PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2000, 2001, and 2002

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 155.

Official summary

Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Jun 16, 1999

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 2000, 2001, and 2002 - Title I: Authorization of Appropriations - Subtitle A: Authorizations - Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2002 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for: (1) the International Space Station; (2) launch vehicle and payload operations; (3) science, aeronautics, and technology, including specified amounts for the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research; (3) mission support; (4) the Inspector General.Subtitle B: Limitations and Special Authority - Sets forth limitations on and special authorities for the use of funds, with prior notice to Congress: (1) for the construction of new facilities and the repair, rehabilitation, or modification of existing facilities; and (2) in excess of authorizations or for programs not funded by the Congress.Title II: International Space Station - Prohibits funds or in-kind payments from being transferred to any Russian Government entity or Russian contractor to perform work on the International Space Station which the Russian Government pledged to provide at its expense. Sets forth specified exceptions.(Sec. 201) Directs the Administrator of NASA to develop and deliver to Congress a contingency plan for the removal or replacement of each Russian Government element of the International Space Station that lies in the Station's critical path, as well as Russian space launch services.Directs the Administrator to report bimonthly, on or before December 1, 1999, and until substantial completion of the assembly of the Space Station, to Congress on whether or not the Russians have performed work expected of them and necessary to complete the Space Station.Directs the President to notify Congress of the decision on whether or not to proceed with permanent replacement of the Russian Service Module, other Russian elements in the critical path of the Space Station, or Russian launch services.(Sec. 202) Limits (excluding funding and costs of the Station and space shuttle launch with respect to operations, research, and crew return activities subsequent to substantial completion of the Space Station) the total amount that may be appropriated for: (1) assembly costs of the Space Station; and (2) space shuttle launch costs in connection with Space Station assembly. Provides for increases attributable to: (1) inflation; (2) compliance with changes in Federal, State, or local laws enacted; (3) the lack of performance or the termination of participation of any of the participating countries; and (4) the incorporation of new technologies.Requires the Administrator to provide written notices of such increases to specified congressional committees. Requires the Administrator, as part of the annual Shuttle program and Station budget request, to identify the costs for assembly and development of the Space Station.(Sec. 203) Authorizes the Administrator to reciprocally waive claims with cooperating parties under which each party agrees to be responsible for damage or loss to its property, or for losses resulting from injury or death sustained by its employees, as a result of activities related to the Space Station Program.Title III: Miscellaneous Provisions - Amends the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 to require: (1) the President to submit to Congress the annual aeronautics and space report in May (currently, January); and (2) such report to address activities on a fiscal (currently, calendar) year basis. Permits the Administrator to delay, for up to five years after development, the unrestricted public disclosure of technical data generated in the performance of experimental, developmental, or research activities or programs conducted or funded by NASA if such data would have been a trade secret or commercial or financial information that is privileged or confidential under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) if it had been obtained from a non-Federal party. Declares that such data shall not be subject to FOIA disclosure requirements.(Sec. 302) Requires the Administrator to consider closed military installations and excess or underutilized Government facilities for meeting NASA's requirements. Encourages NASA to make the underutilized Stennis Space Center infrastructure available for launch vehicle development activities if so requested by the U.S. space launch industry, and to notify the Science Committees if existing Administration authority is insufficient for this purpose.(Sec. 304) Requires the Administrator to provide notice to the House and Senate Science Committees and Appropriations Committees on reprogramming and reorganization matters.(Sec. 305) Expresses the sense of Congress regarding NASA's assessing, correcting, and developing contingency plans for its year 2000 (Y2K) date-related computer problem.(Sec. 306) Amends the Unitary Wind Tunnel Plan Act of 1949 to include hypersonic wind tunnel construction within the scope of covered research and development facilities.(Sec. 307) Expresses the sense of Congress that the Administrator should donate educationally useful Federal equipment to schools to enhance science and mathematics programs. Requires the Administrator to report annually on such donations to Congress.(Sec. 308) Amends the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 to permit the Administrator to vest title in tangible personal property to a participant in a cooperative agreement if the participant's primary purpose is research or technology development.(Sec. 309) Amends the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act of 1994 to modify the applicability and cost limits of, and extend the authority for, the NASA Mid-Range Procurement Test Program.(Sec. 310) Amends Federal law to prohibit the launch of a payload containing material for obtrusive space advertising. Requests the President to negotiate with foreign launching nations for the purpose of reaching agreements prohibiting the use of outer space for obtrusive space advertising, and expresses the sense of Congress that the President should take action to enforce the terms of any such agreement.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Sen. Frist, William H. [R-TN] · R–TN

Committees

  • Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
2 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 155.

  2. Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator McCain with amendments. With written report No. 106-77.

  3. Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator McCain with amendments. With written report No. 106-77.

  4. Committee on Commerce. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.

  5. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

  6. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1151)

  7. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.342 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.342 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.342 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.342 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources