Bill to Clarify NTSB’s Authority in Commercial Space Transportation Accident Investigations Introduced in the House – The House Committee on…

August 16, 2022

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee leaders have introduced bipartisan legislation to clarify the authority of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to investigate commercial space transportation accidents.

TheCommercial Space Transportation Safety Act of 2022(H.R. 8689) was introduced by Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-LA) and is cosponsored by Aviation Subcommittee Chair Rick Larsen (D-WA), Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO), and Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Peter DeFazio (D-OR). The Members introduced similar legislation last Congress.

As commercial space transportation technology advances, we must guarantee that safety progresses as well. This is the only way to ensure a robust industry and all the benefits of innovation, saidRep. GarretGraves. This legislation clarifies how commercial space transportation accidents will be handled and how lessons learned will be applied. This is the product of engagement with stakeholders across the industry and will promote a strong culture of safety as passengers and cargo are transported to, from and within space.

As commercial space travel continues to grow, Congress must keep the safety of the traveling public at the forefront, saidRep. Rick Larsen. This bipartisan bill ensures NTSB can play an important role in the investigation of commercial space transportation accidents and work with FAA to ensure the safety of the traveling public.

In the coming months, Congress will turn to the development of an NTSB reauthorization bill, and clarifying NTSBs role in commercial space transportation accidents must be a component of that effort, saidRep. Sam Graves. This bill will relieve the commercial space transportation sector of unintended burdens by ensuring that NTSB accident investigation resources are appropriately used in major accidents, not when minor mishaps occur.

The commercial space industry is expanding, and so too should our efforts to oversee it, saidRep. PeterDeFazio.Im pleased to join Subcommittee Ranking Member Garret Graves, Subcommittee Chair Rick Larsen, and Ranking Member Sam Graves in introducing the bipartisan Commercial Space Transportation Safety Act of 2022, which will ensure that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has the ability to oversee commercial space accidents independently of regulators, and uninhibited by politics, industry, costs, retribution, or censorship. By protecting the NTSBs independence and mandate to carry out unbiased investigations with safety recommendations, we will strengthen our nations transportation system for the modern era.

TheCommercial Space Transportation Safety Act of 2022:

Click here to read the legislation.

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Bill to Clarify NTSB's Authority in Commercial Space Transportation Accident Investigations Introduced in the House - The House Committee on...