51 U.S. Code § 50115 - Sources of Earth science data

(a) Acquisition.—

The Administrator shall, to the extent possible and while satisfying the scientific or educational requirements of the Administration, and where appropriate, of other Federal agencies and scientific researchers, acquire, where cost-effective, space-based and airborne Earth remote sensing data, services, distribution, and applications from a commercial provider.

(b) Treatment as Commercial Product or Commercial Service Under Acquisition Laws.—

Acquisitions by the Administrator of the data, services, distribution, and applications referred to in subsection (a) shall be carried out in accordance with applicable acquisition laws and regulations (including applicable provisions of chapters 201 through 285, 341 through 343, and 363 of title 10). For purposes of such law and regulations, such data, services, distribution, and applications shall be considered to be a commercial product or commercial service. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to preclude the United States from acquiring, through contracts with commercial providers, sufficient rights in data to meet the needs of the scientific and educational community or the needs of other government activities.

(c) Safety Standards.—

Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the Federal Government from requiring compliance with applicable safety standards.

(d) Administration and Execution.—

This section shall be carried out as part of the Commercial Remote Sensing Program at the Stennis Space Center.

(Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3398; Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title VIII, § 836(g)(10)(B), Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 1874; Pub. L. 117–81, div. A, title XVII, § 1702(l)(10), Dec. 27, 2021, 135 Stat. 2161.)

Historical and Revision Notes
Revised Section	Source (U.S. Code)	Source (Statutes at Large)
50115(a)	42 U.S.C. 14715(a).	Pub. L. 105–303, title I, § 107(a), (b), (d), (e), Oct. 28, 1998, 112 Stat. 2853, 2854.
50115(b)	42 U.S.C. 14715(b).
50115(c)	42 U.S.C. 14715(d).
50115(d)	42 U.S.C. 14715(e).

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2021—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 117–81 substituted “including applicable provisions of chapters 201 through 285, 341 through 343, and 363” for “including chapters 137 and 140”.

2018—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–232, in heading, substituted “Commercial Product or Commercial Service” for “Commercial Item” and, in text, substituted “commercial product or commercial service” for “commercial item”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2018 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Jan. 1, 2020, subject to a savings provision, see section 836(h) of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as an Effective Date of 2018 Amendment; Savings Provision note under section 453b of Title 6, Domestic Security.