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I
116TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1562
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide certain authority to
the National Transportation Safety Board to investigate commercial
space transportation accidents, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 6, 2019
Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana (for himself, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr.
GRAVES of Missouri, and Mr. DEFAZIO) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide certain
authority to the National Transportation Safety Board
to investigate commercial space transportation accidents,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commercial Space
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Transportation Safety Act of 2019’’.
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•HR 1562 IH
SEC. 2. GENERAL AUTHORITY OF THE NATIONAL TRANS-
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PORTATION SAFETY BOARD.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1131(a)(1) of title 49,
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United States Code, is amended—
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(1) in subparagraph (E) by striking ‘‘and’’ at
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the end;
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(2) by redesignating subparagraph (F) as sub-
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paragraph (G); and
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(3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the fol-
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lowing:
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‘‘(F) a commercial space transportation acci-
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dent in which there is—
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‘‘(i) a known impact of a commercial
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launch vehicle, the payload of such vehicle, or
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any component thereof outside of the hazard
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area designated for the launch or reentry of
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such vehicle;
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‘‘(ii) a fatality or significant injury of any
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individual, regardless of whether the individual
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was on board the commercial launch vehicle at
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the time of the accident; or
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‘‘(iii) substantial damage to property that
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is not associated with commercial space launch
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activities and that is not located at the launch
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site; and’’.
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•HR 1562 IH
(b) OTHER
INVESTIGATIVE
AGENCIES.—Section
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1131(a)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended
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by adding at the end the following:
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‘‘(D) The Board shall seek to enter into a memo-
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randum of understanding with any Government agency
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with the authority to certify a commercial space transpor-
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tation operation. Such memoranda shall delineate the con-
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ditions under which a commercial space transportation ac-
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cident that may be investigated by the Board under sub-
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paragraph (F) or (G) of paragraph (1) will instead be in-
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vestigated by the other Government agency. Such memo-
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randa may not preclude the Board’s participation in the
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other Government agency’s investigation.’’.
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(c) SAVINGS PROVISION.—None of the amendments
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made by subsection (a) shall be construed to limit the au-
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thority of the National Transportation Safety Board to
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investigate any other commercial space transportation ac-
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cident that, in the judgement of the Board, falls under
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the authority of the Board under section 1131(a)(1)(G)
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(as redesignated by this Act).
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Æ
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