H.R. 4158: To confirm full ownership rights for certain United States astronauts to artifacts from the astronauts' space missions.

112th Congress · introduced 2012-03-07 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Became Public Law No: 112-185.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2012-03-07 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Hall, Ralph M. [R-TX-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Became Public Law No: 112-185. (final step reached)
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

To confirm full ownership rights for certain United States astronauts to artifacts from the astronauts' space missions.

Plain summary

Grants a U.S. astronaut who participated in any of the Mercury, Gemini, or Apollo programs through the completion of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, and who received an artifact during his participation, full ownership of and clear title to that artifact. Defines "artifact" as any expendable item utilized in missions for the Mercury, Gemini, or Apollo programs through the completion of the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project not expressly required to be returned to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the completion of the mission and other expendable, disposable, or personal-use items utilized by such an astronaut during participation in any such program, excluding lunar rocks and other lunar material. Prohibits the federal government from having any claim or right to ownership, control, or use of: (1) any artifact in the possession of such an astronaut; or (2) any such artifact that was subsequently transferred, sold, or assigned to a third party by such an astronaut.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

To confirm full ownership rights for certain United States astronauts to artifacts from the astronauts' space missions.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Hall, Ralph M. [R-TX-4] · 33 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Frank D. Lucas (R-OK), Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL), Pete Sessions (R-TX), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Michael T. McCaul (R-TX)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr4158.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr4158 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112