H.R. 3752

> Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2004 13:46:39 -0500
>
> Does anyone think H.R. 3752 (the space tourism bill) will pass, and if
> so,
> does it do enough?
>
> http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c108:2:./temp/~c108baahzX::

Good news!
I think HR 3752 passed the House around the same time you posted that
message.

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 39 (402 yes, 1 no, 30 not voting)
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2004/roll039.xml

The bill is important because it defines clear rules within the FAA for
regulating commercial space flight, including flying passengers. The
current uncertainty has discouraged investors.

To give you an idea of the crazy state of regulations.. Burt Rutan's
last test of his suborbital vehicle only ran his rocket motor for a few
seconds because his permit was granted under the High Powered Model
Rocket rules! (That is one hell of a model rocket!) The total impulse
of his rocket was limited by the largest allowed model rocket engine.
Is that wacky, or what? Anyway, the FAA is working on granting him an
experimental flight license for later this year.

[If we make a computer/internet analogy, it as though someone had to
spell out in regulations that companies were 'allowed to create web
pages', because the internet had originally been created for government
use. (Aren't we glad we jumped over that step in the internet?) It is
the international treaties that require the US government to regulate
all space launches.]

So, this is a good bill for space advocates. However, many good bills
have passed in the House.. and then nothing happens in Senate.

I just finished participating in ProSpace March Storm, where about 40
people visited about 150 congressional offices. (I visited about 5
Senate offices and 4 offices in the House. ) There seems to be broad
support for this bill in the Senate, but it still needs some senators
to champion it.

The passage in the House, gives us a chance. If you are interested in
this step toward space development, here is how you could help:

1. Write their Congressional representative to thank them for voting
for HR 3752. Tell them it is important.

To check-out your representative:
http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm

Confirm they voted for HR 3752 on the list here (402 yes, 1 no,
30 not voting).
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2004/roll039.xml

(No, I have no idea why Rep. Paul (R-TX) voted "no". :-)

2. Send a copy of that letter of thanks to your two Senators, and ask
them to support passage in the Senate.

As soon as I find out if there is a senate bill, and who the sponsors
are, I will let you know.

It would also help if supportive entrepreneurial space companies (in
different parts of the country) sent letters to local newspapers
thanking the local Representatives for passing these bills. Congressmen
always remember good publicity.

- Eric Dahlstrom

PS. I just tried sending web-form emails to my congressman (Moran) and
2 VA senators. We'll see if I get any reaction.
It seems regular mail to Congress gets stuck in testing these days, and
they prefer the web-form emails. Those web sites can also be found via
Vote-Smart.org.