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S 976 114th Congress Senate Science, Technology, Communications Civil actions and liability Congressional oversight Industrial policy and productivity Mining Property rights Space flight and exploration Spacecraft and satellites Technology transfer and commercialization

Space Resource Exploration and Utilization Act of 2015

Introduced: April 16, 2015 Introduced by: Murray, Patty Democratic · Washington See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 16, 2015
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Apr 16, 2015
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Space Resource Exploration and Utilization Act of 2015

Directs the President, acting through appropriate federal agencies, to:

  • facilitate the commercial exploration and utilization of space resources to meet national needs;
  • discourage government barriers to the development of economically viable, safe, and stable industries for the exploration and utilization of space resources in manners consistent with the existing international obligations of the United States; and
  • promote the right of U.S. commercial entities to explore outer space and utilize space resources, in accordance with such obligations, free from harmful interference, and to transfer or sell such resources.

Defines "space resource" as a natural resource of any kind found in place in outer space.

Directs the President to report recommendations for: (1) allocating responsibilities relating to the exploration and utilization of space resources among federal agencies, and (2) any authorities necessary to meet U.S international obligations with respect to the exploration and utilization of space resources.

Declares that any asteroid resources obtained in outer space are the property of the entity that obtained them.

Requires a U.S. commercial space resource utilization entity to avoid causing harmful interference in outer space. Authorizes such an entity to bring a civil action for appropriate relief for any action by another entity subject to U.S. jurisdiction causing harmful interference to its operations with respect to an asteroid resource utilization activity in outer space.

What's happening now April 16, 2015

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 976: Space Resource Exploration and Utilization Act of 2015. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-S-976/
MLA
"S. 976: Space Resource Exploration and Utilization Act of 2015." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-S-976/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 976, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-S-976/.
Markdown link
[S. 976: Space Resource Exploration and Utilization Act of 2015](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-S-976/)
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