[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 965 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 965

 To provide for programs of scholarships for members of Junior Reserve 
    Officers' Training Corps units toward obtaining private pilot's 
                   licenses, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 1, 2019

 Mr. Jones (for himself and Mr. Cotton) introduced the following bill; 
  which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To provide for programs of scholarships for members of Junior Reserve 
    Officers' Training Corps units toward obtaining private pilot's 
                   licenses, 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 ``Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited 
Act''.

SEC. 2. PROGRAMS OF SCHOLARSHIPS FOR MEMBERS OF JUNIOR RESERVE 
              OFFICERS' TRAINING CORPS UNITS TOWARD OBTAINING PRIVATE 
              PILOT'S LICENSES.

    (a) Programs Authorized.--Each Secretary of a military department 
may carry out a program to award scholarships to qualified members of 
units of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps under the 
jurisdiction of such Secretary to assist such members in obtaining a 
private pilot's license through an institution of higher education 
approved by such Secretary pursuant to subsection (c).
    (b) Member Qualifications.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out a program under subsection 
        (a), the Secretary of a military department shall prescribe the 
        standards to be met by members of units of the Junior Reserve 
        Officers' Training Corps under the jurisdiction of the 
        Secretary to be eligible for the award of a scholarship under 
        the program.
            (2) Uniformity across military departments.--To the extent 
        practicable, the standards prescribed under this subsection 
        shall be uniform across the military departments.
    (c) Approved Institutions of Higher Education.--
            (1) In general.--In carrying out a program under subsection 
        (a), the Secretary of a military department shall maintain a 
        list of institutions of higher education at which a scholarship 
        awarded under the program may be used toward obtaining a 
        private pilot's license.
            (2) Qualifications and standards.--Any institution of 
        higher education included on a list under this subsection, and 
        any course of instruction toward obtaining a private pilot's 
        license offered by such institution, shall meet such 
        qualifications and standards as the Secretary shall prescribe 
        for purposes of the program. Such qualifications and standards 
        shall include a requirement that any institution included on 
        the list award academic credit at such institution to any 
        member awarded a scholarship under the program who successfully 
        completes the ground school course of instruction of such 
        institution in connection with obtaining a private pilot's 
        license.
    (d) Scholarship.--
            (1) Amount.--The amount of the scholarship awarded a member 
        of a Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps under a program 
        under subsection (a) shall be such amount as the Secretary of 
        the military department concerned considers appropriate to 
        defray, whether in whole or in part, the charges and fees of a 
        course of instruction toward obtaining a private pilot's 
        license offered by the institution of higher education to be 
        attended by the member in obtaining the license.
            (2) Use.--A scholarship awarded a member under a program 
        may be used by the member only to defray the charges and fees 
        of an institution of higher education for a course of 
        instruction toward obtaining a private pilot's license.
            (3) Maintenance of membership.--A scholarship awarded an 
        individual under a program may be used by the individual only 
        while the individual maintains membership in a unit of a Junior 
        Reserve Officers' Training Corps.
    (e) Assessment of Related Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall 
        submit to Congress a report setting forth the results of an 
        assessment, conducted by the study group described in paragraph 
        (2) for purposes of the report, of the pilot program conducted 
        by the Air Force in 2018 and 2019 known as the ``JROTC Flight 
        Academy, Chief of Staff Private Pilot Scholarship Program''.
            (2) Study group.--The study group described in this 
        paragraph shall include the following:
                    (A) A representative of the Department of Defense, 
                selected by the Secretary of Defense.
                    (B) A representative of each military department, 
                selected by the Secretary of such military department.
                    (C) A representative of the Department of 
                Transportation, selected by the Secretary of 
                Transportation.
                    (D) A representative of the Department of 
                Education, selected by the Secretary of Education.
                    (E) Representatives of such private organizations 
                and entities as the Secretary of Defense considers 
                appropriate.
            (3) Elements.--The assessment required by paragraph (1) 
        shall identify best practices in assisting members of the 
        Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps in obtaining a private 
        pilot's license through institutions of higher education, 
        including the most appropriate funding mechanisms for such 
        practices.
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