SAT Streamlining Act
Sponsored By: Senator Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a strict, deadline-driven licensing system to speed review of satellite and earth-station permits. It pairs faster processing rules with new interagency coordination and a national-security review path to try to clear regulatory bottlenecks while protecting sensitive concerns.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Faster FCC decisions and less paperwork
If enacted, the FCC would have strict processing deadlines and faster completeness checks for satellite and earth-station filings. The agency would have 30 days to decide if a filing is complete and one year to decide most license or major amendment requests. The FCC would have to adopt implementing rules within one year and would be limited in the information it can demand from applicants. The bill would also let some NGSO operators add an already-approved space station to a ground station by notification instead of a full modification filing when nothing else changes.
Short emergency satellite authorizations
If enacted, the FCC would be allowed to grant short emergency licenses, renewals, or modifications for up to 180 days when life, property, or national defense is at risk. The FCC could extend these emergency authorizations once for up to another 180 days and must provide a statement of reasons. Petitions to deny or rehearings about these emergency grants would get expedited treatment.
15-year cap on market-access grants
If enacted, the FCC could not grant market access for space stations for more than 15 years. Existing market-access grants in effect at enactment would be required to expire no later than 15 years after the bill becomes law. The FCC could provide a renewal mechanism for grantees that remain in compliance and whose risk profile does not change.
New FCC rules for spectrum use
If enacted, the FCC would be directed to make rules to promote competition, innovation, and more efficient use of radio spectrum by licensees and market-access recipients. The agency would be told to account for new technologies that reduce interference. These rules could help consumers by improving service, but they could also create technical requirements or limits for operators.
States barred from setting satellite prices
If enacted, State and local governments would be barred from regulating rates charged by entities holding licenses or market-access grants under the new satellite framework. That would make pricing rules uniform under federal authority and reduce local control over service prices. This helps licensees with regulatory certainty but may limit local tools to influence consumer prices.
Experimental and amateur radio excluded
If enacted, the bill would not apply the new licensing and market-access rules to experimental radio service or amateur (ham) radio authorizations. Hobbyists and experimenters would keep the current rules and processes. This preserves the existing regulatory regime for those operators.
New licenses follow existing renewal rules
If enacted, licenses and market-access grants issued under the new framework would be covered by the same renewal procedures that apply to certain broadcast stations. This would add clarity to renewal steps and paperwork for holders of these authorizations. The change mainly aligns processes for applicants and the FCC.
National-security review for foreign owners
If enacted, the FCC would have to refer applications from entities with reportable foreign ownership to the interagency Committee for the Assessment of Foreign Participation for national-security and law-enforcement review. The FCC could also refer other applications at its discretion. The provision aims to protect national security while the agency processes satellite and market-access requests.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
TX • R
Cosponsors
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Sen. Schmitt, Eric [R-MO]
MO • R
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]
WY • R
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
IA • R
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Sen. Cornyn, John [R-TX]
TX • R
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]
FL • R
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Sen. Budd, Ted [R-NC]
NC • R
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS]
KS • R
Sponsored 4/21/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov