Space Commerce Advisory Committee Act
Latest action (6 Aug 2026): Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
What this bill does
The Space Commerce Advisory Committee Act would direct the Secretary of Commerce, through the Office of Space Commerce, to establish a 15-member Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee within 180 days of enactment. Members would be appointed for terms of up to four years, drawn from space policy, engineering, legal, academic, and finance backgrounds with significant commercial space industry experience; sitting federal employees generally could not serve, with a narrow exception for certain special government employees.
The committee's role would be advisory: it would make recommendations to the Secretary and Congress on fostering a safe, competitive commercial space sector, address challenges such as export controls, interference with commercial space activities, and access to radio spectrum, and review best practices for avoiding harmful contamination of the Moon and other celestial bodies. It would primarily affect the Department of Commerce and companies operating in the commercial space industry, who would gain a formal advisory channel to shape related policy and regulation. The committee would automatically terminate 10 years after its establishment.
The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent with an amendment on August 6, 2026, sponsored by Sen. Gary Peters. It now moves to the House of Representatives, which would need to pass it (potentially with further amendments) before it could go to the President for signature.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
Space Commerce Advisory Committee Act
This bill requires the Office of Space Commerce to establish a Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee to provide information and recommendations on nongovernmental space activities and promoting a robust and innovative commercial space sector.
Among other duties, the committee is directed to identify challenges to the U.S. commercial space sector and to review best practices for commercial space entities with respect to avoiding harmful contamination of the Moon and other celestial bodies and adverse impacts to the Earth’s environment from extraterrestrial matter.
The committee must be comprised of representatives from varying fields with significant experience in the commercial space industry. The committee must terminate ten years after it is established.
Timeline
6 Aug 2026
Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
25 Jun 2025
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
Common questions
- What does S. 434 do?
- The Space Commerce Advisory Committee Act would direct the Secretary of Commerce, through the Office of Space Commerce, to establish a 15-member Commercial Space Activity Advisory Committee within 180 days of enactment. Members would be appointed for terms of up to four years, drawn from space policy, engineering, legal, academic, and finance backgrounds with significant commercial space industry experience; sitting federal employees generally could not serve, with a narrow exception for certain special government employees. The committee's role would be advisory: it would make recommendations to the Secretary and Congress on fostering a safe, competitive commercial space sector, address challenges such as export controls, interference with commercial space activities, and access to radio spectrum, and review best practices for avoiding harmful contamination of the Moon and other celestial bodies. It would primarily affect the Department of Commerce and companies operating in the commercial space industry, who would gain a formal advisory channel to shape related policy and regulation. The committee would automatically terminate 10 years after its establishment. The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent with an amendment on August 6, 2026, sponsored by Sen. Gary Peters. It now moves to the House of Representatives, which would need to pass it (potentially with further amendments) before it could go to the President for signature.
- Has S. 434 become law?
- Not yet. As of 6 Aug 2026, S. 434 is passed senate (house next).
- Who sponsored S. 434?
- S. 434 was sponsored by Sen. Gary Peters [D-MI] (Democrat-MI), with 2 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on S. 434?
- Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (6 Aug 2026).
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