51 USC § 71103 - Developing policy and recommending responsible Federal agency

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t51/s71103"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_legal_evidence"
title: "51 USC § 71103 - Developing policy and recommending responsible Federal agency"
title_number: 51
title_name: "NATIONAL AND COMMERCIAL SPACE PROGRAMS"
section_number: "71103"
section_name: "Developing policy and recommending responsible Federal agency"
chapter_number: 711
chapter_name: "NEAR-EARTH OBJECTS"
positive_law: true
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3439.)"
---


# § 71103. Developing policy and recommending responsible Federal agency

Within 2 years after October 15, 2008, the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy shall—

**(1)** develop a policy for notifying Federal agencies and relevant emergency response institutions of an impending near-Earth object threat, if near-term public safety is at risk; and

**(2)** recommend a Federal agency or agencies to be responsible for—

**(A)** protecting the United States from a near-Earth object that is expected to collide with Earth; and

**(B)** implementing a deflection campaign, in consultation with international bodies, should one be necessary.

---

**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3439.)

| RevisedSection | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 71103 | 42 U.S.C. 17794. | Pub. L. 110–422, title VIII, § 804, Oct. 15, 2008, 122 Stat. 4804. |

In the matter before paragraph (1), the date “” is substituted for “the date of enactment of this Act” to reflect the date of enactment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization Act of 2008.