Title 51National and Commercial Space ProgramsRelease 119-73

§20114 Administration and Department of Defense coordination

Title 51 › Subtitle Subtitle II— - General Program and Policy Provisions › Chapter CHAPTER 201— - NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE PROGRAM › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - COORDINATION OF AERONAUTICAL AND SPACE ACTIVITIES › § 20114

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Administration and the Department of Defense must, through the President, advise and consult with each other about all aeronautical and space activities in their areas. They must keep each other fully and up to date about those activities. If the Secretary of Defense thinks a request, action, proposed action, or failure by the Administrator hurts the Defense Department’s duties, or the Administrator thinks the same about the Defense Department, and they cannot agree, either one can send the issue to the President. The President’s decision is final.

Full Legal Text

Title 51, §20114

National and Commercial Space Programs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Administration and the Department of Defense, through the President, shall advise and consult with each other on all matters within their respective jurisdictions related to aeronautical and space activities and shall keep each other fully and currently informed with respect to such activities.
(b)If the Secretary of Defense concludes that any request, action, proposed action, or failure to act on the part of the Administrator is adverse to the responsibilities of the Department of Defense, or the Administrator concludes that any request, action, proposed action, or failure to act on the part of the Department of Defense is adverse to the responsibilities of the Administration, and the Administrator and the Secretary of Defense are unable to reach an agreement with respect to the matter, either the Administrator or the Secretary of Defense may refer the matter to the President for a decision (which shall be final).

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 20114(a)42 U.S.C. 2474(b).Pub. L. 85–568, title II, § 204(b), (c), July 29, 1958, 72 Stat. 431. 20114(b)42 U.S.C. 2474(c). In subsection (a), the words “through the President” are substituted for “through the Liaison Committee” because the Civilian-Military Liaison Committee, which was established by section 204(a) of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 (42 U.S.C. 2474(a)), was abolished and its functions, together with the functions of its chairman and other officers, were transferred to the President by section 1(e) and 3(a) of Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1965 (5 App. U.S.C.). In subsection (b), the words “as provided in section 201 (e)”, which appeared at the end of the subsection, are omitted as obsolete. section 201 of Public Law 85–568, which was classified to former section 2471 of title 42 (last appearing in the 1970 edition of the United States Code), established the National Aeronautics and Space Council, with the functions of the Council specified in section 201(e). Those functions included advising the President “as he may request” with respect to promoting cooperation and resolving differences among agencies of the United States engaged in aeronautical and space activities. The words are obsolete because section 3(a)(4) of Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1973 (5 App. U.S.C.), abolished the National Aeronautics and Space Council, including the office of Executive Secretary of the Council, together with its functions.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

51 U.S.C. § 20114

Title 51National and Commercial Space Programs

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73