Accessing Satellite Data to Enable New Discoveries Act
Floor Speech
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Mr. LUCAS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 6219) to require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate, acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and for other purposes, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 6219
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 ``Accessing Satellite Data to Enable New Discoveries Act'' or the ``ASCEND Act''. SEC. 2. COMMERCIAL SATELLITE DATA.
(a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Section 60501 of title 51, United States Code, states that the goal for the Earth Science program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this section as ``NASA'') shall be to pursue a program of Earth observations, research, and applications activities to better understand the Earth, how it supports life, and how human activities affect its ability to do so in the future.
(2) Section 50115 of title 51, United States Code, states that the Administrator of NASA shall, to the extent possible and while satisfying the scientific or educational requirements of NASA, and where appropriate, of other Federal agencies and scientific researchers, acquire, where cost effective, space-based and airborne commercial Earth remote sensing data, services, distribution, and applications from a commercial provider.
(3) The Administrator of NASA established the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Pilot Program in 2019 to identify, validate, and acquire from commercial sources data that support the Earth science research and application goals.
(4) The Administrator of NASA has--
(A) determined that the pilot program described in paragraph (3) has been a success, as described in the final evaluation entitled ``Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Program Pilot Evaluation Report'' issued in 2020;
(B) established a formal process for evaluating and onboarding new commercial vendors in such pilot program;
(C) increased the number of commercial vendors and commercial data products available through such pilot program; and
(D) expanded procurement arrangements with commercial vendors to broaden user access to provide commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to federally funded researchers.
(b) Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program.--
(1) In general.--Chapter 603 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Sec. 60307. Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program
``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish within the Earth Science Division of the Science Mission Directorate a program to acquire and disseminate cost-effective and appropriate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and where appropriate, of other Federal agencies and scientific researchers to augment or complement the suite of Earth observations acquired by the Administration, other United States Government agencies, and international partners.
``(b) Data Publication and Transparency.--The terms and conditions of commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery acquisitions under the program described in subsection (a) shall not prevent--
``(1) the publication of commercial data or imagery for scientific purposes; or
``(2) the publication of information that is derived from, incorporates, or enhances the original commercial data or imagery of a vendor.
``(c) Authorization.--In carrying out the program under this section, the Administrator may--
``(1) procure commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery from commercial vendors to advance scientific research and applications in accordance with subsection (a); and
``(2) establish or modify end-use license terms and conditions to allow for the widest-possible use of procured commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery by individuals other than NASA-funded users, consistent with the goals of the program.
``(d) United States Vendors.--Commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery referred to in subsections (a) and (c) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be procured from United States vendors.(e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report that includes the following information regarding the agreements, vendors, license terms, and uses of commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery under this section:
``(1)(A) In the case of the initial report, a list of all agreements that are providing commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to NASA as of the date of the report.
``(B) For each subsequent report, a list of all agreements that have provided commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to NASA during the reporting period.
``(2) A description of the end-use license terms and conditions for each such vendor.
``(3) A description of the manner in which each such agreement is advancing scientific research and applications, including priorities recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine decadal surveys.
``(4) Information specifying whether the Administrator has entered into an agreement with a commercial vendor or a Federal agency that permits the use of data and imagery by Federal Government employees, contractors, or non-Federal users.''.
(2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for chapter 603 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item: ``60307. Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program.''.
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Mr. LUCAS. 6219, the bill now under consideration.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of the ASCEND Act, led by my colleague, Mr. Kean of New Jersey.
The ASCEND Act creates a permanent commercial satellite data acquisition program within NASA's Science Mission Directorate.
As the global space sector rapidly evolves, it is critical for NASA to have access to the very best tools and research our Nation has to offer, ensuring its continued leadership as the world's premier space agency.
This bill supports those efforts by enabling NASA to procure remote sensing data from commercial providers under the new acquisition program. By taking this step, researchers will have access to cutting- edge datasets and imagery obtained from the commercial space sector. These resources will play a significant role in advancing research and development in vital areas, such as precision agriculture and natural disaster monitoring.
By utilizing industry data, our NASA researchers can obtain valuable insights that enhance their already innovative work. The more knowledge we acquire, the better we can lead in this field.
The bill also requires the NASA Administrator to submit an annual report to Congress on the uses and impact of commercial data products and licensing agreements. This information will be valuable for us as we monitor and support the program's efforts.
As we look forward to the future, maintaining our leadership in the space sector will depend on various factors, including our collaborative efforts between the public and private sectors. Allowing NASA to expand its commercial data procurement program through the ASCEND Act will only help achieve the agency's current and long-term goals.
Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Kean and Representative Bonamici for working together to get this bill to the floor today. I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. KEAN of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my gratitude to the Speaker's Office, the majority leader, Chairman Lucas, and my colleagues for their collaborative efforts in addressing the urgency of passing my bill, H.R. 6219, the Accessing Satellite Data to Enable New Discoveries Act, the ASCEND Act.
I also extend my appreciation to Representative Bonamici for co- leading the ASCEND Act, which will establish a program through which NASA can procure satellite imagery and data from commercially operated satellites to support and complement its science objectives.
Space, once dominated by government actors, is now home to a growing variety of commercial operators. This commercial space industry includes commercial operators of small satellite constellations that produce remote sensing imagery and data. NASA could obtain cost- effective imagery and data for its science missions by purchasing such products from these commercial providers as one of their many customers.
In 2017, NASA established a pilot program called the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition, CSDA, Program to identify and to evaluate commercial capabilities that could add value to NASA research. The program also established new processes to acquire and use such products.
The CSDA pilot program proved to be a great success, with participating scientists finding commercial datasets to be both reliable and highly valuable for a wide range of research applications.
The ASCEND Act seeks to build upon the success of the pilot program and to permanently authorize the CSDA Program within NASA, thus ensuring the program's continued growth and longevity.
This bill directs the NASA Administrator to establish a commercial satellite data acquisition program within NASA's Science Mission Directorate, allowing scientists and agencies to access cost-effective commercial satellite data products.
The bill also allows the Administrator to both obtain commercial Earth remote sensing imagery and data needed by agencies and scientists and to also encourage growth of private-sector space entities.
Additionally, this legislation requires the Administrator to submit a report to Congress describing the implementation of the program, including the types of data acquired, the sources of that data, its uses within NASA, and any impacts.
Not only does this program benefit NASA scientists, but it also supports federally funded and accredited researchers across various agencies, such as NOAA, USDA, or DOI, as well as Federal grantees, including the National Science Foundation and other agencies.
By utilizing a diverse set of capabilities and data sources, and leveraging advancements in the private sector, we are ensuring that America remains at the forefront of scientific discovery and technological advancements for generations to come.
Now is an important time for Congress to reaffirm our support for this program by enacting it into statute, thus ensuring its continued growth and success for the Federal scientific community.
Access to such timely, high-quality satellite data is essential for improving our understanding of natural disasters, enhancing response capabilities, and mitigating impacts, especially for flood-prone coastal areas like New Jersey. This data will help protect our communities by informing more accurate predictions and better preparation efforts.
The ASCEND Act demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing our scientific capabilities, such as by providing data that would enhance disaster preparedness and response efforts and by supporting commercial space efforts.
This bipartisan legislation reinforces our dedication to promoting sound research and innovation in space exploration and ensuring NASA remains at the forefront of scientific discovery and public service.
Again, I thank the Speaker's Office, the majority leader, and Chairman Lucas for helping advance this impactful legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.
Again, I thank Representatives Kean and Bonamici for their bipartisan efforts.
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