Sec. 442. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS

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## SEC. 442 FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS ###

(a)Findings Congress makes the following findings: ####

(1)Human space exploration can pose significant challenges and is full of substantial risk, which has ultimately claimed the lives of 24 NASA astronauts serving in the line of duty. ####

(2)As United States government astronauts participate in long-duration and exploration space flight missions they may experience increased health risks, such as vision impairment, bone demineralization, and behavioral health and performance risks, and may be exposed to galactic cosmic radiation. Exposure to high levels of radiation and microgravity can result in acute and long-term health consequences that can increase the risk of cancer and tissue degeneration and have potential effects on the musculoskeletal system, central nervous system, cardiovascular system, immune function, and vision. ####

(3)To advance the goal of long-duration and exploration space flight missions, United States government astronaut Scott Kelly participated in a 1-year twins study in space while his identical twin brother, former United States government astronaut Mark Kelly, acted as a human control specimen on Earth, providing an understanding of the physical, behavioral, microbiological, and molecular reaction of the human body to an extended period of time in space. ####

(4)Since the Administration currently provides medical monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment for United States government astronauts during their active employment, given the unknown long-term health consequences of long-duration space exploration, the Administration has requested statutory authority from Congress to provide medical monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment to former United States government astronauts for psychological and medical conditions associated with human space flight. ###

(b)Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— ####

(1)the United States should continue to seek the unknown and lead the world in space exploration and scientific discovery as the Administration prepares for long-duration and exploration space flight in deep space and an eventual mission to Mars; ####

(2)data relating to the health of astronauts will become increasingly valuable to improving our understanding of many diseases humans face on Earth; ####

(3)the Administration should provide the type of monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment described in subsection

(a)only for conditions the Administration considers unique to the training or exposure to the space flight environment of United States government astronauts and should not require any former United States Government astronauts to participate in the Administration’s monitoring; ####

(4)such monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment should not replace a former United States government astronaut’s private health insurance; ####

(5)expanded data acquired from such monitoring, diagnosis, and treatment should be used to tailor treatment, inform the requirements for new space flight medical hardware, and develop controls in order to prevent disease occurrence in the astronaut corps; and ####

(6)the 340-day space mission of Scott Kelly aboard the ISS— #####

(A)was pivotal for the goal of the United States for humans to explore deep space and Mars as the mission generated new insight into how the human body adjusts to weightlessness, isolation, radiation, and the stress of long-duration space flight; and #####

(B)will help support the physical and mental well-being of astronauts during longer space exploration missions in the future.