Secretary Wilbur Ross addressed the second meeting of the reconstituted National Space Council today, where he outlined Commerce-led initiatives to advance American leadership in space commerce.

“Since the Council’s first meeting last October, the Department of Commerce has identified regulatory barriers to commercial space activity and developed a vision for the future of space commerce.

“Commerce’s review of the outdated regulatory framework, discussions with an ambitious but frustrated space industry, and meetings within the Administration have made one thing clear: The rate of regulatory change must match the rate of technological change!

“The government must not stand in the way of this progress, as it so often does.

“It is time to unshackle business activity in space.

“That is how we will ensure that businesses choose the United States as their flag of choice for space activity.

“We must create a regulatory framework that best enables space commerce.”