H.R. 5503: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2018

115th Congress · introduced 2018-04-13 · Science, Technology, Communications · Latest: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 853.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2018-04-13 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 853. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
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

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2018

Plain summary

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2018 This bill reauthorizes the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through FY2019. The bill authorizes NASA programs, activities, and reports, including those regarding the International Space Station (ISS); launch, crew, and cargo vehicle critical path redundancy; space suits; earth observation; land remote sensing data collection; Landsat systems; the Goddard Institute for Space Studies; in-space nuclear fission power; civil supersonic transportation research; unmanned aircraft systems research; commercially provided space products and services; commercial in-space infrastructure; and NASA-funded institutes. NASA shall: continue the operation of the ISS; establish a research office at the Johnson Space Center to build upon its expertise in human space flight missions for future challenges; partner with private sector and philanthropic organizations to search for technosignatures, such as radio transmissions, in the search for life's origin and future in the universe; establish the 21st Century Aeronautics Research Capabilities Initiative; more effectively and efficiently share its electromagnetic spectrum with U.S. nongovernmental entities operating or proposing to operate space objects; and restrict contracting with contractors who have a history of poor performance on space contracts. The bill extends NASA's authority to lease nonexcess properties through 2020. The National Space Council shall publish a report that relates the strategic national importance of space to the inherent risk of exploring and using it.

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

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2018

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36] · 18 cosponsors

Cost estimate: CBO cost estimate: H.R. 5503, National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2018 (2018-09-07)

Cosponsors on this site

Clay Higgins (R-LA), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Frank D. Lucas (R-OK), Jim Banks (R-IN), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Neal P. Dunn (R-FL), Randy K. Weber, Sr. (R-TX), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Babin, Brian [R-TX-36] reported raising $1.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

Agencies named in this bill

National Aeronautics and Space Administration: its federal spending and other bills that name it

Found automatically: the agency's full official name appears in the bill title. A bill can affect agencies it does not name, so this list may be incomplete.

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.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Ballot initiative: A proposed law or constitutional amendment that citizens place on the ballot by gathering enough voter signatures, so voters decide it directly. About half the states allow some form of it.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115hr5503.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr5503 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115