Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 93.djvu/380

 93 STAT. 348

Federal research funds, geographical distribution. 42 USC 2459 note.

42 USC 2459.

PUBLIC LAW 96-48—AUG. 8, 1979 unless (A) a period of 30 days has passed after the Administrator or his designee has transmitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to the President of the Senate and to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a written report containing a full and complete statement concerning (1) the nature of such construction, expansion, or modification, (2) the cost thereof including the cost of any real estate action pertaining thereto, and (3) the reason why such construction, expansion, or modification is necessary in the national interest, or (B) each such committee before the expiration of such period has transmitted to the Administrator written notice to the effect that such committee has no objection to the proposed action. SEC. 4. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act— (1) no amount appropriated pursuant to this Act may be used for any program deleted by the Congress from requests as originally made to either the House Committee on Science and Technology or the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, (2) no amount appropriated pursuant to this Act may be used for any program in excess of the amount actually authorized for that particular program by subsections 1(a) and 1(c), and (3) no amount appropriated pursuant to this Act may be used for any program which has not been presented to or requested of either such committee, unless (A) a period of 30 days has passed after the receipt by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate and each such committee of notice given by the Administrator or his designee containing a full and complete statement of the action proposed to be taken and the facts and circumstances relied upon in support of such proposed action, or (B) each such committee before the expiration of such period has transmitted to the Administrator written notice to the effect that such committee has no objection to the proposed action. SEC. 5. It is the sense of the Congress that it is in the national interest that consideration to be given to geographical distribution of Federal research funds whenever feasible, and that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration should explore ways and means of distributing its research and development funds whenever fesisible. SEC. 6. (a) Paragraph 13 of subsection (c) of section 203 of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended (42 U.S.C. 2473(c)(13)), is amended by striking out "$5,000" where it appears and inserting in lieu thereof "$25,000". (b) The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958, as amended, is amended (1) by redesignating section 308 as section 309 thereof; and (2) by inserting the following new section: INSURANCE AND INDEMNIFICATION

Liability insurance. 42 USC 2458b.

"SEC. 308. (a) The Administration is authorized on such terms and to the extent it may deem appropriate to provide liability insurance for any user of a space vehicle to compensate all or a portion of claims by third parties for death, bodily injury, or loss of or damage to property resulting from activities carried on in connection with the launch, operations or recovery of the space vehicle. Appropriations available to the Administration may be used to acquire such insurance, but such appropriations shall be reimbursed to the maximum

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