U.S. House passes legislation for support, direction of NASA civil space programs

The NASA Reauthorization Act of 2024 passed the U.S. House yesterday with a vote of 366 to 21.

The legislation, also known as H.R. 8958, provides support and direction for NASA’s civil space activities, including directing human space exploration initiatives like the Artemis and Moon to Mars Programs; maximizing utilization and productivity of the International Space Station; investing in technology development to support America’s space innovation; and cultivating scientific discovery and expansion of humankind’s collective knowledge.

Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, who represents Virginia’s District 4 and is a member of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, voted in support of H.R. 8958.

“The House Science Committee advanced the NASA Reauthorization Act unanimously to support our nation’s continued innovation and leadership in space exploration,” McClellan said. “I’m thrilled to have secured important provisions in this legislation, including my Celestial Time Standardization Act, the ACERO Act, and my amendment to ensure the agency can address PFAS water contamination in the Town of Chincoteague near the NASA Wallops Flight Facility. I urge my Senate colleagues to pass this legislation expeditiously and look forward to President Biden signing it into law.”

The final version of the bill included the following priorities championed by McClellan:
1.H.R. 8837, the Celestial Time Standardization Act: The legislation directs NASA to lead the development of a celestial time standard to improve interoperability in space exploration and further establish American leadership in standards setting.
2.H.R. 8118, the Advanced Capabilities for Emergency Response to Operations (ACERO) Act: The bipartisan legislation, co-led by U.S. Rep. Mike Garcia of California, will codify and expand the existing ACERO Project at NASA to enhance the use of manned and unmanned firefighting technologies to support firefighters and protect our communities.
3.Chincoteague Well Replacement: Authorizes NASA to plan to enter into an agreement with the Town of Chincoteague to reimburse costs associated with replacing PFAS-contaminated drinking water wells.