Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 114 Part 3.djvu/653

 PUBLIC LAW 106-405—NOV. 1, 2000 114 STAT. 1751 Public Law 106-405 106th Congress An Act To promote the development of the commercial space transportation industry, to authorize appropriations for the Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, to authorize appropriations for the Office of Space Commerciahzation, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the "Commercial Space Transportation Competitiveness Act of 2000". SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds that— (1) a robust United States space transportation industry is vital to the Nation's economic well-being and national security; (2) enactment of a 5-year extension of the excess third party claims payment provision of chapter 701 of title 49, United States Code (Commercial Space Launch Activities), will have a beneficial impact on the international competitiveness of the United States space transportation industry; (3) space transportation may evolve into airplane-style operations; (4) during the next 3 years the Federal Government and the private sector should analyze the liability risk-sharing regime to determine its appropriateness and effectiveness, and, if needed, develop and propose a new regime to Congress at least 2 years prior to the expiration of the extension contained in this Act; (5) the areas of responsibility of the Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation have significantly increased as a result of— (A) the rapidly expanding commercial space transportation industry and associated government licensing requirements; (B) regulatory activity as a result of the emerging commercial reusable launch vehicle industry; and (C) the increased regulatory activity associated with commercial operation of launch and reentry sites; and (6) the Office of the Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation should continue to limit its promotional activities to those which support its regulatory mission. Nov. 1, 2000 ~i H.R. 2607] Commercial Space Transportation Competitiveness Act of 2000. 49 USC 70101 note. 49 USC 70101 note.

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