According to ProSpace, HR 3752, the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, will go to the floor of the House for a vote the first week of March. It appears unlikely the bill will face any serious obstacles to passage: it’s considered relatively non-controversial and has the support of the leading Republicans and Democrats on the House Science Committee. It would then likely be reconciled with a similar Senate bill, S.1260, which also deals with suborbital RLV regulation and launch indemnification, although not at the same level of detail as the House bill. S.1260 was introduced last year by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, and has passed through that committee but has not yet been voted upon by the full Senate.
Interestingly, the House will take up HR 3752 the same week that ProSpace conducts March Storm, its annual citizen lobbying effort. It’s not too late to register for March Storm, although the registration fee increases from $75 to $100 after Sunday February 22.
