[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2698 Reported in House (RH)]






                                                 Union Calendar No. 205
110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2698

                          [Report No. 110-329]

    To authorize appropriations for the civil aviation research and 
      development projects and activities of the Federal Aviation 
                Administration, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 13, 2007

    Mr. Udall of Colorado (for himself and Mr. Gordon of Tennessee) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
                         Science and Technology

                           September 17, 2007

              Additional sponsor: Mr. Bartlett of Maryland

                           September 17, 2007

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]
 [For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on June 
                               13, 2007]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To authorize appropriations for the civil aviation research and 
      development projects and activities of the Federal Aviation 
                Administration, 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 ``Federal Aviation Research and 
Development Reauthorization Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    As used in this Act--
            (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
        the Federal Aviation Administration;
            (2) the term ``Director'' means the Director of the Joint 
        Planning and Development Office;
            (3) the term ``FAA'' means the Federal Aviation 
        Administration;
            (4) the term ``NASA'' means the National Aeronautics and 
        Space Administration;
            (5) the term ``National Research Council'' means the 
        National Research Council of the National Academies of Science 
        and Engineering;
            (6) the term ``NOAA'' means the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration;
            (7) the term ``NSF'' means the National Science Foundation;
            (8) the term ``Office'' means the Next Generation Air 
        Transportation System Joint Planning and Development Office; 
        and
            (9) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
        Transportation.

SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 48102(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (11)(L), by striking ``and'';
            (2) in paragraph (12)(L), by striking the period and 
        inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(13) for fiscal year 2008, $335,191,000, including--
                    ``(A) $7,350,000 for fire research and safety;
                    ``(B) $4,086,000 for propulsion and fuel systems;
                    ``(C) $2,713,000 for advanced materials and 
                structural safety;
                    ``(D) $3,574,000 for atmospheric hazards and 
                digital system safety;
                    ``(E) $14,931,000 for aging aircraft;
                    ``(F) $2,202,000 for aircraft catastrophic failure 
                prevention research;
                    ``(G) $14,651,000 for flightdeck maintenance, 
                system integration, and human factors;
                    ``(H) $9,517,000 for aviation safety risk analysis;
                    ``(I) $15,254,000 for air traffic control, 
                technical operations, and human factors;
                    ``(J) $6,780,000 for aeromedical research;
                    ``(K) $19,888,000 for weather programs;
                    ``(L) $6,310,000 for unmanned aircraft systems 
                research;
                    ``(M) $18,100,000 for the Next Generation Air 
                Transportation System Joint Planning and Development 
                Office;
                    ``(N) $13,755,000 for wake turbulence;
                    ``(O) $20,469,000 for environment and energy;
                    ``(P) $1,184,000 for system planning and resource 
                management;
                    ``(Q) $3,415,000 for the William J. Hughes 
                Technical Center Laboratory Facility;
                    ``(R) $74,200,000 for the Center for Advanced 
                Aviation System Development;
                    ``(S) $2,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--capacity;
                    ``(T) $3,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--environment;
                    ``(U) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--safety;
                    ``(V) $3,600,000 for GPS civil requirements;
                    ``(W) $5,000,000 for runway incursion reduction;
                    ``(X) $6,500,000 for system capacity, planning, and 
                improvement;
                    ``(Y) $3,000,000 for operations concept validation;
                    ``(Z) $1,000,000 for NAS weather requirements;
                    ``(AA) $4,000,000 for the Airspace Management Lab;
                    ``(BB) $5,000,000 for airspace redesign;
                    ``(CC) $4,000,000 for wind profiling and weather 
                research, Juneau;
                    ``(DD) $1,000,000 for the Local Area Augmentation 
                System (LAAS);
                    ``(EE) $15,000,000 for Safe Flight 21, Alaska 
                Capstone;
                    ``(FF) $20,000,000 for NextGen demonstration;
                    ``(GG) $8,907,000 for airports technology 
                research--capacity;
                    ``(HH) $9,805,000 for airports technology 
                research--safety;
            ``(14) for fiscal year 2009, $481,554,000, including--
                    ``(A) $8,457,000 for fire research and safety;
                    ``(B) $4,050,000 for propulsion and fuel systems;
                    ``(C) $2,686,000 for advanced materials and 
                structural safety;
                    ``(D) $3,568,000 for atmospheric hazards and 
                digital system safety;
                    ``(E) $14,683,000 for aging aircraft;
                    ``(F) $2,158,000 for aircraft catastrophic failure 
                prevention research;
                    ``(G) $37,499,000 for flightdeck maintenance, 
                system integration, and human factors;
                    ``(H) $8,349,000 for aviation safety risk analysis;
                    ``(I) $15,323,000 for air traffic control, 
                technical operations, and human factors;
                    ``(J) $6,932,000 for aeromedical research;
                    ``(K) $22,336,000 for weather program;
                    ``(L) $6,738,000 for unmanned aircraft systems 
                research;
                    ``(M) $18,100,000 for the Next Generation Air 
                Transportation System Joint Planning and Development 
                Office;
                    ``(N) $11,560,000 for wake turbulence;
                    ``(O) $35,039,000 for environment and energy;
                    ``(P) $1,847,000 for system planning and resource 
                management;
                    ``(Q) $3,548,000 for the William J. Hughes 
                Technical Center Laboratory Facility;
                    ``(R) $85,000,000 for Center for Advanced Aviation 
                System Development;
                    ``(S) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--capacity;
                    ``(T) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--environment;
                    ``(U) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--safety;
                    ``(V) $3,469,000 for GPS civil requirements;
                    ``(W) $5,000,000 for runway incursion reduction;
                    ``(X) $6,500,000 for system capacity, planning and 
                improvement;
                    ``(Y) $3,000,000 for Operations Concept Validation;
                    ``(Z) $1,000,000 for NAS weather requirements;
                    ``(AA) $4,000,000 for the Airspace Management Lab;
                    ``(BB) $3,000,000 for airspace redesign;
                    ``(CC) $20,000,000 for Safe Flight 21, Alaska 
                Capstone;
                    ``(DD) $12,000,000 for NextGen demonstration;
                    ``(EE) $102,000,000 for NextGen system development;
                    ``(FF) $8,907,000 for airports technology 
                research--capacity;
                    ``(GG) $9,805,000 for airports technology 
                research--safety;
            ``(15) for fiscal year 2010, $486,502,000, including--
                    ``(A) $8,546,000 for fire research and safety;
                    ``(B) $4,075,000 for propulsion and fuel systems;
                    ``(C) $2,700,000 for advanced materials and 
                structural safety;
                    ``(D) $3,608,000 for atmospheric hazards and 
                digital system safety;
                    ``(E) $14,688,000 for aging aircraft;
                    ``(F) $2,153,000 for aircraft catastrophic failure 
                prevention research;
                    ``(G) $36,967,000 for flightdeck maintenance, 
                system integration, and human factors;
                    ``(H) $8,334,000 for aviation safety risk analysis;
                    ``(I) $15,471,000 for air traffic control, 
                technical operations, and human factors;
                    ``(J) $7,149,000 for aeromedical research;
                    ``(K) $23,286,000 for weather program;
                    ``(L) $6,236,000 for unmanned aircraft systems 
                research;
                    ``(M) $18,100,000 for the Next Generation Air 
                Transportation System Joint Planning and Development 
                Office;
                    ``(N) $11,412,000 for wake turbulence;
                    ``(O) $34,678,000 for environment and energy;
                    ``(P) $1,827,000 for system planning and resource 
                management;
                    ``(Q) $3,644,000 for William J. Hughes Technical 
                Center Laboratory Facility;
                    ``(R) $90,000,000 for the Center for Advanced 
                Aviation System Development;
                    ``(S) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--capacity;
                    ``(T) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--environment;
                    ``(U) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--safety;
                    ``(V) $3,416,000 for GPS civil requirements;
                    ``(W) $5,000,000 for runway incursion reduction;
                    ``(X) $6,500,000 for system capacity, planning and 
                improvement;
                    ``(Y) $3,000,000 for operations concept validation;
                    ``(Z) $1,000,000 for NAS weather requirements;
                    ``(AA) $4,000,000 for the Airspace Management Lab;
                    ``(BB) $3,000,000 for airspace redesign;
                    ``(CC) $20,000,000 for Safe Flight 21, Alaska 
                Capstone;
                    ``(DD) $12,000,000 for NextGen demonstration;
                    ``(EE) $102,000,000 for NextGen system development;
                    ``(FF) $8,907,000 for airports technology 
                research--capacity;
                    ``(GG) $9,805,000 for airports technology 
                research--safety; and
            ``(16) for fiscal year 2011, $514,832,000, including--
                    ``(A) $8,815,000 for fire research and safety;
                    ``(B) $4,150,000 for propulsion and fuel systems;
                    ``(C) $2,747,000 for advanced materials and 
                structural safety;
                    ``(D) $3,687,000 for atmospheric hazards and 
                digital system safety;
                    ``(E) $14,903,000 for aging aircraft;
                    ``(F) $2,181,000 for aircraft catastrophic failure 
                prevention research;
                    ``(G) $39,245,000 for flightdeck maintenance, 
                system integration and human factors;
                    ``(H) $8,446,000 for aviation safety risk analysis;
                    ``(I) $15,715,000 for air traffic control, 
                technical operations, and human factors;
                    ``(J) $7,390,000 for aeromedical research;
                    ``(K) $23,638,000 for weather program;
                    ``(L) $6,295,000 for unmanned aircraft systems 
                research;
                    ``(M) $18,100,000 for the Next Generation Air 
                Transportation System Joint Planning and Development 
                Office;
                    ``(N) $11,471,000 for wake turbulence;
                    ``(O) $34,811,000 for environment and energy;
                    ``(P) $1,836,000 for system planning and resource 
                management;
                    ``(Q) $3,758,000 for William J. Hughes Technical 
                Center Laboratory Facility;
                    ``(R) $114,000,000 for Center for Advanced Aviation 
                System Development;
                    ``(S) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--capacity;
                    ``(T) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--environment;
                    ``(U) $5,000,000 for the Airport Cooperative 
                Research Program--safety;
                    ``(V) $3,432,000 for GPS civil requirements;
                    ``(W) $2,000,000 for runway incursion reduction;
                    ``(X) $6,500,000 for system capacity, planning and 
                improvement;
                    ``(Y) $3,000,000 for operations concept validation;
                    ``(Z) $1,000,000 for NAS weather requirements;
                    ``(AA) $4,000,000 for the Airspace Management Lab;
                    ``(BB) $3,000,000 for airspace redesign;
                    ``(CC) $20,000,000 for Safe Flight 21, Alaska 
                Capstone;
                    ``(DD) $12,000,000 for NextGen demonstration;
                    ``(EE) $105,000,000 for NextGen system development;
                    ``(FF) $8,907,000 for airports technology 
                research--capacity;
                    ``(GG) $9,805,000 for airports technology 
                research--safety.''.

SEC. 4. NEXT GENERATION AIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM JOINT PLANNING AND 
              DEVELOPMENT OFFICE.

    (a) Status of Director and Responsibilities of Office.--Section 709 
of the Vision 100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 
40101 note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the 
                following: ``The head of the Office shall be the 
                Director. The Director shall report to the 
                Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
                and shall serve as Associate Administrator for the Next 
                Generation Air Transportation System, and shall be a 
                voting member and co-chair of the Joint Resources 
                Council.'';
                    (B) by amending paragraph (2)(C) to read as 
                follows:
                    ``(C) creating a transition plan for the 
                implementation of that system that includes date-
                specific milestones for the implementation of new 
                capabilities into the national airspace system;'';
                    (C) in paragraph (2)(G), by striking ``; and'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (D) in paragraph (2)(H), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and'';
                    (E) by adding at the end of paragraph (2) the 
                following:
                    ``(I) establishing specific quantitative goals for 
                the safety, capacity, efficiency, performance, and 
                environmental impacts of each phase of Next Generation 
                Air Transportation System implementation activities and 
                measuring actual operational experience against those 
                goals, taking into account noise pollution reduction 
                concerns of affected communities to the greatest extent 
                practicable in establishing the environmental goals;
                    ``(J) working to ensure global interoperability of 
                the Next Generation Air Transportation System;
                    ``(K) integrating aviation weather information and 
                space weather information into the Next Generation Air 
                Transportation System as soon as possible;
                    ``(L) overseeing, with the Administrator, the 
                selection of products or outcomes of research and 
                development activities that would be moved to the next 
                stage of a demonstration project through the Joint 
                Resources Council;
                    ``(M) maintaining a baseline modeling and 
                simulation environment for testing and evaluating 
                alternative concepts to satisfy Next Generation Air 
                Transportation enterprise architecture requirements; 
                and
                    ``(N) pursuing the integration of unmanned aircraft 
                systems into the national airspace system through 
                research and demonstration programs under the auspices 
                of a public and private partnership.''; and
            (2) in subsection (e), by striking ``2010'' and inserting 
        ``2011''.
    (b) Accountability.--Section 709(a) is further amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``(A)'' after the 
        paragraph designation; and
            (2) by adding at the end of paragraph (3) the following:
    ``(B) The Administrator, the Secretary of Defense, the 
Administrator of NASA, the Secretary of Commerce, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, and the head of any other Department or Federal 
agency from which the Secretary of Transportation requests assistance 
under paragraph (A) shall designate a senior official in the department 
or agency to be responsible for--
            ``(i) implementing the department's or agency's Next 
        Generation Air Transportation System activities with the 
        Office, including the execution of all aspects of the 
        department's or agency's work on developing and implementing 
        the integrated plan described in section 709(2)(A); and
            ``(ii) ensuring that the department or agency meets its 
        obligations as set forth in the memorandum of understanding 
        executed by or on behalf of the department or agency under 
        subparagraph (D).
    ``(C) The head of any such department or agency shall--
            ``(i) establish an office within the department or agency 
        to carry out its responsibilities under the memorandum of 
        understanding under the supervision of the designated official; 
        and
            ``(ii) ensure that the designated official has sufficient 
        budgetary authority and staff resources to carry out the 
        department's or agency's Next Generation Air Transportation 
        System responsibilities as set forth in the integrated plan 
        under section 709(b).
    ``(D) Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of the 
Federal Aviation Research and Development Reauthorization Act of 2007, 
the head of each department or agency that has responsibility for 
carrying out any activity under the integrated plan under section 
709(b) shall execute a memorandum of understanding with the Office 
obligating that department or agency to carry out those activities.''.
    (c) Integrated Plan.--Section 709(b) of the Vision 100--Century of 
Aviation Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--
            (1) by striking the first sentence and inserting ``The 
        integrated plan shall be designed to ensure that the Next 
        Generation Air Transportation System meets anticipated future 
        air transportation safety, security, mobility, efficiency, and 
        capacity needs and accomplishes the goals under subsection 
        (c).'';
            (2) in paragraph (3)(C), by striking ``; and'' and 
        inserting a semicolon;
            (3) in paragraph (4) by striking the period and inserting a 
        semicolon; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) Date-specific timetables for the partial and complete 
        implementation of planned Next Generation Air Transportation 
        System capabilities, including but not limited to Automated 
        Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
        operations, Next Generation Enabled Weather system, Next 
        Generation Data Communications, NAS Voice Switch, System Wide 
        Information Management system, and space weather information, 
        and including any necessary certification activities, and 
        including an evaluation of the costs and benefits of 
        accelerating any of the implementation and certification 
        timetables;
            ``(6) Identification of planned demonstration projects and 
        date-specific timetables for the conduct of the demonstration 
        projects and subsequent certification activities and an 
        evaluation of the costs and benefits of accelerating any of the 
        demonstration projects and certification activities;
            ``(7) Date-specific timetables for meeting the 
        environmental requirements identified in subsection (I); and
            ``(8) Identification, on an annual basis, of each entity 
        that will be responsible for each component of any research, 
        development, or implementation activity.''.
    (d) Annual Report.--Section 709(d) of the Vision 100--Century of 
Aviation Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended to read 
as follows:
    ``(d) Annual Reports.--The Director of the Office shall transmit a 
report annually to the Committee on Science and Technology and the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate at the time of the President's budget 
request describing the progress in carrying out the plan required under 
subsection (b) and any changes to that plan. The annual report shall 
include--
            ``(1) the updated integrated plan developed under 
        subsection (b);
            ``(2) a detailed description of the progress made in 
        carrying out the integrated plan and any changes made to that 
        plan since the previous annual report, and identifying any 
        changes resulting from funding shortfalls or limitations set by 
        the Office of Management and Budget;
            ``(3) any deviation from previously established development 
        and implementation milestones, the reasons for the deviation, 
        and the impact of the deviation;
            ``(4) the relevant programs and activities for the previous 
        fiscal year and the proposed programs and activities under the 
        President's budget request, of each participating Federal 
        agency and department; and
            ``(5) the levels of funding for each participating Federal 
        agency and department devoted to the programs and activities in 
        paragraph (4) for the previous fiscal year and under the 
        President's budget request.''.
    (e) Senior Policy Committee.--Section 710(a) of the Vision 100--
Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is 
amended in the last sentence by inserting ``, and shall meet at least 
four times each year'' before the period.
    (f) Budget Preparation.--
            (1) Each Federal agency and department participating in the 
        office shall, as part of its annual request for appropriations 
        to the Office of Management and Budget, submit a report to the 
        Office of Management and Budget which--
                    (A) identifies each element of its work program 
                which contributes directly to Next Generation Air 
                Transportation System initiative; and
                    (B) states the portion of its request for 
                appropriations that is allocated to each such element.
            (2) The Office of Management and Budget shall review each 
        such report in light of the goals, priorities, and agency and 
        departmental responsibilities set forth in the annual report 
        submitted under the amendment made by subsection (d), and shall 
        include, in the President's annual budget estimate, a statement 
        of the portion of each appropriate agency's or department's 
        annual budget estimate relating to its activities undertaken 
        pursuant to the Next Generation Air Transportation System 
        initiative.
    (g) Contingency Planning.--The Director shall, as part of the 
design of the Next Generation Air Transportation System, develop 
contingency plans for dealing with the degradation of the Next 
Generation Air Transportation System in the event of a natural 
disaster, major equipment failure, or act of terrorism.
    (h) Environmental Research.--The Director shall establish 
environmental objectives for noise, emissions, and energy consumption 
to be satisfied in the Next Generation Air Transportation System 
through a combination of technologies and operational procedures. The 
Director shall assign primary responsibility for the research, 
development, and demonstration of the applicable technologies in a 
relevant environment to NASA and primary responsibility for 
demonstration of optimized operational procedures to the FAA.
    (i) Government Accountability Office Assessment and Report.--
            (1) Scope.--The Comptroller General shall assess compliance 
        with the requirements of section 709 of the Vision 100--Century 
        of Aviation Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) to 
        determine--
                    (A) the effectiveness of the Next Generation Air 
                Transportation System Joint Planning and Development 
                Office in meeting the deadlines and milestones of the 
                integrated plan under that section; and
                    (B) the adequacy and effectiveness of the memoranda 
                of understanding executed by Federal departments and 
                agencies under that section.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter until the Next 
        Generation Air Transportation System is fully operational, the 
        Comptroller General shall transmit a report to the Committee on 
        Science and Technology and the Committee on Transportation and 
        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
        Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate containing the Comptroller General's findings, 
        conclusions and recommendations related to the assessment in 
        paragraph (1).
    (j) Unmanned Aircraft Systems.--
            (1) Research initiative.--
                    (A) Improved manned and unmanned aircraft.--Section 
                44504 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
                            (i) in subsection (a), by inserting 
                        ``unmanned and manned'' after ``improve'';
                            (ii) in subsection (b)(6), by striking 
                        ``and'' after the semicolon;
                            (iii) in subsection (b)(7) by striking the 
                        period and inserting ``; and''; and
                            (iv) by adding at the end of subsection (b) 
                        the following:
            ``(8) in conjunction with other Federal agencies as 
        appropriate, to develop technologies and methods to assess the 
        risk of and prevent defects, failures, and malfunctions of 
        products, parts, and processes, for use in all classes of 
        unmanned aircraft systems that could result in a catastrophic 
        failure of the unmanned aircraft that would endanger other 
        aircraft in the national airspace system.''.
                    (B) Systems, procedures, facilities, and devices.--
                Section 44505(b) of such title is amended--
                            (i) in paragraph (4), by striking ``and'' 
                        after the semicolon;
                            (ii) in paragraph (5)(C), by striking the 
                        period and inserting a semicolon; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end of subsection 
                        (b) the following:
            ``(6) to develop a better understanding of the relationship 
        between human factors and unmanned aircraft systems safety; and
            ``(7) to develop dynamic simulation models for integrating 
        all classes of unmanned aircraft systems into the national 
        airspace system without any degradation of existing levels of 
        safety for all national airspace system users.''.
            (2) Roadmap.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall develop and 
        transmit an unmanned aircraft systems research, development, 
        demonstration and implementation ``roadmap'' to the Committee 
        on Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and 
        the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
        Senate.
            (3) Independent assessment.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 3 months after the 
                date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
                enter into an arrangement with the National Research 
                Council for an assessment of the status of unmanned 
                aircraft systems that shall include consideration of--
                            (i) human factors regarding unmanned 
                        aircraft systems operation;
                            (ii) ``detect, sense and avoid 
                        technologies'' with respect to both cooperative 
                        and non-cooperative aircraft;
                            (iii) spectrum issues and bandwidth 
                        requirements;
                            (iv) operation in suboptimal winds and 
                        adverse weather conditions;
                            (v) mechanisms for communicating unmanned 
                        aircraft system location;
                            (vi) airworthiness and system redundancy;
                            (vii) flight termination systems for safety 
                        and security;
                            (viii) technologies for unmanned aircraft 
                        systems flight control;
                            (ix) technologies for unmanned aircraft 
                        systems propulsion;
                            (x) unmanned aircraft systems operator 
                        qualifications, medical standards, and training 
                        requirements;
                            (xi) unmanned aircraft systems maintenance 
                        requirements and training requirements;
                            (xii) any other unmanned aircraft systems-
                        related issue the Administrator believes should 
                        be addressed; and
                            (xiii) recommendations for integrating 
                        unmanned aircraft systems into the national 
                        airspace system in a timely manner without any 
                        degradation of existing levels of safety for 
                        all national airspace system users.
                    (B) Report.--Not later than 12 months after 
                initiating the study, the National Academy shall submit 
                its report to the Administrator, the Senate Committee 
                on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and the House 
                of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology 
                containing its finding and recommendations.
            (4) Pilot projects for transitioning research and 
        development results.--
                    (A) In general.--The Administrator shall establish 
                pilot projects in sparsely populated, low-density Class 
                G air traffic airspace to conduct experiments and 
                collect data in order to accelerate the safe 
                integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the 
                national airspace system without any degradation of 
                existing levels of safety for all national airspace 
                system users.
                    (B) Use of public-private partnership.--In 
                conducting the pilot projects, the Administrator shall 
                encourage the formation of a public-private 
                partnership.
                    (C) Report.--Not later than 90 days after 
                completing the pilot projects, the Administrator shall 
                transmit a report to the Committee on Science and 
                Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
                Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of 
                the Senate, setting forth the Administrator's findings 
                and conclusions concerning the projects.
                    (D) Authorization of appropriations.--There is 
                authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator for 
                fiscal years 2008 and 2009 such sums as may be 
                necessary to carry out the pilot projects under this 
                paragraph.

SEC. 5. INTERAGENCY RESEARCH INITIATIVE ON THE IMPACT OF AVIATION ON 
              THE CLIMATE.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator, in coordination with NASA and 
the United States Climate Change Science Program, shall establish a 
research initiative to assess the impact of aviation on the climate 
and, if warranted, to evaluate approaches to mitigate that impact.
    (b) Research Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the participating Federal entities shall jointly 
develop a plan for the research program that contains the objectives, 
proposed tasks, milestones, and 5-year budgetary profile.
    (c) Review.--The Administrator shall have the National Research 
Council conduct an independent review of the interagency research 
program plan and provide the results of that review to the Committee on 
Science and Technology of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not 
later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2008, and $5,000,000 in each of 
the fiscal years 2009 through 2011, for the interagency research 
program established under this section.

SEC. 6. RESEARCH PROGRAM ON RUNWAYS.

    (a) Establishment of Research Program.--The Administrator shall 
establish a program of research grants to universities and non-profit 
research foundations for research and technology demonstrations related 
to--
            (1) improved runway surfaces; and
            (2) engineered material restraining systems for runways at 
        both general aviation airports and airports with commercial air 
        carrier operations.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2011 
to carry out this section.

SEC. 7. RESEARCH ON DESIGN FOR CERTIFICATION.

    (a) Joint Program.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the FAA and NASA shall establish a joint 
research program on methods to improve both confidence in and the 
timeliness of certification of new technologies for their introduction 
into the national airspace system.
    (b) Research Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, as part of the activity described in subsection 
(a), the FAA and NASA shall jointly develop a plan for the research 
program that contains the objectives, proposed tasks, milestones, and 
five-year budgetary profile.
    (c) Review.--The Administrator shall have the National Research 
Council conduct an independent review of the joint research program 
plan and provide the results of that review to the Committee on Science 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 18 
months after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 8. CENTERS OF EXCELLENCE.

    (a) Amendment.--Section 44513(f) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
    ``(f) Government's Share of Costs.--The United States Government's 
share of establishing and operating the center and all related research 
activities that grant recipients carry out shall not exceed 75 percent 
of the costs. The United States Government's share of an individual 
grant under this section shall not exceed 90 percent of the costs.''.
    (b) Annual Report.--The Administrator shall transmit a report 
annually to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate at the time of the President's budget 
request that lists--
            (1) the research projects that have been initiated by each 
        Center of Excellence in the preceding year;
            (2) the amount of funding for each research project and the 
        funding source;
            (3) the institutions participating in each project and 
        their shares of the overall funding for each research project; 
        and
            (4) the level of cost-sharing for each research project.

SEC. 9. AIRPORT COOPERATIVE RESEARCH PROGRAM.

    Section 44511(f) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``establish a 4-year 
        pilot'' and inserting ``maintain an''; and
            (2) in paragraph (4)--
                    (A) by striking ``expiration of the program'' and 
                inserting ``expiration of the pilot program''; and
                    (B) by striking ``program, including 
                recommendations as to the need for establishing a 
                permanent airport cooperative research program'' and 
                inserting ``program''.

SEC. 10. RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM INVOLVING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall establish a program to 
utilize colleges and universities, including Historically Black 
Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, tribally 
controlled colleges and universities, and Alaska Native and Native 
Hawaiian serving institutions in conducting research by undergraduate 
students on subjects of relevance to the FAA. Grants may be awarded 
under this section for--
            (1) research projects to be carried out primarily by 
        undergraduate students;
            (2) research projects that combine undergraduate research 
        with other research supported by the FAA;
            (3) research on future training requirements related to 
        projected changes in regulatory requirements for aircraft 
        maintenance and power plant licensees; and
            (4) research on the impact of new technologies and 
        procedures, particularly those related to aircraft flight deck 
        and air traffic management functions, and on training 
        requirements for pilots and air traffic controllers.
    (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2011, 
for research grants under this section.

SEC. 11. BUDGET FORMULATION.

    Section 48102 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting after subsection (f) the following new subsection:
    ``(g) Budget Formulation.--(1) The Department of Transportation's 
annual budget request for the Federal Aviation Administration shall 
identify all of the activities carried out by the Administration within 
the categories of basic research, applied research, and development, as 
classified by the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-11. Each 
activity in the categories of basic research, applied research, and 
development shall be identified regardless of the budget category in 
which it appears in the budget request.
    ``(2) The budget request specified in paragraph (1) shall be 
submitted to the Committee on Science and Technology and the Committee 
on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate at the same time as the President's Budget Request is submitted 
to the Congress.''.

SEC. 12. RESEARCH PROGRAM ON SPACE WEATHER AND AVIATION.

    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall, in coordination with the National Science 
Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other relevant agencies, 
initiate a research program to--
            (1) conduct or supervise research projects on impacts of 
        space weather to aviation, including communication, navigation, 
        avionic systems, and on airline passengers and personnel; and
            (2) facilitate the transfer of technology from space 
        weather research programs to Federal agencies with operational 
        responsibilities and to the private sector.
    (b) Use of Grants or Cooperative Agreements.--The Administrator may 
use grants or cooperative agreements in carrying out this section.
    (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to amounts 
authorized to be appropriated by the amendments made by this Act, there 
is authorized to be appropriated $1,000,000 for each of the fiscal 
years 2008 through 2011 to carry out this section.

SEC. 13. AVIATION GAS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Continuation of Program.--The Administrator, in coordination 
with the NASA Administrator, shall continue research and development 
activities into technologies for modification of existing general 
aviation piston engines to enable their safe operation using unleaded 
aviation fuel.
    (b) Roadmap.--Not later than 120 days of the enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall develop a research and development roadmap for 
the program continued in subsection (a), containing the specific 
research and development objectives and anticipated timetable for 
achieving the objectives.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 130 days of the enactment of this Act, 
the Administrator shall provide the roadmap specified in subsection (b) 
to the Committee on Science and Technology of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $750,000 for each of the fiscal years 2008 through 2010, 
to carry out this section.

SEC. 14. RESEARCH REVIEWS AND ASSESSMENTS.

    (a) Review of FAA's Energy- and Environment-Related Research 
Programs.--
            (1) Study.--The Administrator shall enter into an 
        arrangement with the National Research Council for a review of 
        the FAA's energy- and environment-related research program. The 
        review shall assess whether--
                    (A) the programs have well-defined, prioritized, 
                and appropriate research objectives;
                    (B) the program are properly coordinated with the 
                energy- and environment-related research programs of 
                NASA, NOAA, and other relevant agencies;
                    (C) the program have allocated appropriate 
                resources to each of the research objectives; and
                    (D) there exist suitable mechanisms for 
                transitioning the research results into the FAA's 
                operational technologies and procedures and 
                certification activities.
            (2) Report.--A report containing the results of the review 
        shall be provided to the Committee on Science and Technology of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate within eighteen 
        months of the enactment of this Act.
    (b) Assessment of the Impact of Space Weather on Aviation.--
            (1) Study.--The Administrator shall enter into an 
        arrangement with the National Research Council for a study of 
        the impacts of space weather on the current and future United 
        States aviation industry, and in particular, to examine the 
        risks for Over-The-Pole (OTP) and Ultra-Long-Range (ULR) 
        operations. The study shall--
                    (A) examine space weather impacts on at least the 
                following areas: communications, navigation, avionics, 
                and human health in flight;
                    (B) assess the benefits of space weather 
                information and services to reduce aviation costs and 
                maintain safety;
                    (C) provide recommendations on how NASA, NOAA, and 
                the NSF can most effectively carry out research and 
                monitoring activities related to space weather and 
                aviation; and
                    (D) provide recommendations on how to integrate 
                space weather information into the Next Generation Air 
                Transportation System.
            (2) Report.--A report containing the results of the study 
        shall be provided to the Committee on Science and Technology of 
        the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 1 year 
        after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 15. REVIEW OF FAA'S AVIATION SAFETY-RELATED RESEARCH PROGRAMS.

    (a) Review.--The Administrator shall enter into an arrangement with 
the National Research Council for an independent review of the FAA's 
aviation safety-related research programs. The review shall assess 
whether--
            (1) the programs have well-defined, prioritized, and 
        appropriate research objectives;
            (2) the programs are properly coordinated with the safety 
        research programs of NASA and other relevant Federal agencies;
            (3) the programs have allocated appropriate resources to 
        each of the research objectives; and
            (4) there exist suitable mechanisms for transitioning the 
        research results from the programs into the FAA's operational 
        technologies and procedures and certification activities in a 
        timely manner.
    (b) Aviation Safety-Related Research Programs To Be Assessed.--The 
FAA aviation safety-related research programs to be assessed under the 
review shall include, at a minimum, the following:
            (1) Air traffic control/technical operations human factors.
            (2) Runway incursion reduction.
            (3) Flightdeck/maintenance system integration human 
        factors.
            (4) Airports technology research--safety.
            (5) Airport cooperative research program--safety.
            (6) Weather program.
            (7) Atmospheric hazards/digital system safety.
            (8) Fire research and safety.
            (9) Propulsion and fuel systems.
            (10) Advanced materials/structural safety.
            (11) Aging aircraft.
            (12) Aircraft catastrophic failure prevention research.
            (13) Aeromedical research.
            (14) Aviation safety risk analysis.
            (15) Unmanned aircraft systems research.
            (16) Safe Flight 21--Alaska Capstone.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 14 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Science 
and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report on the 
results of the review.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--In addition to amounts 
authorized to be appropriated by the amendments made by this Act, there 
is authorized to be appropriated $700,000 for fiscal year 2008 to carry 
out this section.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 205

110th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                               H. R. 2698

                          [Report No. 110-329]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

    To authorize appropriations for the civil aviation research and 
      development projects and activities of the Federal Aviation 
                Administration, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           September 17, 2007

  Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole 
       House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed