[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3681 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 508
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3681
[Report No. 116-246]
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
August 6, 2020
Reported by Mr. Wicker, with an amendment and an amendment to the title
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
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,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``Restoring Safety in the
Skies Act of 2020''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. JOINT TASK FORCE ON THE OPERATION OF AIR
TRAVEL.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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'').</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the immediate period after the end of the
COVID-19 pandemic;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) ongoing periods after the end of the COVID-19
pandemic;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) operating procedures to manage future
anticipated public health crises affecting air
travel.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Membership.--The Joint Task Force shall include, at a
minimum, representatives of the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) The Department of Transportation.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) The Department of Homeland Security.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) The Department of Health and Human
Services.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) The Federal Aviation Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) The Transportation Security
Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) U.S. Customs and Border Protection.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) The Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) Airport operators.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) Airlines.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (10) Aircraft manufacturers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (11) Labor organizations representing aviation
industry workers, including pilots, flight attendants,
maintenance, and safety inspectors.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (12) Public health experts.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (13) Consumers and passenger rights
organizations.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (14) Privacy and civil liberty
organizations.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (15) Manufacturers of passenger screening
technologies.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Reports.--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (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).</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Ensuring Health Safety in the Skies
Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. JOINT TASK FORCE ON AIR TRAVEL.
(a) In General.--Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall
establish a Joint Task Force on Air Travel During and After the COVID-
19 Public Health Emergency (in this section referred to as the ``Joint
Task Force'').
(b) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Joint Task Force shall develop
recommended requirements, plans, and guidelines to address the
health, safety, security, and logistical issues relating to the
continuation of air travel during the COVID-19 Public Health
Emergency, and with respect to the resumption of full
operations at airports and increased passenger air travel after
the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency ends. The Joint Task Force
shall develop, at a minimum, recommended requirements, plans,
and guidelines as appropriate, with respect to each of the
applicable periods described in paragraph (2) for--
(A) reforming airport, air carrier, security, and
other passenger air travel-related operations,
including passenger queuing, passenger security
screening, boarding, deplaning, and baggage handling
procedures, as a result of--
(i) current and anticipated changes to
passenger air travel during the COVID-19 Public
Health Emergency and after that emergency ends;
and
(ii) anticipated changes to passenger air
travel as a result of the projected seasonal
recurrence of the coronavirus;
(B) mitigating the public health and economic
impacts of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency and the
projected seasonal recurrence of the coronavirus on
airports and passenger air travel, including through
the use of personal protective equipment for passengers
and employees, the implementation of strategies to
promote overall passenger and employee safety, and the
accommodation of social distancing as necessary;
(C) 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
(D) operating procedures to manage future public
health crises affecting air travel.
(2) Applicable periods.--For purposes of paragraph (1), the
applicable periods are the following:
(A) The period beginning with the date of the first
meeting of the Joint Task Force and ending with the
date on which the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
ends.
(B) The 1-year period beginning on the day after
the period described in subparagraph (A) ends.
(c) Requirements.--
(1) In general.--In developing the recommended
requirements, plans, and guidelines under subsection (b), and
prior to including them in the final report required under
subsection (f)(2), the Joint Task Force shall--
(A) consider the consensus recommendations of the
Advisory Committee established under subsection (e);
(B) conduct cost-benefit evaluations;
(C) consider funding constraints; and
(D) use risk-based decision-making.
(2) International consultation.--The Joint Task Force shall
consult, as practicable, with relevant international entities
and operators, including the International Civil Aviation
Organization, towards the goal of maximizing the harmonization
of recommended requirements, plans, and guidelines for air
travel during and after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.
(d) Membership.--
(1) Chair.--The Secretary of Transportation (or the
Secretary's designee) shall serve as Chair of the Joint Task
Force.
(2) Vice-chair.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services
(or the Secretary's designee) shall serve as Vice Chair of the
Joint Task Force.
(3) Other members.--In addition to the Chair and Vice
Chair, the members of the Joint Task Force shall include
representatives of the following:
(A) The Department of Transportation.
(B) The Department of Homeland Security.
(C) The Department of Health and Human Services.
(D) The Federal Aviation Administration.
(E) The Transportation Security Administration.
(F) U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
(G) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
(H) The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration.
(I) The National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health.
(J) The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration.
(K) The Department of State.
(L) The Environmental Protection Agency.
(e) Advisory Committee.--
(1) Establishment.--Not later than 15 days after the date
on which the Joint Task Force is established under subsection
(a), the Secretary of Transportation, in consultation with the
Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, shall establish a Joint Federal Advisory
Committee to advise the Joint Task Force (in this section
referred to as the ``Advisory Committee'').
(2) Membership.--The members of the Advisory Committee
shall include representatives of the following:
(A) Airport operators designated by the Secretary
of Transportation in consultation with Secretary of
Homeland Security.
(B) Air carriers designated by the Secretary of
Transportation in consultation with Secretary of
Homeland Security.
(C) Aircraft and aviation manufacturers designated
by the Secretary of Transportation.
(D) Labor organizations representing aviation
industry workers, including, but not limited to,
pilots, flight attendants, maintenance, mechanics, air
traffic controllers, and safety inspectors, designated
by the Secretary of Transportation.
(E) Public health experts designated by the
Secretary of Health and Human Services.
(F) Consumers and air passenger rights
organizations designated by the Secretary of
Transportation in consultation with Secretary of
Homeland Security.
(G) Privacy and civil liberty organizations
designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(H) Manufacturers and integrators of air passenger
screening and identity verification technologies
designated by the Secretary of Homeland Security.
(I) Trade associations representing air carriers,
including, but not limited to, major air carriers, low
cost carriers, regional air carriers, cargo air
carriers, and foreign air carriers, designated by the
Secretary of Transportation in consultation with
Secretary of Homeland Security.
(J) Trade associations representing airport
operators designated by the Secretary of Transportation
in consultation with Secretary of Homeland Security.
(3) Vacancies.--Any vacancy in the membership of the
Advisory Committee shall not affect its responsibilities, but
shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment
and in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5
U.S.C. App.).
(4) Duties.--
(A) In general.--The Advisory Committee shall
develop and submit policy recommendations to the Joint
Task Force regarding the recommended requirements,
plans, and guidelines to be developed by the Joint Task
Force under subsection (b).
(B) Publication.--Not later than 14 days after the
date on which the Advisory Committee submits policy
recommendations to the Joint Task Force in accordance
with subparagraph (A), the Secretary of Transportation
shall publish the policy recommendations on a publicly
accessible website.
(5) Prohibition on compensation.--The members of the
Advisory Committee shall not receive any compensation from the
Federal Government by reason of their service on the Advisory
Committee.
(f) Briefings and Reports.--
(1) Preliminary briefings.--As soon as practicable, but not
later than 6 months after the establishment of the Joint Task
Force, the Joint Task Force shall begin providing preliminary
briefings for Congress on the status of the development of the
recommended requirements, plans, and guidelines under
subsection (b). The preliminary briefings shall include interim
versions, if any, of the Joint Task Force's recommendations.
(2) Final report.--
(A) Deadline.--As soon as practicable, but not
later than 18 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Joint Task Force shall submit a final
report to Congress.
(B) Content.--The final report shall include the
following:
(i) All of the recommended requirements,
plans, and guidelines developed by the Joint
Task Force.
(ii) A description of any actions taken by
the Federal Government as a result of such
recommendations.
(g) Termination.--The Joint Task Force and Advisory Committee shall
terminate 30 days after the date on which the Joint Task Force submits
the final report required under subsection (f)(2).
(h) Definition.--In this section, the term ``COVID-19 Public Health
Emergency'' means the public health emergency first declared on January
31, 2020, by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section
319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) with respect to
COVID-19 and includes any renewal of such declaration pursuant to such
section 319.
Amend the title so as to read: ``A bill to require a joint
task force on air travel during and after the COVID-19 Public
Health Emergency, and for other purposes.''.
Calendar No. 508
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 3681
[Report No. 116-246]
_______________________________________________________________________
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.
_______________________________________________________________________
August 6, 2020
Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the title