Commercial Remote Sensing Amendment Act of 2022

Floor Speech

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Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6845) to provide for transparent licensing of commercial remote sensing systems, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6845

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Commercial Remote Sensing Amendment Act of 2022''. SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORTS.

(a) Deadlines.--

(1) In general.--Section 60121(c) of title 51, United States Code, is amended by striking ``120'' and inserting ``60''.

(2) Conforming amendment.--Section 60126(a)(1)(E) of title 51, United States Code, is amended by striking ``120'' and inserting ``60''.

(b) Notifications.--Section 60126(a)(2) of title 51, United States Code, is amended by striking ``section 60122; and'' and inserting ``paragraphs (5) and (6) of section 60122(b);''.

(c) Conditions.--Section 60126(a) of title 51, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by redesignating paragraph (3) as paragraph (4); and

(2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:

``(3) all terms, conditions, or restrictions placed on licensees pursuant to section 60122; and''.

(d) Tiers.--Section 60126(a)(1) of title 51, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'' at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (E), by inserting ``and'' at the end; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

``(F) a list of all applications submitted and licenses granted in accordance therewith, listed by tier as defined in regulation, as well as the rationale for each tier categorization;''.

(e) Sunset.--Section 60126 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by striking ``September 30, 2020'' and inserting ``September 30, 2030''.

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Mr. BEYER. 6845, the bill now under consideration.

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Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 6845, the Commercial Remote Sensing Amendment Act of 2022. I thank Science Committee Ranking Member Lucas for introducing this bipartisan bill, and Representative Ed Perlmutter, a member of our Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics that I chair, for being an original cosponsor.

This bill will provide increased transparency in the licensing of commercial remote sensing systems by requiring the regulatory agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to provide additional reporting on the licensing of commercial remote sensing systems.

The bill also amends the statute to ensure that the time required for issuing commercial remote sensing licenses aligns with updated regulations.

I am pleased that the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology strengthened the bill in its consideration of the legislation. An amendment we sponsored added further annual reporting requirements on the applications for licenses submitted and licenses issued.

The amendment also sustained the sunset clause of annual reporting. The sunset date of 2030 will ensure that we go back, review the law, and stay responsive to changes in this rapidly growing commercial space sector.

Commercial remote sensing is a highly competitive global industry, with $2.6 billion in revenue for 2020 alone, according to a report of the Satellite Industry Association.

Commercial remote sensing data are used in energy, agriculture, disaster monitoring, mapping, national security applications, and much more. This bill provides Congress with transparency in information that will benefit our oversight of the licensing and regulation of this important and growing industry.

I urge my colleagues to support passage of H.R. 6845, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time to speak at this time, and I am prepared to close. I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. BEYER. Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6845, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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