Posey introduces spaceport infrastructure bill

Congressman Bill Posey (R-FL) introduced legislation Thursday that will make it easier for commercial entities to use and upgrade military launch infrastructure. The text of the “Revitalizing America’s Commercial Entrepreneurs (RACE) for Space Act”, HR 4401, hasn’t been posted yet, but Posey’s office said in a statement that it would allow commercial space companies to use DOD space transportation infrastructure, such as launch pads, without cost to the taxpayer. The bill’s summary states that it would direct the Secretary of Defense to work with, and accept funding from, non-federal entities “to promote efficiencies of the space transportation infrastructure of the Department of Defense in commercial space activities.”

“We have been losing launches to overseas competitors and that is not good for our economic competitiveness or our national security,” Posey said in a statement. “We need to change that direction and my bill will do that. This bill is a win-win.”

At an Aerospace States Association policy forum last month in Washington, Florida lieutenant governor Jennifer Carroll mentioned that Posey was “trying to craft the language with the Air Force” on legislation—presumably this bill—to support public-private partnerships regarding launch activities. She described such partnerships as the most promising direction in space efforts. “It’s the way we have to go” in order to make certain space activities, like delivery of cargo to the ISS, possible in “a more efficient, effective, and cost saving manner.”