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[Document affected by Public Law 106-405 Section 1]
[Document affected by Public Law 106-405 Section 2]
[Document affected by Public Law 106-391 Section 322(d)]
[Document affected by Public Law 106-405 Section 3(b)]
[CITE: 49USC70101]

 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
              SUBTITLE IX--COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION
 
             CHAPTER 701--COMMERCIAL SPACE LAUNCH ACTIVITIES
 
Sec. 70101. Findings and purposes

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--
        (1) the peaceful uses of outer space continue to be of great 
    value and to offer benefits to all mankind;
        (2) private applications of space technology have achieved a 
    significant level of commercial and economic activity and offer the 
    potential for growth in the future, particularly in the United 
    States;
        (3) new and innovative equipment and services are being sought, 
    produced, and offered by entrepreneurs in telecommunications, 
    information services, microgravity research, and remote sensing 
    technologies;
        (4) the private sector in the United States has the capability 
    of developing and providing private satellite launching, reentry, 
    and associated services that would complement the launching, 
    reentry, and associated services now available from the United 
    States Government;
        (5) the development of commercial launch vehicles, reentry 
    vehicles, and associated services would enable the United States to 
    retain its competitive position internationally, contributing to the 
    national interest and economic well-being of the United States;
        (6) providing launch services and reentry services by the 
    private sector is consistent with the national security and foreign 
    policy interests of the United States and would be facilitated by 
    stable, minimal, and appropriate regulatory guidelines that are 
    fairly and expeditiously applied;
        (7) the United States should encourage private sector launches, 
    reentries, and associated services and, only to the extent 
    necessary, regulate those launches, reentries, and services to 
    ensure compliance with international obligations of the United 
    States and to protect the public health and safety, safety of 
    property, and national security and foreign policy interests of the 
    United States;
        (8) space transportation, including the establishment and 
    operation of launch sites, reentry sites, and complementary 
    facilities, the providing of launch services and reentry services, 
    the establishment of support facilities, and the providing of 
    support services, is an important element of the transportation 
    system of the United States, and in connection with the commerce of 
    the United States there is a need to develop a strong space 
    transportation infrastructure with significant private sector 
    involvement; and
        (9) the participation of State governments in encouraging and 
    facilitating private sector involvement in space-related activity, 
    particularly through the establishment of a space transportation-
    related infrastructure, including launch sites, reentry sites, 
    complementary facilities, and launch site and reentry site support 
    facilities, is in the national interest and is of significant public 
    benefit.

    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this chapter are--
        (1) to promote economic growth and entrepreneurial activity 
    through use of the space environment for peaceful purposes;
        (2) to encourage the United States private sector to provide 
    launch vehicles, reentry vehicles, and associated services by--
            (A) simplifying and expediting the issuance and transfer of 
        commercial licenses; and
            (B) facilitating and encouraging the use of Government-
        developed space technology;

        (3) to provide that the Secretary of Transportation is to 
    oversee and coordinate the conduct of commercial launch and reentry 
    operations, issue and transfer commercial licenses authorizing those 
    operations, and protect the public health and safety, safety of 
    property, and national security and foreign policy interests of the 
    United States; and
        (4) to facilitate the strengthening and expansion of the United 
    States space transportation infrastructure, including the 
    enhancement of United States launch sites and launch-site support 
    facilities, and development of reentry sites, with Government, 
    State, and private sector involvement, to support the full range of 
    United States space-related activities.

(Pub. L. 103-272, Sec. 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1330; Pub. L. 105-
303, title I, Sec. 102(a)(2), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2846.)

                                          Historical and Revision Notes
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---------------------------------
           Revised  Section                    Source (U.S. Code)              
 Source (Statutes at Large)
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---------------------------------
70101(a)..............................  49 App.:2601.                    Oct. 3
0, 1984, Pub. L. 98-575, Secs.
                                                                          2, 3,
 98 Stat. 3055; Nov. 16, 1990,
                                                                          Pub. 
L. 101-611, Sec.  117(c), (d),
                                                                          104 S
tat. 3202.
70101(b)..............................  49 App.:2602.
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---------------------------------

    In subsection (a), before clause (1), the words ``and declares'' are 
omitted as surplus.
    In subsection (b), before clause (1), the word ``therefore'' is 
omitted as surplus.


                               Amendments

    1998--Subsec. (a)(3). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(A), inserted 
``microgravity research,'' after ``information services,''.
    Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(B), inserted ``, 
reentry,'' after ``launching'' in two places.
    Subsec. (a)(5). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(C), inserted ``, 
reentry vehicles,'' after ``launch vehicles''.
    Subsec. (a)(6). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(D), inserted ``and 
reentry services'' after ``launch services''.
    Subsec. (a)(7). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(E), inserted ``, 
reentries,'' after ``launches'' in two places.
    Subsec. (a)(8). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(F), (G), inserted 
``, reentry sites,'' after ``launch sites'' and ``and reentry services'' 
after ``launch services''.
    Subsec. (a)(9). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(H), (I), inserted 
``reentry sites,'' after ``launch sites,'' and ``and reentry site'' 
after ``launch site''.
    Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(J), inserted ``, 
reentry vehicles,'' after ``launch vehicles'' in introductory 
provisions.
    Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(K), struck out 
``launch'' before ``licenses''.
    Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(L), (M), inserted 
``and reentry'' after ``conduct of commercial launch'' and struck out 
``launch'' before ``licenses''.
    Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 105-303, Sec. 102(a)(2)(N), inserted ``and 
development of reentry sites,'' after ``launch-site support 
facilities,''.
