Sponsors (2)
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Allows federal officers and employees returning from space to be transported before they receive post‑flight medical clearance to drive when the transportation is needed for medical research, monitoring, diagnosis, treatment, or other official duties approved by the NASA Administrator. Requires the NASA Administrator to provide a detailed report to specified House and Senate committees within one year of enactment and annually thereafter, and specifies that no new funds are authorized to implement the change.
Amend subsection (b) of section 1344 of title 31, United States Code: in paragraph (8), strike after the semicolon.
Amend subsection (b) of section 1344 of title 31, United States Code: in paragraph (9), strike the period and insert a semicolon.
Add new paragraph (10) to 31 U.S.C. 1344(b) authorizing transportation for an officer or employee returning from space when transportation is necessary for medical research, monitoring, diagnosis, or treatment, or for other official duties as approved by the Administrator of NASA, provided before the officer or employee receives post‑flight medical clearance to operate a motor vehicle.
Require the Administrator of NASA to submit a report to four congressional committees not later than one year after enactment and annually thereafter about transportation provided under new paragraph (10) of 31 U.S.C. 1344(b).
Specify required contents of each annual report covering the immediately preceding 12 months: (A) for each federal officer or employee transported, a description of the transportation, the name of the person transported, and the costs associated with the transportation; (B) the total number of instances transportation was provided; (C) the total cost of such transportation.
Primary direct effects are on federal personnel involved in U.S. human spaceflight programs (e.g., astronauts and mission support staff) and on NASA operations. The law allows those returning from space who have not yet received post‑flight driving clearance to be transported for medically necessary or mission‑related reasons if approved by the NASA Administrator, improving flexibility for medical follow‑up, research, and mission continuity. NASA as an agency must set or apply approval processes and document use of the exception, increasing administrative work and requiring annual reporting to congressional committees. Health care teams (flight surgeons, biomedical monitoring personnel) and scientific researchers benefit from improved access to monitored care and data collection immediately post‑flight. Fiscal impact is minimal because no new funds are authorized; costs (transportation, administration, reporting) must be absorbed within existing NASA budgets. Public safety and liability issues are mitigated by limiting the exception to approved situations rather than permitting broad, uncontrolled transport before medical clearance. Overall the change is operational and administrative rather than programmatic or budgetary, with modest implementation tasks for NASA and benefits for post‑flight medical care and research.
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Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced April 24, 2025 by Brian Babin · Last progress April 24, 2025
Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House