To extend the liability indemnification regime for the commercial space transportation industry.
Public Law 108-428 · H.R. 5245 · 108th Congress · began in the House
Signed by George W. Bush (R) on Nov 30, 2004 · Science, Technology, Communications
Sponsor: Rep. Sherry Boehlert (R-NY-24)
Cosponsors (1): Rep. Bart Gordon
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
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.
Extends liability insurance and financial responsibility requirements with respect to commercial space transportation through December 31, 2009.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to arrange with a nonprofit entity for a study: (1) regarding the liability risk sharing regime in the United States for commercial space transportation; (2) to assess methods by which the liability risk sharing regime could be eliminated and whether alternative steps would be needed to maintain a viable and competitive U.S. space transportation industry if it were eliminated; and (3) to examine liability risk sharing in other nations with commercial launch capability and evaluate the direct and indirect impact that eliminating the regime would have on the competitiveness of the U.S. commercial space launch industry in relation to foreign commercial launch providers and on U.S. assured access to space.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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.
Related bills
2 bills the Library of Congress relates to this one.
H.R. 3752Text similarities
Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004
H.R. 5382 · became Public Law 108-492Text similarities
Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004
Data notes
Related bills are identified by the Congressional Research Service, the House and the Senate: companion and identical bills, bills with similar text, bills that were folded into this law, and rules that brought it to the floor. A bill that is itself a public law in this site’s data links here; the others link to Congress.gov.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Nov 30, 2004Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 108-428.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 19, 2004FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Nov 16, 2004FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Oct 9, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
- Oct 8, 2004FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Smith (MI) asked unanimous consent to discharge from committee and consider.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Committee on Science discharged.
- Oct 7, 2004CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Science.
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in House
Data notes
Every action the Library of Congress lists for the bill, from introduction to signing, plus the dated committee hearings. The source lists many steps twice (the chamber’s own entry and the Library of Congress copy, or a presidential and a became-law entry with the same words); those are shown once. Amendments are listed in their own section.
Amendments
No amendments to this bill are on record.
Data notes
Amendments offered to this bill in either chamber, as the Library of Congress records them: each with a status read from its last recorded step: agreed to, rejected, withdrawn, ruled out of order, fell with another amendment, or offered with no vote recorded (most Senate amendments are only ever offered). The wording of each amendment is the source’s. Amendments to amendments and amendments to other bills are not listed.
Official record
The bill’s full text is on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.