S.Amdt. 6018

This amendment, submitted by Mrs. Moody, adds a new section to the bill called the Space Ready Act. Its purpose is to create a pilot program that allows for private and public investment in specific infrastructure projects at one or more NASA Centers.

Aims of the Amendment

The amendment aims to add the following to the bill:

• Funding for Infrastructure: It allows the NASA Administrator to enter into agreements to collect voluntary contributions from commercial entities, as well as Federal, State, or local authorities. These funds are used for capital repairs, maintenance, and improvements to NASA-owned infrastructure that benefits one or more NASA Center users.

• Project Management and Transparency: The Administrator must establish cost and schedule baselines for projects and provide commercial entities with final project costs upon completion. It also requires that any unexpended funds from commercial entities be returned or redesignated to another project.

• Accountability and Reporting: The Administrator must submit an annual report to specific Senate and House committees regarding expenditures and proposed uses of funds, as well as provide milestone updates every two years.

• Operational Rules: The amendment clarifies that the Administrator cannot deny leases or authorizations for commercial activities just because an agreement on voluntary contributions hasn't been reached.

• Timeline: The authority to collect these voluntary contributions is set to end on December 31, 2031.