SUMMARY OF AMENDMENTS SUBMITTED TO THE RULES COMMITTEE ON
H.R. 3070 – NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION AUTHORIZATION
ACT OF 2005

(in alphabetical order)

SUMMARY OF AMENDMENTS

(summaries derived from information provided by sponsors)

Baca #9
Authorizes $2 million for the Motivating Undergraduates in Science and Technology program (MUST). LATE

Boehlert #8
Manager’s Amendment. The amendment makes a number of technical and clarifying changes to the bill H.R. 3070. The amendment also makes the following additional changes: increases the amount of funding authorized to be appropriated for NASA to support the President’s budget request for exploration for fiscal years 2006 and 2007; expresses the Sense of Congress that NASA should return the Space Shuttle to flight as soon as the Administrator determines that it can be accomplished with an acceptable level of safety; allows the Administrator to complete the International Space Station in such a configuration as to support fewer than six persons, but only after transmitting a report to the Congress explaining why a six-person requirement should not be met. requires NASA to report information to Congress regarding minority participation in NASA’s education programs; authorizes NASA to provide grants to, and enter into cooperative agreements with museums and planetariums to allow them to enhance their programs related to space and science; and raises the threshold for major programs that require additional reporting to Congress to $150 million from $100 million. LATE

Costello #1
Amends Section 705 of the bill exempting off-shore performance of contracts for the procurement of goods and services that are inconsistent with obligations under international agreements on the International Space Station.

Davis, Jo Ann (VA) #4
Directs the Administrator to establish specific initiatives which include improving commercial aircraft performance by reducing noise, energy, and emission in both subsonic and supersonic regimes; developing rotorcraft technologies to enable safer, quieter, and more environmentally compatible operation; researching, develop and test concepts to enable operation of a hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft with zero emissions; establishing a hypersonics research program that uses air-breathing propulsion concepts; and awarding university grants to establish centers for Research on Aviation Training in conjunction with appropriate NASA Centers. WITHDRAWN

Honda #5
Changes the date for when NASA can begin to implement Reductions in Force or other involuntary separations to February 16, 2007, as opposed to October 1, 2006 currently stated in the bill. Seeks to clarify a clerical error by striking the phrase Reduction in Force in a reference to dates when NASA can “initiate” and when it can “implement” a Reduction in Force.

Jackson - Lee #6
Restores funding for Historically Black Colleges and universities under NASA education programs to the FY04 funding level of $69.2 million for FY06 and $71.2 million for FY07. Also restores funding for Hispanic Serving Institutions under NASA education programs in the amount of $46.4 million for FY06 and $47.4 million for FY07.

Jackson - Lee #7
Requires the NASA Administrator to transmit to the House Committee on Science and the Senate Committee on Commerce, a plan describing steps NASA will take to protect employees who do raise or have raised concerns about a potentially catastrophic risk to health or safety. LATE REVISED

Velazquez #2
Requires the NASA Administrator to submit a quarterly report on the NASA Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization including a description of the outreach activities of the Office and the impact of such activities on the participation of small businesses, including small businesses owned by women and minorities in NASA contracts.

Velazquez #3
Establishes a four-year pilot grant program allowing NASA to expand advanced research opportunities through minority-serving institutions.
Requires banks to post deposits to an individual’s banking account before debiting checks drawn on that account. Also prevents banks from charging customers for overdraft protection when the customer has not requested that service.

 
* Summaries derived from information submitted by the amendment sponsors.