Exploring the Unknown - NASA's History Office

EXPLORING THE UNKNOWN 329
weather satellites. Many of us have made this fact known to the administration during the
past few months, and yet the process to commercialize them continues. At risk, if this
process continues to completion, is the very security and well-being of our Nation, for we
depend daily upon our ability to gather and analyze weather data from around the country
as well as the globe.
I urge all of you to support this resolution, of which I am a cosponsor, and hope that
the administration will financially understand and accept that our Nation’s weather satellites
will not be sold.
Mr. McGRATH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
GENERAL LEAVE
Mr. FUQUA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative
days in which to revise and extend their remarks on House Concurrent Resolution 168.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from
Florida?
There was no objection.
Mr. FUQUA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and I yield back the balance
of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman
from Florida (Mr. FUQUA) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent
resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 168.
The question was taken.
Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER, pro tempore. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 5 of rule I and the
Chair’s prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be postponed. . . .
1810
So (two-thirds having voted in favor thereof) the rules were suspended and the concurrent
resolution was agreed to.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded [yeas 377, nays 28, not voting
29].
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
Document II-36
Document title: “Land Remote-Sensing Commercialization Act of 1984,” Public Law
98–365, 98 Stat. 451, July 17, 1984.
Source: NASA Historical Reference Collection, NASA History Office, NASA
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
The Land Remote-Sensing Commercialization Act of 1984 was the culmination of many years of debate
over who should control the Earth remote-sensing system operated through the Landsat satellites.
Although the Reagan administration had advocated the outright sale of the entire Landsat system as
well as the nation’s weather satellites, the Remote Sensing Act of 1984 was much more limited in scope.
Specifically, it gave the Secretary of Commerce authority to contract to private industry the marketing
of unenhanced Landsat data. Subsequently, the contract was awarded to the Earth Observation
Satellite Company (EOSAT), a joint venture between RCA and Hughes Aircraft Corporation.