Davis / 1 Senator Salazar

S.R__

A BILL
To ensure that the NASA program be regularly funded by the government and be protected from budget cuts in times
of economic downturn.
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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 NASA Fund Act of 2015.
SECTION 2. FINDINGS
Congress hereby finds and declares that,
1) The government has slashed funding for many of NASAs projects in an attempt to cut back on the deficit and
ultimately boost the economy.
2) NASA provides more money to the economy than the government spends on it.
3) Cutbacks on military spending bring more economic relief than cuts on the space program.
4) More funding is needed to increase space exploration of both manned and unmanned craft.
5) Space exploration represents a relatively small expenditure that supports cutting edge research.
6) Space exploration results in data on climate change that is important for future planning.
7) Space exploration creates thousands of jobs.
8) Spinoff technologies developed by NASA create an economic benefit in our nation and the world by providing
commercial products or services.
9) NASA satellites provide warning for hazardous weather.
10) Future threats to earth such as an asteroid or comet may require a manned mission to divert such an object before
it reaches earth.
SECTION 3. STATUTORY LANGUAGE
A) The NASA Fund Act of 2015 shall ensure that 1% of the federal budget is mandated to be set aside as the primary
funding for NASA programs. A portion of the 1% shall come from money derived from new technologies developed
by NASA which will be returned to NASA as additional funding. The other primary source for increased NASA
funding shall be from the Department of Defense which shall reduce its budget in such a way to maintain its strength
while making up the additional required funding for NASA. To offset the money spent on NASA, NASA shall
continue to develop technologies for the military focusing on supplying critical information on the battlefield. The
NASA Fund will set aside fifty percent of its budget for space exploration which will include the construction of
space vehicles; facilities for research and design; education programs to inform the U.S. public of the progress of
NASA, and scholarships for scientists who shall agree to work for NASA upon graduation. The NASA Fund will set
aside 45 percent of its budget for protection of the planet through placing satellites and other emerging technologies
to report on climate change, threats from falling asteroids, and other unforeseen dangers. The NASA Fund will set
aside five percent of its budget for discretionary research. In this manner, Congress shall provide for regular,
consistent funding of the NASA space and science program so that the program can invest in long term planning
resulting in consistent advancements.
B) NASA shall be the sole space exploration government agency and regulate all private enterprises engaged is space
research and development in the United States. Due to the risk and unpredictability of space, NASA will be the only
organization authorized to release objects, such as satellites, or conveyances, such as rockets, into the space
environment. Private companies shall be allowed to develop technologies related to space for commercial use as well
for space travel. NASA has been at the forefront in the U.S. for building satellites, space shuttles, space stations and
ground control centers. The NASA program shall establish safety standard for space exploration for the nation and
the world. NASA programs will monitor the uses of satellites. NASA will lead the efforts to find a life sustaining
environment to protect the worlds population in the event that the world becomes inhabitable or that more living
space is needed for an expanding population. NASA shall establish an effort for the exploration of Mars in support of
finding other life sustaining locations. All private contractors shall be regulated by NASA.
C) This bill shall be enacted on January 1, 2016. There is no expiration date for this bill.