[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1483 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1483

 To amend title 49, United States Code, to make nonmilitary government 
      aircraft subject to safety regulation by the Department of 
                            Transportation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 29, 1997

 Mr. Menendez introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 49, United States Code, to make nonmilitary government 
      aircraft subject to safety regulation by the Department of 
                            Transportation.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Single Standard of Aviation Safety 
Act''.

SEC. 2. SAFETY REGULATION OF CERTAIN GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT.

    (a) Application of FAA Requirements to Certain Government 
Aircraft.--Chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 44725. Applicability to certain government aircraft
    ``(a) In General.--
            ``(1) Applicability to nonmilitary government aircraft.--
        This chapter (including regulations issued to carry out this 
        chapter) applies to a nonmilitary government aircraft in the 
        same manner and to the same extent as this chapter would apply 
        to such aircraft if such aircraft were owned or operated by a 
        nongovernmental entity.
            ``(2) Applicability to military aircraft transporting 
        civilians.--This chapter (including regulations issued to carry 
        out this chapter) applies to--
                    ``(A) a military aircraft in the same manner and to 
                the same extent as this chapter would apply to such 
                aircraft if such aircraft were owned or operated by a 
                nongovernmental entity--
                            ``(i) if (as designated by the Secretary 
                        concerned) such aircraft is an aircraft that is 
                        primarily used for transportation; and
                            ``(ii) if persons other than members of the 
                        armed forces on active duty are from time to 
                        time transported on such aircraft; and
                    ``(B) a flight of military aircraft not covered by 
                subparagraph (A) on which persons other than members of 
                the armed forces on active duty are transported in the 
                same manner and to the same extent as this chapter 
                would apply to such flight if such aircraft were owned 
                or operated by a nongovernmental entity.
    ``(b) Applicability to Persons Operating Such Aircraft.--This 
chapter (including regulations issued to carry out this chapter) 
applies to any pilot, mechanic, or other person employed by a covered 
governmental entity (or assigned to duty by the armed forces) with 
respect to the operation of an aircraft covered by subsection (a) in 
the same manner and to the same extent as this chapter would apply to 
such person if such aircraft were owned or operated by a 
nongovernmental entity.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section, the following definitions 
apply:
            ``(1) Covered governmental entity.--The term `covered 
        governmental entity' means the United States, the District of 
        Columbia, any State or territory, and any unit of local 
        government of a State or territory.
            ``(2) Military aircraft.--The term `military aircraft' 
        means an aircraft under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of a 
        military department, or the Secretary of Transportation with 
        respect to the Coast Guard when it is not operating as a 
        service in the Navy.
            ``(3) Nonmilitary government aircraft.--The term 
        `nonmilitary government aircraft' means an aircraft other than 
        a military aircraft that is owned or operated by a covered 
        governmental entity.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
such chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new item:

``44725. Applicability to certain government aircraft.''.

SEC. 3. ACTION BY THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION.

    The Secretary of Transportation shall take action as may be 
necessary to facilitate implementation of the amendments made by 
section 2 of this Act on January 1, 2001, and thereafter.

SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

    The amendments made by section 2 of this Act shall take effect 
January 1, 2001.
                                 <all>