House of Representatives

House committee leaders ask White House to withdraw proposed NTSB regulations on commercial launch investigations
The leaders of the House Science Committee have asked the Biden administration to withdraw a controversial proposed rule regarding commercial spaceflight investigations, calling it “plainly unlawful.”

Congress presses NASA for more details on Artemis costs and schedules
Members of Congress, concerned about growing costs and slipping schedules, pressed NASA for more details about the management and overall strategy of the agency’s Artemis lunar exploration plan.

NASA leasing bill transformed into voting rights legislation
NASA’s ability to lease property at its facilities to companies or other organizations remains in limbo after a bill meant to reauthorize it was transformed in the House into voting rights legislation.

House budget reconciliation package funds NASA infrastructure but not lunar lander work
The House Science Committee will mark up its portion of a multitrillion-dollar spending bill this week that includes several billion dollars for NASA infrastructure but nothing for lunar lander development.

House Armed Services Committee approves Space National Guard, challenges DoD on space programs
The House Armed Services Committee in its version of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) passed several provisions on national security space policy and DoD procurement of space technologies.

HASC chairman wants updated DoD plan for ‘tactically responsive space launch’
Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) in his version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 directs the Defense Department to submit a plan for how it will use commercial launch vehicles for so-called tactically responsive missions.

House panel wants details on Space Force plans to upgrade launch infrastructure
The House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on strategic forces in its markup of the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act raises concerns about the state of the U.S. space launch infrastructure.

House appropriators approve NASA spending bill with revised lunar lander and nuclear propulsion language
The House Appropriations Committee passed a spending bill July 15 that leaves intact overall funding for NASA but tweaks language regarding the Human Landing System and nuclear thermal propulsion.

House appropriations bill supports increase to NASA’s budget
A House appropriations subcommittee advanced a spending bill July 12 that would provide NASA with a small increase over what the administration proposed for fiscal year 2022, but does not address some key areas of concern.

HASC to scrutinize Space Force budget: Satellites have to be ‘easier to defend’
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said he expects to see a shift in U.S. military spending away from large satellites to a “more survivable infrastructure” of smaller spacecraft.

Lawmakers ask Biden administration to keep oversight committees in the loop on space activities
Reps. Frank Lucas and Brian Babin, who oversee civil and commercial space, expressed concerns about the administration's push for international regulation of space activities.

House passes two space bills
The House of Representatives passed legislation Dec. 16 to protect Apollo-era artifacts on the moon and to rename another NASA facility after the first man to walk on the moon.

Former astronaut Mark Kelly wins Senate race in Arizona
Former NASA astronaut Mark Kelly won his race for the U.S. Senate in Arizona Nov. 3 while two members of Congress involved in space issues lost their bids for reelection.

Pentagon has not shown COVID stimulus helps small businesses, says HASC chairman
Rep. Adam Smith: “We remain concerned that COVID relief money isn’t getting to the right people."

HASC Chairman: Space Force has bigger worries than having to use Navy ranks
Chairman Adam Smith said Space Force leaders so far have not pushed back against Rep. Crenshaw's 'Starfleet' amendment

House space subcommittee chair still seeking NASA plan for 2024 lunar landing
The chair of the House space subcommittee says NASA has still not convinced her that the agency has a viable plan to return humans to the moon by 2024.

House passes spending bill with flat NASA funding
The House of Representatives passed a spending bill July 31 that includes $22.6 billion for NASA, making no major changes to what appropriators had previously approved.

House passes NDAA, White House threatens veto
The July 21 vote marked the 60th consecutive year the House has passed the National Defense Authorization Act.

Space Force acquisition management criticized by House appropriators
Defense committee says not having a senior civilian acquisition executive for space is a “fundamental problem."

HASC amendments question space acquisition reforms, challenge DoD plans to procure new systems
The committee is concerned that the Air Force’s recommendations “risk undermining congressional oversight of major space acquisition programs.”