---
kind: "section"
citation: "51 U.S.C. § 20146"
title: "51"
title_heading: "National and Commercial Space Programs"
number: "20146"
heading: "Retrocession of jurisdiction"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/51/20146"
units:
  - "Subtitle II — General Program and Policy Provisions"
  - "Chapter 201 — National Aeronautics and Space Program"
  - "Subchapter III — General Administrative Provisions"
---

# §20146. Retrocession of jurisdiction

- (a) **Definition of State.—** In this section, the term “State” means any of the several States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United States.
- (b) **Relinquishing Legislative Jurisdiction.—** Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) may relinquish to a State all or part of the legislative jurisdiction of the United States over lands or interests under the control of the [Administrator](/usc/51/10101.md?p=2) in that State.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 111–314, § 3, Dec. 18, 2010, 124 Stat. 3353.)

## Notes

| Historical and Revision Notes |  |  |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Revised<br>Section | Source (U.S. Code) | Source (Statutes at Large) |
| 20146 | 42 U.S.C. 2459k. | Pub. L. 85–568, title III, § 316, as added Pub. L. 109–155, title VII, § 701, Dec. 30, 2005, 119 Stat. 2935. |