One Giant LEAP Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8851
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Science, Technology, Communications
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-15: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-25T19:33:04Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation aims to streamline the handling of licenses and approvals for commercial space launch activities by requiring the creation of a centralized electronic system.
Key Provisions
- Directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish an electronic processing portal (referred to as the "Portal") no later than one year after enactment.
- The Portal must support submitting and modifying applications, logging communications among the Secretary, applicants, and consulted federal agencies, managing documentation, and making secretarial determinations.
- It requires the display of detailed timeline information (such as pre-application dates, submission dates, acceptance/rejection dates, modification dates, consultation periods, and completion or denial dates) to the Secretary and applicants, along with calculated day counts and application status.
- A limited set of dates and status information must also be made available to the public.
- Adds a new section 50925 to Chapter 509 of title 51, United States Code, with a conforming clerical amendment to the table of sections.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill introduces a new statutory requirement for an electronic system under Chapter 509, which previously lacked any mandate for a unified digital portal to manage commercial space licensing processes. It does not repeal or alter existing licensing procedures but adds mandatory digital tools and transparency features.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Requires the Department of Transportation to develop and maintain new technology infrastructure, potentially affecting coordination with other federal departments or agencies consulted during reviews.
- Citizens and industry: Commercial space operators may experience more efficient application tracking and reduced administrative delays, while the public gains access to basic status information.
- International relations: No direct provisions address foreign entities or treaties, though improved domestic processes could indirectly support U.S. competitiveness in global space activities.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- The Secretary of Transportation and relevant federal agencies involved in licensing consultations.
- Commercial space launch applicants and license recipients.
- The general public, due to provisions for public display of certain application data.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill imposes a specific administrative obligation on an executive branch official without altering substantive licensing standards or creating new private rights of action. It raises no apparent constitutional issues and focuses on procedural modernization rather than substantive policy changes.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Haridopolos, Mike [R-FL-8]
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Whitesides, George [D-CA-27]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-15: Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
- 2026-05-15: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-15: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- One Giant Licensing Electronic Application Portal Act — issued 2026-05-15 — PDF (5 pages)