12 2 STA T .48 1 5PUBLIC LA W 11 0– 422 —O CT. 15 , 2008 SEC.1 11 8 . SE N SE OF CON GR ESS WITH RES P ECT TO THE M ICHO UDA SSEM BLY FACILITY AND NASA ’ S OTHER CENTERS AND FACILITIES. Itis t he se n se ofC on gr ess th a t the M i c ho udA sse mblyF acility re p resents a uni q ue resource in the facilitation of the N ation ’ s e x ploration programs and that e v ery effort should be made to ensure the effective utili z ation of that resource , as w ell as NA S A’s other centers and facilities . SEC. 111 9 . REPORT ON U.S. INDUSTRIAL BASE FOR LAUNCH V EHICLE ENGINES. Not later than 180 days after the date of E nactment of this Act, the D irector of the O ffice of Science and T echnology P olicy shall submit to Congress a report setting forth the assessment of the Director as to the capacity of the U nited States industrial base for development and production of engines to meet United States G overnment and commercial requirements for space launch vehicles. The report required by this section shall include informa - tion regarding existing, pending, and planned engine developments across a broad spectrum of thrust capabilities, including propulsion for sub-orbital, small, medium, and heavy-lift space launch vehicles. SEC. 11 20 . SENSE OF CONGRESS ON PRECURSOR INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION RESEARCH. It is the Sense of Congress that NASA is ta k ing positive steps to utilize the Space Shuttle as a platform for precursor International Space Station research by maximizing to the extent practicable the use of middeck accommodations, including soft stowage, for near-term scientific and commercial applications on remaining Space Shuttle flights, and the Administrator is strongly encouraged to continue to promote the effective utilization of the Space Shuttle for precursor research within the constraints of the International Space Station assembly requirements. SEC. 1121. LIMITATION ON FUNDING FOR CONFERENCES. ( a ) I N G E NE RAL . — There are authorized to be appropriated not more than $5 ,000,000 for any expenses related to conferences, including conference programs, travel costs, and related expenses. No funds authorized under this Act may be used to support a Space Flight Awareness L aunch H onoree Event conference. The total amount of the funds available under this Act for other Space Flight Awareness Honoree-related activities in fiscal year 2 00 9 may not exceed 1⁄2 of the total amount of funds from all sources obligated or expended on such activities in fiscal year 2008. (b) QU AR T ERL YR E PO RT S .—The Administrator shall submit quarterly reports to the Inspector General of NASA regarding the costs and contracting procedures relating to each conference held by NASA during fiscal year 2009 for which the cost to the Govern- ment is more than $20,000. Each report shall include, for each conference described in that subsection held during the applicable quarter— (1) a description of the sub j ect of and number of partici- pants attending, the conference, including the number of NASA employees attending and the number of contractors attending at agency expense
(2) a detailed statement of the costs to the Government relating to the conference, including— (A) the cost of any food or beverages;
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