[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 903 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 903

       To establish a commission to review the Federal Aviation 
                            Administration.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 6, 2001

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
       To establish a commission to review the Federal Aviation 
                            Administration.

    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 ``Commission for Comprehensive Review 
of the Federal Aviation Administration Act''.

SEC. 2. COMMISSION.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be known 
as the Commission for Comprehensive Review of the Federal Aviation 
Administration (referred to in this section as the ``Commission'').
    (b) Functions.--The functions of the Commission shall be--
            (1) to review existing and alternative options for 
        organizational structure of air traffic services, including a 
        government corporation and incentive based fees for services;
            (2) to provide recommendations for any necessary changes in 
        structure of the Federal Aviation Administration so that it 
        will be able to support the future growth in the national 
        aviation and airport system; except that the Commission may 
        only recommend changes to the structure and organization of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration that are within the existing 
        structure of the Federal Government;
            (3) to review air traffic management system performance and 
        to identify appropriate levels of cost accountability for air 
        traffic management services;
            (4) to review aviation safety and make recommendations for 
        the long-term improvement of safety; and
            (5) to make additional recommendations that would advance 
        more efficient and effective Federal Aviation Administration 
        for the benefit of the general traveling public and the 
        aviation transportation industry.
    (c) Membership.--
            (1) Appointments.--The Commission shall be composed of 24 
        members appointed by the President as follows:
                    (A) 8 individuals with no personal or business 
                financial interest in the airline or aerospace industry 
                to represent the traveling public. Of these, 1 shall be 
                a nationally recognized expert in finance, 1 in 
                corporate management and 1 in human resources 
                management.
                    (B) 6 individuals from the airline industry. Of 
                these, 1 shall be from a major national air carrier, 1 
                from an unaffiliated regional air carrier, 1 from a 
                cargo air carrier, 1 from the Aircraft Owners and 
                Pilots Association, and 1 from the National Association 
                of State Aviation Officials.
                    (C) 3 individuals representing labor and 
                professional associations. Of these, 1 shall be from 
                National Air Traffic Controllers Association, 1 from 
                the Air Line Pilots Association, and 1 from the 
                Professional Airways Systems Specialists.
                    (D) 2 individuals representing airports and airport 
                authorities. Of these, 1 shall be represent a large hub 
                airport.
                    (E) 1 individual representing the aerospace and 
                aircraft manufacturers industries.
                    (F) 1 individual from the Department of Defense.
                    (G) 1 individual from the National Aeronautics and 
                Space Administration.
                    (H) 2 individuals from the Department of 
                Transportation. Of these, 1 shall be from the Federal 
                Aviation Administration and 1 from the Office of the 
                Secretary of Transportation.
            (2) Terms.--Each member shall be appointed for a term of 18 
        months.
    (d) First Meeting.--The Commission may conduct its first meeting as 
soon as a majority of the members of the Commission are appointed.
    (e) Hearings and Consultation.--
            (1) Hearings.--The Commission shall take such testimony and 
        solicit and receive such comments from the public and other 
        interested parties as it considers appropriate, shall conduct 
        at least 2 public hearings after affording adequate notice to 
        the public thereof, and may conduct such additional hearings as 
        may be necessary.
            (2) Consultation.--The Commission shall consult on a 
        regular and frequent basis with the Secretary of 
        Transportation, the Secretary of Defense, the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the Committee on 
        Appropriations and the Committee on Finance of the Senate, and 
        the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, the 
        Committee on Appropriations and the Committee on Ways and Means 
        of the House of Representatives.
            (3) FACA not to apply.--The Commission shall not be 
        considered an advisory committee for purposes of the Federal 
        Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
    (f) Access to Documents and Staff.--The Federal Aviation 
Administration may give the Commission appropriate access to relevant 
documents and personnel and shall make available, consistent with the 
authority to withhold commercial and other proprietary information 
under section 552 of title 5, United States Code (commonly known as the 
``Freedom of Information Act''), cost data associated with the 
acquisition and operation of air traffic service systems. Any member of 
the Commission who receives commercial or other proprietary data from 
the Federal Aviation Administration shall be subject to the provisions 
of section 1905 of title 18, United States Code, pertaining to 
unauthorized disclosure of such information.
    (g) Travel and Per Diem.--Each member of the Commission shall be 
paid actual travel expenses, and per diem in lieu of subsistence 
expenses when away from such member's usual place of residence, in 
accordance with section 5703 of title 5, United States Code.
    (h) Detail of Personnel From the Federal Aviation Administration.--
The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall make 
available to the Commission such staff, administrative services, and 
other personnel assistance as may reasonably be required to enable the 
Commission to carry out its responsibilities under this section.

SEC. 3. REPORT OF THE COMMISSION.

    (a) Report to Congress.--Not later than 30 days after receiving the 
final report of the Commission and in no event more than 1 year after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, 
after consulting the Secretary of Defense, shall transmit a report to 
the Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, 
Appropriations, and Finance of the Senate and the Committees on 
Transportation and Infrastructure, Appropriations, and Ways and Means 
of the House of Representatives.
    (b) Contents.--The Secretary shall include in the report to 
Congress under subsection (a) a final report of findings and 
recommendations of the Commission under section 2(b), including any 
necessary changes to current law to carry out these recommendations in 
the form of proposed legislation.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to carry out this Act.
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