United States 119th Congress Status: Passed Senate Bipartisan · 1 D · 1 R cosponsors

S 1437 — ASCEND Act

Last action — Held at the desk.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced April 10, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.

Next likely step: consideration and a floor vote in the House.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

Upgrade to see the exact probability and what's driving it.

A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 46% · moderate confidence

  • Passed Senate

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 2 sponsors

    1 primary, 1 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Bipartisan support

    Sponsored across 2 parties (1 D · 1 R) — cross-party backing.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

Summary

Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act or the ASCEND ActThis bill provides statutory authority for the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition (CSDA) program run by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Through the CSDA program, NASA acquires remote sensing data and imagery from commercial satellites to support its Earth science research. (Remote sensing generally refers to the collection of data by instruments in Earth’s orbit, such as satellites, that can be processed into imagery of Earth’s surface.)Under the bill, NASA may establish or modify end-use agreements to allow for broad use of data and imagery acquired under the program, including by individuals outside of NASA (e.g., other federal agencies). The terms of any data or imagery acquisition may not prevent the publication of such data or imagery for scientific purposes or the publication of information derived from it. To the extent practicable, NASA must acquire such data and imagery from U.S. vendors.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

6 added · 124 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendments to S 1437 include the addition of a header indicating the bill was passed by the Senate on December 9, 2025, and the removal of all content following the enacting clause, including the bill's short title and various findings related to NASA's Earth Science program. This change means that the specific provisions and purpose outlined in the original version are no longer included in the current bill text, which may impact its interpretation and implementation moving forward.

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Previous
Latest
1437 Reported in Senate (RS)] <DOC> Calendar No.
1437 Engrossed in Senate (ES)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
173 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
1437 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate, acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and for other purposes.
1437 [Report No.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1.
119-68] To require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate, acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________ IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 10, 2025 Mr.
Hickenlooper (for himself and Mr.
Cornyn) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation September 29, 2025 Reported by Mr.
Cruz, with an amendment [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate, acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, <DELETED>SECTION 1.
SHORT TITLE.</DELETED> <DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act'' or the ``ASCEND Act''.</DELETED> <DELETED>SEC.
2.
COMMERCIAL SATELLITE DATA.</DELETED> <DELETED> (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:</DELETED> <DELETED> (1) Section 60501 of title 51, United States Code, states that the goal for the Earth Science program of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (referred to in this section as ``NASA'') shall be to pursue a program of Earth observations, research, and applications activities to better understand the Earth, how it supports life, and how human activities affect its ability to do so in the future.</DELETED> <DELETED> (2) Section 50115 of title 51, United States Code, states that the Administrator of NASA shall, to the extent possible and while satisfying the scientific or educational requirements of NASA, and where appropriate, of other Federal agencies and scientific researchers, acquire, where cost effective, space-based and airborne commercial Earth remote sensing data, services, distribution, and applications from a commercial provider.</DELETED> <DELETED> (3) The Administrator of NASA established the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Pilot Program in 2019 to identify, validate, and acquire from commercial sources data that support the Earth science research and application goals.</DELETED> <DELETED> (4) The Administrator of NASA has--</DELETED> <DELETED> (A) determined that the pilot program described in paragraph (3) has been a success, as described in the final evaluation entitled ``Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition Program Pilot Evaluation Report'' issued in 2020;</DELETED> <DELETED> (B) established a formal process for evaluating and onboarding new commercial vendors in such pilot program;</DELETED> <DELETED> (C) increased the number of commercial vendors and commercial data products available through such pilot program;
and</DELETED> <DELETED> (D) expanded procurement arrangements with commercial vendors to broaden user access to provide Earth remote sensing data and imagery to federally funded researchers.</DELETED> <DELETED> (b) Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program.-- </DELETED> <DELETED> (1) In general.--Chapter 603 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED> <DELETED>``Sec.
60307.
Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish within the Earth Science Division of the Science Mission Directorate a program to acquire and disseminate commercial Earth observation data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and where appropriate, of other Federal agencies and scientific researchers.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(b) Data Publication and Transparency.--The terms and conditions of commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery acquisitions under the program described in subsection (a) shall not prevent--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(1) the publication of commercial data or imagery for scientific purposes;
or</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(2) the publication of information that is derived from, incorporates, or enhances the original commercial data or imagery of a vendor.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(c) Authorization.--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program under this section, the Administrator may--</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(A) procure commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery from commercial vendors to advance scientific research and applications for the purpose set forth in subsection (a);
and</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(B) establish or modify end-use license terms and conditions to allow for the widest possible use of procured commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery by individuals other than NASA-funded users, consistent with the goals of the program.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(2) Acquisition from united states vendors.--The commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery procured under this subsection shall be procured, to the maximum extent practicable, from United States vendors.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives a report that includes the following:</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(1)(A) In the case of the initial report, a list of all vendors that are providing commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to NASA as of the date of the report.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(B) For each subsequent report, a list of all vendors that have provided commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery to NASA during the reporting period.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(2) A description of the end-use license terms and conditions for each such vendor.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(3) A description of the manner in which each such vendor is advancing scientific research and applications, including priorities recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine decadal surveys.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(4) Information specifying whether the Administrator has entered into an agreement with a commercial vendor or a Federal agency that permits the use of data and imagery by Federal Government employees, contractors, or non- Federal users.</DELETED> <DELETED> ``(e) Definition of United States Vendor.--In this section, the term `United States vendor' means a commercial or nonprofit entity incorporated in the United States.''.</DELETED> <DELETED> (2) Clerical amendment.--The table of contents for chapter 603 of title 51, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new item:</DELETED> <DELETED>``60307.
Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program.''.
SECTION 1.
Calendar No.
Passed the Senate December 9, 2025.
173 119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
Attest:
1437 [Report No.
Secretary.
119-68] _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate, acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and for other purposes.
119th CONGRESS 1st Session S.
_______________________________________________________________________ September 29, 2025 Reported with an amendment
1437 _______________________________________________________________________ AN ACT To require the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to establish a program to identify, evaluate, acquire, and disseminate commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery in order to satisfy the scientific, operational, and educational requirements of the Administration, and for other purposes.
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What Congress says this changes

S. Rept. 119-68

Published by the reporting committee Not generated — this is the committee's own “Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported”.

Text to be removed appears in [brackets]. Newly inserted text is italicised in the official report and cannot be marked in this plain-text rendition — read the official PDF ↗ for the authoritative formatting. 

changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change 
is proposed is shown in roman):

 UNITED STATES CODE

 * * * * * * *

 TITLE 51--NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE PROGRAMS

 * * * * * * *

 Subtitle VI--Earth Observations

 * * * * * * *

 CHAPTER 603--REMOTE SENSING

 * * * * * * *

Sec. 60306. EDUCATION

 The Administrator shall establish an educational outreach 
program to increase awareness at institutions of higher 
education and State, local, regional, and tribal agencies of 
the potential applications of remote sensing and other 
geospatial information and awareness of the need for geospatial 
workforce development.

Sec. 60307. Commercial Satellite Data Acquisition Program

 (a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish within 
the Earth Science Division of the Science Mission Directorate a 
program, to be known as the ``Commercial Satellite Data 
Acquisition Program'', to cost-effectively acquire and 
disseminate commercial Earth observation data and imagery in 
order to complement the scientific, operational, and 
educational requirements of the Administration, and where 
appropriate, of other Federal agencies and scientific 
researchers.
 (b) Data Publication and Accessibility.--The terms and 
conditions of commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery 
acquisitions under the program described in subsection (a) 
shall not prevent--
 (1) the publication of commercial data or imagery in 
 academic or scientific articles, papers, or other 
 similar publications for scientific purposes; or
 (2) the publication, in academic or scientific 
 articles, papers, or other similar publications, of 
 information that is derived from, incorporates, or 
 enhances the original commercial data or imagery of a 
 vendor.
 (c) Authorization.--
 (1) In general.--In carrying out the program under 
 this section, the Administrator may--
 (A) procure commercial Earth remote sensing 
 data and imagery from commercial vendors to 
 advance scientific research and applications 
 for the purpose set forth in subsection (a); 
 and
 (B) establish or modify end-use license terms 
 and conditions to allow for the widest possible 
 use of procured commercial Earth remote sensing 
 data and imagery by individuals other than 
 NASA-funded users, consistent with the goals of 
 the program.
 (2) Acquisition from united states vendors.--The 
 commercial Earth remote sensing data and imagery 
 procured under this subsection shall be procured, to 
 the maximum extent practicable, from United States 
 vendors.
 (d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of the 
enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the 
Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 
a report that includes the following:
 (1)(A) In the case of the initial report, a list of 
 all vendors that are providing commercial Earth remote 
 sensing data and imagery to NASA as of the date of the 
 report.
 (B) For each subsequent report, a list of all vendors 
 that have provided commercial Earth remote sensing data 
 and imagery to NASA during the reporting period.
 (2) A description of the end-use license terms and 
 conditions for each such vendor.
 (3) A description of the manner in which each such 
 vendor is advancing scientific research and 
 applications, including priorities recommended by the 
 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
 Medicine decadal surveys.
 (4) Information specifying whether the Administrator 
 has entered into an agreement with a commercial vendor 
 or a Federal agency that permits the use of data and 
 imagery by Federal Government employees, contractors, 
 or non-Federal users.
 (e) Definition of United States Vendor.--In this section, 
the term ``United States vendor'' means a commercial or 
nonprofit entity incorporated in the United States.

 * * * * * * *

Source: S. Rept. 119-68 · govinfo

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

  3. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

  4. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-68.

  5. Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Cruz with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 119-68.

  6. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 173.

  7. Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.

  8. Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent. (consideration: CR S8581; text: CR S8581)

  9. Received in the House.

  10. Message on Senate action sent to the House.

  11. Held at the desk.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 545 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (545)

545 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 545 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

environment technology
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S 1437 do?
Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act or the ASCEND ActThis bill provides statutory authority for the Commercial SmallSat Data Acquisition (CSDA) program run by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Through the CSDA program, NASA acquires remote sensing data and imagery from commercial satellites to support its Earth science research. (Remote sensing generally refers to the collection of data by instruments in Earth’s orbit, such as satellites, that can be processed into imagery of Earth’s surface.)Under the bill, NASA may establish or modify end-use agreements to allow for broad use of data and imagery acquired under the program, including by individuals outside of NASA (e.g., other federal agencies). The terms of any data or imagery acquisition may not prevent the publication of such data or imagery for scientific purposes or the publication of information derived from it. To the extent practicable, NASA must acquire such data and imagery from U.S. vendors.
Who sponsors S 1437?
S 1437 is sponsored by Hickenlooper, John W. (Democratic) and Cornyn, John (Republican).
What is the current status of S 1437?
This bill has passed the Senate. Introduced April 10, 2025. It now moves to the second chamber.
Where can I track S 1437?
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