[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