NASA Authorization Act of 2008 - H.R. 6063

Rep. Mark Udall (D-CO), chairman of the Science and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics has introduced House Bill 6063, the "NASA Authorization Act of 2008" persuading bipartisan co-sponsors in veteran Republican Ralph Hall (R-TX) and the full committee chairman Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN).

Rep. Udall's Bill Text is ESSENTIAL reading, even if represents only the first bargaining chip, with a long way to go before becoming part of the Ominbus Appropriations bill for FY 2009. Don't trust news accounts. International cooperation is the spin, but already an essential part of national policy. The bill addresses International Trade in Arms Regulation (ITAR), for example - and you ought to read how this has affected Bigelow, in the words of their counsel.

And if you're smart, you may have been waiting to see what congressional Democrats have to say about Commercial Space, "beyond earth orbit."

Interesting Discussion on Jeff Foust's Space Politics Blog