KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – U.S. House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) released the following statement after today’s National Space Council meeting, “Moon, Mars, and Worlds Beyond: Winning the Next Frontier.”

Chairman Smith: “The American space enterprise is full of potential. At Kennedy Space Center today, we discussed the importance of space exploration and easing the burden on our commercial space partners. The American Space Commerce Free Enterprise Act, passed by the Science Committee last June, implements these goals by creating an innovative, transparent and streamlined structure for authorizing and supervising space activity. With this legislation, we commit to complying with our international obligations, reforming our commercial remote sensing system, and welcoming new space operators.

“We are prioritizing exploration. We are streamlining our regulatory process. And we are looking forward to achieving and surpassing the exploration goals we set today. It is an honor to be at Kennedy Space Center with Vice President Pence, and I look forward to working with him to ensure America wins the next frontier.”