[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2730 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 560
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2730
[Report No. 116-272]
To establish and ensure an inclusive and transparent Drone Advisory
Committee.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 29, 2019
Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Thune, and Mr. Roberts) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
September 30 (legislative day, September 29), 2020
Reported by Mr. Wicker, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish and ensure an inclusive and transparent Drone Advisory
Committee.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Drone Advisory Committee
for the 21st Century Act''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. FINDINGS.</DELETED>
<DELETED> Congress finds the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In 2016, a Drone Advisory Committee (in this
section referred to as the ``DAC'') was established at the
Federal Aviation Administration (in this Act referred to as the
``FAA'') as a broad-based, long-term Federal advisory committee
to provide the FAA with advice on key unmanned aircraft systems
(in this Act referred to as ``UAS'') integration issues by
helping to identify challenges and prioritize
improvements.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Pursuant to FAA Order 1110.157, dated June 15,
2018, the DAC is charged with helping create broad support for
an overall UAS integration strategy and vision.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) As of the date of introduction of this
legislation, no direct representatives from rural America or
the agriculture, forestry, or rangeland sectors were members of
the DAC.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) According to the FAA's 2019 market forecast,
the market for UAS is growing faster than
anticipated.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) The agricultural drone market has an estimated
value in the realm of $250,000,000 and is predicted to grow
substantially.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) Recent studies have suggested as many as three
out of every four farmers in the United States ``are currently
using or considering adopting [UAS] technology to assess,
monitor and manage their farm''.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) Rural counties are the majority of counties in
the United States.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) Pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee
Act, Congress is to determine whether or not the Federal
advisory committees are ``fairly balanced in terms of the
points of view represented''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 3. DRONE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Establishment.--The FAA shall maintain a Drone
Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the
``Committee'').</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Duties.--The Committee shall provide independent
advice and recommendations to, and respond to specific other tasks
requested by, the FAA regarding issues involving the efficiency and
safety of integrating unmanned aircraft systems into the National
Airspace System.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Charter.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--There shall be a charter to
govern the structure and mission of the Committee.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Updates.--The Administrator of the FAA (in
this section referred to as the ``Administrator'') shall--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) review the charter under paragraph (1)
not less frequently than once every two years;
and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) update such charter as
appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Membership.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) In general.--The Committee shall consist of
individuals with a balance of backgrounds, experiences, and
viewpoints, and shall include individuals that directly
represent--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) airports and airport
communities;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) labor (such as controllers and
pilots);</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) State, county, city, and Tribal
governments;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) navigation, communication,
surveillance, and air traffic management capability
providers;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) research, development, and
academia;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (F) traditional manned aviation
operators;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (G) UAS hardware component
manufacturers;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (H) UAS manufacturers;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (I) UAS operators, including agriculture,
forestry, and rangeland sectors;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (J) UAS software application
manufacturers; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (K) other sectors determined appropriate
by the Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Public participation.--To the maximum extent
practicable, the Administrator shall include public
participation in the process of nominating individuals for
membership on the Committee.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Transparency.--The Administrator shall ensure that the
Committee complies with the requirements under--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C.
App.); and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) section 552b of title 5, United States Code
(commonly known as the ``Government in the Sunshine
Act'').</DELETED>
<DELETED> (f) Funding.--There are authorized to be appropriated such
sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Drone Advisory Committee for the
21st Century Act''.
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.
It is the Sense of Congress that:
(1) Due to the ever-increasing use of Unmanned Aircraft
Systems in the agriculture, forestry, and rangeland sectors, as
well as the inherently different uses in less populated parts
of the nation, membership of the Drone Advisory Committee
established by the Federal Aviation Administration should, to
the extent practicable, include direct representatives from
county and tribal government, agriculture, forestry, and
rangeland interests.
(2) Full transparency in the work of the Drone Advisory
Committee is vital to ensuring the public can effectively
participate and contribute to the development of sound Federal
policies. The Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration should, to the maximum extent practicable,
ensure the work of the Drone Advisory Committee is shared with
and easily accessible to the public and shall ensure
transparency and openness in the manner in which the affairs of
the Committee are conducted.
SEC. 3. DRONE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP.
(1) In general.--The Federal Aviation Administration shall
take appropriate steps to encourage direct representation of
county and tribal governments as well as agriculture, forestry,
rangeland sectors, and other rural interests on the Drone
Advisory Committee.
(2) Public participation.--To the maximum extent
practicable, the Administrator shall include public
participation in the process of nominating individuals for
membership on the Committee.
Calendar No. 560
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2730
[Report No. 116-272]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish and ensure an inclusive and transparent Drone Advisory
Committee.
_______________________________________________________________________
September 30 (legislative day, September 29), 2020
Reported with an amendment