[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3465 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3465

To amend title 49, United States Code, to increase penalties for pilots 
 who violate flight restrictions established for the National capital 
                            region airspace.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 27, 2005

 Mr. Blunt (for himself and Mr. Hoyer) introduced the following bill; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to increase penalties for pilots 
 who violate flight restrictions established for the National capital 
                            region airspace.

    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 `` Capitol Airspace Enforcement Act''.

SEC. 2. INCREASED PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS 
              ESTABLISHED FOR NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION AIRSPACE.

    Section 46301(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Violations of flight restrictions established for 
        national capital region airspace.--
                    ``(A) Civil penalty.--Notwithstanding paragraphs 
                (1) and (2), an individual shall be liable to the 
                Government for--
                            ``(i) a civil penalty of not less than 
                        $10,000, but not more than $100,000, if the 
                        individual while acting as a pilot violates the 
                        District of Columbia metropolitan area Flight 
                        Restricted Zone (referred to in this Act as the 
                        `DC FRZ') as established by the Administrator 
                        of the Federal Aviation Administration under 
                        section 40103(b); and
                            ``(ii) a civil penalty of not more than 
                        $5,000, if the individual while acting as a 
                        pilot violates the District of Columbia 
                        metropolitan area Air Defense Identification 
                        Zone (referred to in this Act as the `DC ADIZ') 
                        as established by the Administrator of the 
                        Federal Aviation Administration under section 
                        40103(b).
                    ``(B) Pilot certificate.--The Administrator shall 
                suspend, for a period of not less than 2 years but not 
                more than 5 years, the pilot certificate of an 
                individual who violates a flight restriction described 
                in subparagraph (A)(i).
                    ``(C) Amount of penalty.--A civil penalty imposed 
                under this paragraph may not be compromised by the 
                Secretary under subsection (f)(1)(A)(ii).''.

SEC. 3. PILOT EDUCATION.

    (a) Specialized Pilot Instruction.--As soon as practicable, but not 
later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall require 
specialized instruction on proper airspace use and compliance with 
flight restrictions in and around special flight rules areas as 
established by the Federal Aviation Administration under section 
40103(b) of title 49, United States Code. The Administrator shall 
require compliance with the requirements of this subsection in the most 
efficient manner possible, including using internet based training, 
printed materials, flight review, or other flight training. The 
specialized instruction shall, at a minimum, include--
            (1) procedures for operations in the (DC FRZ) and Air 
        Defense Identification Zone (DC ADIZ), including the visual 
        warning system;
            (2) compliance with other security related flight 
        restrictions;
            (3) flight planning procedures and preparation for 
        operations in the DC FRZ and DC ADIZ, and other areas impacted 
        by security-related restrictions;
            (4) procedures for obtaining and understanding notices to 
        airmen (referred to in this Act as ``NOTAMs'') that are 
        necessary to comply with security-related flight restrictions; 
        and
            (5) appropriate responses to government and law enforcement 
        authorities in the event of a violation, and familiarization 
        with airborne intercept procedures.
    (b) Pilot Testing.--The Administrator shall include material on 
special flight rules and restricted airspace, on both the written and 
practical tests for Recreational and private pilot certificates and any 
other pilot test that the Administrator determines is appropriate.
    (c) Notice to Airmen.--The Administrator shall ensure that 
``NOTAMs'' regarding the national capital region airspace are issued in 
a timely manner and are easily accessible to all private pilots 
operating in the surrounding airspace.
    (d) Recordation of Training by Pilot.--Training in compliance with 
the requirements of subsection (a) shall be recorded by the pilot in 
the airman's logbook.
    (e) Confirmation of Training.--Prior to leasing an aircraft to be 
operated in the National capital region airspace, the aircraft lessor 
shall review the airman's logbook to confirm that the pilot seeking to 
lease the aircraft has received the training required in subsection 
(a).
                                 <all>