Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 23, 1993
TABLE OF CONTENTS: Title I: Space Launch and Launch Support Facilities Title II: Purchase of Space Transportation Services Title III: Intellectual Property Disposition Title IV: Tax Incentives for Commercial Space Activities Title V: Miscellaneous Omnibus Space Commercialization Act of 1993 - Title I: Space Launch and Launch Support Facilities - Directs the Comptroller General to conduct a comprehensive inventory of all U.S. space launch and launch support facilities. Requires all facilities identified as surplus to be referred to the General Services Administration for disposition. Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish criteria for and designate launch facilities as Commercial Space Centers. Exempts all Centers and associated property, services, and products from Federal corporate income and other taxes and excises, imports, duties, and all other Federal tariffs. Directs the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior to make public land available for new space launch and launch support facilities. Title II: Purchase of Space Transportation Services - Space Transportation Services Purchase Act of 1993 - Amends the Launch Services Purchase Act of 1990 to require the Federal Government to purchase space transportation services from commercial providers, unless the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) or the Secretary of Defense determines: (1) the payload requires the unique capabilities of the space shuttle; (2) commercial services are not available; or (3) the use of commercial services poses an unacceptable risk of loss of a unique scientific opportunity. Title III: Intellectual Property Disposition - Requires that a commercial provider making an invention under contract with the Government have the same rights as would a small business firm under specified provisions of Federal patent law. Amends the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 to require (current law permits) each Federal agency to permit the director of any of its Government-operated Federal laboratories and, in certain circumstances, the director of any of its Government-owned, contractor-operated laboratories to enter into cooperative research and development agreements and to negotiate licensing agreements. Title IV: Tax Incentives for Commercial Space Activities - Space Business Incentives Act of 1993 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a deduction for the amount of the purchase of Commercial Space Center stock. Excludes from gross income gain on the sale or exchange of common stock of a corporation that is substantially engaged in space-related activities. Adds space launch and launch support facilities to the list of exempt facility bonds. Excludes from gross income: (1) income from the commercial sale of any product manufactured in space and returned to Earth; and (2) income from services performed in space in a commercial space activity. Excludes products manufactured in space and returned to Earth from all Federal excises, imposts, duties, and other Federal tariffs. Directs the President to encourage State and local governments to offer tax and other incentives for commercial space activities. Title V: Miscellaneous - Declares that, notwithstanding specified provisions of the Clayton Act and the National Cooperative Research Act of 1984, standing to conduct litigation arising from activities carried out under this Act is reserved to the Department of Justice. Establishes in the Department of Commerce the Office of Space Commerce. Requires NASA to purchase space science data from the private sector. Requires the Administrator to establish within the Office of Advanced Concepts and Technology a procurement demonstration program. Requires the Secretary of Agriculture and the Administrator to provide specified farmers with grants to purchase land remote sensing information.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Aug 26, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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