National Aeronautics and Space Administration Act, 1985

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Act, 1985 - Authorizes appropriations to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for research and development, space flight, control, and data communications, construction of facilities, and research and program management for FY 1985.

Permits appropriations for research and development to be used for any items of a capital nature (other than acquisition of land) which may be required at locations other than NASA installations for the performance of research and development contracts, and for grants to nonprofit institutions of higher education, or to nonprofit organizations whose primary purpose is the conduct of scientific research for purchase or construction of additional research facilities.

Requires the Administrator to modify the appropriate committees of Congress whenever the cost of a facility exceeds a specified amount. Permits funds appropriated for research and development or for construction of facilities to remain available without fiscal year limitation.

Permits the funds for construction of any of specified facilities: (1) in the discretion of the NASA Administrator, to be varied upward ten percent; or (2) following a report by the Administrator to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the circumstances of such action, to be varied upward 25 percent to meet unusual cost variations. Limits the total cost of all construction work to the total of the amounts specified.

Permits one-half of one percent of the funds appropriated for research and development to be transferred to the "Construction of facilities" appropriations. Authorizes the expenditure of such funds, together with $10,000,000 of the funds appropriated for construction of facilities, to construct, expand, or modify laboratories and other installations. Requires the Administrator to notify the appropriate committees of Congress of the specific nature, cost, and reasons for such construction 30 days before expending funds.

Prohibits for a period of 30 days after notice to Congress the expenditure of appropriations for deleted programs, for programs in excess of the amount authorized, and for programs which have not been presented to the appropriate committee.

Declares that it is the sense of the Congress that consideration be given to geographical distribution of Federal research funds whenever feasible and that NASA should explore ways of doing so.

Permits the Administrator of NASA to transfer to an academic institution or nonprofit organization title to all Federal personal property which has been loaned to it for at least two years, provided that NASA does not need such property and it is being used by the organization holding it for a purpose consistent with the use intended when the property was loaned.