[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 516 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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117th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 516
To plan for and coordinate efforts to integrate advanced air mobility
aircraft into the national airspace system, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 1, 2021
Mr. Moran (for himself and Ms. Sinema) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
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) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that Advanced
Air Mobility (AAM) represents a key area of sustainable transportation
and economic growth for the United States and globally, and that it is
imperative that the United States take a leadership role in the
adoption and furtherance of this technology. Therefore, given the path
to initial operations is taking place utilizing today's regulatory
framework, it is critical that government agencies collaborate and
focus on taking this vital industry to the next level.
(c) Purpose.--The purpose of the working group established under
this section is to plan for and coordinate efforts related to the
physical and digital security, safety, infrastructure, and Federal
investment necessary for maturation of the AAM ecosystem in the United
States in order to--
(1) further United States leadership;
(2) grow new transportation options;
(3) amplify economic activity and jobs;
(4) advance environmental sustainability and new
technologies; and
(5) support emergency preparedness and competitiveness.
(d) Membership.--The working group shall be comprised of at least 1
representative of each of the following Federal departments and
agencies:
(1) Department of Transportation.
(2) Federal Aviation Administration.
(3) National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(4) Department of Commerce
(5) Department of Defense.
(6) Department of Energy.
(7) Department of Homeland Security.
(8) Department of Agriculture.
(9) Department of Labor.
(10) Such other departments or agencies as the Secretary of
Transportation determines appropriate.
(e) Coordination.--The working group shall engage with aviation
industry and labor stakeholders, certifying organizations, and others
determined appropriate by the Secretary of Transportation, including--
(1) manufacturers of avionics, AAM aircraft, propulsion
systems, structures, and air traffic management systems;
(2) operators of AAM aircraft;
(3) air carriers and general aviation operators;
(4) airports;
(5) fixed-based operators;
(6) labor representatives of pilots, air traffic
controllers, and aviation safety inspectors;
(7) State, local, and Tribal officials or public agencies,
with representation of both urban and rural areas;
(8) first responders;
(9) groups representing environmental interests;
(10) electric utilities, energy providers and market
operators;
(11) academia with experience working with industry on new
technology and commercialization; and
(12) training and maintenance providers.
(f) 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 which will mature AAM past initial
operations;
(2) the evaluation of physical and digital security and
safety requirements involved with future air traffic control
concepts which 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, surface and energy
infrastructure, physical and digital security, and utilities
necessary to accommodate and support expanded operations of AAM
after initial implementation;
(5) anticipated benefits associated with AAM aircraft
operations, including economic, environmental, emergency
response, and transportation benefits; and
(6) other factors that may limit the full potential of the
AAM industry, including community acceptance of such
operations.
(g) AAM National Strategy.--Based on the review and examination
performed under subsection (f), the working group shall develop an AAM
National Strategy that includes--
(1) recommendations regarding the safety, 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
necessary to facilitate implementing the recommendations
developed under paragraph (1).
(h) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the completion of the
review and examination performed under subsection (f), the working
group shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report--
(1) detailing the review and examination performed under
subsection (f); and
(2) providing the AAM National Strategy, including the plan
and associated recommendations, developed under subsection (g).
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Advanced air mobility; aam.--The terms ``advanced air
mobility'' and ``AAM'' mean an air transportation system that
moves people and cargo between places using new aircraft
designs including electric aircraft and electric vertical take-
off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), which are integrated into
existing airspace operations as well as operated in local,
regional, intraregional, rural, and urban environments, and
which may include unmanned or remotely piloted vehicles.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(D) the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives;
(E) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives; and
(F) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(3) Electric aircraft.--The term ``electric aircraft''
means any fixed-wing airplane, rotorcraft, or VTOL aircraft
with a fully electric or hybrid (fuel and electric) driven
propulsion system used for flight.
(4) Vertical take-off and landing; vtol.--The terms
``vertical take-off and landing'' and ``VTOL'' mean an aircraft
with lift/thrust units used to generate powered lift and
control and with more than two lift/thrust units used to
provide lift during vertical take-off or landing.
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