Despite the space race not being as culturally relevant as it once was, Florida legislators at the federal level are still looking to promote American dominance in the stars.
And they are doing so in the spirit of bipartisanship.
Senators Rick Scott (R-FL) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) have introduced the American Space Commerce Act alongside Representatives Darren Soto (D-FL) and Bill Posey (R-FL).
With China and Russia (once again) attempting to gather more of the market share in the space sector, the bill looks to “level the playing field by extending existing space launch tax incentives for an additional ten years for companies that launch their payloads from the United States.”
The legislators believe that the bill will allow the flow of capital and to allow American space companies to innovate and invest in new technologies.
“Our domestic space launch industry is in our national security interest and America is up against unfair trade practices from nations like China and Russia that heavily subsidize space launches,” said Rep. Bill Posey. “Our bill provides a powerful incentive for our space firms to keep investing to support America’s growing commercial space sector, further advancing our leadership in space and securing the ultimate military high ground for years to come.”
Rep. Soto would state that the incentivization on American soil will allow Cape Canaveral to “continue to grow and thrive.”
“As the U.S. strives to strengthen our leadership in space exploration, it is critical for us to prioritize domestic investments and incentivize companies to launch on American soil. In Florida, this bipartisan effort would help our busy spaceport in Cape Canaveral continue to grow and thrive,” said Rep. Soto
Sen. Rubio would go on to mention that “America’s commercial space industry is thriving, and its unique partnership with NASA is producing once unthinkable innovation and technological advances. Florida is at the center of incredible space innovation, which produces good paying jobs necessary for a strong economy and scientific breakthroughs that improve our daily lives. As nations such as China and Russia work to overtake us, we must do everything possible to ensure America’s leadership in space continues for generations to come.”
Sen. Scott added, “Every day our nation is competing against known adversaries like Communist China and Russia in the space launch industry, and we must put American interests and national security first. I’m proud to cosponsor the American Space Commerce Act to enhance our nation’s self-reliance in the space industry, prioritize American businesses, and ensure our nation remains a leader in space exploration.”
The bill will look to make it to the President’s desk in the 118th Congress.
