article: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``National Spaceport Act''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds that-- (1) spaceport development is a national economic interest that should be pursued as part of a national transportation policy; (2) many nations around the world, including France, China, Russia, Japan, Canada, and Australia, have embarked on aggressive commercial space development programs; (3) the United States, once the leader in the commercial space market, is in danger of falling behind in the international commercial space market; (4) the Government must clearly demonstrate its commitment to support commercial space activity in America, thereby encouraging greater financial support from private industry; (5) the United States must develop a long-term, comprehensive, and aggressive policy to successfully compete in the international commercial space market, to return the United States to its position of primary world supplier of launch services; and (6) spaceport development is the key component in this endeavor because it provides the final piece--launch facilities--to the existing parts of the United States commercial space market. SEC. 3. DEFINITION. For purposes of this Act, the term ``spaceport'' means a space launch or recovery facility, or a supporting educational or research facility providing space industry worker training or commercial application research, designated by a State in an application approved under section 5. SEC. 4. NATIONAL SPACEPORT OFFICE. (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Department of Transportation a National Spaceport Office. (b) Staff.--The National Spaceport Office shall have a staff consisting of a director, 4 regional supervisors, and not more than 5 additional support staff. (c) Duties.--The National Spaceport Office shall-- (1) administer the application and assistance program under section 5; and (2) establish appropriate procedures for-- (A) the competitive awarding of grants under section 5(b)(1); and (B) the transfer of excess Federal property to spaceports under section 5(b)(3), while ensuring that the spaceport compensates the Federal Government for the Federal expenses of operating facilities in connection with property so transferred. SEC. 5. SPACEPORT ASSISTANCE. (a) Application.--A State or State-designated entity, including a nonprofit organization, desiring assistance under this section shall submit an application to the National Spaceport Office requesting specifically the Federal assistance sought and setting forth a comprehensive plan for spaceport development, including the educational components of such development. (b) Assistance.--The National Spaceport Office shall approve meritorious applications submitted under subsection (a) and provide to the successful applicants assistance, including-- (1) grants, to the extent of available funding under section 9; (2) the use of excess Federal launch, recovery, launch vehicle, and support assets, consistent with applicable international agreements, for educational launches; and (3) excess Federal property, including research facilities, by transfer. SEC. 6. TAX-EXEMPT BOND FINANCING FOR SPACEPORTS. (a) In General.--Subsection (a) of section 142 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to exempt facility bonds) is amended by striking ``or'' at the end of paragraph (11), by striking the period at the end of paragraph (12) and inserting ``, or'', and by adding at the end the following: ``(13) spaceports (as defined in section 3 of the National Spaceport Act).'' (b) Treatment Comparable To Airports.-- (1) Subparagraph (A) of section 142(b)(1) of such Code is amended by striking ``or (12)'' and inserting ``(12), or (13)''. (2) Subsection (c) of section 142 of such Code is amended by striking ``or (11)'' each place it appears and inserting ``(11), or (13)''. (3) Paragraph (3) of section 146(g) of such Code is amended by striking ``or (12)'' and all that follows and inserting ``(12), or (13) of section 142(a), and''. (c) Treatment of Property Owned By Designated Tax-Exempt Entities.--Paragraph (1) of section 142(b) of such Code is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ``(C) Spaceport facilities owned by designated tax- exempt entities.--For purposes of subparagraph (A), a spaceport shall be treated as owned by a governmental unit if it is owned by an entity which is exempt from tax under section 501(a) and which is designated by the State in which the spaceport is located to develop and operate the spaceport.'' (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall apply to obligations issued after the date of the enactment of this Act. SEC. 7. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Except as otherwise provided in this Act, activities of spaceports shall be subject to applicable provisions of chapter 701 of title 49, United States Code, relating to commercial space transportation. SEC. 8. REGULATORY EXEMPTION. The activities of the National Spaceport Office and of spaceports shall not be subject to regulation by the Federal Government except as provided in-- (1) this Act; (2) chapter 701 of title 49, United States Code; and (3) applicable laws relating to worker and workplace safety. SEC. 9. ANNUAL REPORT. The director of the National Spaceport Office shall annually transmit to the Congress a report on its activities under this Act. SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Transportation, out of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund established under section 9502 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 9502), for carrying out this Act $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1996 through 2000. SEC. 11. TERMINATION OF NATIONAL SPACEPORT OFFICE. The National Spaceport Office shall terminate on October 1, 2000.
summary: National Spaceport Act - Establishes in the Department of Transportation a National Spaceport Office to administer a grant program of State-run spaceports. Amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide tax-exempt bond financing for spaceports. Authorizes appropriations. Terminates the Office on October 1, 2000.