[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 516 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]
S.516
One Hundred Seventeenth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Monday,
the third day of January, two thousand and twenty two
An Act
To plan for and coordinate efforts to integrate advanced air mobility
aircraft into the national airspace system, 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 ``Advanced Air Mobility Coordination
and Leadership Act''
SEC. 2. ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY WORKING GROUP.
(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish
an advanced air mobility interagency working group (in this section
referred to as the ``working group'').
(b) Purpose.--Advanced Air Mobility represents a key area of
sustainable transportation and economic growth for the United States
and it is imperative that the Federal Government foster leadership and
interagency collaboration in the adoption and deployment of this
technology. The purpose of the working group established under this
section shall be to plan for and coordinate efforts related to safety,
operations, infrastructure, physical security and cybersecurity, and
Federal investment necessary for maturation of the AAM ecosystem in the
United States, particularly passenger-carrying aircraft, in order to--
(1) grow new transportation options;
(2) amplify economic activity and jobs;
(3) advance environmental sustainability and new technologies;
and
(4) support emergency preparedness and competitiveness.
(c) Membership.--Not later than 60 days after the establishment of
the working group under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transportation
shall--
(1) appoint the Under Secretary of Transportation for Policy to
chair the working group;
(2) designate not less than 1 additional representative to
participate on the working group from each of--
(A) the Department of Transportation; and
(B) the Federal Aviation Administration; and
(3) invite the heads of each of the following departments or
agencies to designate not less than 1 representative to participate
on the working group, including--
(A) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
(B) the Department of Commerce;
(C) the Department of Defense;
(D) the Department of Energy;
(E) the Department of Homeland Security;
(F) the Department of Agriculture;
(G) the Department of Labor;
(H) the Federal Communications Commission; and
(I) such other departments or agencies as the Secretary of
Transportation determines appropriate.
(d) Coordination.--
(1) In general.--The working group shall engage with State,
local, and Tribal governments, aviation industry and labor
stakeholders, stakeholder associations, and others determined
appropriate by the Secretary of Transportation and the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, including--
(A) manufacturers of aircraft, avionics, propulsion
systems, structures, and air traffic management systems;
(B) commercial air carriers, commercial operators, unmanned
aircraft system operators, and general aviation operators,
including helicopter operators;
(C) intended operators of AAM aircraft;
(D) airports, heliports, fixed-base operators;
(E) certified labor representatives for pilots
associations, air traffic control specialists employed by the
Federal Aviation Administration, aircraft mechanics, and
aviation safety inspectors;
(F) State, local, and Tribal officials or public agencies,
with representation from both urban and rural areas;
(G) first responders;
(H) groups representing environmental interests;
(I) electric utilities, energy providers and energy market
operators;
(J) academia with experience working with industry on new
technology and commercialization;
(K) groups representing the telecommunications industry;
and
(L) aviation training and maintenance providers.
(2) Advisory committees.--The Secretary of Transportation and
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may use such
Federal advisory committees as may be appropriate to coordinate
with the entities listed in paragraph (1).
(e) Review and Examination.--Not later than 1 year after the
working group is established under subsection (a), the working group
shall complete a review and examination of, at a minimum--
(1) the steps that will mature AAM aircraft operations,
concepts, and regulatory frameworks beyond initial operations;
(2) the air traffic management and safety concepts that might
be considered as part of evolving AAM to higher levels of traffic
density;
(3) current Federal programs and policies that could be
leveraged to advance the maturation of the AAM industry;
(4) infrastructure, including aviation, cybersecurity,
telecommunication, multimodal, and utility infrastructure,
necessary to accommodate and support expanded operations of AAM
after initial implementation;
(5) steps needed to ensure a robust and secure domestic supply
chain;
(6) anticipated benefits associated with AAM aircraft
operations, including economic, environmental, emergency and
natural disaster response, and transportation benefits;
(7) the interests, roles, and responsibilities of Federal,
State, local, and Tribal governments affected by AAM aircraft
operations; and
(8) other factors that may limit the full potential of the AAM
industry, including community acceptance or restrictions of such
operations.
(f) AAM National Strategy.--Based on the review and examination
performed under subsection (e), the working group shall develop an AAM
National Strategy that includes--
(1) recommendations regarding the safety, operations, security,
infrastructure, air traffic concepts, and other Federal investment
or actions necessary to support the evolution of early AAM to
higher levels of activity and societal benefit; and
(2) a comprehensive plan detailing the roles and
responsibilities of each Federal department and agency, and of
State, local, and Tribal governments, necessary to facilitate or
implement the recommendations developed under paragraph (1).
(g) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the completion of the
review and examination performed under subsection (e), the working
group shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report--
(1) detailing findings from the review and examination
performed under subsection (e); and
(2) providing the AAM National Strategy, including the plan and
associated recommendations developed under subsection (f).
(h) Evaluation of Termination of Working Group.--Not later than 30
days after the date on which the working group submits the report
required under subsection (g), the Secretary of Transportation shall
evaluate and decide whether to terminate the working group and shall
notify the appropriate committees of Congress of such decision.
(i) Definitions.--For purposes of this section and section 3:
(1) Advanced air mobility; aam.--The terms ``advanced air
mobility'' and ``AAM'' mean a transportation system that transports
people and property by air between two points in the United States
using aircraft with advanced technologies, including electric
aircraft or electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft, in
both controlled and uncontrolled airspace.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term ``appropriate
committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
of the Senate; and
(B) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of
the House of Representatives.
(3) Electric aircraft.--The term ``electric aircraft'' means an
aircraft with a fully electric or hybrid (fuel and electric) driven
propulsion system used for flight.
(4) Fixed-base operator.--The term ``fixed-base operator''
means a business granted the right by an airport sponsor or
heliport sponsor to operate on an airport or heliport and provide
aeronautical services, including fueling and charging, aircraft
hangaring, tiedown and parking, aircraft rental, aircraft
maintenance, and flight instruction.
(5) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such term
in section 47102 of title 49, United States Code.
(6) Vertical take-off and landing.--The term ``vertical take-
off and landing'' means an aircraft with lift/thrust units used to
generate powered lift and control and with two or more lift/thrust
units used to provide lift during vertical take-off or landing.
SEC. 3. GAO STUDY AND REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States
shall--
(1) conduct a study on the interests, roles, and
responsibilities of Federal, State, local, and Tribal governments
affected by AAM aircraft and operations; and
(2) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report
on the study, including the Comptroller General's findings and
conclusions.
(b) Requirements.--In conducting the study required under
subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall review the following:
(1) The state of the law as of the enactment of this Act with
respect to Federal authority over operations of AAM aircraft
systems in the national airspace system.
(2) The state of the law as of the enactment of this Act with
respect to State, local, and Tribal authority over operations of
AAM aircraft in the national airspace system.
(3) Potential gaps between authorities under paragraphs (1) and
(2).
(4) Proposals to facilitate the safe and financially viable
growth and development of the AAM industry and integration of AAM
aircraft into the national airspace system.
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.