NASA Talent Exchange Program Act

The NASA Talent Exchange Program Act (HR 6771) creates a formal process for temporarily swapping employees between NASA and private sector organizations. It allows NASA employees to work at private companies for up to two years (renewable to a total of three years), or private sector employees to work at NASA, with strict requirements: NASA employees must return to federal service for double the assignment period, and both parties must sign agreements prohibiting misuse of confidential information. The program includes safeguards like a 2% cap on NASA staff participating simultaneously, prohibitions against circumventing workforce rules, and mandatory annual reports to Congress on participation and impacts. The bill also requires NASA to implement ethics protocols and report on how assignments align with mission goals.