Bill · H.R. 2600· House(119-HR-2600)
ASCEND Act
- Introduced
- 4/2/2025
- Last activity
- 2/24/2026 — Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 344.
- Sponsored by
- Jeff Hurd
- Cosponsors
- - 2 - 4
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Awaiting Senate
- On Senate calendar
What this bill would do
The ASCEND Act requires the Administrator of NASA to create a program within the Earth Science Division. This program is designed to identify, evaluate, acquire, and distribute commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery. The goal is to meet the scientific, operational, and educational needs of NASA and other Federal agencies or researchers. The program aims to complement existing Earth observations. It also emphasizes procuring data from United States vendors whenever possible.
Yes· 3 of 11
Does this put more money into scientific research?+4
The act facilitates more effective acquisition of data to advance scientific research and applications.
Would business owners be better off under this?+3
The bill creates new opportunities for U.S. commercial vendors in the satellite data market.
Does this put more into space exploration?+3
By augmenting Earth observations, the bill supports NASA's broader space and Earth science mission.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Enhanced Scientific Research: The program allows NASA to acquire commercial data to advance scientific research and applications, which can satisfy the requirements of scientific researchers and other Federal agencies (Section 2(b)(1)(a)).
-
Increased Data Accessibility: The Administrator is authorized to modify license terms to allow for the widest-s-possible use of data by individuals who are not NASA-funded users (Section 2(b)(1)(c)(2)).
-
Support for Data Publication: The terms of data acquisition will not prevent the publication of commercial data or imagery for scientific purposes, nor the publication of information derived from or enhancing the original data (Section 2(b)(1)(b)).
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Support for U.S. Businesses: The Act directs that commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery should, to the maximum extent practicable, be purchased from United States vendors (Section 2(b)(1)(d)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Business Owners+3Good For Farmers+2Good For Students+2Good For Rural Residents+1
- Education And Technology
- Increases Scientific Research Funding+4Increases Space Exploration+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+3Improves Disaster Relief And F E M A+2Improves Public Land Management+2
- Governance And Ideology
- Improves Government Transparency+2Increases Federal Power+1
- 2/24/2026
- Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 344.
- 2/23/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2242-2243)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2242-2243)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2600.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2242-2244)
- Mr. Babin moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 2/20/2026
- Reported by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 119-502.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 428.
- 7/23/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 4/29/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 4/28/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/2/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Suzanne BonamiciDemocrat · Oregon
Jeff CrankRepublican · Colorado
Laura GillenDemocrat · New York
Thomas KeanRepublican · New Jersey
Josh RileyDemocrat · New York
Suhas SubramanyamDemocrat · Virginia