S.Amdt. 6643

SA 6643, submitted by Mrs. Moody, seeks to add a new subtitle to bill S. 4784 called the Space Ready 2.0 Act.

The purpose of this amendment is to allow the NASA Administrator to run a pilot program for public and private investment in specific infrastructure projects at one or more NASA Centers. These projects focus on common use infrastructure, which is defined as infrastructure that benefits one or more NASA Center users (such as roadways and commodities pipelines) but does not solely benefit NASA.

The amendment aims to add the following to the bill:

• Funding and Agreements: It allows the Administrator to enter into agreements to collect voluntary infrastructure 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.

• Financial Protections and Transparency: The Administrator must establish cost and schedule baselines, provide final project costs to contributors, and return any unexpended funds to the commercial entity. Additionally, the Administrator cannot deny leases or other authorizations for commercial activities if an agreement on contributions is not reached.

• Accountability: The Administrator is required to submit an annual report to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology detailing expenditures and proposed fund uses. Interim milestone updates must also be submitted at least every two years.

• Timeline: The authority to collect voluntary contributions under this specific program will end on December 31, 2031.