Federal

COMETS Act

Source: Congress.gov · 514 words in original text

What This Bill Does

This bill allows the space agency to sign agreements with private companies, commercial businesses and state governments. These agreements would let the space agency provide supplies, support and services to these entities for their space activities at space agency owned or operated property.

Who It Affects

Private companies and commercial entities working in space activities State governments conducting space activities The space agency administrator and the space agency Federal Government

Key Provisions

The space agency may sign agreements with private companies, commercial entities and state governments to provide supplies, support and services for their space activities at space agency property. (Sec. 2) The space agency can include private or state requests in its own requirements only if the administrator determines it benefits the federal government, does not disrupt the space agency's work and does not compete with other commercial space operations. (Sec. 2) The requesting entity or state government must provide complete reimbursable funding before the space agency makes any financial obligation for delivery. (Sec. 2)

What Changes

The space agency gains the ability to enter into agreements with private entities and state governments to supply them with materials and services related to their space work. The space agency can also add these supplies and services to its own requirements if certain conditions are met. (Sec. 2) The space agency can only bundle private or state government requests with its own requirements if the administrator decides it serves the federal government's best interest, does not interfere with the space agency's own needs and does not compete with other commercial space activities. (Sec. 2) The private entity or state government must provide full reimbursable funding (money to cover all costs) to the space agency before the space agency makes any financial commitment to deliver the supplies or services. (Sec. 2)

Important Definitions

Reimbursable funding: Money paid by the private entity or state government to cover all costs of the supplies, support and services.

Effective Date

Not specified in bill text

II 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 590 To allow the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis- tration to enter into agreements with private and commercial entities and State governments to provide certain supplies, support, and services. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 1, 2023 Mr. RUBIO (for himself, Mr. SCOTT of Florida, and Mr. CORNYN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To allow the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to enter into agreements with pri- vate and commercial entities and State governments to provide certain supplies, support, and services. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Contracts and Obliga- 4 tions Modernization for Efficient Terms of Service Act’’ 5 or the ‘‘COMETS Act’’. 6 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:35 Mar 10, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S590.IS S590 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •S 590 IS SEC. 2. NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRA- 1 TION AGREEMENTS WITH PRIVATE AND COM- 2 MERCIAL ENTITIES AND STATE GOVERN- 3 MENTS TO PROVIDE CERTAIN SUPPLIES, SUP- 4 PORT, AND SERVICES. 5 Section 20113 of title 51, United States Code, is 6 amended by adding at the end the following: 7 ‘‘(o) AGREEMENTS WITH COMMERCIAL ENTITIES 8 AND STATE GOVERNMENTS.—The Administration— 9 ‘‘(1) may enter into an agreement with a pri- 10 vate or commercial entity or a State government to 11 provide the entity or State government with supplies, 12 support, and services related to private, commercial, 13 or State government space activities carried on at a 14 property owned or operated by the Administration; 15 and 16 ‘‘(2) on request by such an entity or State gov- 17 ernment, may include such supplies, support, and 18 services in the requirements of the Administration 19 if— 20 ‘‘(A) the Administrator determines that 21 the inclusion of such supplies, support, or serv- 22 ices in such requirements— 23 ‘‘(i) is in the best interest of the Fed- 24 eral Government; 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:35 Mar 10, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S590.IS S590 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •S 590 IS ‘‘(ii) does not interfere with the re- 1 quirements of the Administration; and 2 ‘‘(iii) does not compete with the com- 3 mercial space activities of other such enti- 4 ties or State governments; and 5 ‘‘(B) the Administration has full reimburs- 6 able funding from the entity or State govern- 7 ment that requested such supplies, support, and 8 services before making any obligation for the 9 delivery of the supplies, support, or services 10 under an Administration procurement contract 11 or any other agreement.’’. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:35 Mar 10, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S590.IS S590 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS

Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only. It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov or a qualified attorney for legal matters.