[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 957 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 957

    To amend title 49, United States Code, to improve the training 
 requirements for and require the certification of cabin crew members, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 30, 2003

  Mrs. Boxer introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend title 49, United States Code, to improve the training 
 requirements for and require the certification of cabin crew members, 
                        and for other purposes.

    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 ``Flight Attendant Certification 
Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) The Federal Aviation Administration requires cabin crew 
        on board all transport category aircraft (20 seats or more) to 
        handle aircraft evacuations and other emergency procedures.
            (2) Cabin crew are in-flight first responders trained to 
        handle medical emergencies, fires, and security threats.
            (3) As safety-sensitive employees, cabin crew are tested 
        for drug and alcohol use.
            (4) Federal regulations limit cabin crew duty time and 
        stipulate mandatory rest periods.
            (5) A wide disparity in quality and content of training 
        exists from air carrier to air carrier.
            (6) The Federal Aviation Administration certifies other 
        groups with safety responsibilities under its jurisdiction, 
        including pilots, mechanics, repairmen, dispatchers, and 
        parachute packers.
            (7) Certification of cabin crew will make the Federal 
        Aviation Administration responsible for ensuring that cabin 
        crew are qualified to perform their safety and security duties.

SEC. 3. TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR CABIN CREW.

    Section 44935 of chapter 449 of part A of subtitle VII of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) Training Standards for Cabin Crew.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall prescribe 
        standards for cabin crew training and certification. The 
        standards shall include the following:
                    ``(A) Mandatory certification.--All new and 
                existing cabin crew members shall be certified by the 
                Administrator after successful completion of an air 
                carrier's training program, which consists of--
                            ``(i) initial and emergency training;
                            ``(ii) air carrier specific training 
                        related to aircraft types and operator's 
                        certificate; and
                            ``(iii) submission by the air carrier to 
                        the Administrator confirming such completion.
                    ``(B) Standardized training.--The Administrator 
                shall be prohibited from granting an air carrier a 
                waiver of cabin crew training requirements or an 
                exemption from any part of such requirements.
                    ``(C) Qualifications.--
                            ``(i) In general.--To be qualified to 
                        receive a cabin crew certificate, a cabin crew 
                        member shall--
                                    ``(I) successfully complete the 
                                training requirements established by 
                                the Administrator, including all 
                                initial, air-carrier specific training, 
                                emergency, transition, differences, 
                                recurrent, and requalification training 
                                as described in the applicable 
                                regulations;
                                    ``(II) successfully complete the 
                                cabin security and self-defense 
                                training requirements established by 
                                the Transportation Security 
                                Administrator; and
                                    ``(III) successfully perform the 
                                assigned duties of a cabin crew member 
                                and complete the approved proficiency 
                                check, under the supervision of a 
                                certified instructor or supervisor, for 
                                not less than 5 hours of initial 
                                operating experience.''.
                                 <all>