COACHES Act

Senate Bill

S. 1982

119th Congress

COACHES Act

In Committee

Introduced:Jun 5, 2025

Primary Sponsor

John W. Hickenlooper

Senator

Democratic

CO

Cosponsors

3

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Science, Technology, Communications

Summary

The SPACEPORT Act aims to support the development of spaceports (facilities for launching and testing spacecraft) across the United States. It would increase the maximum federal funding for these projects from 50% to 90% of the total cost, making it easier for state and local governments to build new spaceports or expand existing ones.

Latest Action

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

SponsorJohn W. Hickenlooper (D-CO)

Introduced6/5/2025

StatusRead twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

ChamberSenate

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

COACHES Act

The SPACEPORT Act aims to support the development of spaceports (facilities for launching and testing spacecraft) across the United States. It would increase the maximum federal funding for these projects from 50% to 90% of the total cost, making it easier for

Community Breakdown

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The SPACEPORT Act aims to support the development of spaceports (facilities for launching and testing spacecraft) across the United States. It would increase the maximum federal funding for these projects from 50% to 90% of the total cost, making it easier for state and local governments to build new spaceports or expand existing ones.

Bill Number: 1982
Sponsor: John W. Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Introduced: 6/5/2025
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Policy Area: Science, Technology, Communications

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: COACHES Act
Bill Number: 1982
Sponsor: John W. Hickenlooper (D-CO)
Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced: 6/5/2025
Summary: The SPACEPORT Act aims to support the development of spaceports (facilities for launching and testing spacecraft) across the United States. It would increase the maximum federal funding for these projects from 50% to 90% of the total cost, making it easier for state and local governments to build ne

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

The SPACEPORT Act aims to support the development of spaceports (facilities for launching and testing spacecraft) across the United States. It would increase the maximum federal funding for these projects from 50% to 90% of the total cost, making it easier for state and local governments to build new spaceports or expand existing ones.

Last updated: 12/30/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Spaceport Project Opportunities for Resilient Transportation Act or the SPACEPORT ActThis bill modifies requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Space Transportation Infrastructure Matching Grants Program. The program supported the development of spaceports (e.g., testing and launching stations for spacecraft) and other space-related infrastructure.Under current law, a grant may cover a maximum of 50% of the total cost of a project; at least 10% must be paid for by the private sector. The bill removes the requirement of private sector contributions and increases the maximum amount that the grant may cover to 90% of a project's total cost. The bill also allows the FAA to waive the maximum cost limitations if it deems it to be in the national interest.Additionally, under the bill, in selecting grant recipients, the FAA may consider a project's contribution towards meeting the civil, national security, and commercial space transportation needs of the United States (rather than only the needs of the U.S. government).The bill also limits funding for the grant program to congressional appropriations; other funding sources, such as user fees, may not be used.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Removes the requirement for private sector funding of at least 10% for spaceport projects
Increases the maximum federal grant coverage from 50% to 90% of a project's total cost
Allows the FAA to waive the maximum cost limitations if deemed in the national interest
Expands the FAA's criteria for selecting grant recipients to include projects that meet civil, national security, and commercial space transportation needs
Limits funding for the grant program to congressional appropriations only

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

If passed, this bill would make it significantly more affordable for state and local governments to invest in new or expanded spaceport facilities. This could lead to the development of more spaceports across the country, potentially creating new jobs and economic opportunities in the space industry. However, the impact would be limited to communities hosting these spaceport projects.