51 U.S.C. § 50915 — Paying claims exceeding liability insurance and financial responsibility requirements

(a) General Requirements. If Congress has set aside money for it, or passed a special law approving a compensation plan, the Secretary of Transportation must pay a successful claim by an outside party (a "third party") against certain people connected to a licensed space launch or reentry. This covers death, injury, or property damage or loss from the launch or reentry activity, plus reasonable legal or settlement costs. But the government can only pay for the part of the claims that is more than the licensee's required insurance or proof of financial responsibility, and not more than $1,500,000,000 above that amount (adjusted upward for inflation after January 1, 1989). The Secretary cannot pay any part of a claim caused by willful misconduct by the licensee or the person the license was transferred to. If the required insurance does not cover a claim because of a normal insurance policy exclusion, the Secretary may still pay that claim without the usual dollar limits. The people covered are: the licensee or the person the license was transferred to; a contractor, subcontractor, or customer of that person; a contractor or subcontractor of a customer; or a space flight participant. The coverage for space flight participants ends on September 30, 2028. (b) Notice, Participation, and Approval. Before any payment happens: the government must be notified of the claim or lawsuit; the government must get a chance to help defend it; and the Secretary must approve any settlement paid with government money. (c) Withholding Payments. The Secretary can refuse to pay if the Secretary certifies the amount is not reasonable. But if a court has already decided the amount, the Secretary must treat that amount as reasonable. (d) Surveys, Reports, and Compensation Plans. If claims from one launch or reentry are likely to exceed the required insurance amount, the Secretary must study the causes and extent of the damage and quickly report the results to Congress. Within 90 days after a court ruling shows the total claims may exceed the insurance amount, the President must send Congress a compensation plan. This plan must show the total dollar value of the claims, recommend where the money should come from, include any legislative language needed, and not exceed $1,500,000,000 for a single event. Each plan must have an identification number and must be sent to the Senate and House on the same day, while Congress is in session. (e) Congressional Resolutions. This part explains how the Senate handles a "resolution" — a specific joint resolution approving a numbered compensation plan (a resolution covering more than one plan doesn't count). The Senate must act on a plan needing new money or legal authority within 60 days Congress is in session after it's submitted. Resolutions go straight to a Senate committee, and related resolutions on the same plan go to the same committee. If that committee doesn't act within 20 days, a supporter of the resolution can force a vote to take it away from the committee; debate on that motion is capped at one hour and can't be amended or reconsidered, and once decided it can't be tried again for the same plan. After the committee reports or is bypassed, any senator can move to take up the resolution at any time, and that motion also can't be amended or reconsidered. Debate on the resolution itself is capped at 10 hours, split evenly between supporters and opponents, and can't be amended, sent back to committee, or reconsidered after a vote. Several procedural motions — postponing the discharge process, postponing the resolution, moving to other business, or appealing the chair's rulings — must be decided without any debate. (f) Application. This section only applies to a license issued or transferred if the Secretary receives a full, valid application by September 30, 2028. It does not apply to permits.