§30303 — Title 51 National and Commercial Space Programs | U.S. Code

Summary

When an appropriation Act allows it, the Administration may make and keep a contract to provide tracking and data relay satellite services. The government will not pay under the contract before the services start, except it may pay for contingent liability if the government cancels the contract early. Necessary facilities may be built on government land, and the contract can let the government take ownership of those facilities at the end of the contract under agreed terms. In January of each year the Administrator must report the projected aggregate contingent liability through the next fiscal year to four congressional committees: the House Science and Technology Committee, the House Appropriations Committee, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, and the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Administration’s authority to make and keep these contracts continues unless Congress repeals it.

Title 51, §30303

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

(a)The Administration is authorized, when so provided in an appropriation Act, to enter into and to maintain a contract for tracking and data relay satellite services. Such services shall be furnished to the Administration in accordance with applicable authorization and appropriations Acts. The Government shall incur no costs under such contract prior to the furnishing of such services except that the contract may provide for the payment for contingent liability of the Government which may accrue in the event the Government should decide for its convenience to terminate the contract before the end of the period of the contract. Facilities which may be required in the performance of the contract may be constructed on Government-owned lands if there is included in the contract a provision under which the Government may acquire title to the facilities, under terms and conditions agreed upon in the contract, upon termination of the contract.

(b)The Administrator shall in January of each year report to the Committee on Science and Technology and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate the projected aggregate contingent liability of the Government under termination provisions of any contract authorized in this section through the next fiscal year. The authority of the Administration to enter into and to maintain the contract authorized hereunder shall remain in effect unless repealed by legislation enacted by Congress.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 30303(a)42 U.S.C. 2463 (1st par.).Pub. L. 95–76, § 6, July 30, 1977, 91 Stat. 315; Pub. L. 103–437, § 15(c)(3), Nov. 2, 1994, 108 Stat. 4592. 30303(b)42 U.S.C. 2463 (last par.). In subsection (b), the words “Committee on Science and Technology” are substituted for “Committee on Science, Space, and Technology” on authority of section 1(a)(10) of Public Law 104–14 (2 U.S.C. note prec. 21), Rule X(1)(n) of the Rules of the House of Representatives, adopted by House Resolution No. 5 (106th Congress, January 6, 1999), and Rule X(1)(o) of the Rules of the House of Representatives, adopted by House Resolution No. 6 (110th Congress, January 5, 2007). In subsection (b), the word “hereafter” is omitted as unnecessary.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Committee on Science and Technology of House of Representatives changed to Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 5, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Jan. 5, 2011.

§30303 Tracking and data relay satellite services