What’s Happening in Space Policy January 3-9, 2021
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of January 3-9, 2021 and any insight we can offer about them. The House and Senate are in session this week.
Senate Joins House in Overriding Trump Veto of FY2021 Defense Authorization Bill
On this first day of 2021, the Senate joined the House in overriding President Trump’s veto of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). As in the House, the vote was overwhelming.
Last Updated: Jan 01, 2021 4:01 pm ET
President Signs Law Protecting Lunar Heritage Sites
Last night as many were celebrating New Year’s Eve, President Trump was busy signing legislation into law including a bill to protect heritage sites on the Moon like the Apollo 11 landing site. As enacted, the bill applies only to NASA’s partnership agreements with companies to conduct lunar activities, not to companies licensed to conduct lunar activities, the focus of the original version.
Last Updated: Jan 02, 2021 1:01 pm ET
Scott Pace Departing White House National Space Council Today
Scott Pace will return to George Washington University effective tomorrow, January 1, after a three-and-a-half year leave of absence while serving as Executive Secretary of the White House National Space Council. In a statement he said he is looking forward to resuming his career “educating future space leaders.”
Last Updated: Dec 31, 2020 5:08 pm ET
White House Releases Implementing Strategy for Planetary Protection
The White House today released a strategy for implementing the section of U.S. National Space Policy regarding planetary protection — protecting Earth from harmful contamination by microbes from elsewhere in the solar system and vice versa. The topic has gained new prominence in recent years as not only more countries, but companies, make plans to send probes into deep space.
Last Updated: Jan 26, 2021 11:48 am ET
House Overrides Trump’s Veto of Defense Bill
The House just voted 322-87 to override President Trump’s veto of the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The Senate is expected to begin its process to consider an override tomorrow. An override requires a two-thirds vote of both chambers.
Last Updated: Dec 28, 2020 7:40 pm ET
What’s Happening in Space Policy December 27, 2020-January 2, 2021
Here is SpacePolicyOnline.com’s list of space policy events for the week of December 27, 2020-January 2, 2021 and any insight we can offer about them. The House meets on Monday; the rest of the congressional schedule is in flux.
Last Updated: Dec 28, 2020 8:57 am ET
Trump Vetoes FY2021 NDAA, Setting Up Override Votes Next Week
President Trump vetoed the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) today, waiting until the last minute to follow through on his repeated threats to do so. The bill passed the House and Senate with wide “veto-proof” margins, but whether enough Republicans will break with their President when it comes to overriding his veto is another question. The House is expected to try on Monday. If successful, the Senate would follow on Tuesday.
Last Updated: Dec 23, 2020 6:55 pm ET
JoAnn Clayton Townsend (1935-2020)
JoAnn Clayton Townsend, former director of the Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) at the National Academies and an AIAA Fellow, passed away last night from congestive heart failure. She had just turned 85.
Last Updated: Dec 24, 2020 8:53 am ET
Congress Passes Massive Omnibus Appropriations, COVID Relief Bill
The House and Senate today passed what is reportedly the largest bill in terms of page length in the history of the country. The 5,593 page bill combines all 12 regular FY2021 appropriations bills, a total of $1.4 trillion, and provides $900 billion in COVID relief. It also incorporates a number of other measures including the Intelligence Authorization Act.