An Act to amend title 35, United States Code, with respect to the use of inventions in outer space.
Public Law 101-580 · S. 459 · 101st Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 15, 1990 · Commerce
Sponsor: Sen. Albert Gore (D-TN)
Cosponsors (8): Sen. Fritz Hollings, Sen. John Kerry,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateVoice vote
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends Federal patent law to provide that any invention made, used, or sold in outer space on a space object or component under the jurisdiction or control of the United States shall be considered made, used, or sold within the United States unless: (1) it has been specifically identified and provided for in an international agreement which the United States has signed; or (2) it is carried on the registry of a foreign state in accordance with the Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space. Declares that any invention carried on such registry shall be considered made, used, or sold within the United States if specifically so agreed in an international agreement between the United States and the state of registry.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Judiciary Committee · House · discharged from, referred toSubcommittee: Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee
Judiciary Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks Subcommittee
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 19 actions.
- Nov 15, 1990Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-580.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 9, 1990PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Oct 26, 1990FloorFloor · A similar measure H.R. 2946 was laid on the table without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Kastenmeier asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Discharged from House Judiciary Committee
- May 4, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee
- May 3, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Judiciary Committee
- May 1, 1990FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment and an amendment to the Title by Voice Vote.
- Apr 19, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Mar 22, 1990CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Judiciary Committee
- Jul 26, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
- Mar 13, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Patents, Copyrights and Trademarks Subcommittee of the Senate Judiciary Committee
- Feb 28, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.