[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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