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HOUSE 2600119th CongressReceived in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 344.

ASCEND Act

Last Action
2/24/2026

Actions

  • 2026-02-24Received in the Senate. Read twice. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 344.
  • 2026-02-23Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
  • 2026-02-23On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2242-2243)
  • 2026-02-23Passed/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)
  • 2026-02-23DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 2600.
  • 2026-02-23Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2242-2244)
  • 2026-02-23Mr. Babin moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
  • 2026-02-20Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 428.
  • 2026-02-20Reported by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 119-502.
  • 2026-02-20Reported by the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. H. Rept. 119-502.
  • 2025-04-29Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.
  • 2025-04-29Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  • 2025-04-02Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
  • 2025-04-02Introduced in House
  • 2025-04-02Introduced in House

CRS Summary

As of 2025-04-02 (00)

Accessing Satellite Capabilities to Enable New Discoveries Act or the ASCEND Act

This 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.  

Cosponsors (6)

  • Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
  • Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA)
  • Jeff Crank (R-CO)
  • Laura Gillen (D-NY)
  • Josh Riley (D-NY)
  • Thomas Kean (R-NJ)

Subjects

  • Congressional oversight
  • Earth sciences
  • Photography and imaging
  • Space flight and exploration
  • Spacecraft and satellites
Read on Congress.gov

Sourced from Congress.gov (public domain).

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