ACCESSING SATELLITE CAPABILITIES TO ENABLE NEW DISCOVERIES ACT

On 2026-02-23, Representative Jeff Hurd (R-CO-3) delivered a floor speech titled "ACCESSING SATELLITE CAPABILITIES TO ENABLE NEW DISCOVERIES ACT" in the House. The speech addressed trade policy. It referenced legislation: HR2600.

ACCESSING SATELLITE CAPABILITIES TO ENABLE NEW DISCOVERIES ACT

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 35 (Monday, February 23, 2026)] [House] [Pages H2242-H2244] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] ACCESSING SATELLITE CAPABILITIES TO ENABLE NEW DISCOVERIES ACT Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2600) to require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate, acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and for other purposes, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 2600 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act'' or the ``ASCEND Act''. SEC. 2. COMMERCIAL SATELLITE DATA. (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings: (1) Section 60501 of title 51, United States Code, states that the goal for the Earth Science program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this section as ``NASA'') shall be to pursue a program of Earth observations, research, and applications activities to better understand the Earth, how it supports life, and how human activities affect its ability to do so in the future. (2) Section 50115 of title 51, United States Code, states that the Administrator of NASA shall, to the extent possible and while satisfying the scientific or educational requirements of NASA, and where appropriate, of other Federal agencies and scientific researchers, acquire, where cost effective, space-based and airborne commercial Earth remote sensing data, services, distribution, and applications from a commercial provider. (3) The Administrator of NASA established the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Pilot Program in 2019 to identify, validate, and acquire from commercial sources data that support the Earth science research and application goals. (4) The Administrator of NASA has-- (A) determined that the pilot program described in paragraph (3) has been a success, as described in the final evaluation entitled ``Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Program Pilot Evaluation Report'' issued in 2020; (B) established a formal process for evaluating and onboarding new commercial vendors in such pilot program; (C) increased the number of commercial vendors and commercial data products available through such pilot program; and (D) expanded procurement arrangements with commercial vendors to broaden user access to provide commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to federally funded researchers. (b) Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program.-- (1) In general.--Chapter 603 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``Sec. 60307. Commercial satellite data acquisition program ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish within the Earth Science Division of the Science Mission Directorate a program to acquire and disseminate cost-effective and appropriate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and where appropriate, of other Federal agencies and scientific researchers to augment or complement the suite of Earth observations acquired by the Administration, other United States Government agencies, and international partners. ``(b) Data Publication and Transparency.--The terms and conditions of commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery acquisitions under the program described in subsection (a) shall not prevent-- ``(1) the publication of commercial data or imagery for scientific purposes; or ``(2) the publication of information that is derived from, incorporates, or enhances the original commercial data or imagery of a vendor. ``(c) Authorization.--In carrying out the program under this section, the Administrator may-- ``(1) procure commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery from commercial vendors to advance scientific research and applications in accordance with subsection (a); and ``(2) establish or modify end-use license terms and conditions to allow for the widest-possible use of procured commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery by individuals other than NASA-funded users, consistent with the goals of the program. ``(d) United States Vendors.--Commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery referred to in subsections (a) and (c) shall, to the maximum extent practicable, be procured from United States vendors. ``(e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives [[Page H2243]] a report that includes the following information regarding the agreements, vendors, license terms, and uses of commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery under this section: ``(1)(A) In the case of the initial report, a list of all agreements that are providing commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to NASA as of the date of the report. ``(B) For each subsequent report, a list of all agreements that have provided commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to NASA during the reporting period. ``(2) A description of the end-use license terms and conditions for each such vendor. ``(3) A description of the manner in which each such agreement is advancing scientific research and applications, including priorities recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine decadal surveys. ``(4) Information specifying whether the Administrator has entered into an agreement with a commercial vendor or a Federal agency that permits the use of data and imagery by Federal Government employees, contractors, or non-Federal users.''. (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for chapter 603 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item: ``60307. Commercial satellite data acquisition program.''. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin) and the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Subramanyam) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas. {time} 1610 General Leave Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2600, the bill that is now under consideration. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas? There was no objection. Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 2600, the ASCEND Act, sponsored by Representatives Hurd and Bonamici. Commercial remote sensing is an increasingly important part of the growing space economy. In recent years, technological advancements and lower launch costs have enabled American companies to expand their remote sensing capabilities and to deliver innovative, high-quality satellite data at competitive prices. Recognizing this potential, NASA established a pilot program in 2017 to assess how the agency could leverage commercial satellite data to support mission objectives. Through this effort, NASA gained valuable experience working directly with the commercial sector. The agency evaluated available satellite data, explored how it could advance scientific research and applications, and developed acquisition approaches that allowed for appropriate government use and dissemination. The pilot program demonstrated that commercially provided datasets can effectively complement NASA's existing capabilities. The ASCEND Act builds on that success by authorizing the Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition program within NASA's Science Mission Directorate. This legislation ensures that NASA can continue to evaluate, access, and utilize cost-effective, cutting-edge commercial data to advance its scientific research and applications. At the same time, it supports the growth of the space economy and strengthens the United States leadership in space. I thank Representatives Hurd and Bonamici for their bipartisan work to bring this bill to the House floor. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support the ASCEND Act, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. SUBRAMANYAM. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the ASCEND Act. The bill would codify the successful Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition pilot program. The data acquired from the pilot project was shown to complement Earth observations from NASA's fleet of satellites and instruments. NASA has continued these activities as the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Pilot Program. This bill also allows us to acquire commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery from vendors. The bill also includes provisions to support data publication, transparency, and reports to Congress, and to ensure the widest possible use of the data procured under the program consistent with program goals. This bill supports both science and our commercial remote sensing industry, such as companies in my home Commonwealth of Virginia, by augmenting scientific research with additional sources of data and leveraging commercial capabilities. I thank the bill's sponsors for their work on the ASCEND Act and encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, as well. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman fro

Referenced legislation: HR2600, HR2600