, development, and testing of space transportation technology. Requires the service contracts to be awarded by competitive bidding. Prohibits, subject to exception, requiring submission of cost or pricing data supporting a bid or proposal or for the fulfillment of a contract. Requires performance specifications rather than Federal civilian or military design or construction specifications. Mandates a program to award vouchers for the payment of space transportation services and payload integration services for conducting microgravity biomedical, materials, or other research. Authorizes appropriations. Title III: Intellectual Property Disposition - Requires that a commercial provider making an invention under contract with the Government have the same rights as would a small business firm under specified provisions of Federal patent law. Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to require (current law permits) each Federal agency to permit the director of any of its Government-operated Federal laboratories and, in certain circumstances, the director of any of its Government-owned, contractor-operated laboratories to enter into cooperative research and development agreements and to negotiate licensing agreements. Prohibits disclosure of trade secrets or commercial or financial information, that is privileged or confidential under the meaning of specified Federal law, which is obtained by the Government in the conduct of research or as a result of activities under this Act. Title IV: Tax Incentives for Commercial Space Activities - Space Business Incentives Act of 1991 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a deduction for the amount of the purchase of Commercial Space Center stock. Excludes from gross income gain on the sale or exchange of common stock of a corporation that derived at least 75 percent of its gross receipts from providing space-related products or services. Adds space launch and launch support facilities to the list of exempt facility bonds. Provides for the treatment of space launch and launch support facilities bonds. Excludes from gross income: (1) income from the commercial sale of any product manufactured in space and returned to Earth; and (2) income from services performed in space in a commercial space activity. Excludes products manufactured in space and returned to Earth from all Federal excises, imposts, duties, and other Federal tariffs. Directs the President to encourage State and local governments to offer tax and other incentives for commercial space activities. Title V: Miscellaneous - Declares that, notwithstanding specified provisions of the Clayton Act and the National Cooperative Research Act of 1984, standing to conduct litigation arising from activities carried out under this Act is reserved to the Department of Justice under the direction of the Attorney General and the Federal Trade Commission. Makes injunctive relief the sole relief available to the United States in such litigation, notwithstanding specified provisions of such Acts. Amends the Commercial Space Launch Act to extend certain provisions relating to liability insurance. Mandates a study on the feasibility of the United States providing termination liability insurance for commercial providers of certain categories of products and services. Declares that, subject to exception, in any action against a commercial provider arising from activities under this Act, evidence of failure of the provider to follow military or NASA specifications shall not, in and of itself, constitute proof of negligence. Establishes a National Award for the Commercialization of Space to consist of a medal and, if funding is available, a cash prize, to be awarded to persons or organizations who have substantially advanced space transportation, manufacturing, or research and development. Authorizes the Chairman of the National Space Council to seek and accept gifts of money from public and private sources to fund the cash prize. Establishes in the Department of Commerce the Office of Space Commerce to be the principal unit for the coordination of space-related issues, programs, and initiatives within the Department. Requires each Federal agency or department with an annual research and development budget over a specified amount to report to the Congress: (1) regarding a plan for activities to support space-related research; and (2) biennially on implementation progress. Requires the United States to accommodate commercial advertising by concerns providing or recycling space-related products, facilities, or services. Requires that negotiations between NASA and a commercial provider on implementation of a joint endeavor agreement or procurement agreement under a specified dollar amount be conducted in a timely manner. Requires the United States, to the extent practicable, to procure its space infrastructure, launch and launch support facilities, and payloads: (1) from commercial providers; and (2) so as to encourage cost effectiveness and innovation and minimize detailed specifications. Mandates a report to the President and the Congress on using proof of concept methods and unsolicited proposals. Terminates specified provisions of this Act 15 years after enactment. | 2025-08-26T15:15:38Z |