[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2358 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2358

 To enable the United States to maintain its leadership in aeronautics 
  and aviation, improve its quality of life, protect the environment, 
  support economic growth, and promote the security of the Nation by 
  instituting an initiative to develop technologies that will enable 
  future aircraft with significantly lower noise, emissions, and fuel 
consumption, to reinvigorate basic and applied research in aeronautics 
                 and aviation, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 2005

Mr. Udall of Colorado (for himself, Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia, Mr. 
    Gordon, Mr. Kucinich, Mr. Scott of Virginia, and Mr. Larson of 
 Connecticut) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                          Committee on Science

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To enable the United States to maintain its leadership in aeronautics 
  and aviation, improve its quality of life, protect the environment, 
  support economic growth, and promote the security of the Nation by 
  instituting an initiative to develop technologies that will enable 
  future aircraft with significantly lower noise, emissions, and fuel 
consumption, to reinvigorate basic and applied research in aeronautics 
                 and aviation, 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 ``Aeronautics Research and Development 
Revitalization Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) It is in the national interest of the United States to 
        maintain international leadership in aeronautics and aviation.
            (2) The United States is in danger of losing its leadership 
        in aeronautics and aviation to international competitors.
            (3) Past Federal investments in aeronautics research and 
        development have benefited the economy and national security of 
        the United States, and the quality of life of its citizens.
            (4) Future growth in aviation increasingly will be 
        constrained by concerns related to aircraft noise, emissions, 
        fuel consumption, and air transportation system congestion.
            (5) Current and projected levels of Federal investment in 
        aeronautics research and development are not sufficient to 
        address concerns related to the growth of aviation.
            (6) International competitors have recognized the 
        importance of noise, emissions, fuel consumption, and air 
        transportation system congestion in limiting the future growth 
        of aviation, and have established aggressive agendas for 
        addressing each of those concerns.
            (7) An aggressive initiative by the Federal Government to 
        develop technologies that would significantly reduce aircraft 
        noise, harmful emissions, and fuel consumption would benefit 
        the United States by--
                    (A) improving the competitiveness of the United 
                States aviation industry through the development of new 
                markets for aviation services and the development of 
                superior aircraft for existing markets;
                    (B) improving the quality of life for our citizens 
                by drastically reducing the level of noise due to 
                aircraft operations;
                    (C) reducing the congestion of the air 
                transportation system by allowing departures and 
                arrivals at currently underutilized airports through 
                the use of environmentally compatible aircraft;
                    (D) reducing the rate at which fossil fuels are 
                consumed;
                    (E) reducing the rate at which greenhouse gases and 
                other harmful gases and particulates are added to the 
                atmosphere by aircraft; and
                    (F) reinvigorating the human capital in aeronautics 
                and aviation by providing a set of extremely 
                challenging and socially beneficial goals to the next 
                generation of engineers and scientists.
            (8) Long-term progress in aeronautics and aviation requires 
        continued Federal investment in fundamental aeronautical 
        research, aeronautical test facilities, and maintenance of a 
        skilled workforce at the Nation's aeronautical research 
        centers.
            (9) The Commission on the Future of the United States 
        Aerospace Industry has recommended that ``the Federal 
        government significantly increase its investment in basic 
        aerospace research, which enhances U.S. national security, 
        enables breakthrough capabilities, and fosters an efficient, 
        secure, and safe aerospace transportation system''.
            (10) Maintenance of United States leadership in aeronautics 
        and aviation will require the productive collaboration of the 
        National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Federal 
        Aviation Administration, the Department of Defense, the 
        aviation industry, and the Nation's universities.
            (11) It is in the interest of the United States to maintain 
        a vigorous capability in basic and applied research and 
        development of technologies related to rotorcraft and other 
        runway-independent air vehicles.
            (12) Continued research is needed into the flight crew and 
        controller training needed to accommodate new aircraft and air 
        transportation system technologies and procedures.
            (13) Improvements to our understanding of convective 
        weather phenomena and of aircraft wake turbulence would 
        significantly improve the performance and safety of the 
        Nation's air transportation system.
            (14) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
        should continue to pursue research and development in 
        hypersonics.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``institution of higher education'' has the 
        meaning given that term by section 101 of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001);
            (2) the term ``NASA'' means the National Aeronautics and 
        Space Administration; and
            (3) the term ``NASA Administrator'' means the Administrator 
        of NASA.

   TITLE I--NATIONAL POLICY FOR AERONAUTICS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

SEC. 101. POLICY.

    It shall be the policy of the United States to reaffirm the 
National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 and its identification of 
aeronautical research and development as a core mission of NASA. 
Further, it shall be the policy of the United States to promote 
aeronautical research and development that will expand the capacity, 
ensure the safety, and increase the efficiency of the Nation's air 
transportation system, promote the security of the Nation, protect the 
environment, and retain the leadership of the United States in global 
aviation.

      TITLE II--NASA AERONAUTICS BREAKTHROUGH RESEARCH INITIATIVES

SEC. 201. ENVIRONMENTAL AIRCRAFT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.

    (a) Objective.--The NASA Administrator shall establish an 
initiative with the objective of developing, and demonstrating in a 
relevant environment, within 10 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, technologies to enable the following commercial aircraft 
performance characteristics:
            (1) Noise.--Noise levels on takeoff and on airport approach 
        and landing that do not exceed ambient noise levels in the 
        absence of flight operations in the vicinity of airports from 
        which such commercial aircraft would normally operate.
            (2) Energy consumption.--Twenty-five percent reduction in 
        the energy required for medium to long range flights, compared 
        to aircraft in commercial service as of the date of enactment 
        of this Act. This reduction may be achieved by a combination of 
        improvements to--
                    (A) specific fuel consumption;
                    (B) lift-to-drag ratio; and
                    (C) structural weight fraction.
            (3) Emissions.--Nitrogen oxides on take-off and landing 
        that are reduced by 50 percent relative to aircraft in 
        commercial service as of the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Implementation.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the NASA Administrator shall provide to Congress 
a plan for the implementation of the initiative described in subsection 
(a). Such implementation plan shall include--
            (1) technological roadmaps for achieving each of the 
        performance characteristics specified in subsection (a);
            (2) an estimate of the 10-year funding profile required to 
        achieve the objective specified in subsection (a);
            (3) a plan for carrying out a formal quantification of the 
        estimated costs and benefits of each technological option 
        selected for development beyond the initial concept definition 
        phase; and
            (4) a plan for transferring the technologies to industry, 
        including the identification of requirements for technology 
        demonstrations, as appropriate.
    (c) Study.--
            (1) Requirement.--The NASA Administrator shall enter into 
        an arrangement for the National Research Council to conduct a 
        study to identify and quantify new markets that would be 
        created, as well as existing markets that would be expanded, by 
        the incorporation of the technologies developed pursuant to 
        this section into future commercial aircraft. The study shall 
        identify whether any of the performance characteristics 
        specified in subsection (a) would need to be made more 
        stringent in order to create new markets or expand existing 
        markets. The National Research Council shall seek input from at 
        least the aircraft manufacturing industry, academia, and the 
        airlines in carrying out the study.
            (2) Report.--A report containing the results of the study 
        conducted under paragraph (1) shall be provided to Congress not 
        later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 202. CIVIL SUPERSONIC TRANSPORT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
              INITIATIVE.

    (a) Objective.--The NASA Administrator shall establish an 
initiative with the objective of developing, and demonstrating in a 
relevant environment, within 20 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, technologies to enable overland flight of supersonic civil 
transport aircraft with at least the following performance 
characteristics:
            (1) Mach number of at least 1.4.
            (2) Range of at least 4,000 nautical miles.
            (3) Payload of at least 24 passengers.
            (4) Noise levels on takeoff and on airport approach and 
        landing that meet community noise standards in place at 
        airports from which such commercial supersonic aircraft would 
        normally operate at the time the aircraft would enter 
        commercial service.
            (5) Shaped sonic boom signatures sufficiently low to permit 
        overland flight over populated areas.
            (6) Nitrogen oxide, carbon dioxide, and water vapor 
        emissions consistent with regulations likely to be in effect at 
        the time of this aircraft's introduction.
    (b) Implementation.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the NASA Administrator shall provide to Congress 
a plan for the implementation of the initiative described in subsection 
(a). Such implementation plan shall include--
            (1) technological roadmaps for achieving each of the 
        performance characteristics specified in subsection (a);
            (2) an estimate of the 10-year funding profile required to 
        achieve the objective specified in subsection (a);
            (3) a plan for carrying out a formal quantification of the 
        estimated costs and benefits of each technological option 
        selected for development beyond the initial concept definition 
        phase;
            (4) a plan for transferring the technologies to industry, 
        including the identification of requirements for technology 
        demonstrations, as appropriate;
            (5) a plan for research to quantify, within 3 years after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the limits on sonic boom 
        parameters, such as overpressure and rise time, that would be 
        acceptable to the general public; and
            (6) a plan for adjusting the noise reduction re-search and 
        development activities as needed to accommodate changes in 
        community noise standards that may occur over the lifetime of 
        the initiative.

SEC. 203. ROTORCRAFT AND OTHER RUNWAY-INDEPENDENT AIR VEHICLES RESEARCH 
              AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.

    (a) Objective.--The NASA Administrator shall establish a rotorcraft 
and other runway-independent air vehicles initiative with the objective 
of developing and demonstrating in a relevant environment, within 10 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, technologies to enable 
significantly safer, quieter, and more environmentally compatible 
operation from a wider range of airports under a wider range of weather 
conditions than is the case for rotorcraft and other runway-independent 
air vehicles in service as of the date of enactment of this Act.
    (b) Implementation.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the NASA Administrator shall provide a plan to 
the Congress for the implementation of the initiative described in 
subsection (a). The implementation plan shall include--
            (1) a set of performance characteristics, developed in 
        consultation with the National Research Council, that shall 
        quantify the objectives specified in subsection (a);
            (2) technological roadmaps for achieving each of the 
        performance characteristics developed under paragraph (1);
            (3) an estimate of the 10-year funding profile required to 
        achieve the objective specified in subsection (a);
            (4) a plan for carrying out a formal quantification of the 
        estimated costs and benefits of each technological option 
        selected for development beyond the initial concept definition 
        phase; and
            (5) a plan for transferring the technologies to industry, 
        including the identification of requirements for technology 
        demonstrations, as appropriate.

SEC. 204. REVIEW.

    The NASA Administrator shall enter into an arrangement with the 
National Research Council for the review, within 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, of the adequacy of the implementation 
plans provided under sections 201(b), 202(b), and 203(b) to achieve the 
objectives described in sections 201(a), 202(a), and 203(a). In 
addition, the NASA Administrator shall enter into an arrangement with 
the National Research Council for the review, every 3 years subsequent 
to the initial review under this section, of NASA's progress in 
achieving the objectives described in sections 201(a), 202(a), and 
203(a), including recommendations for changes to NASA's research and 
development program as needed, as well as recommendations for changes 
to the desired performance characteristics as needed. The results of 
each review shall be provided to Congress within 30 days after 
completion of the review.

 TITLE III--OTHER NASA AERONAUTICS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

SEC. 301. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY BASE PROGRAM.

    (a) Objective.--In order to ensure that the Nation maintains needed 
capabilities in fundamental areas of aeronautical research, the NASA 
Administrator shall establish a program of long-term fundamental 
research in aeronautical sciences and technologies that is not tied to 
specific development projects.
    (b) Assessment.--The NASA Administrator shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Research Council for an assessment of the 
Nation's future requirements for fundamental aeronautics research and 
whether the Nation will have a skilled research workforce and research 
facilities commensurate with those requirements. The assessment shall 
include an identification of any projected gaps, and recommendations 
for what steps should be taken by the Federal Government to eliminate 
those gaps.
    (c) Report.--The NASA Administrator shall transmit the assessment, 
along with NASA's response to the assessment, to Congress not later 
than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 302. AIRSPACE SYSTEMS RESEARCH.

    (a) Objective.--The Airspace Systems Research program shall pursue 
research and development to enable revolutionary improvements to and 
modernization of the National Airspace System, as well as to enable the 
introduction of new systems for vehicles that can take advantage of an 
improved, modern air transportation system.
    (b) Alignment.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the NASA Administrator shall align the projects of the 
Airspace Systems Research program so that they directly support the 
objectives of the Joint Planning and Development Office's Next 
Generation Air Transportation System Integrated Plan.

SEC. 303. AVIATION SAFETY AND SECURITY RESEARCH.

    (a) Objective.--The Aviation Safety and Security Research program 
shall pursue research and development activities that directly address 
the safety and security needs of the National Airspace System and the 
aircraft that fly in it. The program shall develop prevention, 
intervention, and mitigation technologies aimed at causal, 
contributory, or circumstantial factors of aviation accidents.
    (b) Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the NASA Administrator shall transmit to Congress a 5-year 
prioritized plan for the research to be conducted within the Aviation 
Safety and Security Research program. The plan shall be aligned with 
the objectives of the Joint Planning and Development Office's Next 
Generation Air Transportation System Integrated Plan.

SEC. 304. ZERO-EMISSIONS AIRCRAFT RESEARCH.

    (a) Objective.--The NASA Administrator shall establish a zero-
emissions aircraft research program whose objective shall be to develop 
and test concepts to enable a hydrogen fuel cell-powered aircraft that 
would have no hydrocarbon or nitrogen oxide emissions into the 
environment.
    (b) Approach.--The NASA Administrator shall establish a program of 
competitively awarded grants available to teams of researchers that may 
include the participation of individuals from universities, industry, 
and government for the conduct of this research.

SEC. 305. MARS AIRCRAFT RESEARCH.

    (a) Objective.--The NASA Administrator shall establish a Mars 
Aircraft project whose objective shall be to develop and test concepts 
for an uncrewed aircraft that could operate for sustained periods in 
the atmosphere of Mars.
    (b) Approach.--The NASA Administrator shall establish a program of 
competitively awarded grants available to teams of researchers that may 
include the participation of individuals from universities, industry, 
and government for the conduct of this research.

SEC. 306. HYPERSONICS RESEARCH.

    (a) Objective.--The NASA Administrator shall establish a 
hypersonics research program whose objective shall be to explore the 
science and technology of hypersonic flight using air-breathing 
propulsion concepts, through a mix of theoretical work, basic and 
applied research, and development of flight research demonstration 
vehicles.
    (b) Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the NASA Administrator shall develop a 10-year hypersonics 
research plan and shall have that plan reviewed by the National 
Research Council. The results of that review shall be provided to 
Congress.

SEC. 307. NASA AERONAUTICS SCHOLARSHIPS.

    (a) Establishment.--The NASA Administrator shall establish a 
program of scholarships for full-time graduate students who are United 
States citizens and are enrolled in, or have been accepted by and have 
indicated their intention to enroll in, accredited Masters degree 
programs in aeronautical engineering at institutions of higher 
education. Each such scholarship shall cover the costs of room, board, 
tuition, and fees, and may be provided for a maximum of 2 years.
    (b) Implementation.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the NASA Administrator shall publish regulations 
governing the scholarship program under this section.
    (c) Cooperative Training Opportunities.--Students who have been 
awarded a scholarship under this section shall have the opportunity for 
paid employment at one of the NASA Centers engaged in aeronautics 
research and development during the summer prior to the first year of 
the student's Masters program, and between the first and second year, 
if applicable.

SEC. 308. NASA AERONAUTICAL TEST FACILITIES POLICY.

     The NASA Administrator shall establish a policy of charging users 
of NASA's aeronautical test facilities for the costs associated with 
their tests, but shall not seek to recover the full costs of the 
operation of those facilities from the users. The NASA Administrator 
shall establish a core funding account that shall be used to maintain 
the operation and viability of NASA's aeronautical test facilities 
during periods of low utilization. The NASA Administrator shall not 
close or mothball any aeronautical test facilities identified in the 
2003 independent assessment by the RAND Corporation, entitled ``Wind 
Tunnel and Propulsion Test Facilities: An Assessment of NASA's 
Capabilities to Serve National Needs'' as being part of the minimum set 
of those facilities necessary to retain and manage to serve national 
needs until such time as the Office of Science and Technology Policy of 
the Executive Office of the President has commissioned and received the 
results of an independent review of the Nation's long term strategic 
needs for aeronautical test facilities and transmitted the results of 
that review to Congress.

SEC. 309. AVIATION WEATHER RESEARCH.

    The NASA Administrator shall carry out a program of collaborative 
research with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on 
convective weather events, with the goal of significantly improving the 
reliability of 2-hour to 6-hour aviation weather forecasts.

SEC. 310. ASSESSMENT OF WAKE TURBULENCE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Assessment.--The NASA Administrator shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Research Council for an assessment of 
Federal wake turbulence research and development programs. The 
assessment shall address at least the following questions:
            (1) Are the Federal research and development goals and 
        objectives well defined?
            (2) Are there any deficiencies in the Federal research and 
        development goals and objectives?
            (3) What roles should be played by each of the relevant 
        Federal agencies, such as NASA, the Federal Aviation 
        Administration, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
        Administration, in wake turbulence research and development?
    (b) Report.--A report containing the results of the assessment 
conducted pursuant to subsection (a) shall be provided to Congress not 
later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 311. UNIVERSITY-BASED CENTERS FOR RESEARCH ON AVIATION TRAINING.

    (a) In General.--The NASA Administrator shall award grants to 
institutions of higher education (or consortia thereof) to establish 
one or more Centers for Research on Aviation Training.
    (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the Centers shall be to investigate 
the impact of new technologies and procedures, particularly those 
related to the aircraft flight deck and to the air traffic management 
functions, on training requirements for pilots and air traffic 
controllers.
    (c) Application.--An institution of higher education (or a 
consortium of such institutions) seeking funding under this section 
shall submit an application to the NASA Administrator at such time, in 
such manner, and containing such information as the NASA Administrator 
may require, including, at a minimum, a 5-year research plan.
    (d) Award Duration.--An award made by the NASA Administrator under 
this section shall be for a period of 5 years and may be renewed on the 
basis of--
            (1) satisfactory performance in meeting the goals of the 
        research plan proposed by the Center in its application under 
        subsection (c); and
            (2) other requirements as specified by the NASA 
        Administrator.

               TITLE IV--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS

SEC. 401. TOTAL AUTHORIZATIONS.

    The total amounts authorized to be appropriated for aeronautics 
research, development, and demonstration activities at NASA, including 
the amounts authorized by this Act, are--
            (1) $1,057,000,000 for fiscal year 2006;
            (2) $1,089,000,000 for fiscal year 2007;
            (3) $1,121,000,000 for fiscal year 2008;
            (4) $1,155,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; and
            (5) $1,190,000,000 for fiscal year 2010.
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