SUBCHAPTER V—SPACE TRADE AND COOPERATION

§5871. Facilitating discussions regarding acquisition of space hardware, technology, and services from former Soviet Union

(a) Expedited review

Any request for a license or other approval described in subsection (c) that is submitted to any United States Government agency by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, any of its contractors, or any other person shall be considered on an expedited basis by that agency and any other agency involved in an applicable interagency review process.

(b) Notice to Congress if license denied

If any United States Government agency denies a request for a license or other approval described in subsection (c), that agency shall immediately notify the designated congressional committees. Each such notification shall include a statement of the reasons for the denial.

(c) Description of discussions

This section applies to a request for any license or other approval that may be necessary to conduct discussions with an independent state of the former Soviet Union with respect to the possible acquisition of any space hardware, space technology, or space service for integration into—

(1) United States space projects that have been approved by the Congress, or

(2) commercial space ventures,

including discussions relating to technical evaluation of such hardware, technology, or service.

(Pub. L. 102–511, title VI, §601, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3346.)

§5872. Office of Space Commerce

(a) Trade missions

The Office of Space Commerce of the Department of Commerce is authorized and encouraged to conduct one or more trade missions to appropriate independent states of the former Soviet Union for the purpose of familiarizing United States aerospace industry representatives with space hardware, space technologies, and space services that may be available from the independent states, and with the business practices and overall business climate in the independent states.

(b) Monitoring negotiations

The Office of Space Commerce—

(1) shall monitor the progress of any discussions described in section 5871(c)(1) of this title that are being conducted; and

(2) shall advise the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as to the impact on United States industry of each potential acquisition of space hardware, space technology, or space services from the independent states of the former Soviet Union, specifically including any anticompetitive issues the Office may observe.

(Pub. L. 102–511, title VI, §602, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3347.)

§5873. Report to Congress

Within one year after October 24, 1992, the President shall submit to the designated congressional committees a report describing—

(1) the opportunities for increased space-related trade with the independent states of the former Soviet Union;

(2) a technology procurement plan for identifying and evaluating all unique space hardware, space technology, and space services available to the United States from the independent states;

(3) specific space hardware, space technology, and space services that have been, or could be, the subject of discussions described in section 5871(c) of this title;

(4) the trade missions carried out pursuant to section 5872(a) of this title, including the private participation in and the results of such missions;

(5) any barriers, regulatory or practical, that inhibit space-related trade between the United States and independent states, including any such barriers in either the United States or the independent states; and

(6) any anticompetitive issues raised during the course of negotiations, as observed pursuant to section 5872(b) of this title.

(Pub. L. 102–511, title VI, §603, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3347.)

§5874. Definitions

For purposes of this subchapter—

(1) the term "contractor" means a National Aeronautics and Space Administration contractor to the extent that the acquisition of space hardware, space technology, or space services from the independent states of the former Soviet Union may be relevant to the contractor's responsibilities under the contract; and

(2) the term "designated congressional committees" means the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

(Pub. L. 102–511, title VI, §604, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3348.)