102 STAT. 3900 PUBLIC LAW 100-657—NOV. 15, 1988

Public Law 100-657
100th Congress

An Act

------ ' To facilitate commercial access to space, and for other purposes.

[H.R. 4399]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
Commercial United States of America in Congress assembled,

Space Launch

Act SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

Amendments of Thig Acfc may be dted &g ^ «Commercial gpace Launch Act

49 USC app. 2601 Amendments of 1988".

note.

49 USC app. 2601 SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

note" The Congress finds that—

(1) a United States commercial space launch industry is an
essential component of national efforts to assure access to space
for Government and commercial users;

(2) the Federal Government should encourage, facilitate,
and promote the use of the United States commercial space
launch industry in order to continue United States aerospace
preeminence;

(3) the United States commercial space launch industry must
be competitive in the international marketplace;

(4) Federal Government policies should recognize the respon-
sibility of the United States under international treaty for
activities conducted by United States citizens in space; and

(5) the United States must maintain a competitive edge in
international commercial space transportation by ensuring
continued research in launch vehicle component technology and
development.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

Section 4 of the Commercial Space Launch Act (49 U.S.C. App.
2603) is amended—

(1) in paragraph (10) by striking "and" at the end;

(2) by redesignating paragraph (11) as paragraph (12); and

(3) by inserting immediately after paragraph (10) the follow-
ing new paragraph:

"(11) 'third party' means any person or entity other than—

"(A) the United States, its agencies, or its contractors or
subcontractors involved in launch services;

"(B) the licensee or transferee;

"(C) the licensee's or transferee's contractors, subcontrac-
tors, or customers involved in launch services; or

"(D) any such customer's contractors or subcontractors
involved in launch services; and".

SEC. 4. PRIVATE ACQUISITION OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND
SERVICES.

(a) Section 15(a) of the Commercial Space Launch Act (49 U.S.C.
App. 2614(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following: "In
taking such actions, the Secretary shall consider the commercial