The House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology has advanced three bills introduced by Congressman Daniel Webster of Florida as part of the NASA Reauthorization Act of 2026. Webster represents Florida’s 11th district in Congress, a position he has held since 2011 after previously serving in both chambers of the Florida legislature.
The three bills include H.R. 4360, the Frank Wolf Space Security Act, which aims to reinforce restrictions on using federal funds for certain space and scientific cooperation with China. This bill is designed to protect U.S. intellectual property and national security interests.
Another bill, H.R. 4906 or the USA Act, instructs NASA to work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to promote voluntary standards developed through private sector-led processes.
The third bill is H.R. 6638, known as the Space Resources Institute Act. This bipartisan legislation directs NASA to study how establishing an institute focused on space resources—such as surface materials, water, and metals found on celestial bodies like the Moon, Mars, and asteroids—could help strengthen U.S. leadership in this area.
“At a time when our adversaries are racing to challenge U.S. leadership beyond Earth, these bills make it clear that the United States will set the standards, protect our technological advantages, and shape the next generation of American leadership in emerging domains,” said Rep. Webster.
Webster also stated: “American leadership in space is not guaranteed. By advancing these bills, we are ensuring that America—not China or any other adversary—defines the future of space.”
Webster was born in Charleston, West Virginia in 1949 and currently lives in Clermont. He graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree.
