A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "OUTPACE in Space Act," aims to amend title 51 of the United States Code to advance American space operations. It focuses on strengthening launch and reentry capabilities by tasking the FAA Administrator with improving airspace access for commercial space and hypersonic industries. The legislation mandates several briefings and rulemakings to support overland launch and reentry operations. It also directs the Secretary of Transportation to increase the annual cadence of domestic launches and reentries. Additionally, the bill provides expedited hiring authority for specialized roles within the Office of Commercial Space Transportation. Finally, it establishes restrictions on research and development initiatives involving certain foreign entities.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +4
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill reduces regulatory hurdles and expands airspace access for commercial space and hypersonic business owners.
- Scored +3
Is this likely to create jobs?
The bill expands the capacity of the commercial space and hypersonic industries through increased launch cadence and specialized hiring authority.
- Scored +2
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill aims to reduce regulatory barriers and support the growth of commercial space and hypersonic industries.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Industry Competitiveness: The bill expresses the sense of Congress that the commercial space and emerging hypersonic industries are critical to U.S. competitiveness (Section 2(a)).
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Improved Airspace Management: The Administrator is directed to ensure industries have access to national airspace while maintaining aviation safety and improving management access (Section 2(a)).
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Support for Overland Operations: The bill mandates risk considerations and updated regulations to support the development and authorization of overland launch and reentry operations (Section 2(c)).
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Increased Launch Frequency: The Secretary of Transportation is directed to take steps to increase the annual cadence of domestic commercial launches and reentries (Section 2(e)).
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Streamlined Compliance: The bill directs the use of performance-based requirements and alternative methods of compliance to enable high cadence operations (Section 2(d)).
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Faster Staffing for Specialized Roles: The FAA Administrator is granted authority to appoint qualified candidates with specialized knowledge in aerospace engineering or related fields within 30 days, bypassing certain competitive service requirements (Section 2(f)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Restrictions on Research Collaboration: The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Transportation are prohibited from carrying out research or development initiatives related to commercial space activities with any entity of concern, foreign business entity, or foreign country of concern (Section 3(a)).
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 reduces regulatory hurdles and expands airspace access for commercial space and hypersonic business owners. Would people in cities be better off under this? — The bill includes provisions for managing overland launch and reentry operations within the national airspace.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill expands the capacity of the commercial space and hypersonic industries through increased launch cadence and specialized hiring authority. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill aims to reduce regulatory barriers and support the growth of commercial space and hypersonic industries.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill secures and promotes domestic research and development in the commercial space sector.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires the FAA to maintain public information regarding the use of expedited hiring authority.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve buses, trains and other public transport? — The bill facilitates more efficient integration of space transportation into the national airspace system.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — The bill focuses on maintaining American competitiveness in critical space technologies against foreign entities of concern.
- 4/6/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- Introduced in House