COMMERCIAL SPACE ACT OF 1998 (Senate - October 07, 1998)

[Page: S11692]

Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I would like to engage the Chairman in a colloquy regarding a provision of the Commercial Space Act of 1998. It is my understanding that Section 202(b)(6) of the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992, which requires any company receiving a license to operate a remote sensing system to `notify the Secretary [of Commerce] of any agreement the licensee intends to enter with a foreign nation,' is amended by the Commercial Space Act of 1998 by inserting the words `significant or substantial' after `Secretary of any.' This is intended to limit the agreements which are reported to the Department of Commerce. As you know, the Congress has acted in the past to limit imagery of Israel. I would like to clarify that any agreement or contract permitting any imaging of Israel using commercially available, satellite-based remote sensing technology would fall under the definition of `significant or substantial.' Is this the Chairman's understanding?

Mr. McCAIN. I thank the Senator. It is certainly my intention that any agreement permitting the imaging of Israel using commercially available, satellite-based remote sensing technology will continue to be reported to the United States government for review. The Congress has indicated that it viewed imaging of Israel to be a significant matter, and the intent of this legislation is to make sure that any agreement that could lead to imaging Israel will be reported.

Mr. KYL. I thank the Senator.

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