Artemis Accords Authorization Act

Bill Number

H.R. 8321

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

International Affairs

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-04-16: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Last Updated

2026-04-22T08:07:35Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of H.R. 8321: Artemis Accords Authorization Act

Purpose

The bill aims to promote peaceful space exploration, expand participation in the Artemis Accords (a U.S.-led international agreement on responsible space activities), establish norms for safe and sustainable space operations, and strengthen U.S. national security, economic competitiveness, and diplomatic leadership in space.

Key Provisions

• Findings (Sec. 2): Recognizes U.S. leadership in space, the Artemis program's goals (Moon return and Mars preparation), and the Artemis Accords' growth from 7 signatories in 2020 to 61, which align with core space treaties like the Outer Space Treaty.
• Statement of Policy (Sec. 3): Outlines U.S. goals including peaceful space use, international cooperation via Accords, norm development, expanded participation (especially in key regions), countering competitors, and advancing security/economic/diplomatic interests.
• Special Coordinator (Sec. 4): Authorizes the Secretary of State to lead and expand the Accords; creates a Special Coordinator position reporting to the Assistant Secretary for Oceans, International Environment, and Scientific Affairs. Duties include diplomatic expansion, interagency coordination (NASA, Commerce, Defense, Office of Space Commerce), norm development (e.g., lunar activities, resource extraction, traffic management), industry engagement, and foreign policy alignment.
• Reporting Requirement (Sec. 5): Mandates an initial report within 180 days of enactment, plus annual reports for four years, covering Accords participation/compliance, diplomatic efforts, cooperative activities, commercial roles, challenges (e.g., geopolitical competition), China/Russia influences, and leadership recommendations. Reports are unclassified with optional classified annex.
• Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite Strategy (Sec. 6): Expresses congressional support for LEO satellites (military, free speech, humanitarian connectivity); requires a strategy within 180 days, developed with agencies like the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation and U.S. Trade and Development Agency. Strategy elements include promoting LEO tech via studies/financing/provision, export controls, and restrictions on competitors' alternatives.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Introduces new statutory authority for the State Department to formally lead and expand the Artemis Accords.
• Establishes a dedicated Special Coordinator position, which did not previously exist.
• Mandates recurring reports and a LEO satellite foreign policy strategy, creating ongoing oversight and planning requirements not previously codified.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: Enhances coordination among State, NASA, Commerce, Defense, and others; increases diplomatic workload and reporting burdens.
• Citizens and Industry: Boosts U.S. commercial space sector through public-private partnerships and LEO tech promotion, potentially creating jobs and export opportunities.
• International Relations: Expands U.S.-led alliances (targeting 61+ Accords signatories), counters China/Russia space influence, promotes global internet access via LEO, and shapes norms for lunar mining and traffic management, fostering cooperation while enabling restrictions on rivals.

Main Stakeholders

• U.S. Government: State Department (lead), NASA, Commerce, Defense, Office of Space Commerce.
• International Partners: Current (61) and prospective Artemis Accords signatories (e.g., allies like Australia, Japan; strategic regions).
• Private Sector: U.S. space industry (e.g., satellite/commercial firms) for partnerships and exports.
• Competitors: China and Russia, via assessments and counter-strategies.
• Global Community: Nations gaining LEO connectivity for humanitarian/economic benefits.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Reinforces existing space treaties while building non-binding norms; authorizes executive diplomacy without new treaties, preserving flexibility.
• Constitutional: Aligns with presidential foreign affairs powers but adds congressional oversight via reports/strategy, balancing branches.
• Political: Bipartisan introduction (Moskowitz/Luna); promotes U.S. "democratic values" vs. competitors, potentially escalating space rivalry while emphasizing transparency/rule of law. Unclassified reports ensure public accountability.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23]

Cosponsors (4)

Rep. Luna, Anna Paulina [R-FL-13], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Bera, Ami [D-CA-6], Rep. Baird, James R. [R-IN-4]

Recent Actions

• 2026-04-16: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
• 2026-04-16: Introduced in House
• 2026-04-16: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Artemis Accords Authorization Act — issued 2026-04-16 — PDF (8 pages)