{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-8958","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 8958","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To reauthorize the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and for other purposes.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To reauthorize the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and for other purposes."},{"type":"Short Titles from RFS (Referred to Senate) bill text","title":"NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024"},{"type":"Display Title","title":"NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2024-07-09","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2024-09-23","vote":{"id":"118-2024-h441","question":"On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended","title":"NASA Reauthorization Act","result":"Passed","yea":366,"nay":21,"present":1,"not_voting":43,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2024/roll441.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.","date":"2024-09-24"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[],"crs_summary":{"date":"2024-09-23","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill reauthorizes through FY2025 the programs and activities of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). It also establishes and revises various NASA programs relating to space exploration, research, and technology."},{"k":"p","t":"For example, the bill directs NASA to continue its efforts to support crewed lunar landings and Mars explorations, including through partnerships with the private sector (i.e., the Moon to Mars and Artemis programs). NASA must report on certain details of these partnerships, including the respective amounts of government and private sector contributions."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill also provides for private sector involvement with the International Space Station (ISS), including authorizing private sector missions to the ISS to advance commercial spaceflight and requiring NASA to partner with the private sector to support the eventual deorbiting of the ISS."},{"k":"p","t":"In addition, NASA must continue to support improvements to space technology, including lunar communications. NASA must also evaluate and conduct research programs relating to experimental aircrafts, hypersonic research, and unmanned aircraft systems (i.e., drones)."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill also establishes certain requirements relating to earth science and monitoring, including requiring NASA to evaluate greenhouse gas detection capabilities and to distribute relevant earth science data to the agricultural industry. It also provides statutory authority for the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Program, which supports NASA's earth science research."},{"k":"p","t":"Finally, the bill requires several reports and evaluations of NASA programs and policies, including an external review of the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program and a report on NASA's early cost estimates for missions."}],"words":252},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Authorizes fiscal year 2025 appropriations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and sets requirements, programs and reporting duties for its work in exploration, space operations, technology, aeronautics, science, education and agency policy.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H780726FF5EB84ED0BE0CD66F555CC801"},{"label":"Title II","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H8578AEA720D943A9842EEA2B6653FC6E"},{"label":"Title III","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H3BD3F11B12084457B656B61A5B92F794"},{"label":"Title IV","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-HFDF896D63DA84780B4504DCB16C2B9CC"},{"label":"Title V","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H159D09AB0A5B44499F4F2A22113EFDCA"},{"label":"Title VI","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-HB3115DE68E134C55B01433091D12EC90"},{"label":"Title VII","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-HC74D153707014D8DA13443478A53758F"},{"label":"Title VIII","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H4DE65A3905A44E2D8DE13FA7AD5073C7"}]},"core_areas":["NASA fiscal year 2025 funding authorization","Artemis and human lunar exploration","International Space Station and commercial low-Earth orbit","Space technology, lunar communications and time standards","Aeronautics, hypersonics and unmanned aircraft research","Earth science, planetary science and astrophysics programs","Wildland fire science and technology","STEM education and Space Grant program","NASA management, cost estimates and personnel authorities"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Authorizes $25,224,640,000 to be appropriated to NASA for fiscal year 2025, divided among nine accounts including $7,618,200,000 for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and $7,334,200,000 for the Science Mission Directorate.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H780726FF5EB84ED0BE0CD66F555CC801"}},{"text":"Requires the Administrator to support development and demonstration of human-rated lunar landing capabilities from United States commercial providers, and to seek capabilities from at least two providers, subject to appropriations.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 204","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-HAE44EFA3F84844259BFD198741D52CAE"}},{"text":"Requires the Administrator to acquire International Space Station deorbit capabilities from one or more United States commercial providers, and to obtain an independent life-cycle cost estimate before entering an agreement.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 305","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H55060DEAA9784183A81D20B4FCF492D0"}},{"text":"Authorizes the Administrator to enter agreements with United States commercial providers to enable nongovernmental crew or spaceflight participant missions on the International Space Station.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 303","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H98C7505FC49A40A2AF0203536C946F6C"}},{"text":"Prohibits use of funds authorized in the Act for bilateral activities with China or Chinese-owned companies, or for hosting official Chinese visitors at NASA facilities, unless a law enacted later authorizes them or a certification made after consulting the Federal Bureau of Investigation applies.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 310","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H5A46948880CB4DAA94209D279C13FD04"}},{"text":"Requires the Administrator to establish, within the Earth Science Division, a program to acquire and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery, by adding a new section to title 51, United States Code.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 606","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H41747314BA104100B8298B93EC3C2BA1"}},{"text":"Requires the Administrator to establish a wildland fire science and technology project called FireSense within the Earth Science Division and to report on it annually for five years.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 622","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H01D734CFBCF343368F479EB094DB170A"}},{"text":"Requires the Administrator to lead a national pilot program of unmanned aircraft systems design competitions for high school and undergraduate students, with a nonprofit or higher education entity awarded a grant to administer it.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 510","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H34FCA93FE7CA4D1A864145CA7210BB8F"}},{"text":"Amends the National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program law to set funding allocations, requiring at least 85 percent of program funds to go to space grant consortia and no more than 10 percent to program administration.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 701","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-HACE1A83DAB384C9290E151CD88DC8D60"}},{"text":"Authorizes a temporary assignment program under which NASA employees and private sector employees may be exchanged for periods of three months to two years, with no more than two percent of NASA's civil servant workforce participating at once.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 812","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H2BD45F02AC0D4528A52232D91A39DA78"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"off_subject","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 304","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H6E12EBE36B9C439A9F6CF4B7DFCB19DA"},"heading":"Report on suborbital crew missions","effect":"Requires NASA to report to congressional committees on the costs, benefits, risks, training, and legal implications of launching U.S. Government personnel on commercial suborbital vehicles.","amount":null,"quote":"launching United States Government personnel on commercial suborbital vehicles"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 310","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H5A46948880CB4DAA94209D279C13FD04"},"heading":"Restriction on Federal funds relating to certain Chinese space and scientific activities","effect":"Bars use of funds authorized in this Act for NASA, OSTP, or the National Space Council to work bilaterally with China or Chinese-owned companies, or to host official Chinese visitors at NASA facilities, unless a later law authorizes it or a certification exception applies.","amount":null,"quote":"To effectuate the hosting of official Chinese visitors at facilities belonging to or utilized by NASA."},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 401","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H9A0DE5CCB5024DDCA2092FA639AB4D9D"},"heading":"SBIR phase II flexibility","effect":"Amends the Small Business Act (section 9, subsection (cc)) to add NASA to the list of agencies alongside the Department of Education.","amount":null,"quote":"amended in subsection (cc) by striking “and the Department of Education” and inserting “the Department of Education, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration”"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 808","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-HF38E9E4E0A8C4305B0C7625050CCBFA7"},"heading":"Report on merits and options for establishing an institute relating to space resources","effect":"Requires NASA and the Secretary of Commerce to report on the merits of and options for establishing an institute relating to space resources.","amount":null,"quote":"a report on the merits of, and options for, establishing an institute relating to space resources to advance the objectives of NASA and the Department"}]},{"category":"narrow_beneficiary","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 403","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H60B4FF3FD12C4C89B996FF6CB191E8C9"},"heading":"Cryogenic fluid valve technology review","effect":"Directs NASA to enter an agreement with an independent research and development center or nonprofit to review cryogenic fluid valve technology and report on the results.","amount":null,"quote":"the Administrator shall enter into an agreement with an independent research and development center or other independent nonprofit organization"}]},{"category":"named_funding","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 506","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H5F2D2516CD2349339A2C73E3485B62E8"},"heading":"Advanced capabilities for emergency response operations","effect":"Directs NASA to conduct research and development under the named ACERO project or its successor to improve aerial wildfire response, with a waivable bar on procuring unmanned aircraft from covered foreign entities; no dollar amount is stated.","amount":null,"quote":"conduct research and development activities under the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response Operations (ACERO) project, or appropriate successor project or projects, to improve aerial responses to wildfires"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 617","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-HA78E9106A88340B6BB48DDFCB1FF526D"},"heading":"Nancy Grace Roman telescope","effect":"Directs NASA to continue development of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as directed in a prior authorization act; no dollar amount is stated.","amount":null,"quote":"The Administrator shall continue development of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as directed in subsection 10823(b)"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 618","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H9794D1D550E4426BBC7535ABB38167E9"},"heading":"Chandra X-Ray observatory","effect":"Directs NASA, to the greatest extent practicable, not to reduce or preclude continued science operations of the Chandra X-Ray Telescope before certain reviews are completed; no dollar amount is stated.","amount":null,"quote":"take no action to reduce or otherwise preclude continuation of the science operations of the Chandra X-Ray Telescope"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 815","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-HC160872DCF8A4AB6A346A86EA80244FC"},"heading":"Drinking water well replacement for Chincoteague, Virginia","effect":"Allows NASA to enter an agreement of up to five years to reimburse the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia, for costs of planning removal and relocation of drinking water wells on NASA-administered property.","amount":null,"quote":"the Administrator may enter into an agreement, as appropriate, with the Town of Chincoteague, Virginia, for a period of up to five years, for reimbursement"}]},{"category":"place_specific_amount","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 701","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-HACE1A83DAB384C9290E151CD88DC8D60"},"heading":"National space grant college and fellowship program","effect":"Amends the Space Grant program so each consortium in the 50 States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico receives an equal share, while Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands each receive one-fifth of that share.","amount":null,"quote":"The territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands shall each receive funds equal to one-fifth of the share for each space grant consortium."}]},{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 810","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H9595F50E085F4F8CAD0C7A52458DFD30"},"heading":"Contract flexibility","effect":"States a congressional finding describing a NASA FAR Supplement clause that lets contracting officers adjust contract schedules for the period NASA facilities were not accessible to contractor employees.","amount":null,"quote":"for the period that NASA facilities were not accessible to contractor employees, the contracting officer may adjust the contract performance or delivery schedule"}]},{"category":"process_change","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 812","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh#toc-H2BD45F02AC0D4528A52232D91A39DA78"},"heading":"NASA public-private talent program","effect":"Creates a NASA public-private talent program allowing temporary assignments of NASA employees to private sector entities and of private sector employees to NASA, for three months to two years, renewable up to three years.","amount":null,"quote":"the Administrator may, with the agreement of a private sector entity and the consent of an employee of the Administration or of such entity, arrange for the temporary assignment"}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2024-09-23","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-01","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8958/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-8958.png","v":"571f45dac18d","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 8958, 118th Congress: NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024. House: 366 Yea, 21 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 23 Sep 2024."}}