HR3237FEDERALsigned

Enacted

Congress codifies national and commercial space laws into Title 51 of the United States Code

Original title: To enact certain laws relating to national and commercial space programs as title 51, United States Code, "National and Commercial Space Programs".

December 18, 2010

Space Policy Federal Law Codification

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Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Current status: signed.

Last action

Became Public Law No: 111-314.Dec 18, 2010

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

View official text →

The Frame

What this does

By creating Title 51, the government makes space-related laws easier for legal professionals, space agencies, and commercial aerospace companies to locate, reference, and apply.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Commercial space industry

Companies operating in the space sector now have a centralized legal reference for federal space statutes.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

The agency's governing statutes were reorganized into the new Title 51.

What changed

Current stage: signed.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

This law organizes and consolidates existing federal statutes governing national and commercial space programs into a new, dedicated section of the known as Title 51. The measure streamlines the legal framework for space activities without making substantive changes to the underlying authorities or regulations.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

By creating Title 51, the government makes space-related laws easier for legal professionals, space agencies, and commercial aerospace companies to locate, reference, and apply.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this law change existing space regulations?

No. The purpose of this act was to codify and organize existing laws into a single title, not to change the substance or requirements of those laws.

Why was Title 51 created?

It was created to improve the accessibility and clarity of federal space law by gathering scattered statutes into one dedicated location in the U.S. Code.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Administrative Consolidation

The transition from scattered statutes to a dedicated Title 51 represents a long-term effort to modernize the accessibility of federal space law.

Title 51, United States Code

Connected Entities

bill_number413.65“Code of Federal Regulations section being referenced.”Map →

organizationCongress“The legislative body introducing the bill.”Map →

bill_number42 U.S.C. 1395l(t)“Section of the Social Security Act being amended.”Map →

otherTitle 51, United States Code“The new legal title created for space programs”Map →

personSecretary“The head of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.”Map →

locationPennsylvania“State where the bill sponsor is from.”Map →

personMr. Sarbanes“Co-sponsor of the bill.”Map →

organizationU.S. Government Publishing Office“The source of the bill.”Map →

personMr. Joyce“Co-sponsor of the bill.”Map →

bill_number1173(b)“Section of the Social Security Act being referenced.”Map →

organizationCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services“The agency responsible for reviewing provider attestations.”Map →

dateJanuary 1, 2026“Date the new requirements take effect.”Map →

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance60
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy5
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment5
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz10
Current news / social attention level

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