Space Exploration Sustainability Act
Public Law 112-273 · H.R. 6586 · 112th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Barack Obama (D) on Jan 14, 2013 · Science, Technology, Communications
Sponsor: Rep. Steven Palazzo (R-MS-4)
Cosponsors (6): Rep. Ralph Hall, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher,
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.
Space Exploration Sustainability Act - Amends the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2010 to express the sense of Congress that the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) shall proceed with the use of the International Space Station (ISS), technology development, and follow-on transportation systems (including the space launch system and the multipurpose crew vehicle) in a manner ensuring: (1) that these capabilities remain inherently complementary and interrelated; (2) a balance of the development, sustainment, and use of each of these capabilities, which are of critical importance to the viability and sustainability of the U.S. space program; and (3) that resources required to support the timely and sustainable development of these capabilities authorized in either title III or title IV of such Act are not derived from a reduction in resources for the capabilities authorized in the other title.
Extends, through December 31, 2013, the authority of the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to pay compensation for claims in excess of a commercial space launcher's required insurance coverage.
Amends the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act to remove the purchase of goods or services relating to human space flight not required to be made under a contract or other agreement in effect on January 1, 1999, from the definition of "extraordinary payments in connection with the International Space Station" which federal agencies are prohibited from making to the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (RASA) and organizations or entities under its jurisdiction unless the President makes specified determinations regarding Russian cooperation in preventing weapons proliferation relating to Iran, North Korea, and Syria. (Thus waives the presidential determination requirement for federal agency payments to RASA for the purchase of any goods or services relating to human space flight.)
Extends from July 1, 2016, to December 31, 2020, the current exception to the presidential determination requirement for payments for work to be performed or services to be rendered for work on the ISS before such date necessary to meet U.S. obligations under the Agreement Concerning Cooperation on the Civil International Space Station.
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
The record lists no related bills.
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. 20 actions.
- Jan 14, 2013Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 112-273.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Jan 3, 2013FloorFloor · Presented to President.
- Jan 2, 2013Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Smith (TX) asked unanimous consent that the House agree to the Senate amendment.
- OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to without objection.
- Jan 1, 2013FloorFloor · Message on Senate action sent to the House.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
- Nov 14, 2012CommitteeCommittee · Received in the Senate, read twice.
- Nov 13, 2012FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Considered as unfinished business.
- FloorFloor · At the conclusion of debate, the chair put the question on the motion to suspend the rules. Mr. Palazzo objected to the vote on the grounds that a quorum was not present. Further proceedings on the motion were postponed. The point of no quorum was withdrawn.
- FloorFloor · DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 6586.
- FloorFloor · Considered under suspension of the rules.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Palazzo moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
- Nov 9, 2012CommitteeCommittee · Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 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
1 amendment offered to the bill, with the last recorded step of each.
- Agreed to
S.Amdt. 3449SenateSen. Bill NelsonD-FL· offered Dec 31, 2012Agreed to
In the nature of a substitute.
Jan 1, 2013: Amendment SA 3449 agreed to in Senate by Unanimous Consent.
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.