Making Revisions in Title 51, United States Code, as Necessary to Keep the Title Current, and to Make Technical Amendments to Improve the United States Code

The House debated H.R. 5174, a bill that reorganizes and updates the written federal laws on national and commercial space programs into title 51 of the United Code, incorporating laws enacted since that title was last updated. Members described it as a technical, non-substantive bill prepared by the nonpartisan Office of Law Revision Counsel, saying it does not change how any of the laws work. Both the Republican manager and the Democratic ranking member urged passage, and the Democratic side thanked the Office of Law Revision Counsel for its work.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

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2 statements

Derek Schmidt, KS

Republican
“I am asking the House to pass this bill to organize and update federal space laws without changing what they mean.”
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5174) to make revisions in title 51, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current, and to make technical amendments to improve the United States Code. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: Sec. 1. Table of contents. Sec. 2. Purposes; restatement does not change meaning or effect of Sec. 3. Revision of title 51, United States Code. Sec. 4. Technical amendments. Sec. 5. Transitional and savings provisions. Sec. 6. Repeals. ``301. Funding.............................................30101’’;.... ``315. Facilities and Infrastructure.........................31501 .... ``317 Through 397...................................................... erved................................................................ ``399. Miscellaneous.......................................39901’’;.... ``409. Aeronautics and Space Technology......................40901 .... ``411 Through 497...................................................... Reserved............................................................. ``499. Miscellaneous.......................................49901’’;.... ``513. Space Resource Commercial Exploration and Utilization.51301 .... ``515. Office of Spaceports..................................51501 .... ``517. Development and Use of Commercial Cargo and Crew Transportation Capabilities...........................................51701’’;.... ``701. Use of Space Launch System or Alternatives......70101’’; and.... ``715. Human Space Flight and Exploration....................71501 .... ``717. Advancing Human Space Exploration...................71701’’..... ``SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS ``Sec. ``30101. Prior authorization of appropriations required. ``30102. Working capital fund. ``30103. Baselines and cost controls. ``30104. Reports on estimated costs for certain programs. ``30105. Annual report on program cost and control. ``SUBCHAPTER II--BUDGET PROVISIONS ``30121. General budget documentation requirements. ``30122. Consideration of decadal surveys. ``30123. Two-year budget request with third-year estimate.’’. ``30311. Counterfeit parts.’’. ``30505. Information security. ``30506. Workforce development for minority and underrepresented ``30705. Limitation on international agreements concerning outer space ``Sec. ``31501. Policy and plan. ``31502. Maintenance and upgrade of center facilities. ``Sec. ``40901. Aeronautics research goals. ``40902. Research collaboration. ``40903. Goal for Administration space technology. ``40904. National space technology policy. ``40905. Commercial Reusable Suborbital Research Program. ``49910. Programs to support STEM education. ``49911. Supporting women’s involvement in the fields of aerospace and ``49912. Internship and fellowship opportunities.’’. ``Sec. ``51501. Establishment of Office of Spaceports.’’. ``Chapter 517--DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF COMMERCIAL CARGO AND CREW ``Sec. ``51701. Commercial development of cargo transportation capabilities. ``51702. Commercial development of crew transportation capabilities. ``51703. Commercial Crew Program. ``51704. Policy regarding fair and open competition for space ``51705. Transparency. ``60304. Advisory committee.’’. ``60507. Interagency collaboration implementation approach. ``60508. Transitioning experimental research to operations. ``60509. Decadal Survey missions implementation for Earth observation. ``60510. Instrument testbeds and venture class missions.’’. ``70908. Continuation of the International Space Station. ``70909. Maximum utilization of the International Space Station. ``70910. Operation, maintenance, and maximum utilization of United ``70911. Management of national laboratory. ``70912. Primary objectives of International Space Station program.’’. ``SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS ``Sec. ``71501. Definitions. ``SUBCHAPTER II--POLICY, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES ``71511. Human space flight policy. ``71512. Goals and objectives. ``SUBCHAPTER III--EXPANSION OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT BEYOND THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION AND LOW-EARTH ORBIT ``71521. Space Launch System as follow-on launch vehicle to the space ``71522. Multipurpose crew vehicle. ``71523. Utilization of existing workforce and assets in development of ``71524. Launch support and infrastructure modernization program. ``71525. Development of technologies and in-space capabilities for ``SUBCHAPTER IV--SPACE SCIENCE ``71541. Technology development. ``71542. Suborbital research activities. ``71543. In-space servicing. ``71544. Ongoing restoration of radioisotope thermoelectric generator ``71545. Coordinated approach for robotic missions. ``71546. Near-Earth object survey and policy with respect to threats ``SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS ``Sec. ``71701. Definitions. ``SUBCHAPTER II--ADVANCING HUMAN DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION ``Part A--Assuring Core Capabilities for Exploration ``71711. Space launch system, Orion, and exploration ground systems. ``Part B--Journey to Mars ``71721. Human exploration roadmap. ``SUBCHAPTER III--ADVANCING SPACE SCIENCE ``71731. Policy on maintaining balanced space science portfolio. ``71732. Mission priorities for planetary science. ``71733. Extrasolar planet exploration strategy. ``71734. Astrobiology strategy. ``71735. Collaboration. ``SUBCHAPTER IV--SPACE TECHNOLOGY ``71741. Space technology infusion. ``71742. Space technology program. ``SUBCHAPTER V--MAXIMIZING EFFICIENCY ``Part A--Administration Information Technology and Cybersecurity ``71751. Information technology governance. ``71752. Information technology strategic plan. ``71753. Information security plan for cybersecurity. ``Part B--Collaboration Among Mission Directorates and Other ``71761. Collaboration among mission directorates. ``71762. Administration launch capabilities collaboration. ``71763. Education and outreach. ``71764. Leveraging commercial satellite servicing capabilities across ``71765. Flight opportunities. ``71766. Space Act Agreements. ``Part A--Administration Information Technology and Cybersecurity ``Part B--Collaboration Among Mission Directorates and Other Matters ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ National Aeronautics and Space 104............... 31 U.S.C. 1105 Administration Authorization note Act, Fiscal Year 1989 (Public Law 100-685). National Aeronautics and Space 210............... 51 U.S.C. 30103 Administration Authorization note Act, Fiscal Year 1993 (Public Law 102-588). National Aeronautics and Space 201............... 42 U.S.C. 18311 Administration Authorization Act of 2010 (Public Law 111- 267). America COMPETES Reauthorization 202(b)............ 51 U.S.C. note Act of 2010 (Public Law 111- prec. 40901 358). National Defense Authorization 913(a), (b)....... 51 U.S.C. 30701 Act for Fiscal Year 2013 note (Public Law 112-239). Science Appropriations Act, 2013 (1st, 2d provisos 51 U.S.C. 20145 (Public Law 113-6, div. B, under heading note title III). ``’’, at 127 Inspiring the Next Space 3................. 51 U.S.C. note Pioneers, Innovators, prec. 40901 Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act (Public Law 115-7). National Aeronautics and Space 301(b)............ 51 U.S.C. 50111 Administration Transition note Authorization Act of 2017 (Public Law 115-10). Women in Aerospace Education Act 3................. 51 U.S.C. note (Public Law 115-303). prec. 40901 William M. (Mac) Thornberry 9406.............. 51 U.S.C. note National Defense Authorization prec. 40901 Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116-283). ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Derek Schmidt, KS

Republican
“I want the House to pass this bill. It updates the written laws on national space programs to include newer laws. It does not actually change how any of these laws work.”
Official Congressional Record

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, H.R. 5174 is a ministerial bill that makes technical corrections and updates to the United States Code. This bill was prepared for the Judiciary Committee by the Office of Law Revision Counsel, a nonpartisan office of the House of Representatives charged with maintaining the official United States Code. In 2010, Congress enacted a positive law restatement of title 51, which pertains to national and commercial space programs. Subsequent to the enactment of this restatement, additional laws pertaining to title 51 were enacted. H.R. 5174 incorporates these additional laws into title 51. This bill does not change the substantive meaning of any law on the books today. It simply helps ensure that the code is up to date, accurate, and accessible. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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