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H.R. 2809, American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act of 2017 1 (July 7, 2017)

handle is hein.congrec/cbo3593 and id is 1 raw text is: CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE July 7, 2017 H.R. 2809 American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act of 2017 As ordered reported by the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology on June 8, 2017 H.R. 2809 would expand the authorities of the Office of Space Commerce (OSC) within the Department of Commerce (DOC) to include supervision of commercial space activity. The private sector is increasingly investing in and developing spacecraft, satellites, and other technologies for nongovernmental exploration of outer space. H.R. 2809 would establish a certification process for the private sector to operate those objects in outer space. The bill also would eliminate the Office of Commercial Remote Sensing Regulatory Affairs (CRSRA) within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and transfer some of its responsibilities to the OSC. H.R. 2809 would authorize the appropriation of $5 million in 2018 for the OSC to undertake those activities. Assuming appropriation of the authorized amounts, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 2809 would cost $5 million over the 2018-2019 period. In fiscal year 2017, the CRSRA and the OSC each received an appropriation of about $1 million. Under current law, no specific sums are authorized to be appropriated to the CRSRA after 2017. The bill also would direct the President to maintain a database of commercially available capabilities for space-based remote sensing, for example, satellites; require DOC to undertake activities related to international treaty compliance; and have the Government Accountability Office submit a report to the Congress about the Office of Commercial Space Transportation. Based on the costs to undertake similar activities, CBO estimates that implementing those provisions would cost less than $500,000 each year; such spending would be subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Enacting the bill would affect direct spending and revenues; therefore, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. CBO expects that some CRSRA employees could retire earlier than they otherwise would, which would increase direct spending over the 2017-2027 period. However, CBO estimates that those increases would not be significant. The bill also would repeal certain penalties, which are recorded in the budget as revenues, and authorize new ones. On net, CBO estimates that those changes would not significantly affect revenues.

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