Astronaut Safe Temporary Ride Options Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 272) to amend title 31, United States Code, to authorize transportation for Government astronauts returning from space between their residence and various locations, and for other purposes.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 272

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 ``Astronaut Safe Temporary Ride Options Act'' or the ``ASTRO Act''. SEC. 2. TRANSPORTATION OF ASTRONAUTS RETURNING FROM SPACE.

(a) In General.--Section 1344(a)(2) of title 31, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``or'' after the comma at the end; and

(3) by inserting before the matter following subparagraph (B) the following:

``(C) necessary for post-flight transportation of Government astronauts, and others subject to reimbursable arrangements, returning from space for the performance of medical research, monitoring, diagnosis, or treatment, or other official duties, prior to receiving post-flight medical clearance to operate a motor vehicle,''.

(b) Report.--

(1) In general.--Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shall submit an annual report to Congress on the use of the authority providing transportation under subparagraph (C) of section 1344(a)(2) of title 31, United States Code (as added by subsection (a) of this Act).

(2) Contents.--Any such report shall include the name of any individual who received such transportation, the number of instances such transportation was provided, and the total cost of such transportation for the year preceding the date such report is submitted.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 272, the ASTRO Act.

First of all, let's give respect for the name ASTRO Act. As far as the names of bills go, that ranks way up there as far as the ones I have seen, so high compliments.

This will streamline a burdensome administrative process regarding government-provided transportation for astronauts returning from space flight. When astronauts return from space travel, NASA provides them with home-to-work transportation so that the agency can monitor, evaluate, diagnose, and provide these brave men and women with medical treatment until they are medically cleared to drive.

Under existing statute, NASA's authorization of this transportation for the astronauts must include concurrent reports to Congress with details about the authorized transportation. Reporting in this manner can be challenging to NASA as it can make it difficult to maintain up- to-date authorizations as crewmembers are replaced or reassigned to different missions.

The ASTRO Act will amend current law to enable NASA to authorize the use of official transportation between residence and worksite without such unworkable reporting requirements. However, the bill maintains appropriate congressional transparency by requiring NASA to provide Congress with an annual report on its use of this new authorization.

I thank the sponsor of the bill, Congressman Babin, for his work. I also thank the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology for its bipartisan support of this legislation.
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Mr. LaTURNER. Mr. Speaker, while it may sound like a mundane problem, the underlying need for this bill is anything but that. We owe it to these courageous men and women who leave behind families and friends to spend months in space to cut through the red tape and take care of them upon their return.

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