CHAPTER 507—OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCE

        

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2015—Pub. L. 114–90, title III, §301(a)(1), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 720, substituted "COMMERCE" for "COMMERCIALIZATION" in chapter heading.

§50701. Definition of Office

In this chapter, the term "Office" means the Office of Space Commerce established in section 50702 of this title.

(Pub. L. 111–314, §3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3408; Pub. L. 114–90, title III, §301(b), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 720.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
50701	(no source)

A chapter-wide definition for the term "Office" is added for clarity and convenience.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2015—Pub. L. 114–90 substituted "Commerce" for "Commercialization".

§50702. Establishment

(a) In General.—There is established within the Department of Commerce an Office of Space Commerce.

(b) Director.—The Office shall be headed by a Director, who shall be a senior executive and shall be compensated at a level in the Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of title 5 as determined by the Secretary of Commerce.

(c) Functions of Office.—The Office shall be the principal unit for the coordination of space-related issues, programs, and initiatives within the Department of Commerce, including—

(1) to foster the conditions for the economic growth and technological advancement of the United States space commerce industry;

(2) to coordinate space commerce policy issues and actions within the Department of Commerce;

(3) to represent the Department of Commerce in the development of United States policies and in negotiations with foreign countries to promote United States space commerce;

(4) to promote the advancement of United States geospatial technologies related to space commerce, in cooperation with relevant interagency working groups; and

(5) to provide support to Federal Government organizations working on Space-Based Positioning Navigation, and Timing policy, including the National Coordination Office for Space-Based Position,¹ Navigation, and Timing.

(d) Duties of Director.—The primary responsibilities of the Director in carrying out the functions of the Office shall include—

(1) promoting commercial provider investment in space activities by collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information on space markets, and conducting workshops and seminars to increase awareness of commercial space opportunities;

(2) assisting United States commercial providers in the efforts of those providers to conduct business with the United States Government;

(3) acting as an industry advocate within the executive branch of the Federal Government to ensure that the Federal Government meets the space-related requirements of the Federal Government, to the fullest extent feasible, using commercially available space goods and services;

(4) ensuring that the United States Government does not compete with United States commercial providers in the provision of space hardware and services otherwise available from United States commercial providers;

(5) promoting the export of space-related goods and services;

(6) representing the Department of Commerce in the development of United States policies and in negotiations with foreign countries to ensure free and fair trade internationally in the area of space commerce; and

(7) seeking the removal of legal, policy, and institutional impediments to space commerce.

(Pub. L. 111–314, §3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3408; Pub. L. 114–90, title III, §§301(c), 302, Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 720.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
50702	15 U.S.C. 1511e.	Pub. L. 105–309, §8, Oct. 30, 1998, 112 Stat. 2937; Pub. L. 107–305, §14, Nov. 27, 2002, 116 Stat. 2380; Pub. L. 108–447, div. B, title II, Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 2878.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2015—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 114–90, §301(c), substituted "Space Commerce" for "Space Commercialization".

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 114–90, §302, substituted "Commerce, including—" for "Commerce." and added pars. (1) to (5).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Cooperation With Former Soviet Republics

Pub. L. 102–588, title II, §218, Nov. 4, 1992, 106 Stat. 5117, provided that:

"(a) Report to Congress.—Within one year after the date of enactment of this Act [Nov. 4, 1992], the President shall submit to Congress 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 of the former Soviet Union, specifically including those technologies the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has identified as high priority in its Space Research and Technology Integrated Technology Plan.[;]

"(3) the trade missions carried out pursuant to subsection (c), including the private participation and the results of such missions;

"(4) the offices and accounts of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to which expenses for either cooperative activities or procurement actions, involving the independent states of the former Soviet Union, are charged;

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

"(6) any anticompetitive issues raised by a potential acquisition.

"(b) Notification to Congress.—If any United States Government agency denies a request for a license or other approval that may be necessary to conduct discussions on space-related matters with the independent states of the former Soviet Union, that agency shall immediately notify the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate. Each such notification shall include a statement of the reasons for the denial.

"(c) Role of the Office of Space Commerce.—The Office of Space Commerce of the Department of Commerce is authorized and encouraged to conduct 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. The Office of Space Commerce shall also 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."

¹ So in original. Probably should be "Positioning,".

§50703. Annual report

The Secretary of Commerce shall submit an annual report on the activities of the Office, including planned programs and expenditures, to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives.

(Pub. L. 111–314, §3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3408.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
50703	15 U.S.C. 1535.	Pub. L. 101–611, title I, §115(b), Nov. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 3201.

The words "The Secretary of Commerce shall submit an annual report" are substituted for "Commencing in fiscal year 1992, and every fiscal year thereafter, the Secretary of Commerce shall submit . . . a report" to eliminate unnecessary words.

The word "Office", meaning the Office of Space Commercialization, is substituted for "Office of Space Commerce" to correct an error in the law.

The words "Committee on Science and Technology" are substituted for "Committee on Science, Space, and Technology" on authority of section 1(a)(10) of Public Law 104–14 (2 U.S.C. note prec. 21), Rule X(1)(n) of the Rules of the House of Representatives, adopted by House Resolution No. 5 (106th Congress, January 6, 1999), and Rule X(1)(o) of the Rules of the House of Representatives, adopted by House Resolution No. 6 (110th Congress, January 5, 2007).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Science and Technology of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Jan. 5, 2011.