[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3681 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3681

To require a joint task force on the operation of air travel during and 
          after the COVID-19 pandemic, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 11, 2020

   Mr. Blumenthal (for Mr. Markey (for himself and Mr. Blumenthal)) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
           Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require a joint task force on the operation of air travel during and 
          after the COVID-19 pandemic, 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 ``Restoring Safety in the Skies Act of 
2020''.

SEC. 2. JOINT TASK FORCE ON THE OPERATION OF AIR TRAVEL.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Transportation 
shall form a Joint Task Force on the Operation of Air Travel during and 
after the COVID-19 pandemic (in this section referred to as the ``Joint 
Task Force'').
    (b) Duties.--The Joint Task Force shall develop plans, guidelines, 
and recommended requirements to address the logistical, health, safety, 
and security issues relating to the continued operation of air travel 
during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the resumption of full 
operations at airports and increased passenger air travel after the 
COVID-19 pandemic ends. The Joint Task Force shall develop, at a 
minimum, plans, guidelines, and recommended requirements for--
            (1) the immediate period after the end of the COVID-19 
        pandemic;
            (2) ongoing periods after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic;
            (3) reconfiguring and reforming airport and travel 
        operations, including passenger queuing and security screening, 
        as a result of current and anticipated permanent changes to 
        passenger air travel during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as 
        well as the anticipated seasonal recurrence of the coronavirus;
            (4) reconfiguring and reforming the airplane boarding and 
        deplaning processes, as well as baggage handling procedures, as 
        a result of current and anticipated permanent changes to 
        passenger air travel during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, as 
        well as the anticipated seasonal recurrence of the coronavirus;
            (5) mitigating the public health and economic impacts of 
        the COVID-19 pandemic and the anticipated seasonal recurrence 
        of the coronavirus on airports and passenger air travel, 
        including, but not limited to, the provision of personal 
        protective equipment to aviation employees, the need for 
        travelers to wear face masks, and the accommodation of social 
        distancing;
            (6) addressing the privacy and civil liberty concerns 
        created by passenger health screenings, contact-tracing, or any 
        other process for monitoring the health of individuals engaged 
        in air travel; and
            (7) operating procedures to manage future anticipated 
        public health crises affecting air travel.
    (c) Membership.--The Joint Task Force shall include, at a minimum, 
representatives of the following:
            (1) The Department of Transportation.
            (2) The Department of Homeland Security.
            (3) The Department of Health and Human Services.
            (4) The Federal Aviation Administration.
            (5) The Transportation Security Administration.
            (6) U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
            (7) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
            (8) Airport operators.
            (9) Airlines.
            (10) Aircraft manufacturers.
            (11) Labor organizations representing aviation industry 
        workers, including pilots, flight attendants, maintenance, and 
        safety inspectors.
            (12) Public health experts.
            (13) Consumers and passenger rights organizations.
            (14) Privacy and civil liberty organizations.
            (15) Manufacturers of passenger screening technologies.
    (d) Reports.--
            (1) Preliminary report with emergency recommendations.--As 
        soon as practicable after the establishment of the Joint Task 
        Force, the Joint Task Force shall submit a preliminary report 
        to Congress that contains the plans, guidelines, and 
        recommended requirements necessary to ensure safe air travel 
        before the COVID-19 pandemic ends and during the immediate 
        period after the end of such pandemic. The Joint Task Force may 
        submit the preliminary report required under this paragraph in 
        installments and may include interim versions of the Joint Task 
        Force's plans, guidelines, and recommended requirements.
            (2) Final report.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
        of the enactment of this Act, the Joint Task Force shall submit 
        a final report to Congress that contains all of the plans, 
        guidelines, and recommended requirements developed by the Joint 
        Task Force, including any revised or finalized plans, 
        guidelines, or recommended requirements that were included in 
        an interim version in the preliminary report (or an installment 
        of such report) submitted to Congress as required under 
        paragraph (1).
                                 <all>