[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3128 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3128

To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to 
   establish a pilot program to provide veterans with pilot training 
                               services.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 9, 2023

   Ms. Schrier (for herself, Mr. Armstrong, Ms. Strickland, and Mrs. 
Kiggans of Virginia) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
         to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to 
   establish a pilot program to provide veterans with pilot training 
                               services.

    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 ``American Aviator Act''.

SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS WITH PILOT TRAINING SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration (in this section referred to as the ``Administrator''), 
in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs, shall establish a program to provide assistance in 
the form of grants to eligible entities that provide pilot training 
activities and related education to support a pathway for veterans to 
become commercial aviators.
    (b) Eligible Entity.--For purposes of this section, the term 
``eligible entity'' means a pilot school or provisional pilot school 
that--
            (1) holds an Air Agency Certificate under part 145 of title 
        14, Code of Federal Regulations; and
            (2) has an established employment pathway with at least 1 
        air carrier operating under part 121 or 135 of title 14, Code 
        of Federal Regulations.
    (c) Priority Application.--In selecting eligible entities to award 
grants to under this section, the Administrator shall give priority to 
eligible entities that meet the following criteria:
            (1) The eligible entity is accredited (as defined in 
        section 61.1 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations) by an 
        accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary of Education.
            (2) The eligible entity holds a letter of authorization 
        issued in accordance with section 61.169 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations.
    (d) Use of Funds.--Amounts from a grant received by an eligible 
entity under the pilot program shall be used for the following:
            (1) Administrative costs related to implementation of the 
        program, not to exceed 10 percent of the amount awarded.
            (2) To provide guidance and pilot training services, 
        including tuition and flight training fees for veterans 
        enrolled with the eligible entity and any training required to 
        reach proficiency, to the veterans enrolled to support them in 
        obtaining any of the following pilot certificates and ratings:
                    (A) Private pilot certificate.
                    (B) Instrument rating.
                    (C) Commercial pilot certificate.
                    (D) Multi-engine rating.
                    (E) Certificated flight instructor single engine 
                certificate, if applicable to degree sought.
                    (F) Certificated flight instructor multi-engine 
                certificate, if applicable to degree sought.
                    (G) Certificated flight instructor instrument 
                certificate, if applicable to degree sought.
            (3) To provide books, training materials, and equipment to 
        support pilot training activities and related education for 
        veterans enrolled with the eligible entity.
            (4) To provide periodic reports to the Administrator on use 
        of the grant funds, including documentation of training 
        completion of the certificates and ratings described in 
        subparagraphs (A) through (G) of paragraph (2).
    (e) Coordination With Veterans Education Benefits.--In the event a 
veteran participates in the pilot program who is entitled to 
educational assistance for veterans under the laws administered by the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs--
            (1) any costs of the veteran in participation in the pilot 
        program that are covered by such educational assistance shall 
        be borne by the veteran using such educational assistance; and
            (2) any costs incurred by the veteran in participation in 
        the pilot program that are not covered by such educational 
        assistance, including the cost of a private or commercial pilot 
        license, may be borne by the eligible entity concerned using 
        grant amounts awarded to the eligible entity for purposes of 
        the pilot program.
    (f) Appropriations.--To carry out this section, there is authorized 
to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2024 through 
2029.
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