MAKING 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

On 2026-08-31, Representative Jamie Raskin (D-MD-8) delivered a floor speech titled "MAKING REVISIONS IN TITLE 51, UNITED STATES CODE, AS NECESSARY TO KEEP THE TITLE CURRENT, AND TO MAKE TECHNICAL AMENDMEN" in the House.

MAKING 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

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 137 (Monday, August 31, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 137 (Monday, August 31, 2026)] [House] [Pages H5319-H5335] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] MAKING 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 Mr. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5174) 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. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 5174 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. TABLE OF CONTENTS. The table of contents for this Act is as follows: Sec. 1. Table of contents. Sec. 2. Purposes; restatement does not change meaning or effect of existing law. Sec. 3. Revision of title 51, United States Code. Sec. 4. Technical amendments. Sec. 5. Transitional and savings provisions. Sec. 6. Repeals. SEC. 2. PURPOSES; RESTATEMENT DOES NOT CHANGE MEANING OR EFFECT OF EXISTING LAW. (a) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are-- (1) to make revisions in title 51, United States Code, as necessary to keep the title current; and (2) to make technical amendments to improve the United States Code. (b) Restatement Does Not Change Meaning or Effect of Existing Law.-- (1) In general.--The restatement of existing law enacted by this Act does not change the meaning or effect of the existing law. The restatement incorporates in title 51, United States Code, various provisions that were enacted separately over a period of years, reorganizing them, conforming style and terminology, modernizing obsolete language, and correcting drafting errors. These changes serve to remove ambiguities, contradictions, and other imperfections, but they do not change the meaning or effect of the existing law or impair the precedential value of earlier judicial decisions or other interpretations. (2) Rule of construction.-- (A) In general.--Notwithstanding the plain meaning rule or other rules of statutory construction, a change in wording made in the restatement of existing law enacted by this Act serves to clarify the existing law as indicated in paragraph (1), but not to change the meaning or effect of the existing law. (B) Revision notes.--Subparagraph (A) applies whether or not a change in wording is explained by a revision note appearing in a congressional report accompanying this Act. If such a revision note does appear, a court shall consider the revision note in interpreting the change. SEC. 3. REVISION OF TITLE 51, UNITED STATES CODE. (a) Revision of Title Table of Contents.--The title table of contents of title 51, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by striking the item relating to chapter 301 and inserting the following: ``301. Funding.............................................30101'';.... (2) by striking the item relating to chapter 315 and inserting the following: ``315. Facilities and Infrastructure.........................31501 .... ``317 Through 397...................................................... erved................................................................ ``399. Miscellaneous.......................................39901'';.... (3) by striking the item relating to chapter 409 and inserting the following: ``409. Aeronautics and Space Technology......................40901 .... ``411 Through 497...................................................... Reserved............................................................. ``499. Miscellaneous.......................................49901'';.... (4) by striking the items relating to chapters 513 and 515 and inserting the following: ``513. Space Resource Commercial Exploration and Utilization.51301 .... ``515. Office of Spaceports..................................51501 .... ``517. Development and Use of Commercial Cargo and Crew Transportation Capabilities...........................................51701'';.... (5) by striking the item relating to chapter 701 and inserting the following: ``701. Use of Space Launch System or Alternatives......70101''; and.... (6) by inserting after the item relating to chapter 713 the following: ``715. Human Space Flight and Exploration....................71501 .... ``717. Advancing Human Space Exploration...................71701''..... (b) Revision of Section 20144.-- (1) Amendments.--Section 20144 of title 51, United States Code, is amended-- (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``The Administration may carry out a program to award prizes only in conformity with this section.''; and (B) in subsection (i)(4), by striking ``Committee on Science and Technology'' and inserting ``Committee on Science, Space, and Technology''. (2) Effective date.--The amendment made by paragraph (1)(A) is effective on January 4, 2011. (c) Revision of Section 20145.--Section 20145 of title 51, United States Code, is amended-- (1) by redesignating subsections (f) through (h) as subsections (g) through (i), respectively; (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following: ``(f) Proceeds.--Proceeds from leases entered into under this section shall be deposited in the Administration Construction and Environmental Compliance and Restoration appropriations account. The proceeds shall be available for a period of 5 years, to the extent and in amounts provided in appropriations acts.''; and (3) in subsection (h) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), in the matter before paragraph (1), by striking ``the date of the enactment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2022,'' and inserting ``August 9, 2022,''. (d) Revision of Section 20303.--Section 20303 of title 51, United States Code, is amended-- (1) in subsection (c), by striking ``(42 U.S.C. 16611(d))'' and inserting ``(Public Law 109-155, 119 Stat. 2900)''; (2) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and (3) by inserting after subsection (c) the following: ``(d) Evaluation and Expansion of Interagency Contribution.-- ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall evaluate and, to the extent possible-- ``(A) expand efforts to maximize the Administration's contribution to interagency efforts to enhance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education capabilities; and ``(B) enhance the Nation's technological excellence and global competitiveness. ``(2) Identification in report.--The Administrator shall identify the expanded efforts and enhancements made under paragraph (1) in the annual reports required by subsection (e).''. (e) Revision of Chapter 301.-- (1) Chapter heading.--The chapter heading of chapter 301 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by striking ``APPROPRIATIONS, BUDGETS, AND ACCOUNTING'' and inserting ``FUNDING''. (2) Chapter table of contents.-- (A) Contents.--The chapter table of contents of chapter 301 of title 51, United States Code is amended to read as follows: [[Page H5320]] ``SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS ``Sec. ``30101. Prior authorization of appropriations required. ``30102. Working capital fund. ``30103. Baselines and cost controls. ``30104. Reports on estimated costs for certain programs. ``30105. Annual report on program cost and control. ``SUBCHAPTER II--BUDGET PROVISIONS ``30121. General budget documentation requirements. ``30122. Consideration of decadal surveys. ``30123. Two-year budget request with third-year estimate.''. (B) Typeface.--The chapter table of contents of chapter 301 of title 51, United States Code, as amended by subparagraph (A), is amended so that the typeface of the subchapter headings and the typeface of the subchapter items conform to those appearing in other chapter table of contents of title 51. (3) Redesignation of existing sections.--Chapter 301 of title 51, United States Code, is amended as follows: (A) Section 30103 (Budgets) is redesignated as section 30121, and transferred to appear after section 30104 (Baselines and cost controls). (B) Section 30104 (Baselines and cost controls) is redesignated as section 30103. (4) Designation of subchapters.--Chapter 301 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by-- (A) inserting a subchapter heading (in typeface styled like other subchapter headings in title 51) before section 30101 as follows: ``SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS''; and (B) inserting a subchapter heading (in typeface styled like other subchapter headings in title 51) before section 30121 (as redesignated and transferred by paragraph (3)(A)) as follows: ``SUBCHAPTER II--BUDGET PROVISIONS''. (5) Revision of section 30103.--Section 30103 (Baselines and cost controls) of title 51, United States Code (as redesignated by paragraph (3)(B)), is amended by striking ``Committee on Science and Technology'' and inserting ``Committee on Science, Space, and Technology'' in-- (A) subsection (b)(2); (B) subsection (c)(1); (C) subsection (d)(3); (D) subsection (e)(1)(A) (matter before clause (i)); and (E) subsection (e)(2). (6) Enactment of sections 30104 and 30105.--Chapter 301 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 30103 (Baselines and cost controls) (as redesignated by paragraph (3)(B) and amended by paragraph (5)) the following: ``Sec. 30104. Reports on estimated costs for certain programs ``For each program under the jurisdiction of the Administration for which development costs are expected to exceed $200,000,000, the Administrator shall submit to Congress, at the time of submission of the President's annual budget-- ``(1) a 5-year budget detailing the estimated development costs of the program; and ``(2) an estimate of the life-cycle costs associated with the program. ``Sec. 30105. Annual report on program cost and control ``(a) Annual Report.--Not later than April 30 of each year, the Administrator shall s

Referenced legislation: HR5174, HR5174