The AIAA issued a legislative alert to its members on Tuesday, asking them to contact their senators to ask them to support HR 3752. The alert ties the legislation to SpaceShipOne and its claim to the Ansari X Prize: “If passed, this legislation will allow entrepreneurs to take advantage of this tremendous accomplishment.”
However, time is running out for the bill. Congress is set to adjourn by the end of the week so its members can go home for the elections, and it seems highly unlikely, even in the best possible case, that the bill will be considered before then. Congress is likely to have to come back in mid-November for a lame duck session since then continuing resolution for fiscal year 2005 they approved last week runs only through November 20. Whether they can take up the bill during that short session is uncertain.
