A Republican bill with 4 Democratic cosponsors · See all 6 cosponsors
Last activity — Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 344.
Waiting for a floor vote in the other chamber
Passed one chamber and is on the other chamber's calendar.
The calendar is a queue, not a date. The majority leadership decides what comes to the floor and when; much of what is placed on it is never called, and a bill that is never called simply expires with the Congress.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- Passed House voice vote
- Awaiting Senate
- On Senate calendar
The House by voice vote (members called out yes or no together): no member's position on it was recorded.
What this bill would do
The ASCEND Act requires the Administrator of NASA to create a program within the Earth Science Division. This program is designed to identify, evaluate, acquire, and distribute commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery. The goal is to meet the scientific, operational, and educational needs of NASA and other Federal agencies or researchers. The program aims to complement existing Earth observations. It also emphasizes procuring data from United States vendors whenever possible.
Yes· 3 of 11
- Scored +4
Does this put more money into scientific research?
The act facilitates more effective acquisition of data to advance scientific research and applications.
- Scored +3
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill creates new opportunities for U.S. commercial vendors in the satellite data market.
- Scored +3
Does this put more into space exploration?
By augmenting Earth observations, the bill supports NASA's broader space and Earth science mission.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Enhanced Scientific Research: The program allows NASA to acquire commercial data to advance scientific research and applications, which can satisfy the requirements of scientific researchers and other Federal agencies (Section 2(b)(1)(a)).
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Increased Data Accessibility: The Administrator is authorized to modify license terms to allow for the widest-s-possible use of data by individuals who are not NASA-funded users (Section 2(b)(1)(c)(2)).
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Support for Data Publication: The terms of data acquisition will not prevent the publication of commercial data or imagery for scientific purposes, nor the publication of information derived from or enhancing the original data (Section 2(b)(1)(b)).
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Support for U.S. Businesses: The Act directs that commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery should, to the maximum extent practicable, be purchased from United States vendors (Section 2(b)(1)(d)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill creates new opportunities for U.S. commercial vendors in the satellite data market. Would farmers be better off under this? — Remote sensing data is highly beneficial for modern agricultural and farming practices. Would students be better off under this? — The bill increases data accessibility for various researchers, which can benefit students. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Enhanced Earth observation data can benefit rural resource management and agriculture.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The act facilitates more effective acquisition of data to advance scientific research and applications. Does this put more into space exploration? — By augmenting Earth observations, the bill supports NASA's broader space and Earth science mission.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill enhances the ability to monitor and understand Earth's systems through improved remote sensing data. Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — Enhanced Earth observation data can improve disaster response and mitigation capabilities. Does this better protect public land such as parks and forests? — Improved remote sensing data provides better tools for monitoring and managing public lands.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The act requires annual reporting to Congressional committees regarding data agreements and vendors. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands NASA's authority to acquire and disseminate commercial data.
In the queue for a floor vote, with no date set
- 2/24/2026
- Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 344.
- 2/23/2026
- Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2242-2243)
- On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2242-2243)
- DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2600.
- Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2242-2244)
- Mr. Babin moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- 2/20/2026
- Reported by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 119-502.
- Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 428.
- 7/23/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 4/29/2025
- Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
- Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 4/28/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/2/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Suzanne BonamiciDemocrat · Oregon
Jeff CrankRepublican · Colorado
Laura GillenDemocrat · New York
Thomas KeanRepublican · New Jersey
Josh RileyDemocrat · New York
Suhas SubramanyamDemocrat · Virginia