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

handle is hein.congrec/cbo3656 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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