What This Bill Does
This bill authorizes the government to provide transportation for astronauts returning from space. The transportation covers travel between an astronaut's residence and various locations before they receive medical clearance to drive themselves.
Who It Affects
Government astronauts returning from space and others under reimbursable arrangements (meaning they reimburse the government for costs).
Key Provisions
• Government astronauts can receive transportation to and from their homes and other locations after returning from space, but only until they receive post-flight medical clearance to operate a motor vehicle. The transportation is necessary for medical research, monitoring, diagnosis, treatment or other official duties. (Sec. 2(a))
• The head of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration must submit a report to Congress every year starting one year after this law takes effect. (Sec. 2(b)(1))
• The annual report must include the name of each person who received transportation, how many times transportation was provided and the total cost for that year. (Sec. 2(b)(2))
What Changes
Federal law will now explicitly allow transportation services for government astronauts returning from space until they are medically cleared to drive vehicles.
Important Definitions
The bill does not provide explicit definitions of key terms.
II
Calendar No. 704
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 272
[Report No. 118–298]
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MAY 7, 2024
Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs
DECEMBER 16, 2024
Reported by Mr. PETERS, without amendment
AN ACT
To amend title 31, United States Code, to authorize trans-
portation for Government astronauts returning from
space between their residence and various locations, 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 ‘‘Astronaut Safe Tem-
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porary Ride Options Act’’ or the ‘‘ASTRO Act’’.
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•HR 272 RS
SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION OF ASTRONAUTS RETURNING
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FROM SPACE.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1344(a)(2) of title 31,
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United States Code, is amended—
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(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘or’’ at
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the end;
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(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘or’’
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after the comma at the end; and
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(3) by inserting before the matter following
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subparagraph (B) the following:
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‘‘(C) necessary for post-flight transportation of
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Government astronauts, and others subject to reim-
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bursable arrangements, returning from space for the
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performance of medical research, monitoring, diag-
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nosis, or treatment, or other official duties, prior to
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receiving post-flight medical clearance to operate a
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motor vehicle,’’.
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(b) REPORT.—
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than one year
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after the date of enactment of this Act and annually
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thereafter, the Administrator of the National Aero-
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nautics and Space Administration shall submit an
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annual report to Congress on the use of the author-
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ity providing transportation under subparagraph (C)
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of section 1344(a)(2) of title 31, United States Code
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(as added by subsection (a) of this Act).
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•HR 272 RS
(2) CONTENTS.—Any such report shall include
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the name of any individual who received such trans-
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portation, the number of instances such transpor-
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tation was provided, and the total cost of such trans-
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portation for the year preceding the date such report
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is submitted.
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Calendar No. 704
118TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 272
[Report No. 118–298]
AN ACT
To amend title 31, United States Code, to author-
ize transportation for Government astronauts re-
turning from space between their residence and
various locations, and for other purposes.
DECEMBER 16, 2024
Reported without amendment
VerDate Sep 11 2014
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