Sponsor
Jasmine Crockett
Representative · D-TX
Representative · D-TX
The bill modernizes and clarifies U.S. space law and expands ISS research, education, and oversight—improving transparency and capabilities—while imposing new administrative requirements, potential cost increases, reduced funding flexibility, and some legal and diplomatic uncertainties.
Federal agencies and courts get a clearer, modernized, and harmonized Title 51 (updated citations, cross-references, and codification) that reduces ambiguity when applying U.S. space law and simplifies statutory navigation.
Scientists, researchers, students, and U.S. commercial partners gain expanded ISS access, education/outreach, and commercialization opportunities (at least 50% U.S. research capacity reserved through Sept 30, 2030, national lab designation, and outreach programs).
NASA and Congress obtain stronger fiscal transparency and oversight because programs over $200M must provide 5-year budgets and lifecycle cost estimates, improving budget planning and congressional review.
NASA programs, staff, and contractors face increased administrative requirements (detailed 5‑year plans, lifecycle cost estimates, new reporting thresholds, and procurement restrictions) that can raise program costs, slow work, and risk cancellations or scope reductions.
Taxpayers and NASA program managers may shoulder higher costs and operational tradeoffs from continued ISS operations and from reserving at least 50% of U.S. ISS research capacity for national-laboratory–managed experiments through 2030, which can limit NASA program flexibility and divert resources.
Federal agencies, courts, and staff must spend time and money updating internal citations, guidance, systems, training, and forms to reflect the restated Title 51 and redesignated provisions, imposing short-term administrative costs.
Based on analysis of 12 sections of legislative text.
Modernizes and reorganizes Title 51 (NASA law), updates statutory citations, directs ISS utilization through at least Sept 30, 2030, and establishes transitional rules for the restated provisions.
Official title: To make revisions in title 51, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current, and to make technical amendments to improve the United States Code.
Introduced September 8, 2025 by Jasmine Crockett · Last progress September 14, 2026
Restates and updates federal law governing NASA (Title 51, U.S. Code) to modernize language, fix drafting errors, and reorganize provisions while declaring those changes not to alter substantive law. It makes targeted statutory amendments to clarify program authorities, update cross-references, establish transitional rules for the restated provisions, repeal obsolete provisions, and add a new policy chapter directing NASA to support full utilization of the International Space Station (ISS) through at least September 30, 2030. The bill also requires Treasury handling of certain lease proceeds, directs NASA to expand its contribution to STEM education and competitiveness where possible, and supplies technical citation corrections across multiple statutes so that older law references point to the updated Title 51 sections. Transitional and savings provisions preserve continuity of regulations, orders, and ongoing proceedings and set April 10, 2025 as the cutoff date for which source provisions are replaced by restated provisions in Title 51.