[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1939 Reported in Senate (RS)]

<DOC>





                                                       Calendar No. 335
118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1939

To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for 
the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal years 2024 through 2028, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 13, 2023

  Ms. Cantwell (for herself, Mr. Cruz, Ms. Duckworth, and Mr. Moran) 
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the 
           Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

                           February 29, 2024

              Reported by Ms. Cantwell, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for 
the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal years 2024 through 2028, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2023''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act 
is as follows:</DELETED>

<DELETED>Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
<DELETED>Sec. 2. Definitions.
                    <DELETED>TITLE I--AUTHORIZATIONS

<DELETED>Sec. 101. Airport planning and development and noise 
                            compatibility planning and programs.
<DELETED>Sec. 102. Facilities and equipment.
<DELETED>Sec. 103. FAA operations.
<DELETED>Sec. 104. Extension of expiring authorities.
<DELETED>Sec. 105. Authority to subpoena physical evidence.
<DELETED>Sec. 106. Research, engineering, and development.
<DELETED>Sec. 107. Effective date.
           <DELETED>TITLE II--FAA OVERSIGHT AND ORGANIZATION

                   <DELETED>Subtitle A--Organization

<DELETED>Sec. 201. Future of NextGen.
<DELETED>Sec. 202. Airspace Innovation Office.
<DELETED>Sec. 203. Commercial Software Options for Improving ASIAS 
                            Analytics.
<DELETED>Sec. 204. Authority to use electronic service.
                 <DELETED>Subtitle B--Regulatory Reform

<DELETED>Sec. 211. Safety and efficiency through digitization of FAA 
                            systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 212. Report elimination or modification.
<DELETED>Sec. 213. Internal regulatory process review.
<DELETED>Sec. 214. Review and Updates of Categorical Exclusions.
                <DELETED>TITLE III--SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

<DELETED>Sec. 301. Independent Study on future state of type 
                            certification processes.
<DELETED>Sec. 302. Report on international validation program 
                            performance.
<DELETED>Sec. 303. High risk flight testing.
<DELETED>Sec. 304. Recording devices.
<DELETED>Sec. 305. Helicopter safety.
<DELETED>Sec. 306. Review and incorporation of human readiness levels 
                            into agency guidance material.
<DELETED>Sec. 307. Service difficulty reports.
<DELETED>Sec. 308. Accountability and compliance.
<DELETED>Sec. 309. Accountability for aircraft registration numbers.
<DELETED>Sec. 310. Aircraft registration.
<DELETED>Sec. 311. FAA oversight of repair stations located outside the 
                            United States.
<DELETED>Sec. 312. Alcohol and drug testing and background checks.
<DELETED>Sec. 313. Continuous aircraft tracking and transmission for 
                            high altitude balloons.
<DELETED>Sec. 314. International engagement.
<DELETED>Sec. 315. Air tour and sport parachuting safety.
<DELETED>Sec. 316. International aviation safety assessment program.
<DELETED>Sec. 317. Changed product rule reform.
<DELETED>Sec. 318. Development of low-cost voluntary ADS-B.
<DELETED>Sec. 319. Public aircraft flight time logging eligibility.
<DELETED>Sec. 320. Safety management systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 321. Aviation safety information analysis and sharing 
                            program.
<DELETED>Sec. 322. Consistent and timely pilot checks for air carriers.
<DELETED>Sec. 323. Enhancing processes for authorizing aircraft for 
                            service in commuter and on demand 
                            operations.
<DELETED>Sec. 324. Tower marking compliance.
<DELETED>Sec. 325. Administrative authority for civil penalties.
<DELETED>Sec. 326. Civil penalties for whistleblower protection program 
                            violations.
<DELETED>Sec. 327. Flight service stations.
<DELETED>Sec. 328. Technical assistance agreements.
<DELETED>Sec. 329. Restoration of authority.
<DELETED>Sec. 330. Tarmac operations monitoring study.
<DELETED>Sec. 331. GAO report on cybersecurity of commercial aviation 
                            avionics.
<DELETED>Sec. 332. Securing aircraft avionics systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 333. Maintenance data availability.
<DELETED>Sec. 334. Study on airworthiness standards compliance.
<DELETED>Sec. 335. Fire protection standards.
<DELETED>Sec. 336. Cabin air safety.
<DELETED>Sec. 337. Airport air safety.
<DELETED>Sec. 338. Aircraft interchange agreement limitations.
<DELETED>Sec. 339. Wildfire suppression.
<DELETED>Sec. 340. Study on impacts of temperature in aircraft cabins.
<DELETED>Sec. 341. Part 135 pilot supplemental oxygen requirement.
<DELETED>Sec. 342. Crewmember pumping guidance.
<DELETED>Sec. 343. Reauthorization of certain provisions of the 
                            Aircraft Certification, Safety, and 
                            Accountability Act.
      <DELETED>TITLE IV--MODERNIZING THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM

<DELETED>Sec. 401. NextGen accountability task force.
<DELETED>Sec. 402. Use of advanced surveillance in oceanic airspace.
<DELETED>Sec. 403. GPS monitoring pilot program.
<DELETED>Sec. 404. Runway safety technologies.
<DELETED>Sec. 405. Flight profile optimization.
<DELETED>Sec. 406. Stars remote surveillance displays.
<DELETED>Sec. 407. Audit of legacy systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 408. Aeronautical mobile communications services.
<DELETED>Sec. 409. Low altitude routes for vertical flight.
<DELETED>Sec. 410. ADS-B out equipage study; Vehicle-to-Vehicle link 
                            program.
<DELETED>Sec. 411. Extension of enhanced air traffic services pilot 
                            program.
<DELETED>Sec. 412. NextGen equipage plan.
<DELETED>Sec. 413. Performance based navigation report and utilization 
                            plan.
<DELETED>Sec. 414. Air traffic control facility realignment study.
                  <DELETED>TITLE V--AVIATION WORKFORCE

             <DELETED>Subtitle A--Civil Aviation Workforce

<DELETED>Sec. 501. Aviation workforce development grants.
<DELETED>Sec. 502. Women in Aviation Advisory Committee.
<DELETED>Sec. 503. Study of high school aviation maintenance training 
                            programs.
<DELETED>Sec. 504. Military aviation maintenance technicians rule.
<DELETED>Sec. 505. Prohibition of remote dispatching.
<DELETED>Sec. 506. Employee assault prevention and response plan 
                            standards and best practices.
<DELETED>Sec. 507. Crewmember self-defense training.
<DELETED>Sec. 508. Improving apron safety.
<DELETED>Sec. 509. Aviation Medical Innovation and Modernization 
                            Working Group.
<DELETED>Sec. 510. Airman Certification Standards.
                   <DELETED>Subtitle B--FAA Workforce

<DELETED>Sec. 521. Air traffic control staffing standards.
<DELETED>Sec. 522. FAA Workforce review audit.
<DELETED>Sec. 523. Direct hire authority utilization.
<DELETED>Sec. 524. Staffing model for aviation safety inspectors.
<DELETED>Sec. 525. Safety critical staffing.
<DELETED>Sec. 526. Instrument landing system installation.
<DELETED>Sec. 527. Aviation Certification Fellowship Program.
<DELETED>Sec. 528. Contract Tower Program air traffic controller 
                            training programs.
<DELETED>Sec. 529. Review of FAA and industry cooperative 
                            familiarization programs.
<DELETED>Sec. 530. Improved access to air traffic control simulation 
                            training.
<DELETED>Sec. 531. Air Traffic Controller Instructor Pipeline.
<DELETED>Sec. 532. Ensuring hiring of air traffic control specialists 
                            is based on assessment of job-relevant 
                            aptitudes.
<DELETED>Sec. 533. Federal aviation administration academy and facility 
                            expansion plan.
             <DELETED>TITLE VI--MODERNIZING AIRPORT SYSTEMS

<DELETED>Sec. 601. AIP eligibility amendments.
<DELETED>Sec. 602. Revised minimum apportionments.
<DELETED>Sec. 603. Apportionments for transitioning airports.
<DELETED>Sec. 604. Updating United States Government's share of project 
                            costs.
<DELETED>Sec. 605. Primary airport designation.
<DELETED>Sec. 606. Discretionary fund for terminal development costs.
<DELETED>Sec. 607. Alternative-delivery and advance-construction 
                            methods pilot program.
<DELETED>Sec. 608. Integrated project delivery.
<DELETED>Sec. 609. Airport investment partnership program.
<DELETED>Sec. 610. Airport accessibility.
<DELETED>Sec. 611. General aviation public-private partnership program.
<DELETED>Sec. 612. Runway rehabilitation.
<DELETED>Sec. 613. Extension of provision relating to airport access 
                            roads in remote locations.
<DELETED>Sec. 614. Procurement regulations applicable to FAA multimodal 
                            projects.
<DELETED>Sec. 615. Solar powered taxiway edge lighting systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 616. Additional ground based transmitters.
<DELETED>Sec. 617. Automated weather observing systems maintenance 
                            improvements.
<DELETED>Sec. 618. Contract Tower Program.
<DELETED>Sec. 619. Remote towers.
<DELETED>Sec. 620. Grant assurances.
<DELETED>Sec. 621. Civil penalties for grant assurances violations.
<DELETED>Sec. 622. Community use of airport land.
<DELETED>Sec. 623. Buckeye 940 release of deed restrictions.
<DELETED>Sec. 624. Clarifying airport revenue use of local general 
                            sales taxes.
<DELETED>Sec. 625. AIP handbook review.
<DELETED>Sec. 626. PFAS-related resources for airports.
<DELETED>Sec. 627. Progress reports on the national transition plan 
                            related to a fluorine-free firefighting 
                            foam.
<DELETED>Sec. 628. Review of airport layout plans.
<DELETED>Sec. 629. NEPA purpose and need statements.
<DELETED>Sec. 630. Passenger facility charge streamlining.
<DELETED>Sec. 631. Use of passenger facility charges for noise 
                            barriers.
<DELETED>Sec. 632. Automated weather observing systems policy.
<DELETED>Sec. 633. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act 
                            implementation.
<DELETED>Sec. 634. Report on airport notifications.
<DELETED>Sec. 635. Coastal airports resiliency study.
<DELETED>Sec. 636. Survey of power distribution capacity.
<DELETED>Sec. 637. Study on competition and airport access.
<DELETED>Sec. 638. Regional airport capacity study.
<DELETED>Sec. 639. Study on autonomous and electric-powered track 
                            systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 640. Special rule for reclassification of certain 
                            unclassified airports.
<DELETED>Sec. 641. General aviation airport runway extension pilot 
                            program.
              <DELETED>TITLE VII--AIR SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS

               <DELETED>Subtitle A--Consumer Enhancements

<DELETED>Sec. 701. Advisory committee for aviation consumer protection.
<DELETED>Sec. 702. Unrealistic or deceptive scheduling.
<DELETED>Sec. 703. Refunds.
<DELETED>Sec. 704. Airline passenger rights transparency act.
<DELETED>Sec. 705. Disclosure of ancillary fees.
<DELETED>Sec. 706. Access to customer service assistance for all 
                            travelers.
<DELETED>Sec. 707. Frequent flyer programs and vouchers.
<DELETED>Sec. 708. Airline customer service dashboards.
<DELETED>Sec. 709. Annual briefings on disruptions of passenger air 
                            transportation and periods of mass 
                            cancellations of scheduled flights.
<DELETED>Sec. 710. Enhancing child safety.
<DELETED>Sec. 711. Codification of consumer protection provisions.
<DELETED>Sec. 712. GAO study on competition and consolidation in the 
                            air carrier industry.
<DELETED>Sec. 713. GAO study and report on the operational preparedness 
                            of air carriers for preparing for changing 
                            weather and other events related to 
                            changing conditions and natural hazards.
<DELETED>Sec. 714. Increase in civil penalties.
<DELETED>Sec. 715. Family seating.
<DELETED>Sec. 716. Establishment of Office of Aviation Consumer 
                            Protection.
                   <DELETED>Subtitle B--Accessibility

<DELETED>Sec. 731. Extension of the advisory committee on the air 
                            travel needs of passengers with 
                            disabilities.
<DELETED>Sec. 732. Modernization and improvements to aircraft 
                            evacuation.
<DELETED>Sec. 733. Improved training standards for assisting passengers 
                            who use wheelchairs.
<DELETED>Sec. 734. Training standards for stowage of wheelchairs and 
                            scooters.
<DELETED>Sec. 735. Mobility Aids On Board Improve Lives and Empower All 
                            Act.
<DELETED>Sec. 736. Prioritizing Accountability and Accessibility for 
                            Aviation Consumers Act of 2023.
<DELETED>Sec. 737. Transportation of organs.
<DELETED>Sec. 738. Access and Dignity for All People who Travel Act.
<DELETED>Sec. 739. Equal Accessibility to Passenger Portals Act.
<DELETED>Sec. 740. Store On-board Wheelchairs in Cabin Act.
              <DELETED>Subtitle C--Air Service Development

<DELETED>Sec. 741. Essential air service.
<DELETED>Sec. 742. Small community air service development grants.
<DELETED>Sec. 743. GAO study and report on the alternate Essential Air 
                            Service program.
                   <DELETED>TITLE VIII--NEW ENTRANTS

             <DELETED>Subtitle A--Unmanned Aircraft Systems

<DELETED>Sec. 801. Office of Advanced Aviation Technology and 
                            Innovation.
<DELETED>Sec. 802. Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation Steering 
                            Committee.
<DELETED>Sec. 803. Beyond visual line of sight operations for unmanned 
                            aircraft systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 804. Extending special authority for certain unmanned 
                            aircraft systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 805. Environmental Review and Noise Certification.
<DELETED>Sec. 806. UTM implementation.
<DELETED>Sec. 807. Operations over the high seas.
<DELETED>Sec. 808. Extension of the BEYOND program.
<DELETED>Sec. 809. Extension of the Know Before You Fly campaign.
<DELETED>Sec. 810. Unmanned aircraft system data exchange.
<DELETED>Sec. 811. Unmanned aircraft system detection and mitigation 
                            enforcement authority.
<DELETED>Sec. 812. Recreational operations of drone systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 813. UAS test ranges.
<DELETED>Sec. 814. Authority regarding protection of certain facilities 
                            and assets from unmanned aircraft.
<DELETED>Sec. 815. Airport safety and airspace hazard mitigation and 
                            enforcement.
<DELETED>Sec. 816. Special authority for transport of hazardous 
                            materials by commercial package delivery 
                            unmanned aircraft systems.
               <DELETED>Subtitle B--Advanced Air Mobility

<DELETED>Sec. 821. Sense of Congress on FAA leadership.
<DELETED>Sec. 822. Aviation Rulemaking Committee on certification of 
                            powered-lift aircraft.
<DELETED>Sec. 823. Application of National Environmental Policy Act 
                            (NEPA) categorical exclusions for vertiport 
                            projects.
<DELETED>Sec. 824. Advanced Air Mobility Working Group amendments.
<DELETED>Sec. 825. Rules for operation of powered-lift aircraft.
<DELETED>Sec. 826. International coordination on powered-lift aircraft.
<DELETED>Sec. 827. Advanced air mobility propulsion systems aviation 
                            rulemaking committee.
  <DELETED>TITLE IX--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIVE AVIATION 
                              TECHNOLOGIES

<DELETED>Sec. 901. Advanced materials center of excellence 
                            enhancements.
<DELETED>Sec. 902. Center of excellence for unmanned aircraft systems.
<DELETED>Sec. 903. ASSUREd safe credentialing authority.
<DELETED>Sec. 904. FAA and NASA advanced aviation technologies pilot 
                            program.
<DELETED>Sec. 905. Advancing global leadership on civil supersonic 
                            aircraft.
<DELETED>Sec. 906. CLEEN engine and airframe technology partnership.
<DELETED>Sec. 907. Hypersonic flight testing.
<DELETED>Sec. 908. Hypersonic pathway to integration study.
<DELETED>Sec. 909. Operating high-speed flights in high altitude Class 
                            E airspace.
<DELETED>Sec. 910. Electric propulsion aircraft operations study.
<DELETED>Sec. 911. Contract weather observers program.
<DELETED>Sec. 912. Airfield pavement technology program.
<DELETED>Sec. 913. National aviation research plan modification.
<DELETED>Sec. 914. FAA and NASA research and development coordination 
                            review.
<DELETED>Sec. 915. Research and development of FAA's aeronautical 
                            information systems modernization 
                            activities.
<DELETED>Sec. 916. Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and 
                            Environment.
<DELETED>Sec. 917. Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee.
                    <DELETED>TITLE X--MISCELLANEOUS

<DELETED>Sec. 1001. Noise mitigation.
                <DELETED>TITLE XI--TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS

<DELETED>Sec. 1101. Technical corrections.

<DELETED>SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    In this Act:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Administrator.--Unless otherwise specified, 
        the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Comptroller general.--The term ``Comptroller 
        General'' means the Comptroller General of the United 
        States.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) FAA.--The term ``FAA'' means the Federal 
        Aviation Administration.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Secretary.--Unless otherwise specified, the 
        term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
        Transportation.</DELETED>

               <DELETED>TITLE I--AUTHORIZATIONS</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 101. AIRPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AND NOISE 
              COMPATIBILITY PLANNING AND PROGRAMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Authorization.--Section 48103(a) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (6) and 
inserting the following: ``</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2024;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2025;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2026;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2028.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Obligation Authority.--Section 47104(c) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ``2023,'' and inserting ``2028,''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 102. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 48101(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (6) and inserting the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) $3,575,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2024.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) $3,625,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2025.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) $3,675,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2026.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) $3,675,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2027.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) $3,675,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2028.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 103. FAA OPERATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 106(k)(1) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking subparagraphs (A) through (F) and 
inserting the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) $12,740,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2024;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) $13,033,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2025;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) $13,500,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2026;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) $13,900,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2027; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) $14,400,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2028.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Authority to Transfer Funds.--Section 106(k)(3) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``fiscal years 
2018 through 2023'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2024 through 
2028''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 104. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau.--Section 
47115(i) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking 
``fiscal years 2018 through 2023'' and inserting ``fiscal years 2024 
through 2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Extension of Compatible Land Use Planning and Projects 
by State and Local Governments.--Section 47141(f) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``September 30, 2023'' and 
inserting ``September 30, 2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Midway Island Airport.--Section 186(d) of the Vision 
100--Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (Public Law 108-176; 117 
Stat. 2518) is amended by striking ``fiscal years 2018 through 2023'' 
and inserting ``fiscal years 2024 through 2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Authority to Provide Insurance.--Section 44310(b) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``September 30, 
2023'' and inserting ``September 30, 2028.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 105. AUTHORITY TO SUBPOENA PHYSICAL EVIDENCE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 46104(a)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ``and records'' and inserting ``, records, 
including documents and data, whether stored in a physical or 
electronic format, and tangible objects''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 106. RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 48102(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (14), by striking ``and'' at the 
        end;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by paragraph (15), by striking the period at 
        the end and inserting a semicolon; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(16) $344,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2024;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(17) $360,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2025;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(18) $367,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2026;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(19) $374,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(20) $390,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2028.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 107. EFFECTIVE DATE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The amendments made by this subtitle (other than in 
section 105) shall take effect on October 1, 2023.</DELETED>

      <DELETED>TITLE II--FAA OVERSIGHT AND ORGANIZATION</DELETED>

              <DELETED>Subtitle A--Organization</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 201. FUTURE OF NEXTGEN.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Completion and Sunset.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Key programs.--Not later than December 31, 
        2025, the FAA shall operationalize all the key programs under 
        the NextGen project as described in the FAA's deployment 
        plan.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Office; advisory committee.--The NextGen 
        Office and the NextGen Advisory Committee shall terminate on 
        December 31, 2025.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Transfer of residual nextgen implementation 
        functions; status report.--If the FAA does not complete the 
        NextGen project by the deadline specified in paragraph (1), the 
        Administrator shall transfer the residual functions of 
        completing NextGen to the Airspace Innovation Office 
        established under section 202.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Transfer of advanced air mobility functions.--
        Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this 
        section, any AAM (as defined in section 106(u)(7) of title 49, 
        United States Code (as added by section 801)) relevant 
        functions, duties, and responsibilities of the NAS Systems, 
        Engineering, & Integration Office or other Offices within the 
        Office of NextGen shall be incorporated into the Office of 
        Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation established under 
        section 106(u) of title 49, United States Code (as so 
        added).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Status reports.--If the FAA does not complete 
        the NextGen project by the deadline specified in paragraph (1), 
        the Administrator shall, not later than 30 days after such 
        deadline, and quarterly thereafter until all key programs under 
        the NextGen project are deployed, brief the appropriate 
        committees of Congress on the status of each incomplete 
        program, including, with respect to each such incomplete 
        program--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) an explanation as to why the program 
                deployment was delayed or not completed by such 
                deadline;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) an assessment of the key risks to the 
                full implementation of the program and a description of 
                how the FAA is mitigating, or plans to mitigate, those 
                risks; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) a detailed schedule of actions 
                necessary to complete the program, including updated 
                milestones and deadlines.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Independent Report.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days of the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        contract with an independent third-party contractor or a 
        Federally funded research and development center to develop a 
        report reviewing and assessing the implementation of the 
        NextGen project.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirements.--The report developed under 
        paragraph (1) shall include the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Evaluation of the promised operational 
                benefits at the time of initiation and the realized 
                benefits upon completion of the NextGen 
                project.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Recommendations for the technical 
                capacity and resources needed by the FAA in order to 
                oversee a comprehensive airspace modernization project 
                on-schedule and on-budget.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Identification of programs under the 
                NextGen project that were significantly delayed, 
                significantly diminished, or ultimately not 
                implemented, including an explanation of the cause of 
                the delay, reduction, or removal of the program from 
                the NextGen project by the FAA. This discussion shall 
                include at a minimum, programs relating to expanding 
                surveillance coverage across the country, increasing 
                performance-based navigation, and improving enroute 
                data communications.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Identification of any challenges that 
                impacted the implementation of the NextGen 
                project.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Identification of any lessons learned 
                during the NextGen project effort, and whether, how, 
                and to what effect those lessons may be applied to 
                future national airspace system modernization 
                efforts.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) Assessment of national airspace system 
                user engagement in the NextGen project priorities and 
                implementation.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) Recommendations of the justifications 
                for further national airspace system modernization 
                efforts including economic, safety, efficiency, 
                capacity, predictability, and resiliency of the United 
                States air transportation system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Deadline.--Not later than June 30, 2026, the 
        report developed under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the 
        Administrator and the appropriate committees of 
        Congress.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 202. AIRSPACE INNOVATION OFFICE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--On January 1, 2026, the 
        Administrator shall establish within the FAA the Airspace 
        Innovation Office (in this section referred to as the 
        ``Office'').</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Assistant administrator.--The Office shall be 
        led by the Assistant Administrator.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Duties.--The Office shall be responsible for--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the research and development, systems 
                engineering, enterprise architecture, and portfolio 
                management for the continuous modernization of the 
                national airspace system; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) developing an integrated plan for the 
                future state of the national airspace system and 
                overseeing the deployment of the system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Consultation.--The Assistant Administrator 
        shall consult, as necessary, with the Chief Technology Officer 
        appointed under section 106(s) of title 49, United States Code, 
        and the Associate Administrator for Advanced Aviation 
        Technology and Innovation appointed under section 106(u) of 
        title 49, United States Code (as added by section 
        801).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Integrated Plan Requirements.--The integrated plan 
developed by the Office shall be designed to ensure that the national 
airspace system meets future safety, security, mobility, efficiency, 
and capacity needs of a diverse set of airspace users. The integrated 
plan shall include the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) A description of the demand for services that 
        will be required of the Nation's future air transportation 
        system, and an explanation of how those demand projections were 
        derived, including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the most likely range of average 
                annual resources required over the duration of the plan 
                to cost-effectively maintain the safety, 
                sustainability, and other characteristics of national 
                airspace operation and the FAA's mission; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) an estimate of FAA resource 
                requirements by user group, including expectations 
                concerning the growth of new entrants and potential new 
                users.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) A roadmap for creating and implementing the 
        integrated plan, including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the most significant technical, 
                operational, and personnel obstacles and the activities 
                necessary to overcome such obstacles, including the 
                role of other Federal agencies, corporations, 
                institutions of higher learning, and non-profit 
                organizations in carrying out such 
                activities;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the annual anticipated cost of 
                carrying out such activities; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the technical milestones that will be 
                used to evaluate the activities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) A description of the operational concepts to 
        meet the system performance requirements for all system users 
        and a timeline and anticipated expenditures needed to develop 
        and deploy the system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) The management of the enterprise architecture 
        framework for the introduction of these operational 
        improvements and to inform FAA financial decision-
        making.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) A business case for the operational 
        improvements that the Office will develop and deploy not later 
        than 2040, including the benefits, costs, and risks of the 
        preferred and alternative options.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Considerations.--In developing and carrying out the 
integrated plan, the Office shall consider--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the results and recommendations of the 
        independent report on implementation of the NextGen project 
        under section 201(b);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the status of the transition to, and 
        deployment of, trajectory-based operations within the national 
        airspace system; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the audit of legacy systems required by 
        section 407, and the resulting plan to replace or enhance the 
        identified legacy systems within a reasonable time 
        frame.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Consultation.--In developing and carrying out the 
integrated plan, the Office shall consult with representatives from--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) airlines;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) business aviation;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) general aviation;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) aviation labor groups;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) aviation research and development 
        entities;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) aircraft and avionics manufacturers;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) air traffic control suppliers;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) commercial space industry;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (10) commercial and recreational drone industry; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (11) any other entities the Office deems 
        necessary.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Plan Deadline; Briefings.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Plan deadline.--Not later than November 30, 
        2026, the Administrator shall submit the integrated plan 
        required by subsection (a)(3)(B) to the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the Senate, the Committee on Transportation 
        and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the 
        Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Annual briefings.--The Administrator shall 
        provide the committees of Congress specified in paragraph (1) 
        with an annual briefing describing the progress in carrying out 
        the integrated plan required by subsection (a)(3)(B), including 
        any changes to the plan.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) DOT Inspector General Review.--Not later than 180 days 
following submission of the integrated plan under subsection (e)(1), 
the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation shall review 
the integrated plan and submit to the committees of Congress specified 
in paragraph (1) a report that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) assesses the business case for the integrated 
        plan;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) provides any recommendations for improving the 
        integrated plan; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) includes any other information that the 
        Inspector General determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Limitation.--The FAA is not authorized to spend any 
amounts on the deployment of new air traffic management technologies 
and operational improvements that have yet to be deployed and 
identified in the integrated plan until the committees of Congress 
specified in paragraph (1) have been briefed under subsection 
(e)(2).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 203. COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING ASIAS 
              ANALYTICS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) ASIAS Analytics.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Evaluation.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        evaluate whether commercial software solutions are available to 
        improve the FAA's Aviation Safety Information Analysis and 
        Sharing (ASIAS) system to advance the system's predictive 
        capabilities and analytical solutions developed.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirements.--In carrying out the evaluation 
        required by paragraph (1), the Administrator shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) prioritize production-ready 
                configurable solutions over custom development to 
                support FAA critical aviation safety programs; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) ensure that adequate market research 
                is completed in accordance with FAA acquisition 
                management system requirements, including appropriate 
                live demonstrations of proposed solutions, as part of 
                the evaluation criteria.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the results of 
the evaluation carried out under subsection (a) that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) includes an assessment of the FAA's progress 
        toward achieving previously identified milestones for ASIAS by 
        the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation and 
        the Special Committee to Review FAA Aircraft Certification 
        Reports; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) outlines the FAA's plan to use rapidly 
        deployable commercial solutions to assist the FAA in meeting 
        such milestones.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 204. AUTHORITY TO USE ELECTRONIC SERVICE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 46103 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (b)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1)--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) in subparagraph (B), by 
                        striking ``or'' after the semicolon;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) in subparagraph (C), by 
                        striking the period at the end and inserting a 
                        semicolon; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) by adding at the end the 
                        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) by electronic or facsimile 
                transmission to the person to be served or the 
                designated agent of the person; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) as designated by regulation or 
                guidance published in the Federal Register.''; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by adding at the end the 
                following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) The date of service made by an electronic or 
        facsimile method is--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) the date an electronic or facsimile 
                transmission is sent; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the date a notification is sent by 
                an electronic or facsimile method that a notice, 
                process, or action is immediately available and 
                accessible in an electronic database.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (c) by striking the first 
        sentence and inserting ``Service on an agent designated under 
        this section shall be made at the office or usual place of 
        residence of the agent or at the electronic or facsimile 
        address designated by the agent.''.</DELETED>

            <DELETED>Subtitle B--Regulatory Reform</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 211. SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY THROUGH DIGITIZATION OF FAA 
              SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) identify, at the discretion of the 
        Administrator, 3 processes of the FAA that result in a 
        certification (such as an aircraft certification, aircraft 
        registration, or airmen certification) or authorization, an 
        exemption, or a letter of authorization; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) initiate the digitization of such 
        processes.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirements.--In carrying out the digitization 
required by subsection (a), the Administrator shall ensure that the 
digitization of any process allows for--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) an applicant to track their application 
        throughout the period of submission and review of such 
        application; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the status of the application to be available 
        upon demand to the applicant, as well as FAA employees 
        responsible for reviewing and making a decision on the 
        application.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date on which the Administrator initiates the digitization under 
subsection (a)(2), the Administrator shall brief the appropriate 
committees of Congress on the progress of such digitization.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Definition of Digitization.--In this section, the term 
``digitization'' means the transition from a predominantly paper-based 
system to a system centered on the use of a data management system and 
the internet.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 212. REPORT ELIMINATION OR MODIFICATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Reports Modified.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Report on the airport improvement program.--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--Section 47131(a) of title 
                49, United States Code, is amended by striking the 
                first sentence and inserting ``Not later than June 1, 
                2025, and biennially thereafter, the Secretary of 
                Transportation shall submit to Congress a report on 
                activities carried out under this subchapter during the 
                prior 2 fiscal years.''.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Conforming amendments.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) Section 47131 of title 49, 
                        United States Code, is amended in the section 
                        heading by striking ``Annual'' and inserting 
                        ``Biennial''.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) The analysis for chapter 471 
                        of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
                        striking the item relating to section 47131 and 
                        inserting the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``47131. Biennial report.''.
        <DELETED>    (2) National aviation research plan.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Section 44501(c)(1) of title 49, 
                United States Code, is amended by striking ``the date 
                of submission'' and inserting ``90 days after the date 
                of submission''.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Section 48102(g) of title 49, United 
                States Code, is amended by striking ``the date of 
                submission'' and inserting ``90 days after the date of 
                submission''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Reports Eliminated.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Laser pointer incidents.--Section 2104(a) of 
        the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 
        46301 note) is amended by striking ``Beginning 90 days after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration, in coordination with 
        appropriate Federal law enforcement agencies, shall provide 
        quarterly updates to the appropriate committees of Congress 
        regarding'' and inserting ``The Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration, in coordination with appropriate 
        Federal law enforcement agencies, shall provide an annual 
        briefing to the appropriate committees of Congress 
        regarding''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Report on helicopter air ambulance 
        operations.--Section 44731 of title 49, United States Code, is 
        amended--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in subsection (d)--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) in the subsection heading, by 
                        striking ``Report to Congress'' and inserting 
                        ``Briefing'';</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) by striking the first 
                        sentence and inserting ``The Administrator 
                        shall provide a briefing to the Committee on 
                        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House 
                        of Representatives and the Committee on 
                        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
                        Senate annually on the data collected under 
                        subsection (a).''; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) in the second sentence by 
                        striking ``report'' and inserting ``briefing''; 
                        and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subsection (e)(2), by striking 
                ``the report'' and inserting ``the 
                briefing''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 213. INTERNAL REGULATORY PROCESS REVIEW.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish an internal 
regulatory process review team (in this section referred to as the 
``review team'') comprising of FAA employees and individuals described 
in subsection (b) to develop recommendations to improve the timeliness 
of, and performance accountability in, the development and promulgation 
of regulatory materials (as defined in subsection (g)). The review team 
shall deliver a report with recommendations to the Secretary in 
accordance with the deadlines specified in subsection (e).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Other Members; Consultation.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The review team shall include 
        outside experts and academics with relevant experience or 
        expertise in aviation safety and in improving the performance, 
        accountability, and transparency of the Federal regulatory 
        process, particularly as it relates to aviation safety. The 
        review team shall include at least 3 outside experts or 
        academics with relevant experience or expertise in aviation 
        safety and at least 1 outside expert or academic with relevant 
        experience or expertise in improving the performance, 
        accountability, and transparency of the Federal regulatory 
        process, particularly as it relates to aviation 
        safety.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Consultation.--The review team may, as 
        appropriate, consult with industry stakeholders.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Contents of Review.--In conducting the review required 
under subsection (a), the review team shall do the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Develop a proposal for rationalizing processes 
        and eliminating redundant administrative review of regulatory 
        materials within the FAA, particularly when FAA-sponsored rule-
        making committees and stakeholders have collaborated on the 
        proposed regulations to address airworthiness standards 
        deficiencies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) With respect to each office within the FAA 
        that reviews regulatory materials, assess--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the timeline assigned to each such 
                office to complete the review of regulatory 
                materials;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the actual time spent for such 
                review;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) opportunities to reduce the actual 
                time for such review; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) whether clear roles, responsibilities, 
                requirements, and expectations are clearly defined for 
                each office required to review the regulatory 
                materials.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Define and document the roles and 
        responsibilities of each office within the FAA that develops, 
        drafts or reviews each kind of regulatory material in order to 
        ensure that hiring reflects who, where, and how these employees 
        function in the rulemaking framework.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Describe any organizational changes or the 
        need to hire additional FAA employees, if necessary and taking 
        into consideration whether current positions are staffed, to 
        reduce delays in publication of proposed and final regulatory 
        materials.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) In order to provide the public with detailed 
        information on the progress of the development of regulatory 
        materials, identify reporting mechanisms and develop a template 
        and appropriate system metrics for making publicly available on 
        a website a real-time progress tracker that updates itself to 
        show the major stages (as determined by the Secretary) of the 
        development of regulatory materials as they are initiated, in 
        progress, and completed, from inception of a proposed 
        development of regulatory materials to publication of the final 
        version of such materials.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Consider changes to the FAA's best practices 
        under rules governing ex parte communications with other 
        validating authorities, including international validating 
        authorities, and with consideration of the public interest in 
        transparency, to provide flexibility for FAA employees to 
        discuss regulatory materials, particularly for those related to 
        enhancing aviation safety and the United States' aviation 
        international leadership.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Recommend methods by which the FAA can 
        incorporate research funded by the Department of 
        Transportation, in addition to consensus standards and 
        conformance assessment processes set by private sector 
        standards-developing organizations into regulatory materials, 
        to keep pace with rapid changes in aviation technologies and 
        processes.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) Recommend mechanisms to optimize the roles of 
        the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and the Office of 
        Management and Budget, with the objective of improving the 
        efficiency of regulatory activity.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Action Plan.--The Administrator shall develop an 
action plan to implement the recommendations developed by the review 
team. The Administrator shall publish the action plan on the Internet 
website of the FAA and shall transmit the plan to the appropriate 
committees of Congress.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Deadlines.--The requirements of this section shall be 
subject to the following deadlines:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The review team shall complete the evaluation 
        required under subsection (a) and submit the review team's 
        report on such evaluation to the Secretary not later than 120 
        days after the date of enactment of this section.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The Administrator shall develop and publish 
        the action plan under subsection (d) not later than 30 days 
        after the date on which the review team submits the report 
        required by subsection (a) to the Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Administrative Procedure Requirements Inapplicable.--
The provisions of subchapter II of chapter 5, and chapter 7, of title 
5, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Administrative Procedure 
Act'') shall not apply to any activities of the review team in carrying 
out the requirements of this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Regulatory Materials Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``regulatory materials'' means rules, orders, advisory circulars, 
statements of policy, guidance, and other materials related to aviation 
safety regulations, as well as other materials pertaining to training 
and operation of aeronautical products.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 214. REVIEW AND UPDATES OF CATEGORICAL 
              EXCLUSIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Not later than 2 year after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Secretary shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) identify each categorical exclusion under the 
        jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation (referred to 
        in this section as the ``Department''), including any operating 
        administration within the Department; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) review, adopt, and broaden the applicability 
        of categorical exclusions to enable the use by operating 
        administrations of the Department, as relevant and appropriate, 
        of categorical exclusions identified in paragraph 
        (1).</DELETED>

           <DELETED>TITLE III--SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 301. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON FUTURE STATE OF TYPE 
              CERTIFICATION PROCESSES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Review and Study.--Not later than 60 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Administrator shall enter into an agreement with an 
appropriate Federally-funded research and development center, or other 
independent nonprofit organization that recommends solutions to 
aviation policy challenges through objective analysis, to conduct a 
review and study in accordance with the requirements and elements set 
forth in this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Elements.--The review and study under subsection (a) 
shall provide analyses, assessments, and recommendations that address 
the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) A vision for a future state of type 
        certification that reflects the highly complex, highly 
        integrated nature of today's aircraft and improvements in 
        aviation safety.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) A review of the current tools and techniques 
        used for type certification and an evaluation of whether use of 
        advanced digital tools and techniques, including model-based 
        system engineering, would improve the type certification 
        process and enhance aviation safety.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) How the FAA could develop a risk-based model 
        for type certification that improves the safety of 
        aircraft.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) What changes are needed to ensure that 
        corrective actions for continued operational safety issues can 
        be approved and implemented quickly, particularly with respect 
        to software modifications, while maintaining the safety of the 
        type certification process.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) What efficiencies and safety process 
        improvements are needed in the FAA's type certification system 
        that will facilitate the assessment and integration of 
        innovating technologies that advance aviation safety, such as 
        conducting product familiarization, developing certification 
        requirements, and demonstrating flight test safety 
        readiness.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Best practices and tools used by other 
        certification authorities that could be adopted by the FAA and 
        the United States, as well as the best practices and tools used 
        by the United States which can be shared with other 
        certification authorities.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report.--Not later than 15 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the organization conducting the review and 
study shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report on the results of the review and study that 
includes the findings and recommendations of the 
organization.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 270 days after 
the report required under subsection (c) is submitted to the 
Administrator, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees 
of Congress regarding the FAA's response to the findings and 
recommendations of such report, what actions the FAA will take as a 
result of such findings and recommendations, and the FAA rationale for 
not taking action on any specific recommendation.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 302. REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL VALIDATION PROGRAM 
              PERFORMANCE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall evaluate the performance 
of the FAA's type certificate validation program under bilateral 
agreements, with reference to agreed implementation 
procedures.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Contents.--The evaluation under subsection (a) shall 
consider, at minimum, the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Progress under section 243(a) of the FAA 
        Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note) with respect 
        to improving the FAA's leadership abroad.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Performance, with reference to metrics such as 
        the number and types of projects, timeline milestones, the 
        validating authority level of involvement and certifying 
        authority delegation, and trends relating to the repeated use 
        of non-basic criteria, relating to review systems or methods of 
        compliance that have been validated previously in similar 
        context.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Training on the minimum standards for 
        validation work plan content, such as the validating authority 
        level of involvement, and what constitutes justification for 
        level of involvement and compliance document 
        requests.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) The perspectives of FAA employees responsible 
        for type validation projects, bilateral civil aviation 
        regulatory partners, and industry applicants, on the FAA's 
        performance in carrying out validation projects.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) The levels of funding and staffing for the 
        International Validation Branch of the Compliance and 
        Airworthiness Division of the Aircraft Certification Service of 
        the FAA compared to the Branch's workload and goals.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) The effectiveness of FAA training for 
        employees and of outreach conducted to improve and enforce 
        validation processes.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Efforts undertaken to strengthen relationships 
        with international certification authorities to maximize safety 
        cooperation and the use of approvals issued by other certifying 
        authorities in compliance with applicable bilateral agreements 
        and implementation procedures.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report.--The Administrator shall issue a report 
regarding the evaluation required under subsection (a) to the 
appropriate committees of Congress not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this section.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 303. HIGH RISK FLIGHT TESTING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall take necessary 
actions, including as appropriate, amending part 21 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations, and revising or modifying any associated 
advisory circulars, guidance, or policy of the FAA, in accordance with 
this section to improve flight test safety risk.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirements.--In developing, amending, revising, or 
modifying regulations, advisory circulars, guidance, or policy under 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall do the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Develop validation criteria and procedures 
        whereby data produced in high fidelity engineering laboratories 
        and facilities may be allowed in conjunction with, or in lieu 
        of, data produced on a flying test article to support an 
        applicant's showing of compliance required under section 
        21.35(a)(1) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Develop criteria and procedures whereby an 
        Organization Designation Authorization (as defined in section 
        44736(c)(5) of title 49, United States Code) may recommend that 
        certain data produced during an applicant's company flight test 
        program may be accepted by the FAA as final compliance data in 
        accordance with section 21.35(b) of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, at the sole discretion of the FAA.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Work with other civil aviation authorities 
        representing States of Design to identify their best practices 
        relative to high-risk flight testing and adopt those practices 
        into the FAA's flight-testing requirements to the maximum 
        extent practicable.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 304. RECORDING DEVICES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 447 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 44745. Cockpit recording device</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall complete a rulemaking proceeding to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) require that, not later than 4 years after 
        the date of enactment of this Act, all applicable aircraft are 
        fitted with a cockpit voice recorder and a flight data recorder 
        that are each capable of recording the most recent 25 hours of 
        data;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) prohibit any person from deliberately 
        erasing or tampering with any recording on such a cockpit voice 
        recorder or flight data recorder following a National 
        Transportation Safety Board reportable event under part 830 of 
        title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, and provide for civil 
        and criminal penalties for such deliberate erasing or 
        tampering, which may be assessed in accordance with section 
        1155 of this title and section 32 of title 18;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) require that such a cockpit voice recorder 
        has the capability for an operator to use an erasure feature, 
        such as an installed bulk erase function, consistent with 
        applicable law and regulations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) require that, in the case of such a cockpit 
        voice recorder or flight data recorder that uses a solid state 
        recording medium in which activation of a bulk erase function 
        assigns a random discrete code to the deleted recording, only 
        the manufacturer of the recorder and National Transportation 
        Safety Board have access to the software necessary to determine 
        the code in order to extract the deleted recorded data; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) ensure that data on such a cockpit voice 
        recorder or a flight data recorder, through technical means 
        other than encryption (such as overwriting or the substitution 
        of a blank recording medium before the recorder is returned to 
        the owner) is not disclosed for use other than for accident or 
        incident investigation purposes.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Prohibited Use.--A cockpit voice recorder recording 
shall not be used by the Administrator or any employer for any 
certificate action, civil penalty, or disciplinary proceedings against 
flight crewmembers.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Applicable Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the 
term `applicable aircraft' means an aircraft that is--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) operated under part 121 or 135 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) required by regulation to have a cockpit 
        voice recorder or a flight data recorder.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 447 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 44744 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44745. Recording devices.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 305. HELICOPTER SAFETY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall task the Aviation 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the 
``Committee'') with reviewing and assessing the need for changes to the 
safety requirements for turbine-powered rotorcraft certificated for 6 
or more passenger seats in relation to flight data recorders, flight 
data monitoring, and terrain awareness and warning systems. The 
Committee shall submit to the Administrator a report on the findings 
from such review and assessment, together with recommendations for such 
legislative or administrative action the Committee deems 
appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Considerations.--In reviewing and assessing the safety 
requirements under subsection (a), the Committee shall consider--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) any applicable safety recommendations of the 
        National Transportation Safety Board; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the operational requirements and safety 
        considerations for operations under parts 121 and 135 of title 
        14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after the date on 
which the Committee submits the report under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the findings and recommendations included in 
        the Committee's report; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Administrator's plan, if any, to implement 
        such recommendations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 306. REVIEW AND INCORPORATION OF HUMAN READINESS LEVELS 
              INTO AGENCY GUIDANCE MATERIAL.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Proper attention to human factors during the 
        development of technological systems is a significant factor in 
        minimizing or preventing human error.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The evaluation and monitoring of a new 
        aviation technology or system with respect to human use 
        throughout its design and development may reduce human error in 
        new systems and technologies when used in operational 
        conditions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) The technical standard ``ANSI/HFES 400-2021, 
        Human Readiness Level Scale in the System Development Process'' 
        defines the 9 levels of a Human Readiness Level scale and their 
        application in systems engineering and human systems 
        integration processes.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Review.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate a process 
to review ANSI/HFES Standard 400-2021 and determine whether any 
materials from this standard can and should be incorporated or 
referenced in agency procedures and guidance material in order to 
enhance safety in relation to human factors.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
Administrator shall conduct a review of the ANSI/HFES 400-2021 
technical standard and may consult with subject matter experts 
affiliated with the authoring organization for such technical 
standard.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall brief the 
appropriate committees of Congress on the progress of the review 
required by subsection (b).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 307. SERVICE DIFFICULTY REPORTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Annual Congressional Briefings.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, 
the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on 
compliance during the preceding year with requirements relating to 
Service Difficulty Reports, specifically--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) compliance by operators with the requirements 
        of section 121.703 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) compliance by approval or certificate holders 
        with the requirements of section 183.63 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) compliance by FAA offices with the 
        requirements for investigation of Service Difficulty Reports, 
        as documented in the following FAA Orders (and any subsequent 
        revisions of such Orders):</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) FAA Order 8900.1A, Flight Standards 
                Information Management System (issued October 27, 
                2022);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) FAA Order 8120.23A, Certificate 
                Management of Production Approval Holders (issued March 
                6, 2017); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) FAA Order 8110.107A, Monitor Safety/
                Analyze Data (issued October 1, 2012).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirements.--The briefings required by subsection 
(a) shall include the following with respect to the preceding 
year:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Identification of categories of service 
        difficulties reported, as determined by the Administrator, 
        including repetitive service difficulties reported.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The causes of the service difficulties, as 
        determined by the Administrator.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Actions taken by, or required by, the 
        Administrator to address the identified causes of service 
        difficulties.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Violations of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, and what, if any, action the FAA took in response 
        to a violation, including any actions set forth in FAA Order 
        2150.3C, FAA Compliance and Enforcement Program w/Changes 1-10 
        (issued September 18, 2018) (or any subsequent revisions of 
        such Order).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 308. ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMPLIANCE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 44704(a)(1) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``When an 
applicant submits design data to the Administrator for a finding of 
compliance as part of an application for a type certificate, the 
applicant shall certify to the Administrator that the submitted design 
data demonstrates compliance with the applicable airworthiness 
standards or that any airworthiness standards not complied with are 
compensated for by factors that provide an equivalent level of safety 
as agreed upon by the Administrator.''</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall provide to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the implementation 
of the certification required by the amendment made by subsection 
(a).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 309. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION 
              NUMBERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The Administrator shall review the process of reserving 
aircraft registration numbers and implement appropriate changes to 
ensure the fair participation by the general public, including the 
implementation of readily available software to prevent any computer 
auto-fill systems from reserving aircraft registration numbers in 
bulk.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 310. AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 441 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 44114. Reregistration of aircraft</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``If an application for reregistration of an aircraft is 
filed before the date on which the aircraft's registration expires, the 
aircraft may continue to be operated after the expiration of the 90-day 
period following the date on which the owner of the aircraft filed such 
reregistration application (without regard for whether the 
Administrator has received such reregistration application), provided 
that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) any operator of the aircraft has evidence 
        aboard the aircraft that the owner of the aircraft filed the 
        reregistration application with the Administrator not less than 
        90 days previously; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) the Administrator has not rejected such 
        reregistration application.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
shall take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 441 of 
such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
44113 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44114. Reregistration of aircraft.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 311. FAA OVERSIGHT OF REPAIR STATIONS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE 
              UNITED STATES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 44733 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in the section heading by striking 
        ``Inspection'' and inserting ``Oversight'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (e)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in the first sentence--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) by inserting ``, without prior 
                        notice to such repair stations,'' after 
                        ``annually''; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) by inserting ``and the 
                        applicable laws of the country in which a 
                        repair station is located'' after 
                        ``international agreements''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking the second sentence and 
                inserting ``The Administrator may carry out announced 
                or unannounced inspections in addition to the annual 
                unannounced inspection required under this subsection 
                based on identified risks and in a manner consistent 
                with United States obligations under international 
                agreements and with the applicable laws of the country 
                in which a repair station is located.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection 
        (i); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by inserting after subsection (f) the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) Data Analysis.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--An air carrier conducting 
        operations under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, shall, if applicable, provide to the appropriate 
        office of the Administration, not less than once every year, a 
        report containing the information described in paragraph (2) 
        with respect to heavy maintenance work on aircraft (including 
        on-wing aircraft engines) performed in the preceding 
        year.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Information required.--A report under 
        paragraph (1) shall contain the following 
        information:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) The location where any heavy 
                maintenance work on aircraft (including on-wing 
                aircraft engines) was performed outside the United 
                States.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) A description of the work performed 
                at each such location.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) The date of completion of the work 
                performed at each such location.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) If applicable, a list of all 
                failures, malfunctions, or defects affecting the safe 
                operation of such aircraft identified by the air 
                carrier within 30 days after the date on which an 
                aircraft is returned to service, organized by reference 
                to aircraft registration number, that--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) requires corrective action 
                        after the aircraft is approved for return to 
                        service; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) results from the work 
                        performed on such aircraft.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) The certificate number of the person 
                approving such aircraft or on-wing aircraft engine, for 
                return to service following completion of the work 
                performed at each such location.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Analysis.--The Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) analyze information made available 
                under paragraph (1) of this subsection and sections 
                121.703, 121.705, 121.707, and 145.221 of title 14, 
                Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
                provisions, to detect safety issues associated with 
                heavy maintenance work on aircraft (including on-wing 
                aircraft engines) performed outside the United States; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) require appropriate actions in 
                response.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Confidentiality.--Information made available 
        under paragraph (1) shall be subject to the same protections 
        given to voluntarily provided safety or security related 
        information under section 40123.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(h) Minimum Qualifications for Mechanics and Others 
Working on U.S. Registered Aircraft.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration shall require that, at each 
        covered repair station--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) all supervisory personnel are 
                appropriately certificated as a mechanic or repairman 
                under part 65 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
                or under an equivalent certification or licensing 
                regime, as determined by the Administrator; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) all personnel authorized to approve 
                an article for return to service are appropriately 
                certificated as a mechanic or repairman under part 65 
                of such title, or under an equivalent certification or 
                licensing regime, as determined by the 
                Administrator.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Available for consultation.--Not later than 
        1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall 
        require any individual who is responsible for approving an 
        article for return to service or who is directly in charge of 
        aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engine) maintenance 
        performed on aircraft operated under part 121 of title 14, Code 
        of Federal Regulations, be available for consultation while 
        work is being performed at a covered repair 
        station.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Definition of Covered Repair Station.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Section 44733(i) of title 49, 
        United States Code (as redesignated by subsection (a)(3)), is 
        amended--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) 
                through (3) as paragraphs (2) through (4), 
                respectively; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by inserting before paragraph (2), as 
                so redesignated, the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Covered repair station.--The term `covered 
        repair station' means a facility that--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) is located outside the United 
                States;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) is certificated under part 145 of 
                title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) performs heavy maintenance work on 
                aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engines) operated 
                under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                Regulations.''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Technical amendment.--Section 44733(a)(3) of 
        title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``covered 
        part 145 repair stations'' and inserting ``part 145 repair 
        stations''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Clerical Amendments.--The analysis for chapter 447 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating 
to section 44733 and inserting the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44733. Oversight of repair stations located outside the 
                            United States.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 312. ALCOHOL AND DRUG TESTING AND BACKGROUND 
              CHECKS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c), beginning on 
the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Administrator may not approve or authorize international travel for 
any employee of the FAA until a final rule carrying out the 
requirements of subsection (b) of section 2112 of the FAA Extension, 
Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44733 note) has been 
published in the Federal Register.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Rulemaking on Assessment Requirement.--With respect to 
any employee not covered under the requirements of section 1554.101 of 
title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, the Administrator shall initiate 
a rulemaking that requires a covered repair station to confirm that any 
such employee has successfully completed an assessment commensurate 
with a security threat assessment described in subpart C of part 1540 
of such title.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Exceptions.--The prohibition in subsection (a) shall 
not apply to international travel that is determined by the 
Administrator on an individual-by-individual basis to be--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) exclusively for the purpose of conducting a 
        safety inspection;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) directly related to aviation safety standards, 
        certification, and oversight; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) vital to the national interests of the United 
        States.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Definition of Covered Repair Station.--For purposes of 
this section, the term ``covered repair station'' means a facility 
that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) is located outside the United 
        States;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) is certificated under part 145 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) performs heavy maintenance work on aircraft 
        (including on-wing aircraft engines), operated under part 121 
        of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 313. CONTINUOUS AIRCRAFT TRACKING AND TRANSMISSION FOR 
              HIGH ALTITUDE BALLOONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Aviation Rulemaking Committee.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        establish an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (in this section 
        referred to as the ``Committee'') to review and develop 
        findings and recommendations regarding a standard that any high 
        altitude balloon be equipped with a system for continuous 
        aircraft tracking that shall transmit, at a minimum, the 
        altitude, location, and identity of the high altitude balloon 
        in a manner which is accessible to air traffic controllers, 
        aircraft, and other users of the National Airspace 
        System.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Composition.--The Committee shall consist of 
        members appointed by the Administrator, including the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Representatives of industry.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Aviation safety experts with specific 
                knowledge of high altitude balloon 
                operations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Representatives of the Department of 
                Defense.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Representatives of Federal agencies 
                that conduct high altitude balloon 
                operations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Committee shall submit 
        to the Administrator a report detailing the findings and 
        recommendations of the Committee described in paragraph (1). 
        Such report shall include recommendations regarding the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) How to update sections 91.215, 91.225, 
                and 99.13 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to 
                require any high altitude balloons to have a continuous 
                aircraft tracking and transmission system.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Any necessary updates to the 
                requirements for unmanned free balloons under subpart D 
                of part 101 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                Regulations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Any necessary updates to other FAA 
                regulations or requirements deemed appropriate and 
                necessary by the Administrator to--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) ensure any high altitude 
                        balloon has a continuous aircraft tracking and 
                        transmission system</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) ensure all data relating to 
                        the altitude, location, and identity of any 
                        high altitude balloon is made available to air 
                        traffic controllers, aircraft, and other users 
                        of the National Airspace System; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) maintain airspace 
                        safety.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Rulemaking and Other Requirements.--Not later than 180 
days after the date on which the Committee submits the report under 
subsection (a)(3), the Administrator shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to 
        require a continuous aircraft tracking and transmission system 
        for any high altitude balloon, in accordance with the 
        recommendations of the Committee; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) coordinate with foreign authorities (including 
        bilateral partners and the International Civil Aviation 
        Organization (ICAO)) to develop continuous aircraft tracking 
        and transmission system standards for any high altitude balloon 
        operating outside of the National Airspace System.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Interim Standard.--During the period beginning on the 
date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this section and 
ending on the date on which the Administrator issues a notice of 
proposed rulemaking under subsection (b)(1), a person may only operate 
a high altitude balloon if such balloon meets the requirements 
described in section 91.215(b) of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, notwithstanding the exemption provided in subsection 
(e)(1) of such section 91.215.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 6 months after 
the date of enactment of this section, and every 6 months thereafter 
until the Administrator promulgates a final rule under subsection (b), 
the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the status of the rulemaking and other 
requirements being developed under such subsection.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
                and Transportation of the Senate;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                Senate;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the 
                House of Representatives.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) High altitude balloon.--The term ``high 
        altitude balloon'' means a manned or unmanned free balloon 
        operating not less than 10,000 feet above sea level.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 314. INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Plan.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Administrator shall develop 
        and implement a plan to enhance United States' leadership in 
        aviation safety and policy.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents of plan.--The plan required under 
        paragraph (1) shall include, at minimum, the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Measures to advance international 
                cooperation related to--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) approval of new safety-
                        enhancing technologies and aeronautical 
                        products;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) development of regulatory 
                        policy and plans related to advanced air 
                        mobility concepts;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) innovation in the general 
                        aviation sector;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) further integration of 
                        uncrewed aircraft systems and advanced air 
                        mobility aircraft and operators; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) development of international 
                        standards and best practices for enhancing 
                        aviation safety consistent with United States 
                        policy and objectives.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Initiatives to attain greater 
                expertise among employees of the FAA on issues related 
                to dispute resolution, intellectual property, and 
                export control laws.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Policy regarding the future direction 
                and strategy of United States engagement with the 
                International Civil Aviation Organization and bilateral 
                partner countries, including the secondment of subject 
                matter experts.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Procedures for acceptance of mandatory 
                continuing airworthiness information, such as 
                airworthiness directives and other safety-related 
                regulatory documents, consistent with section 
                44701(e)(5) of title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Measures to align the FAA's technical 
                assistance to foreign civil aviation regulators, taking 
                into account, among other factors, with respect to each 
                such foreign regulator, the particular aeronautical 
                products for which the United States is the State of 
                Design in operation in the State of such regulator's 
                jurisdiction.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) Measures, such as funding and the 
                hiring of additional FAA personnel, necessary for the 
                FAA to fully participate in global and bilateral 
                activities related to aviation safety.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) Measures to facilitate and expand the 
                FAA's international programs, training, and technical 
                assistance to foreign civil aviation authorities in 
                order to--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) strengthen aviation safety 
                        oversight;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) meet the United Nations 
                        International Civil Aviation Organization 
                        standards; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) further United States policy 
                        and objectives.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) Initiatives to further develop and 
                establish the FAA's foreign offices in strategic 
                regions, particularly Africa and Asia-Pacific, in order 
                to support the FAA's international mission to promote a 
                safe, secure, seamless, and sustainable global 
                aerospace system.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Public Availability of Plan.--Not later than 210 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall make 
the plan developed under subsection (a) available on the internet 
website of the FAA.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Submission to Congress.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Plan.--Not later than 210 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a copy of the plan developed 
        under subsection (a).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Updates on implementation.--Not later than 1 
        year after the submission of the plan under paragraph (1), and 
        annually thereafter through 2028, the Administrator shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on 
        the activities the FAA is conducting in order to implement such 
        plan.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) International Travel.--The Administrator, or the 
Administrator's designee, may authorize international travel for any 
FAA employee, without the approval of any other person or office, for 
the purpose of--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) promotion of aviation safety and other 
        relevant aviation standards;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) providing support for expedited acceptance of 
        FAA design and production approvals by other civil aviation 
        authorities;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) facilitation of adoption of United States 
        approaches on standards and recommended practices at the 
        International Civil Aviation Organization; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) providing support for technical assistance and 
        training by the FAA.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 315. AIR TOUR AND SPORT PARACHUTING SAFETY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Safety Management System Requirements for Certain 
Operators.--Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall issue a final rule requiring each 
person holding a certificate under part 119 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations, and authorized to conduct operations in accordance 
with the provisions of part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, to implement a safety management system, as appropriate 
for the operations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Other Safety Requirements for Commercial Operators.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Safety reforms.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Authority to conduct nonstop 
                commercial air tours.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) In general.--Subject to 
                        clauses (ii) and (iii), beginning on the date 
                        that is 3 years after the date of enactment of 
                        this section, no person may conduct commercial 
                        air tours unless that person--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) holds a certificate 
                                identifying the person as an air 
                                carrier or commercial operator under 
                                part 119 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                                Regulations; and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) conducts all 
                                commercial air tours under the 
                                applicable provisions of part 121 or 
                                part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                                Regulations.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) Small business exception.--
                        The provisions of clause (i) shall not apply to 
                        a person who conducts 50 or fewer commercial 
                        air tours in a year.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) Temporary exception.--
                        Notwithstanding the requirements of clause (i), 
                        for a period of 5 years after the date 
                        described in clause (i), a person who holds a 
                        letter of authorization issued by the 
                        Administrator to conduct nonstop commercial air 
                        tours under section 91.147 of title 14, Code of 
                        Federal Regulations, may continue to conduct 
                        nonstop commercial air tours under such letter 
                        of authorization so long as the person--
                        </DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) as of the date of 
                                enactment of this section, has 
                                submitted (or not later than 18 months 
                                after such date of enactment, submits) 
                                an application to the Administrator for 
                                an air carrier certificate under part 
                                119, Code of Federal Regulations; 
                                and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) has not been issued 
                                such part 119 certificate or received a 
                                denial of the application submitted 
                                under subclause (I).</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) Reporting required.--
                        Beginning on the date that is 3 years after the 
                        date of enactment, and every 12 months 
                        thereafter, each person that conducts 
                        commercial air tours (including any person 
                        excluded from the certificate requirement under 
                        clause (ii) or (iii)) shall report to the 
                        Administrator the total number of commercial 
                        air tours that person conducted during the 
                        previous 12 months.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) Other terms.--The 
                        Administrator shall--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) revise title 14, Code 
                                of Federal Regulations, to include 
                                definitions for the terms ``aerial 
                                work'' and ``aerial photography'' that 
                                are limited to aerial operations 
                                performed for compensation or hire with 
                                an approved operating certificate; 
                                and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) to the extent 
                                necessary, revise section 
                                119.1(e)(4)(iii) of title 14, Code of 
                                Federal Regulations, to conform with 
                                the requirements of such 
                                definitions.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Additional safety requirements.--Not 
                later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this 
                section, the Administrator shall issue new or revised 
                regulations that shall require all certificated 
                commercial air tour operators to ensure that the doors 
                of the airplane or helicopter used for such tour remain 
                closed during the period of the tour in which the 
                airplane or helicopter is airborne, except for those 
                conducting parachute operations, and incorporate 
                avoidance training for controlled flight into terrain 
                and in-flight loss of control into the training program 
                required under part 121 or 135 of title 14, Code of 
                Federal Regulations, as applicable. The training shall 
                address reducing the risk of accidents involving 
                unintentional flight into instrument meteorological 
                conditions to address day, night, and low visibility 
                environments with special attention paid to research 
                available as of the date of enactment of this section 
                on human factors issues involved in such accidents, 
                including but not limited to--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) specific terrain, weather, and 
                        infrastructure challenges relevant in the local 
                        operating environment that increase the risk of 
                        such accidents;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) pilot decision-making 
                        relevant to the avoidance of instrument 
                        meteorological conditions while operating under 
                        visual flight rules;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) use of terrain awareness 
                        displays;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) spatial disorientation risk 
                        factors and countermeasures; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) strategies for maintaining 
                        control, including the use of automated 
                        systems.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Aviation rulemaking committee.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--The Administrator, shall 
                convene an aviation rulemaking committee to review and 
                develop findings and recommendations to inform--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) establishing a performance-
                        based standard for flight data monitoring for 
                        all commercial air tour operators that reviews 
                        all available data sources to identify 
                        deviations from established areas of operation 
                        and potential safety issues;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) requiring all commercial air 
                        tour operators to install flight data recording 
                        devices capable of supporting collection and 
                        dissemination of the data incorporated in the 
                        Flight Operational Quality Assurance Program 
                        (or, if an aircraft cannot be retrofitted with 
                        such equipment, requiring the commercial air 
                        tour operator for such aircraft to collect and 
                        maintain flight data through alternative 
                        methods);</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) requiring all commercial air 
                        tour operators to implement a flight data 
                        monitoring program, such as a Flight 
                        Operational Quality Assurance 
                        Program;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) establishing methods to 
                        provide effective terrain awareness and 
                        warning; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) establishing methods to 
                        provide effective traffic avoidance in 
                        identified high-traffic tour areas, such as 
                        requiring air tour operators that operate 
                        within those areas be equipped with an 
                        Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast Out- 
                        and In-supported traffic advisory system that--
                        </DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) includes both visual 
                                and aural alerts;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) is driven by an 
                                algorithm designed to eliminate 
                                nuisance alerts; and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (III) is operational 
                                during all flight operations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Membership.--The aviation rulemaking 
                committee shall consist of members appointed by the 
                Administrator, including--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) representatives of industry, 
                        including manufacturers of aircraft and 
                        aircraft technologies;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) representatives of aviation 
                        operator organizations; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) aviation safety experts with 
                        specific knowledge of safety management systems 
                        and flight data monitoring programs under part 
                        135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                        Regulations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Duties.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) In general.--The Administrator 
                        shall direct the aviation rulemaking committee 
                        to make findings and submit recommendations 
                        regarding each of the matters specified in 
                        clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph 
                        (A).</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) Considerations.--In carrying 
                        out its duties under clause (i), the 
                        Administrator shall direct the aviation 
                        rulemaking committee to consider--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) recommendations of the 
                                National Transportation Safety 
                                Board;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) recommendations of 
                                previous aviation rulemaking committees 
                                that reviewed flight data monitoring 
                                program requirements on part 135 
                                commercial operators;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (III) recommendations from 
                                industry safety organizations, 
                                including but not limited to the 
                                Vertical Aviation Safety Team (VAST), 
                                the General Aviation Joint Safety 
                                Committee, and the United States 
                                Helicopter Safety Team 
                                (USHST);</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (IV) scientific data 
                                derived from a broad range of flight 
                                data recording technologies capable of 
                                continuously transmitting and that 
                                support a measurable and viable means 
                                of assessing data to identify and 
                                correct hazardous trends;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (V) appropriate use of 
                                data for modifying behavior to prevent 
                                accidents;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (VI) the need to 
                                accommodate technological advancements 
                                in flight data recording 
                                technology;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (VII) data gathered from 
                                aviation safety reporting 
                                programs;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (VIII) appropriate methods 
                                to provide effective terrain awareness 
                                and warning system (TAWS) protections 
                                while mitigating nuisance alerts for 
                                aircraft;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (IX) the need to 
                                accommodate the diversity of 
                                airworthiness standards under part 27 
                                and part 29 of title 14, Code of 
                                Federal Regulations;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (X) the need to 
                                accommodate diversity of operations and 
                                mission sets;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (XI) benefits of third-
                                party data analysis for large and small 
                                operations;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (XII) accommodations 
                                necessary for small businesses; 
                                and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (XIII) other issues as 
                                necessary.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Reports and regulations.--The 
                Administrator shall--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) not later than 20 months after 
                        the date of enactment of this section, submit 
                        to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
                        report based on the findings of the aviation 
                        rulemaking committee;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) not later than 12 months 
                        after the date of submission of the report 
                        under clause (i), and after consideration of 
                        the recommendations of the aviation rulemaking 
                        committee, issue an intent to proceed with 
                        proposed rulemakings regarding each of the 
                        matters specified in clauses (i) through (v) of 
                        subparagraph (A); and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) not later than 3 years after 
                        the date of enactment of this section, issue a 
                        final rule with respect to each of the matters 
                        specified in such clauses of subparagraph 
                        (A).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Expedited Process for Obtaining Operating 
Certificates.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Administrator shall implement 
        procedures to improve the process for obtaining operating 
        certificates under part 119 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Considerations.--In carrying out paragraph 
        (1), beginning on the date that is 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall give 
        priority consideration to operators that must obtain a 
        certificate in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(A).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Report required.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
        describing--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) how the procedures implemented under 
                paragraph (1) will increase the efficiency of the 
                process for obtaining operating certificates under part 
                119 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and, if 
                applicable, certificates authorizing operations under 
                part 135 of such title;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) how considerations under paragraph (2) 
                will be incorporated into procedures implemented under 
                paragraph (1); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) any additional resources required to 
                implement procedures under paragraph (1).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Additional reports required.--Not later than 3 
        years after the date of enactment of this section, and annually 
        thereafter the Administrator shall submit a report to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress that--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) includes--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) data on certification 
                        approvals and denials; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) data on duration of key 
                        phases of the certification process; 
                        and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) identifies certification policies in 
                need of reform or repeal.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Safety Requirements for Sport Parachute Operations.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Aviation rulemaking committee.--The 
        Administrator, shall convene an aviation rulemaking committee 
        to review and develop findings and recommendations to inform--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) rulemaking governing parachute 
                operations conducted in the United States that are 
                subject to the requirements of part 105 of title 14, 
                Code of Federal Regulations, to address--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) Federal Aviation 
                        Administration-approved aircraft maintenance 
                        and inspection programs that consider, at a 
                        minimum, requirements for compliance with 
                        engine manufacturers' recommended maintenance 
                        instructions, such as service bulletins and 
                        service information letters for time between 
                        overhauls and component life limits;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) initial and annual recurrent 
                        pilot proficiency checking programs for pilots 
                        conducting parachute operations that address, 
                        at a minimum, operation- and aircraft-specific 
                        weight and balance calculations, preflight 
                        inspections, emergency and recovery procedures, 
                        and parachutist egress procedures for each type 
                        of aircraft flown; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) initial and annual recurrent 
                        pilot review programs for parachute operations 
                        pilots that address, at a minimum, operation-
                        specific and aircraft-specific weight and 
                        balance calculations, preflight inspections, 
                        emergency and recovery procedures, and 
                        parachutist egress procedures for each type of 
                        aircraft flown, as well as competency flight 
                        checks to determine pilot competence in 
                        practical skills and techniques in each type of 
                        aircraft;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the revision of guidance material 
                contained in Advisory Circular 105-2E (relating to 
                sport parachute jumping), to include guidance for 
                parachute operations in implementing the Federal 
                Aviation Administration-approved aircraft maintenance 
                and inspection program and the pilot training and pilot 
                proficiency checking programs required under any new or 
                revised regulations issued in accordance with paragraph 
                (1); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the revision of guidance materials 
                issued in Order 8900.1 entitled ``Flight Standards 
                Information Management System'', to include guidance 
                for Federal Aviation Administration inspectors who 
                oversee part 91 of title 14 Code of Federal 
                Regulations, operations conducted under any of the 
                exceptions specified in section 119.1(e) of title 14, 
                Code of Federal Regulations, which include parachute 
                operations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Membership.--The aviation rulemaking committee 
        under paragraph (1) shall consist of members appointed by the 
        Administrator, including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) representatives of industry, including 
                manufacturers of aircraft and aircraft 
                technologies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) representatives of parachute operator 
                organizations; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) aviation safety experts with specific 
                knowledge of safety management systems and flight data 
                monitoring programs under part 135 and part 105 of 
                title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Duties.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--The Administrator shall 
                direct the aviation rulemaking committee to make 
                findings and submit recommendations regarding each of 
                the matters specified in subparagraphs (A) through (C) 
                of paragraph (1).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Considerations.--In carrying out its 
                duties under subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall 
                direct the aviation rulemaking committee to consider--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) findings and recommendations 
                        of the National Transportation Safety Board 
                        generally as relevant and specifically those 
                        related to parachute operations, including the 
                        June 21, 2019, incident in Mokuleia, 
                        Hawaii;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) recommendations of previous 
                        aviation rulemaking committees that considered 
                        similar issues;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) recommendations from 
                        industry safety organizations, including, but 
                        not limited to, the United States Parachute 
                        Association;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) appropriate use of data for 
                        modifying behavior to prevent 
                        accidents;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) data gathered from aviation 
                        safety reporting programs;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vi) the need to accommodate 
                        diversity of operations and mission 
                        sets;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vii) accommodations necessary for 
                        small businesses; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (viii) other issues as 
                        necessary.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Reports and regulations.--The Administrator 
        shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) not later than 20 months after the 
                date of enactment of this section, submit to the 
                appropriate committees of Congress a report based on 
                the findings of the aviation rulemaking 
                committee;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) not later than 12 months after the 
                date of submission of the report under subparagraph 
                (A), and after consideration of the recommendations of 
                the aviation rulemaking committee, issue, as necessary, 
                an intent to proceed with proposed rulemakings 
                regarding each of the matters specified in 
                subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph (1); 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) not later than 3 years after the date 
                of enactment of this section, issue, as necessary, a 
                final rule with respect to each of the matters 
                specified in such subparagraphs of paragraph 
                (1).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Air carrier.--The term ``air carrier'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United 
        States Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Commercial air tour.--The term ``commercial 
        air tour'' means a flight conducted for compensation or hire in 
        an airplane or helicopter where a purpose of the flight is 
        sightseeing.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Commercial air tour operator.--The term 
        ``commercial air tour operator'' means any person who conducts 
        a commercial air tour.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Parachute operation.--The term ``parachute 
        operation'' has the meaning given that term in section 105.3 of 
        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor 
        regulation).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 316. INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY ASSESSMENT 
              PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 44701 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) Aviation Safety Oversight Measures Carried Out by 
Foreign Countries.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Assessment.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--At intervals the 
                Administrator considers necessary in the interests of 
                safety, the Administrator, in consultation with the 
                Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of State, 
                shall assess the effectiveness of the aviation safety 
                oversight measures carried out by a foreign country--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) from which a foreign air 
                        carrier serves the United States;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) from which a foreign air 
                        carrier seeks to serve the United 
                        States;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) whose air carriers code-
                        share with a United States air carrier; 
                        or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) as the Administrator 
                        considers appropriate.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Requirements.--In conducting an 
                assessment under subparagraph (A), the Administrator 
                shall--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) consult with the appropriate 
                        authorities of the government of the foreign 
                        country concerned;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) determine the extent to 
                        which such country effectively maintains and 
                        carries out its aviation safety oversight 
                        measures pursuant to the Convention on 
                        International Civil Aviation (in this section 
                        referred to as the `Chicago Convention'); 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) use a standard that will 
                        result in an analysis of the aviation safety 
                        oversight measures carried out by such country 
                        based on the minimum standards contained in 
                        Annexes 1, 6, and 8 to the Chicago Convention 
                        in effect on the date of the 
                        assessment.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Non-compliance findings.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) In general.--When the 
                        assessment required by this subsection 
                        identifies areas of non-compliance to the 
                        safety oversight measures in the Chicago 
                        Convention, the Administrator shall conduct 
                        final discussions with the foreign country 
                        within 90 days of the assessment to determine 
                        whether the non-compliance findings have been 
                        corrected and the foreign country is now in 
                        compliance with the applicable international 
                        standards for effective aviation safety 
                        oversight.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) Correction.--If the 
                        Administrator determines that the foreign 
                        country has corrected identified area of non-
                        compliance by the close of final discussions, 
                        the Federal Aviation Administration will issue 
                        or continue to issue operations specifications 
                        to the foreign operator to enable the United 
                        States air service or to the United States 
                        operator if the foreign operator is to carry 
                        its airline code.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) Non-correction.--If the 
                        Administrator determines that the foreign 
                        country has not has corrected identified area 
                        of non-compliance by the close of final 
                        discussions--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(I) immediate 
                                notification will be made to the 
                                Secretary of Transportation and the 
                                Secretary of State, that a condition 
                                exists that threatens the safety of 
                                passengers, aircraft, or crew traveling 
                                to or from the foreign country; 
                                and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(II) notwithstanding 
                                section 40105(b), the Administrator, 
                                after consulting with the appropriate 
                                civil aviation authority of the foreign 
                                country concerned and notification to 
                                the Secretary of Transportation and the 
                                Secretary of State, may withhold, 
                                revoke, or prescribe conditions on the 
                                operating authority of a foreign air 
                                carrier that provides foreign air 
                                transportation.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) Authority.--Notwithstanding 
                subparagraphs (B) and (C), the Administrator retains 
                the ability to initiate immediate safety oversight 
                action when justified based on available safety 
                information.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Notification.--At the conclusion of the 
        international aviation safety assessment process, the 
        Administrator, after advising the Secretary of Transportation 
        and the Secretary of State, shall inform the foreign country of 
        the determination regarding its compliance to ICAO standards. 
        The determination shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) for foreign countries determined to 
                be compliant in ICAO standards, state that no further 
                action is needed; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) for foreign countries determined to 
                be non-compliant in ICAO standards, recommend the 
                actions necessary to bring the aviation safety 
                oversight measures carried out by that country into 
                compliance with the international standards contained 
                in the Chicago Convention, as used by the Federal 
                Aviation Administration in making the 
                assessment.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Failure to maintain and carry out 
        standards.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph 
                (B), if the Administrator determines that a foreign 
                country does not maintain and carry out effective 
                aviation safety oversight measures, the Administrator 
                shall--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) notify the appropriate 
                        authorities of the government of the foreign 
                        country consistent with paragraph 
                        (2);</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) publish the identity of the 
                        foreign country on the Federal Aviation 
                        Administration website, in the Federal 
                        Register, and through other mediums to provide 
                        notice to the public;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) transmit the identity of 
                        the foreign country to the Secretary of State 
                        to inform the relevant travel advisories; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) provide the identity of the 
                        foreign country and any critical safety 
                        information resulting from the assessment to 
                        the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                        Transportation of the Senate and the Committee 
                        on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
                        House of Representatives.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Immediate exercise of authority.--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) In general .--The 
                        Administrator may immediately exercise 
                        authority under subparagraph (A) if the 
                        Administrator, in consultation with the 
                        Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary 
                        of State, determines that a condition exists 
                        that threatens the safety of passengers, 
                        aircraft, or crew traveling to or from the 
                        foreign country.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) Notification to the 
                        secretary of state.--The Administrator shall 
                        immediately notify the Secretary of State of a 
                        determination under clause (i) so that the 
                        Secretary of State may issue a travel advisory 
                        with respect to the foreign country.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Accuracy of the iasa list.--To meet the need 
        for the public to have timely and accurate information about 
        the aviation safety oversight of foreign countries, the 
        Administrator shall regularly review the activity of foreign 
        air carriers serving the United States and carrying the code of 
        a United States air carrier. Countries with no such operations 
        for an extended period of time, as determined by the 
        Administrator, will be removed from the public listings for 
        inactivity, after advisement with the Secretary of 
        Transportation and the Secretary of State.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) Training.--The Federal Aviation 
        Administration shall use data, tools, and methods in order to 
        ensure transparency and repeatable results of the assessments 
        conducted under this subsection. The Federal Aviation 
        Administration shall ensure that Federal Aviation 
        Administration personnel are properly and adequately trained to 
        carry out the assessments set forth in this subsection, 
        including with respect to ICAO standards and their 
        implementation by foreign countries.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) Report to congress.--Not later than 1 year 
        after the date of enactment of this subsection, and annually 
        thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the assessments conducted under 
        this subsection, including the results of any corrective action 
        period.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 317. CHANGED PRODUCT RULE REFORM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall issue a notice of 
proposed rulemaking to revise section 21.101 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations, to achieve the following objectives:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) For any significant design change, as 
        determined by the Administrator, to require that any exception 
        from the requirement to comply with the latest amendments of 
        the applicable airworthiness standards in effect on the date of 
        application for the change be approved only after providing 
        public notice and opportunity to comment on such 
        exception.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) To ensure appropriate documentation of any 
        exception or exemption from airworthiness requirements codified 
        in title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the 
        date of application for the change.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall provide 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the FAA's 
implementation of the recommendations of the Changed Product Rule 
International Authorities Working Group, established under Section 117 
of the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act (49 
U.S.C. 44704 note), including recommendations on harmonized changes and 
reforms regarding the impractical exception.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 318. DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-COST VOLUNTARY ADS-B.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 24 months after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator, working with 
representatives from industry groups, including pilots, aircraft 
owners, avionics manufacturers, and any others deemed necessary to 
offer technical expertise, shall develop a report regarding the 
development of a suitable position reporting system for voluntary use 
in airspace not mandated for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast 
Out equipment and use (in this section referred to as ``ADS-B Out'') by 
section 91.225 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to facilitate 
traffic awareness.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirements.--The report developed under subsection 
(a) shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) research and catalog equipment, standards, and 
        systems (including international) relating to ADS-B Out 
        available as of the date on which the report is submitted under 
        subsection (c);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) address strengths and weaknesses of the such 
        equipment, standards and systems, including with respect to 
        costs;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) outline potential regulatory and procedural 
        changes that may need to be undertaken by the FAA and other 
        government entities, as well as equipment, standards, and 
        systems that may need to be developed and required, to enable 
        the development and voluntary use of equipment (existing or 
        new) that enables the use of portable, and installed, low cost 
        position reporting in airspace not mandated for ADS-B 
        Out;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) determine market size, development costs, and 
        barriers that may need to be overcome for the development of 
        technology that enables the use of portable, and installed, low 
        cost position reporting in airspace not mandated for ADS-B Out; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) include a communication strategy that is 
        targeted towards potential users and promotes the benefits of 
        the position reporting solutions to enhance traffic awareness 
        for voluntary use in airspace not mandated for ADS-B Out, when 
        such technology is available for commercial use.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 30 day after the 
date on which the report developed under subsection (a) is finalized, 
the Administrator shall submit the report to the appropriate committees 
of Congress.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 319. PUBLIC AIRCRAFT FLIGHT TIME LOGGING 
              ELIGIBILITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Forestry and Fire Protection Flight Time Logging.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, aircraft under the direct operational control 
        of forestry and fire protection agencies are eligible to log 
        pilot flight times, if the flight time was acquired by the 
        pilot while engaged on an official forestry or fire protection 
        flight, in the same manner as aircraft under the direct 
        operational control of a Federal, State, county, or municipal 
        law enforcement agency.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Retroactive application.--Paragraph (1) shall 
        be applied as if enacted on October 8, 2018.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall make such 
regulatory changes as are necessary as a result of the enactment of 
subsection (a).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 320. SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Finding.--Congress finds that on January 11, 2023, the 
FAA released a notice of proposed rulemaking to update and expand the 
requirements for safety management systems.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) As the FAA reviews comments to the notice of proposed 
rulemaking described in subsection (a) and drafts the final rule, the 
Administrator shall ensure that safety management systems program 
requirements can be appropriately scaled to the size and complexity of 
each operator.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 321. AVIATION SAFETY INFORMATION ANALYSIS AND SHARING 
              PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress, a report on the FAA's progress with respect to 
the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) program 
that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) describes the phased approach the FAA is 
        following to construct the ASIAS system;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) describes the efforts of the FAA to secure 
        increased safety data from--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) commercial air carriers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) general aviation operators;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) helicopter operators;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) unmanned aircraft system operators; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) other aircraft operators; 
                and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) provides a summary of the efforts of the FAA 
        to address gaps in safety data provided from any of the classes 
        of operators described in paragraph (2).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 322. CONSISTENT AND TIMELY PILOT CHECKS FOR AIR 
              CARRIERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment of Working Group.--Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this section, subject to subsection 
(b)(2), the Administrator shall establish a working group for purposes 
of reviewing, evaluating, and making recommendations on check pilot 
functions for air carriers operating under part 135 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Membership.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The working group required by 
        this section shall include--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) employees of the FAA who serve as 
                check pilots (as described in section 91.1089 of title 
                14, Code of Federal Regulations);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) representatives of air carriers 
                operating under such part 135; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) industry associations representing 
                such air carriers.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Existing working group.--The Administrator may 
        assign the duties of the working group described in subsection 
        (c) to an existing FAA working group if--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the membership of the existing working 
                group includes the members required under paragraph 
                (1); or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the members required under paragraph 
                (1) are added to the membership of the existing working 
                group.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Duties.--The working group shall review, evaluate, and 
make recommendations on the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Methods for approving check pilots for air 
        carriers operating under such part 135.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Actions required to ensure such air carriers 
        are authorized an adequate number of check pilots to enable 
        timely occurrence of pilot checks.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Differences in qualification standards applied 
        to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) employees of the FAA who serve as 
                check pilots; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) check pilots of an authorized air 
                carrier.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Methods to standardize the qualification 
        standards for check pilots, including check pilots who are 
        employees of the FAA and or of an authorized air 
        carrier.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Methods to improve the training and 
        qualification of check pilots.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Prior recommendations made by FAA advisory 
        committees or working groups regarding check pilot 
        functions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Petitions for rulemaking submitted to the FAA 
        regarding check pilot functions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after 
than the date on which the Administrator establishes the working group 
under subsection (a) (or tasks an existing FAA working group under 
subsection (b)(2) with the duties described in subsection (c)), the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
progress and recommendations of the working group, as well as the 
Administrator's efforts to implement such recommendations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 323. ENHANCING PROCESSES FOR AUTHORIZING AIRCRAFT FOR 
              SERVICE IN COMMUTER AND ON DEMAND OPERATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment of Working Group.--Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall establish a Part 135 Aircraft Conformity Working Group (in this 
section referred to as the ``Working Group''). The Working Group shall 
study methods and make recommendations to clarify requirements and 
standardize the process for conducting and completing aircraft 
conformity processes for existing part 135 air carriers and operators 
in a timely manner and entering those aircraft into service.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Membership.--The Working Group shall be comprised of 
representatives of the FAA, existing part 135 air carriers and 
operators, and associations or trade groups representing such class of 
air carriers or operators.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Duties.--The Working Group shall consider all aspects 
of the current FAA processes for ensuring aircraft conformity and make 
recommendations to enhance those processes, including with respect to--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) methodologies for air carriers and operators 
        to document and attest to aircraft conformity in accordance 
        with the requirements of part 135;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) streamlined protocols for part 135 operators 
        to add an aircraft that was listed on another part 135 
        certificate immediately prior to moving to the new air carrier; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) changes to FAA policy and documentation 
        necessary to implement the recommendations of the Working 
        Group.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date on which the Administrator establishes the Working Group, the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
progress made by the Working Group in carrying out the duties specified 
in subsection (c), recommendations of the Working Group, and the 
Administrator's efforts to implement such recommendations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Definition of Part 135.--In this section the term 
``part 135'' means part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 324. TOWER MARKING COMPLIANCE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall provide a briefing 
to the appropriate committees of Congress on implementation of the 
requirements of section 2110 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security 
Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44718 note) (as amended by section 576 of the 
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254, 132 Stat. 
3391)).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirements.--The briefing required by subsection (a) 
shall include the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) A description of, and timeframe for, the 
        Administrator's development of requirements to file notice of 
        construction of meteorological evaluation towers and other 
        renewable energy projects under the notice of proposed 
        rulemaking RIN 2120-AK77.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) A description of the FAA's use of existing 
        publicly accessible databases to collect and make available 
        information about certain structures that are required to, or 
        voluntarily, file notice with the FAA.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) For the period beginning on July 15, 2016, and 
        ending on the date the briefing required by subsection (a) is 
        provided, a list of aircraft accidents during such period that 
        are associated with covered towers (as such term is defined in 
        section 2110(b)(1)(A) of the FAA Extension, Safety, and 
        Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44718 note) that are not marked 
        in accordance with applicable guidance in the advisory circular 
        of the FAA issued December 4, 2015 (AC 70/7460-IL).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 325. ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL 
              PENALTIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 46301(d) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (4), by striking subparagraph (A) 
        and inserting the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) the amount in controversy is more 
                than--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) $400,000 if the violation 
                        was committed by any person other than an 
                        individual or small business concern before the 
                        date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization 
                        Act of 2023;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) $50,000 if the violation 
                        was committed by an individual or small 
                        business concern before the date of enactment 
                        of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
                        2023;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) $10,000,000 if the 
                        violation was committed by a person other than 
                        an individual or small business concern on or 
                        after the date of enactment of the FAA 
                        Reauthorization Act of 2023;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) $250,000 if the violation 
                        was committed by an individual on or after the 
                        date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization 
                        Act of 2023; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(v) $2,500,000 if the violation 
                        was committed by a small business concern on or 
                        after the date of enactment of the FAA 
                        Reauthorization Act of 2023;'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking paragraph (8) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(8) The maximum civil penalty the Administrator 
        of the Transportation Security Administration, Administrator of 
        the Federal Aviation Administration, or Board may impose under 
        this subsection is--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) $400,000 if the violation was 
                committed by a person other than an individual or small 
                business concern before the date of enactment of the 
                FAA Reauthorization Act of 2023;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) $50,000 if the violation was 
                committed by an individual or small business concern 
                before the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization 
                Act of 2023;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) $10,000,000 if the violation was 
                committed by a person other than an individual or small 
                business concern on or after the date of enactment of 
                the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2023;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) $250,000 if the violation was 
                committed by an individual on or after the date of 
                enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2023; 
                or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) $2,500,000 if the violation was 
                committed by a small business concern on or after the 
                date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
                2023.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(10) The maximum amounts authorized in clauses 
        (iii) through (v) of paragraph (4)(A) and in subparagraphs (C) 
        through (E) of paragraph (8) of this subsection shall be 
        adjusted for inflation no less frequently than every 5 
        years.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 326. CIVIL PENALTIES FOR WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION PROGRAM 
              VIOLATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 46301(d)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting ``subchapter III of chapter 421,'' before 
``chapter 441''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 327. FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Repeal.--Section 44514 of title 49, United States 
Code, and the item relating to that section in the analysis for chapter 
445 of such title 49 are repealed.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 106(g)(1)(D) of title 
49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``44514,''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 328. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 40104(b) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) State-to-state agreements.--The 
        Administrator shall promote efficient delivery of bilateral and 
        multilateral engagement and technical assistance by waiving the 
        requirement for State-to-State agreements for the provision of 
        technical assistance and training if the Administrator 
        determines that--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) a foreign government would benefit 
                from technical assistance pursuant to this subsection 
                to strengthen aviation safety, efficiency, and 
                security; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the engagement is to provide 
                inherently governmental technical assistance and 
                training.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Definition.--In this subsection, the term 
        `inherently governmental technical assistance and training' 
        means technical assistance and training that--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) relies upon or incorporates Federal 
                Aviation Administration-specific program, system, 
                policy, or procedural matters;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) must be accomplished using agency 
                expertise and authority; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) relates to--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) international aviation 
                        safety assessment technical reviews and 
                        technical assistance;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) aerodrome safety and 
                        certification;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) aviation system 
                        certification activities based on Federal 
                        Aviation Administration regulations and 
                        requirements;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) cybersecurity efforts to 
                        protect United States aviation ecosystem 
                        components and facilities;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(v) operation and maintenance of 
                        air navigation system equipment, procedures, 
                        and personnel; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(vi) related training and 
                        exercises in support of aviation safety, 
                        efficiency, and security.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 329. RESTORATION OF AUTHORITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 401 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after section 40118 the 
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 40119. Security and research and development 
              activities</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) General Requirements.--The Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall conduct research (including 
behavioral research) and development activities appropriate to develop, 
modify, test, and evaluate a system, procedure, facility, or device to 
protect passengers and property against acts of criminal violence, 
aircraft piracy, and terrorism and to ensure security.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Disclosure.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Regulations prohibiting disclosure.--
        Notwithstanding the establishment of a Department of Homeland 
        Security, the Secretary of Transportation, in accordance with 
        section 552(b)(3)(B) of title 5, United States Code, shall 
        prescribe regulations prohibiting disclosure of information 
        obtained or developed in ensuring security under this title if 
        the Secretary of Transportation decides disclosing the 
        information would--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) be an unwarranted invasion of 
                personal privacy;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) reveal a trade secret or privileged 
                or confidential commercial or financial information; 
                or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) be detrimental to transportation 
                safety.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Disclosure to congress.--Paragraph (1) of 
        this subsection does not authorize information to be withheld 
        from a committee of Congress authorized to have the 
        information.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Sensitive security information.--Nothing in 
        paragraph (1) shall be construed to authorize the designation 
        of information as sensitive security information (as defined in 
        section 15.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations)--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) to conceal a violation of law, 
                inefficiency, or administrative error;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) to prevent embarrassment to a 
                person, organization, or agency;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) to restrain competition; 
                or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) to prevent or delay the release of 
                information that does not require protection in the 
                interest of transportation security, including basic 
                scientific research information not clearly related to 
                transportation security.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Law enforcement disclosure.--Section 552a of 
        title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to disclosures 
        that the Administrator may make from the systems of records of 
        the Federal Aviation Administration to any Federal law 
        enforcement, intelligence, protective service, immigration, or 
        national security official in order to assist the official 
        receiving the information in the performance of official 
        duties.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Transfers of Duties and Powers Prohibited.--Except 
as otherwise provided by law, a duty or power under this section may 
not be transferred to another department, agency, or instrumentality of 
the United States Government.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section 
shall be effective as of October 5, 2018, and all authority restored to 
the Secretary and the FAA under this section shall be treated as if it 
had never been repealed by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public 
Law 115-254; 132 Stat. 3186).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Conforming Amendments.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Chapter 401 analysis.--The analysis for 
        chapter 401 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
        inserting after the item relating to section 40118 the 
        following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``40119. Security and research and development activities.''.
        <DELETED>    (2) Other disclosure requirements.--Section 44912 
        of title 49, United States Code, is amended in subsection (d) 
        by striking paragraph (2) and redesignating paragraph (3) as 
        paragraph (2).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 330. TARMAC OPERATIONS MONITORING STUDY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--The Director of the Bureau of 
Transportation Statistics (referred to in this section as the 
``Director''), in consultation with other offices within the Office of 
the Secretary of Transportation and the FAA, shall conduct a study to 
explore the capture, storage, analysis, and feasibility of monitoring 
ground source data at airports in the United States.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Objectives.--The objectives of the study conducted 
under subsection (a) shall include:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Determining the current state of ground source 
        data coverage at airports in the United States.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Understanding the technology requirements for 
        monitoring ground movements at airports through sensors, 
        receivers, or other technologies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Conducting data collection through a pilot 
        program and developing ground-based tarmac delay 
        statistics.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Performing an evaluation and feasibility 
        analysis of potential system-level tarmac operations monitoring 
        solutions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Pilot Program.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Director shall establish 
        a pilot program for the purposes of collecting data and 
        developing ground-based tarmac delay statistics or other 
        relevant statistics with respect to airports in the United 
        States.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirements.--The pilot program established 
        under paragraph (1) shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) include up to 6 airports that the 
                Director determines reflect a diversity of factors 
                including, geography, size, and air traffic;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) terminate not more than 3 years after 
                the date of enactment of this section; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) be subject to any guidelines issued by 
                the Director.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Director shall publish the results of 
the study conducted under subsection (a) and the pilot program 
established under subsection (c) on a publicly available 
website.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 331. GAO REPORT ON CYBERSECURITY OF COMMERCIAL AVIATION 
              AVIONICS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a 
review on the consideration, identification, and inclusion of aircraft 
cybersecurity into the strategic framework for aviation security as 
part of the FAA's cybersecurity strategy.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Contents of the Review.--The review required by 
subsection (a) shall assess--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) how onboard aircraft cybersecurity risks and 
        vulnerabilities are defined and accounted for in the strategy 
        aviation security framework, particularly in pillar 2 of that 
        framework to ``protect and defend FAA networks and systems to 
        mitigate risks to FAA missions and service 
        delivery'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) how onboard aircraft cybersecurity, 
        particularly of the aircraft avionics, is considered, 
        incorporated, and prioritized in the cybersecurity strategy 
        pursuant to section 509 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 
        (49 U.S.C. 44903 note);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) how roles and responsibilities for aircraft 
        and ground systems cybersecurity are differentiated and 
        enforced between the Transportation Security Agency and the 
        FAA;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) how aircraft and ground systems cybersecurity 
        vulnerabilities are being identified and prioritized for 
        mitigation, particularly considering the commercial technology 
        ecosystem; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) the budgets of the parties responsible for 
        implementing the strategy framework for aviation security, as 
        identified in subsection (a), to satisfy those mitigation 
        requirements necessary to secure the aviation ecosystem from 
        onboard cybersecurity vulnerabilities.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit 
a report containing the results of the review required by this section 
to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the appropriate committees of 
        Congress;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Committee on Homeland Security of the 
        House of Representatives; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the Committee on Homeland Security and 
        Government Affairs of the Senate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 332. SECURING AIRCRAFT AVIONICS SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 506(a) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (42 
U.S.C. 44704 note) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
        striking ``consider, where appropriate, revising'' and 
        inserting ``revise, where appropriate, existing'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after 
        the semicolon;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at 
        the end and inserting ``; and''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) to require that software-based systems and 
        equipment, including aircraft flight critical systems, be 
        verified to ensure the software-based systems and equipment 
        have not been compromised by unauthorized external and internal 
        access.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 333. MAINTENANCE DATA AVAILABILITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall assign to the 
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee the task of--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) performing a comprehensive review of previous 
        and current FAA regulations and related internal and external 
        guidance material related to instructions for continue 
        airworthiness (in this section referred to as ``ICA''); 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) developing and submitting to the Administrator 
        recommendations for guidance or regulatory changes to--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) clarify the obligations of design 
                approval holders to develop and make ICA 
                available;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) create methods to identify and provide 
                access to ICA; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) create mechanisms to accept 
                complaints, resolve disputes, and enforce 
                obligations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after 
receiving the recommendations under subsection (a), the Administrator 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report that 
describes such recommendations and the Administrator's plan, if any, to 
implement such recommendations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 334. STUDY ON AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS 
              COMPLIANCE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study on the 
safety consequences of a transport airplane design approved by a 
domestic or foreign aviation manufacturer failing to comply with the 
applicable airworthiness standards. The study shall identify--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) each final airworthiness directive applicable 
        to transport airplanes that was issued by the FAA in the 2-year 
        period prior to the date of enactment of this section to 
        address unsafe conditions resulting from the approval of 
        designs that were non-compliant with an applicable 
        airworthiness standard; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) for each such airworthiness directive--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the airworthiness standard with which 
                the affected products failed to comply, as well as the 
                resulting unsafe condition and whether such condition 
                resulted in an accident;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the methods by which the noncompliance 
                was discovered and brought to the attention of the 
                FAA;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) an analysis of whether the method used 
                by the applicant to show compliance was acceptable and 
                whether other compliance methods would have identified 
                the noncompliance during the type certification 
                process;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the date of approval of the relevant 
                type design and the date of issuance of the 
                airworthiness directive;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) any corrective action mandated to 
                address the identified unsafe condition;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) the period of time specified for the 
                incorporation of the corrective action, during which 
                the affected products were allowed to operate before 
                the unsafe condition was corrected; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) the total cost of compliance estimated 
                in the final rule adopting the airworthiness 
                directive.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Coordination.--In conducting the study under 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall coordinate with, and solicit 
comments from, union representatives of the aviation safety engineers 
involved in the development of airworthiness directives.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the results of the study conducted under 
        subsection (a);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) a description of any root cause of unsafe 
        conditions identified by such study, as well as an 
        identification of any action required to address any such root 
        cause;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the union representative comments solicited 
        under subsection (b); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) any other recommendations for legislative or 
        administrative action determined appropriate by the 
        Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Definition of Transport Airplane.--For purposes of 
this section, the term ``transport airplane'' has the meaning given 
such term in FAA Notice N 8900.649, titled ``Use of Air Carrier Pilots 
During Flight Standardization Board Evaluations for Transport 
Airplanes'' (issued December 23, 2022).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 335. FIRE PROTECTION STANDARDS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Internal Regulatory Review Team.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after 
        the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        establish an internal regulatory review team (in this section 
        referred to as the ``Team'').</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Review.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days 
                after the date on which the Team is established, the 
                Team shall conduct a review of foreign airworthiness 
                standards and guidance for firewalls to determine best 
                practices that should be adopted by the FAA and submit 
                to the Administrator a report on the findings of such 
                review.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Requirements.--In conducting the 
                review, the team shall--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) identify any significant 
                        differences in standards or guidance with 
                        respect to test article selection, fire test 
                        boundaries, and evaluation criteria for such 
                        tests, including the use of certification by 
                        analysis where substantially similar designs 
                        have passed burn tests;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) assess the safety 
                        implications for any products imported into the 
                        United States that do not comply with the FAA's 
                        firewall requirements; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) consult with industry 
                        stakeholders to the maximum extent 
                        practicable.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Duties of the Administrator.--The Administrator 
shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) not later than 60 days after the date on which 
        the Team reports the findings of the review to the 
        Administrator, update the FAA's Significant Standards List 
        based on such findings; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) not later than 90 days after such date, submit 
        to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on such 
        findings, together with recommendations for such legislative or 
        administrative action as the Administrator determines 
        appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 336. CABIN AIR SAFETY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Deadline for Submissions to Congress.--Not later than 
60 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall complete the requirements of section 326 of the FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) and submit to the 
appropriate Congressional committees the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The study by the Airliner Cabin Environmental 
        Research Center of Excellence on bleed air required by 
        subsection (c) of such section.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The report on the feasibility, efficacy, and 
        cost-effectiveness of certification and installation of systems 
        to evaluate bleed air quality required by subsection (d) of 
        such section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 1 year after such date of 
enactment, the Administrator may issue a notice of proposed rulemaking 
to establish requirements for scheduled passenger air carrier 
operations under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
with respect to incidents onboard aircraft involving oil and hydraulic 
fluid fume events. The rulemaking shall include, as necessary, the 
study and report required under subsection (a) and may include the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Training for flight attendants, pilots, 
        aircraft maintenance technicians, airport first responders, and 
        emergency responders on how to respond to incidents on aircraft 
        involving smoke or fume events.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) A standardized FAA form and system for 
        reporting incidents involving smoke or fume events onboard 
        aircraft.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) The development of investigative procedures 
        for the FAA to follow after receipt of a report of an incident 
        involving an oil and hydraulic fluid event onboard aircraft in 
        which at least 1 passenger or crew member required medical 
        attention as a result of the incident.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Installation onboard aircraft of detectors and 
        other air quality monitoring equipment situated in the air 
        supply system to enable pilots and maintenance technicians to 
        locate the sources of air supply contamination, including 
        carbon monoxide.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 337. AIRPORT AIR SAFETY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The Administrator shall evaluate whether there are impacts 
to travelers due to poor air quality and bleed air inside Washington 
Dulles International Airport.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 338. AIRCRAFT INTERCHANGE AGREEMENT 
              LIMITATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall revise section part 
121.569 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to include each of 
the provisions described in subsection (b).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Provisions Described.--The provisions described in 
this subsection are the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) A 30-day limit on foreign aircraft interchange 
        agreements.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) A minimum break between foreign aircraft 
        interchange renewals of 90 days.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) A limit of no more than 1 foreign aircraft 
        interchange agreement between 2 airlines.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) A limit of no more than 2 foreign aircraft on 
        the interchange agreement.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 339. WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--To ensure that sufficient firefighting 
resources are available to suppress wildfires and protect public safety 
and property, and notwithstanding any other provision of law or agency 
regulation, not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall promulgate an interim final rule 
under which--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) an operation described in section 21.25(b)(7) 
        of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall allow for the 
        transport of firefighters to and from the site of a wildfire to 
        perform ground wildfire suppression and designate the 
        firefighters conducting such an operation as essential 
        crewmembers on board a covered aircraft operated on a mission 
        to suppress wildfire;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the aircraft maintenance, inspections, and 
        pilot training requirements under part 135 of such title 14 may 
        apply to such an operation, if determined by the Administrator 
        to be necessary to maintain the safety of firefighters carrying 
        out wildfire suppression missions; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the noise standards described in part 36 of 
        such title 14 shall not apply to such an operation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Surplus Military Aircraft.--In promulgating any rule 
under subsection (a), the Administrator shall not enable any aircraft 
of a type that has been manufactured in accordance with the 
requirements of and accepted for use by, any branch of the United 
States Military and has been later modified to be used for wildfire 
suppression operations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Conforming Amendments to FAA Documents.--In 
promulgating an interim final rule under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall amend FAA Order 8110.56, Restricted Category Type 
Certification (dated February 27, 2006), as well as any corresponding 
policy or guidance material, to reflect the requirements of subsection 
(a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to limit the Administrator's authority to take action 
otherwise authorized by law to protect aviation safety or passenger 
safety.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Covered aircraft.--The term ``covered 
        aircraft'' means an aircraft type-certificated in the 
        restricted category under section 21.25 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations, used for transporting firefighters to and 
        from the site of a wildfire in order to perform ground wildfire 
        suppression for the purpose of extinguishing a wildfire on 
        behalf of, or pursuant to a contract with, a Federal, State, or 
        local government agency.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Firefighters.--The term ``firefighters'' means 
        a trained fire suppression professional the transport of whom 
        is necessary to accomplish a wildfire suppression 
        operation.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 340. STUDY ON IMPACTS OF TEMPERATURE IN AIRCRAFT 
              CABINS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academies 
        of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (in this subsection 
        referred to as the ``National Academies'') under which the 
        National Academies will conduct a 1-year study on the health 
        and safety impacts, with respect to passengers and crewmembers 
        during each season in which the study is conducted, of the 
        temperature of a covered aircraft cabin falling outside of a 
        temperature between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit during all 
        phases of flight operation.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Consultation.--In conducting the study 
        required by paragraph (1), the National Academies shall consult 
        with the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, air carriers 
        operating under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, and applicable aviation labor 
        organizations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Flight definition.--For purposes of paragraph 
        (1), the term ``flight operation'' means the period beginning 
        on the moment an individual boards the covered aircraft with 
        the intention of work and duty related to the flight until such 
        time as all such individuals have disembarked from the covered 
        aircraft.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Reports.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) To the administrator.--Not later than 180 days 
        after the date on which the study under subsection (a) is 
        completed, the National Academies shall submit to the 
        Administrator a report on the results of such study, together 
        with recommendations determined appropriate by the National 
        Academies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) To congress.--Not later than 60 days after the 
        date on which the National Academies submits the report under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report describing the 
        results of the study required by subsection (a), together with 
        recommendations for further action deemed appropriate by the 
        Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Definition of Covered Aircraft.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``covered aircraft'' means an aircraft operated under 
part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 341. PART 135 PILOT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN 
              REQUIREMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Administrator shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking 
concerning whether to revise the requirements under paragraphs (3) and 
(4) of section 135.89(b) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to 
only apply to aircraft operating at altitudes above flight level 410. 
In the notice of proposed rulemaking, the Administrator shall consider 
applicable safety data and risks, including in relation to applicable 
incidents and accidents, as well as the investigations and 
recommendations of the National Transportation Safety Board.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 342. CREWMEMBER PUMPING GUIDANCE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall issue guidance to 
Part 121 air carriers relating to the expression of milk by crewmembers 
on an aircraft during non-critical phases of flight, consistent with 
the performance of the crewmember's duties aboard the aircraft. The 
guidance shall be equally applicable to any lactating crewmember. In 
developing the guidance, the Administrator shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) consider multiple methods of expressing breast 
        milk that could be used by crewmembers, including the use of 
        wearable lactation technology; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) ensure that complying with the advisory 
        circular will not require an air carrier or foreign air carrier 
        to incur significant expense, such as through the addition of 
        an extra crewmember in response to providing a break, removal 
        or retrofitting of seats on the aircraft, or modification or 
        retrofitting of an aircraft.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Crewmember.--The term ``crewmember'' has the 
        meaning given such term in section 1.1 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Critical phases of flight.--The term 
        ``critical phases of flight'' has the meaning given such term 
        in section 121.542 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Part 121.--The term ``Part 121'' means part 
        121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Aviation Safety.--Nothing in this section shall limit 
the Administrator's authority for aviation safety under subtitle VII of 
title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 343. REAUTHORIZATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE 
              AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION, SAFETY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY 
              ACT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Oversight of Organization Designation Authorization 
Unit Members.--Section 44741 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (f)(2), in the matter preceding 
        subparagraph (A), by striking ``September 30, 2023'' and 
        inserting ``September 30, 2028''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (j), by striking ``2023'' and 
        inserting ``2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Integrated Project Teams.--Section 108(f) of division 
V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (49 U.S.C. 44704 note) 
is amended by striking ``fiscal year 2023'' and inserting ``fiscal year 
2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Appeals of Certification Decisions.--Section 
44704(g)(1)(C)(ii) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``calendar year 2025'' and inserting ``calendar year 
2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Professional Development, Skills Enhancement, 
Continuing Education and Training.--Section 44519(c) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
``2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Voluntary Safety Reporting Program.--Section 113(f) of 
division V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (49 U.S.C. 
44701 note) is amended by striking ``fiscal year 2023'' and inserting 
``fiscal year 2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Changed Product Rule.--Section 117(b)(1) of division V 
of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (49 U.S.C. 44704 note) is 
amended by striking ``fiscal year 2023'' and inserting ``fiscal year 
2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Domestic and International Pilot Training.--Section 
119(f)(3) of division V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 is 
amended by striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (h) Oversight of FAA Compliance Program.--Section 122 of 
division V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 is amended--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (c)(4), by striking ``October 1, 
        2023'' and inserting ``October 1, 2028''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (d), by striking ``2023'' and 
        inserting ``2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (i) National Air Grant Fellowship Program.--Section 131(d) 
of division V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (49 U.S.C. 
40101 note) is amended by striking ``2025'' and inserting 
``2028''.</DELETED>

 <DELETED>TITLE IV--MODERNIZING THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 401. NEXTGEN ACCOUNTABILITY TASK FORCE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish a 
task force, to be known as the ``NextGen Accountability Task Force'' 
(referred to in this section as the ``Task Force'') to provide 
recommendations on the most effective operational metrics that can be 
used to assess the performance of the FAA in delivering and 
implementing quantifiable operational benefits to the national airspace 
system within the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) 
project.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Membership.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed 
        of, at a minimum, representatives from--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the FAA;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) trade associations representing 
                avionics manufacturers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) trade associations representing air 
                carriers</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) trade associations representing 
                business or general aviation operators;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) labor organizations representing air 
                traffic controllers; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) any other interested parties that the 
                Administrator determines may provide expertise and 
                assist the Task Force to fulfill its 
                obligations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Appointment.--The Administrator shall appoint 
        each member of the Task Force.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Task Force shall 
        be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was 
        made.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Duties.--The Task Force shall --</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) leverage current metrics used by the FAA to 
        quantify the benefits of NextGen technology and 
        investments;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) validate current and establish additional 
        metrics for the FAA to track national airspace system 
        throughput and savings due to NextGen investments by 
        calculating a weighted average by distance, on a per flight 
        basis--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) reduction and cumulative savings of 
                track miles and time savings;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) reduction and cumulative savings of 
                emissions and fuel burn;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) reduction of aircraft operation time; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) any other metrics that the 
                Administrator determines may provide quantifiable 
                benefits for operators in the national airspace system; 
                and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) validate current and establish metrics for the 
        FAA to track and assess fleet equipage across operators in the 
        national airspace system including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) percentage of aircraft equipped with 
                NextGen avionics equipment as recommended in the 
                Minimum Capabilities List (MCL) Ad Hoc Team, NextGen 
                Advisory Committee (NAC) Task 19-1 Report completed in 
                November 2020;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) quantified costs and benefits for an 
                operator to properly equip with baseline NextGen 
                avionics equipment over the aircraft's lifecycle; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) cumulative unrealized NextGen benefits 
                associated with rates of mixed equipage across 
                operators.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Task Force shall submit to the 
Administrator a report with its findings and recommendations and 
metrics developed pursuant to subsections (a) and (c).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Public Display.--Not later than 180 days after 
receiving the report required under subsection (d), the Administrator 
shall establish a website of the FAA that can be used to present, 
track, and update through 2030--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the metrics recommended and established by the 
        Task Force on a quarterly and annual basis depending on the 
        metric; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the total amount invested in NextGen 
        technologies and resulting quantifiable benefits on a quarterly 
        basis until the Administrator declares the completion of 
        NextGen implementation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Federal Advisory Committee Act.--Chapter 10 of title 
5, United States Code (commonly known as the ``Federal Advisory 
Committee Act''), shall not apply to the Task Force.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Sunset.--The Task Force shall terminate on the date on 
which the Administrator receives the report required under subsection 
(d).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 402. USE OF ADVANCED SURVEILLANCE IN OCEANIC 
              AIRSPACE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall develop a plan to--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) coordinate with counterparts at air service 
        navigation providers in airspace that is adjacent to United 
        States airspace or international airspace delegated to the 
        United States to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) adopt reduced separation standards in 
                oceanic airspace;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) implement procedures that will permit 
                user preferred routes to increase fuel efficiency and 
                reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) exercise leadership in setting global 
                standards by harmonizing the safety and efficiency of 
                air traffic operations in airspace neighboring any 
                airspace delegated to the United States; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) utilize Automatic Dependent Surveillance-
        Broadcast (ADS-B) relay service within United States airspace 
        or international airspace delegated to the United States for--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) positive air traffic control, 
                including separation of aircraft by implementing the 
                ICAO Advanced Surveillance-Enhanced Procedural 
                Separation standard;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) air traffic flow management;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) search and rescue;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) accident investigation; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) data analytics.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date on 
which the Administrator completes development of the plan required by 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) details the actions the Administrator shall 
        take to implement the plan, including specifying the required 
        technical system upgrades, operational procedure modifications, 
        new training requirements, and a transition plan;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) details a schedule with milestones for 
        implementation of the use of advanced surveillance systems or 
        services and coordination of such use with international air 
        service navigation providers; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) describes any anticipated safety enhancements, 
        fuel and operating cost savings, and reduction in carbon 
        emissions of aircraft operating through airspace in which such 
        advanced surveillance systems or services are used.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 403. GPS MONITORING PILOT PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator shall conduct a 
pilot program to evaluate technologies to detect, measure, and locate 
disrupting sources of interference to the GPS Standard Positioning 
Service in order to mitigate the impacts on air commerce and other 
related government and civilian functions within the air traffic 
management ecosystem.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Evaluation of Technologies.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Types of technologies.--The pilot program 
        shall evaluate commercially available technologies, as well as 
        technologies under development by the FAA, the Department of 
        Transportation, the Department of Defense, the Department of 
        Homeland Security, and the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Scope.--The pilot program shall consider 
        technologies that have both physical electronics equipment and 
        software components, as well as technologies with only software 
        components.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Number of Evaluation Sites.--The pilot program shall 
evaluate technologies for the purposes described in subsection (a) at 
not less than 5, and not more than 7, airports unless the Administrator 
determines that additional evaluation sites are needed to carry out the 
pilot program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Location of Evaluation Sites.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The pilot program shall be 
        conducted at each of the following types of airports:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) A primary airport in Class B 
                airspace.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) A primary airport in Class C 
                airspace.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) A primary airport in Class D 
                airspace.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) An airport in Class E 
                airspace.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) A Joint-Use Airport.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Documented interference.--In determining 
        whether an airport should be an evaluation site for the pilot 
        program, the Administrator shall consider airports described in 
        paragraph (1) that have experienced documented instances of 
        interference to the GPS Standard Positioning Service during the 
        5-year period ending with the date of enactment of this 
        section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Private Sector Participation.--The Administrator shall 
collaborate with the private sector, including providers of technology 
that can cost-effectively implement a capability to potentially 
mitigate the impacts of GPS Standard Positioning Service interference 
on air commerce.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Congressional Briefings.--Beginning 12 months after 
the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter until 
the date on which the report required by subsection (g) is submitted, 
the Administrator shall provide the appropriate committees of Congress 
with a briefing summarizing the status of, and findings from, the pilot 
program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Report.--Not later than 180 days after date on which 
pilot program is terminated, the Administrator shall provide a report 
to the appropriate committees of Congress on the results of the pilot 
program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (h) GPS Standard Positioning Service Defined.--In this 
section, the term ``GPS Standard Positioning Service'' has the meaning 
given such term in section 2281(d)(2) of title 10, United States 
Code.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 404. RUNWAY SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study of 
runway safety incidents and accidents at airports in the United States 
and identify technologies that may prevent or reduce the risk of such 
incidents and accidents.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 9 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report containing the results of 
the study conducted under subsection (a) that includes the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Recommendations for preventative measures, 
        including process changes and identification of available 
        technologies, to mitigate the risks of runway safety incidents 
        and accidents at or near airports in the United 
        States.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Recommendations for additional airports in the 
        United States, based on a risk-based analysis, that would be 
        viable candidates for installation of runway safety 
        technologies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) The FAA's timeline and action plan for 
        replacing, maintaining, or enhancing the operational capability 
        provided by the Airport Surface Detection System - Model X 
        (ASDE-X) and the Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) 
        legacy surveillance systems, and implementing runway safety 
        technologies at airports currently without surface surveillance 
        systems, as needed to improve runway safety.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) An explanation of the decision-making process 
        used by the FAA to determine whether to introduce runway safety 
        technologies, like ASDE-X, ASSC, or other appropriate surface 
        surveillance systems, at additional airports.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Briefings.--Following the submission of the report 
under subsection (b) and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall 
brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the progress of the 
action plan under subsection (b)(3), including on the--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) status of implementing new surface 
        surveillance systems at additional airports; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) justification for delaying or not implementing 
        additional surface surveillance systems at airports identified 
        by the Administrator under subsection (b)(2).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 405. FLIGHT PROFILE OPTIMIZATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Pilot Program.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after 
        the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        establish a pilot program to award grants to air traffic flow 
        management technology providers to develop prototype 
        capabilities to incorporate flight profile optimization (in 
        this section referred to as ``FPO'') into the FAA's trajectory 
        based-operations air traffic flow management system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Considerations.--In establishing the pilot 
        program under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consider 
        the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) The extent to which developed FPO 
                capabilities may reduce strain on the national airspace 
                system infrastructure while facilitating safe and 
                efficient flow of future air traffic volumes and 
                diverse range of aircraft and advanced aviation 
                aircraft.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) The extent to which developed FPO 
                capabilities may achieve environmental benefits and 
                time savings.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) The perspectives of FAA employees 
                responsible for air traffic flow management development 
                projects, bilateral civil aviation regulatory partners, 
                and industry applicants on the FAA's performance in 
                carrying out air traffic flow management system 
                development projects.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Any other information the 
                Administrator deems appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Application.--To be eligible to receive a 
        grant under the program, an air traffic flow management 
        technology provider shall submit an application to the 
        Administrator at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Administrator may require.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Maximum amount.--A grant awarded under the 
        program shall not exceed $2,000,000 to a single air traffic 
        flow management technology provider.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after 
the establishment of the pilot program under subsection (a), and 
annually thereafter until the termination of the pilot program, the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
progress of the pilot program under this section, including any 
implementation challenges of the program, detailed metrics of the 
program, and any suggested action to achieve the adoption of 
FPO.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Definition of Trajectory-based Operations.--The term 
``trajectory-based operations'' means an air traffic flow management 
method for strategically planning, managing, and optimizing flights 
that uses time-based management, performance-based navigation, and 
other capabilities and processes to achieve air traffic flow management 
operational objectives and improvements.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 406. STARS REMOTE SURVEILLANCE DISPLAYS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Certification.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        define minimum performance and technical requirements in order 
        to provide a mechanism to certify a commercial radar display 
        capable of displaying primary and secondary radar targets for 
        use by controllers in FAA Contract Tower program 
        towers.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) STARS.--With respect to a Standard Terminal 
        Automation Replacement System or any equivalent system procured 
        directly from an original equipment manufacturer (in this 
        section referred to as an ``OEM''), the Administrator shall 
        move expeditiously to certify such systems for Federal contract 
        towers and identify such systems by issuing an advisory 
        circular regarding the certification of such systems.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Minimum equipment list.--The FAA may add 
        Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System equipment to 
        the minimum level of equipage necessary for Federal contract 
        towers to perform their function, as applicable.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Installation and Maintenance.--Not later than December 
31, 2025, the Administrator shall allow airports to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) procure, install, and maintain a Standard 
        Terminal Automation Replacement System or any equivalent system 
        through the FAA; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) purchase a Standard Terminal Automation 
        Replacement System or any equivalent system and installation 
        and maintenance services directly from an OEM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 407. AUDIT OF LEGACY SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate an audit of 
all legacy systems to determine their level of operational risk, 
functionality, security, and compatibility with current and future 
technology.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Scope of Audit.--The audit required by subsection 
(a)--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) shall be conducted by an independent third-
        party contractor or a Federally funded research and development 
        center (FFRDC) selected by the Administrator;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) shall include an assessment of whether a 
        legacy system is outdated, insufficient, unsafe, or unstable, 
        as defined in subsection (f); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) with respect to any legacy systems identified 
        in the audit as outdated, insufficient, unsafe, or unstable, 
        shall include--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) an analysis of the operational risks 
                associated with using such legacy systems;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) recommendations for replacement or 
                enhancement of such legacy systems; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) an analysis of any potential impact on 
                aviation safety and efficiency.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Deadline.--Not later than December 31, 2025, the audit 
required by subsection (a) shall be completed.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the audit 
required by subsection (a) is completed, the Administrator shall 
provide a report to the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
audit's findings and recommendations, including--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) an inventory of the legacy systems in 
        use;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) an assessment of the operational condition of 
        the legacy systems in use; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the average age of in-service legacy systems 
        and, for each legacy system in use, the intended design life of 
        the system, by type.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Collaboration With Industry on Plan to Accelerate 
Drawdown, Replacement, or Enhancement of Legacy Systems.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the 
        date on which the Administrator provides the report required by 
        subsection (d), the Administrator shall initiate a plan, in 
        coordination with industry, to accelerate drawdown, 
        replacement, or enhancement of any legacy systems that are 
        identified in the audit required by subsection (a) as outdated, 
        insufficient, unsafe, or unstable.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Priorities.--The Administrator shall 
        prioritize the drawdown, replacement, or enhancement of such 
        legacy systems based on the operational risks such legacy 
        systems pose to air safety and the costs associated with the 
        replacement or enhancement of such legacy systems.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Collaboration.--The Administrator shall work 
        with industry to develop a plan to replace or enhance the 
        identified legacy systems within a reasonable time 
        frame.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Progress updates.--The Administrator shall 
        provide the appropriate committees of Congress with semi-annual 
        updates on the progress made in replacing or enhancing the 
        identified legacy systems.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Industry.--The term ``industry'' means the 
        aviation industry, limited to organizations with expertise in 
        aviation-dedicated network systems, systems engineering 
        platforms, aviation software services, air traffic management, 
        flight operations, and International Civil Aviation 
        Organization (ICAO) standards.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Legacy systems.--The term ``legacy systems'' 
        means any communication, navigation, surveillance, or 
        automation or network applications or ground-based aviation 
        infrastructure owned by the FAA that were deployed prior to the 
        year 2000, including the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) 
        system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Outdated, insufficient, unsafe, or unstable.--
        The term ``outdated, insufficient, unsafe, or unstable'' means 
        a legacy system for which the likelihood of failure creates a 
        risk to air safety or security due to the legacy system's age, 
        ability to be cost-effectively maintained, or any other factors 
        that may compromise the performance or security of the legacy 
        system. Such term includes a legacy system with a risk of a 
        single point of failure or that lacks of sufficient back-up 
        capability in the event of a failure.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 408. AERONAUTICAL MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS 
              SERVICES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Satellite Voice Communications Services.--The 
Administrator shall evaluate the addition of satellite voice 
communication services (referred to in this section as ``SatVoice'') to 
the Aeronautical Mobile Communications program (in this section 
referred to as the ``AMCS program'') that provides for the delivery of 
air traffic control messages in oceanic and remote continental 
airspace.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Analysis and Implementation Procedures.--Not later 
than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Administrator shall begin to develop the safety case analysis and 
stated implementation procedures for SatVoice instructions over the 
FAA's controlled oceanic and remote continental airspace 
regions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Requirements.--The analysis and implementation 
procedures required under subsection (b) shall include, at a minimum, 
the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Network and protocol testing and integration 
        with satellite service providers.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Operational testing with aircraft to identify 
        and resolve performance issues.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Collaboration with the International Civil 
        Aviation Organization in defining Satcom Standards and 
        Recommended Practices (SARPs), which shall include an RCP-130 
        performance standard as well as SatVoice standards.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Training of radio operators on new operation 
        procedures and protocols.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) A phased implementation plan for incorporating 
        SatVoice services into the AMCS program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) The estimated cost of the implementation 
        procedures for relevant stakeholders.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) HF/VHF Minimum Equipage.--The addition of SatVoice 
capability as an added means of communication in oceanic and remote 
continental airspace shall in no way affect the current HF/VHF equipage 
requirement for communications in such airspace. The Administrator 
shall maintain existing HF/VHF services as minimum equipage under the 
AMCS program to provide for auxiliary communication and maintain safety 
in the event of a satellite outage.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 409. LOW ALTITUDE ROUTES FOR VERTICAL FLIGHT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that 
the national airspace system requires additional rotorcraft, including 
advanced air mobility aircraft, low-altitude instrument flight rules 
routes leveraging advances in performance based navigation to operate 
on direct, safe, and reliable routes that ensure sufficient separation 
from higher altitude fixed wing aircraft traffic.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Low-altitude Rotorcraft Instrument Flight Routes.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        initiate a rulemaking process to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) incorporate instrument flight rules 
                rotorcraft operations into the low-altitude performance 
                based navigation procedure infrastructure;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) prioritize the development of new 
                helicopter area navigation (RNAV) instrument flight 
                rules routes, acting through notice and comment 
                rulemaking, as part of the United States air traffic 
                service route (ATS) structure that utilize performance 
                based navigation, such as Global Positioning System 
                (GPS) and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) 
                equipment.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Consultation.--In carrying out the rulemaking 
        process under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consult 
        with--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) stakeholders in the airport, heliport, 
                rotorcraft manufacturer, rotorcraft operator, general 
                aviation operator, commercial air carrier, and 
                performance based navigation technology manufacturer 
                sectors;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the United States Helicopter Safety 
                Team; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) other stakeholders determined 
                appropriate by the Administrator.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 410. ADS-B OUT EQUIPAGE STUDY; VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE LINK 
              PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study and Briefing on ADS-B Out Equipage.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Study.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate 
        a study to determine--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the number of aircraft registered in 
                the United States and other devices operating in the 
                airspace of the United States that are not equipped 
                with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) 
                out equipment;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the requirements for and impact of 
                expanding the dual-link architecture that is used below 
                an altitude of FL180 to any altitude below the current 
                radar floor;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the costs and benefits of equipage; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the cost and benefits of any 
                accommodation made for aircraft with inoperable ADS-B 
                out equipment.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Annual briefings.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter 
        through 2025, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate 
        committees of Congress on the results of the study conducted 
        under paragraph (1), including any updates thereof.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Vehicle-to-Vehicle Link Program.--Not later than 270 
days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in 
coordination with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration and the Chair of the Federal Communications 
Commission, shall establish an interagency coordination program to 
advance Vehicle-to-Vehicle link programs that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) enable the real-time digital exchange of key 
        information between nearby aircraft; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) are not reliant on ground infrastructure or 
        air-to-ground communication links.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 411. EXTENSION OF ENHANCED AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES PILOT 
              PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 547 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 
U.S.C. 40103 note) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Definitions.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Certain nextgen avionics.--The term `certain 
        NextGen avionics' means those avionics and baseline 
        capabilities as recommended in the Minimum Capabilities List 
        (MCL) Ad Hoc Team, NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC) Task 19-1 
        Report completed in November 2020.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Preferential basis.--The term `preferential 
        basis' means prioritizing aircraft equipped with certain 
        NextGen avionics by providing them more efficient service, 
        shorter queuing, or priority clearances to the maximum extent 
        possible without reducing overall capacity or safety of the 
        national airspace system.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (e), by striking ``September 30, 
        2023'' and inserting ``September 30, 2028''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 412. NEXTGEN EQUIPAGE PLAN.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Plan.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Administrator shall develop a 
        2-year implementation plan to further incentivize the 
        acceleration of the equipage rates of certain NextGen avionics 
        in the active commercial and regional fleet of the national 
        airspace system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--The plan required under 
        paragraph(1) shall, at a minimum, evaluate and consider 
        recommendations to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) provide for further implementation and 
                deployment of NextGen operational improvements to 
                incentivize universal equipage across the active fleet 
                for commercial and regional aircraft;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) identify any remaining barriers for 
                operators to properly equip with certain NextGen 
                avionics, including any methods to address such 
                barriers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) provide for the use of the best 
                methods to highlight and enhance the benefits 
                realizable by operators equipping with certain NextGen 
                avionics; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) contain any equipage guidelines and 
                regulations the Administrator deems necessary and 
                appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Consultation.--In developing the plan under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consult with 
        representatives from--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) trade associations representing air 
                carriers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) trade associations representing 
                avionics manufacturers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) labor organizations representing air 
                traffic controllers; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) any other representatives the 
                Administrator determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Submission of Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall consider the 
recommendations under subsection (a) and submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress the plan required under subsection 
(a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
which the plan required under subsection (a) is submitted to the 
appropriate committees of Congress under subsection (b), the 
Administrator shall, if Administrator determined appropriate, initiate 
a rulemaking proceeding to address one or more of the recommendations 
contained in the plan.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Definition.--In this section the term ``certain 
NextGen avionics'' means those avionics and baseline capabilities as 
recommended in the Minimum Capabilities List (MCL) Ad Hoc Team, NextGen 
Advisory Committee (NAC) Task 19-1 Report completed in November 
2020.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 413. PERFORMANCE BASED NAVIGATION REPORT AND UTILIZATION 
              PLAN.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Report on Performance Based Navigation.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        publish on the website of the FAA a progress report on the 
        utilization, implementation, and operational benefits of 
        performance based navigation (in this section referred to as 
        ``PBN'') procedures of the FAA within the national airspace 
        system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--The report shall include, at a 
        minimum, a detailed implementation plan with respect to the 
        recommendations made by--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the PBN Clarification Ad Hoc Team, 
                NextGen Advisory Committee (in this section referred to 
                as the ``NAC'') Task 19-4 Report completed in November 
                2020;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the Final Report of the Major Air 
                Carrier Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Way Forward 
                Workgroup for the FAA's PBN Clarification Tasking to 
                the NAC dated June 2020;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the NAC Subcommittee Update on 
                Opportunities dated June 2020;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the Barriers to Established on 
                Required Navigation Performance Procedures dated 
                November 2019; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, 
                Section 547 Enhanced Air Traffic Services, NAC Task 20-
                3 Report dated March 2021.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Utilization Action Plan.--180 days after the 
completion of the report under subsection (a), the Administrator shall, 
in consultation with representatives of air traffic controllers, 
develop an action plan to utilize PBN as a primary means of navigation 
to further reduce the dependency on legacy systems within the national 
airspace system.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the development 
of the action plan under subsection (b), and annually thereafter, the 
Administrator shall submit to appropriate committees of Congress a 
report on the implementation of the action plan, including the 
utilization rate of PBN as a primary means of navigation.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 414. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FACILITY REALIGNMENT 
              STUDY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall partner with a third 
party to conduct an Air Traffic Control Facility Realignment report to 
examine consolidating or otherwise reorganizing air traffic control 
work facilities and locations and airspace structure 
management.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Contents.--The report required by subsection (a) shall 
do the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Evaluate the potential efficiencies that may 
        result from a reorganization.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Identify whether certain areas prone to 
        congestion or staff shortages would benefit from enhanced 
        flexibilities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Recommend opportunities for integration of 
        separate facilities to create a more collaborative and 
        efficient traffic control environment.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report and Briefing.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) To the administrator.--Not later than 
        September 30, 2025, the third party described in subsection (a) 
        shall submit to the Administrator a report on the 
        recommendations described in subsection (b)(3), and a copy of 
        such report shall be transmitted to the labor organization 
        representing air traffic controllers.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) To congress.--Not later than 60 days after 
        receiving the recommendations described in subsection (b)(3), 
        the Administrator shall brief the relevant Congressional 
        committees on such recommendations, as well as the 
        Administrator's plan, if any, to implement such 
        recommendations.</DELETED>

             <DELETED>TITLE V--AVIATION WORKFORCE</DELETED>

        <DELETED>Subtitle A--Civil Aviation Workforce</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 501. AVIATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 625 of the FAA Reauthorization 
Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' 
                at the end;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the 
                period at the end and inserting ``; and''; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) a program to provide grants for eligible 
        projects to support the education and recruitment of aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers and the development of the 
        aviation manufacturing workforce.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (b)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``2023'' 
                each place it appears and inserting ``2028'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 
                paragraph (3);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
                following new paragraph:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Additional funding.--In addition to amounts 
        available for grants pursuant to paragraph (1), there is 
        authorized to be appropriated--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
                2024 through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(1);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
                2024 through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(2); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
                2024 through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(3).''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (B), by inserting ``(or, in the case of 
                fiscal years 2024 through 2028, $1,000,000)'' after 
                ``$500,000'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (c)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ``, 
                a postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in 
                section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1002),'' after ``(20 U.S.C. 1001))'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``, 
                a postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in 
                section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1002),'' after ``(20 U.S.C. 1001))''; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) An application for a grant under the program 
        established under subsection (a)(3) shall be submitted, in such 
        form as the Secretary may specify, by--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) a holder of a type or production 
                certificate or similar authorization issued under 
                section 44704 of title 49, United States Code, or a 
                credible applicant for such a certificate as determined 
                by the Secretary;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) an accredited institution of higher 
                education (as defined in section 101 of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), a 
                postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in 
                section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1002), or a high school or secondary school (as 
                defined in section 7801 of the Elementary and Secondary 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) a State or local governmental 
                entity.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Eligible Projects.--For purposes of a program 
established under subsection (a), an eligible project is a project--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) to create and deliver a program designed to 
        provide students with meaningful aviation education that is 
        designed to prepare the students to become aircraft pilots, 
        aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems operators, 
        aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a));</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) to support the professional development of 
        teachers and other educators implementing a program described 
        in paragraph (1);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) to establish new educational programs that 
        teach technical skills used by aircraft pilots, aerospace 
        engineers, unmanned aircraft systems operators, aviation 
        maintenance technical workers, or aviation manufacturing 
        technical workers (as applicable to the relevant program 
        described in subsection (a)), including purchasing equipment, 
        or to improve existing such programs;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) to establish scholarships or registered 
        apprenticeships for individuals pursuing employment as aircraft 
        pilots, aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems 
        operators, aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a));</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) to support outreach about careers as 
        aircraft pilots, aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems 
        operators, aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a)) to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) primary, secondary, and post-
                secondary school students; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) communities underrepresented in the 
                applicable industry;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) to support educational opportunities in both 
        urban and rural areas;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(7) to support transition to careers as aircraft 
        pilots, aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems 
        operators, aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a)), including for veterans 
        and members of the Armed Forces; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(8) to otherwise enhance or expand the aircraft 
        pilot, aerospace engineer, unmanned aircraft system operator 
        workforces, aviation maintenance technical worker, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical worker workforces.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) in subsection (e)</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1)--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) by inserting ``aviation 
                        manufacturers,'' after ``repair stations,'' 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) by striking ``and'' at the 
                        end;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the 
                period at the end and inserting ``; and''; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) give priority to applicants who partner 
        with, or establish links between, secondary schools and post-
        secondary schools and who work collaboratively or participate 
        in industry or sector partnerships.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Consultation With the Secretary of Education.--The 
Secretary may consult with the Secretary of Education in--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) developing the design of the grant 
        application under this section;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) reviewing and selecting applications for 
        grants for eligible projects under this section; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) establishing considerations regarding 
        program quality and measurement of student 
        outcomes.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Paragraph (4) of section 48105 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``2023'' and 
inserting ``2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) National Strategic Plan for Aviation Workforce 
Development.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall, to 
        the extent practicable and in consultation with other Federal 
        agencies and private individuals, establish a national 
        strategic plan for addressing projected shortages of aviation 
        workers in the aviation industry, including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) any short-term, medium-term, and long-
                term needs critical to the economy, national security, 
                workforce readiness, environmental concerns, and 
                priorities of the United States aviation sector, such 
                as emergency readiness and resilience; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) any situation or condition that 
                warrants special attention by the Federal 
                Government.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirements.--The national strategic plan 
        established under paragraph (1) shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) take into account the activities and 
                accomplishments of all agencies in the executive branch 
                of the Federal Government that are related to carrying 
                out such national strategic plan; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) include recommendations for 
                legislation, regulations, and budget proposals to carry 
                out such national strategic plan.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 502. WOMEN IN AVIATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the 
Department of Transportation the Women in Aviation Advisory Committee 
(in this section referred to as the ``Committee'').</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Membership.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Composition.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph 
                (C), the Committee shall be composed of up to 16 
                members appointed by the Secretary, including 
                representatives from the following:</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) Passenger and cargo air 
                        carriers operating under part 121 of title 14, 
                        Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) Aircraft manufacturers and 
                        aerospace companies.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) Nonprofit organizations 
                        within the aviation industry, including at 
                        least 1 State aviation agency.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) Airport operators and 
                        employees.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) Aviation business 
                        associations.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vi) Engineering business 
                        associations.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vii) United States Air Force 
                        Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (viii) Institutions of higher 
                        education and aviation trade schools.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ix) The Department of 
                        Labor.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (x) The Department of 
                        Education.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (xi) Nonprofit labor organizations 
                        representing aviation workers, including 
                        organizations representing aviation maintenance 
                        workers and pilots for cargo and passenger air 
                        carriers operating under part 121 of title 14, 
                        Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (xii) The FAA.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Date.--The appointments described in 
                subparagraph (A) shall be made not later than 9 months 
                after the date of enactment of this section.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Ex officio members.--The Secretary 
                shall appoint 1 member from the Office of Civil Rights 
                of the FAA to serve in an ex officio 
                capacity.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Subcommittees.--The Committee may establish 
        subcommittees as the Committee determines 
        appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Chair; subcommittee chairs.--The Committee--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) shall select a Chair from among the 
                members of the Committee; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) may select subcommittee chairs from 
                among the members of the Committee, as the Committee 
                determines appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Term of service.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--Each member of the 
                Committee shall serve until the termination date 
                described in subsection (e).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Successors.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) Death or resignation.--If a 
                        member of the Committee dies or resigns during 
                        their term of service, the Secretary shall 
                        designate a successor for the unexpired term of 
                        such member.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) Expired term.--Any member of 
                        the Committee whose term of office has expired 
                        shall continue to serve as a member until their 
                        successor is appointed by the 
                        Secretary.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Administrative support.--The Secretary shall 
        furnish the Committee logistical and administrative support to 
        enable the Committee to perform its duties.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Compensation.--Each member of the Committee 
        shall serve without compensation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Duties.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Advisory role.--The Committee--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) shall advise the Secretary and the 
                Administrator on matters related to promoting women in 
                the aviation industry, including education, training, 
                recruitment, retention, and career 
                advancement;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) shall review and update the 
                recommendations directed to FAA and non-FAA entities 
                produced by the Advisory Board created under section 
                612 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 
                40101 note) and recommend how to engage with those 
                entities to improve the implementation of such 
                recommendations;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) shall coordinate with the Department 
                of Transportation Office of Civil Rights and the FAA's 
                Federal Women's Program to not duplicate the objectives 
                of such program; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) shall not duplicate the objectives of 
                the Air Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking 
                Committee.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Reports.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Annual report.--Not later than October 
                31 of the first calendar year beginning after the date 
                on which the Committee is established under subsection 
                (a), and annually thereafter, the Committee shall 
                submit to Congress, the Secretary, and the 
                Administrator a report that contains a detailed 
                statement of the Committee's recommendations under 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1), together 
                with the recommendations of the Committee for such 
                legislation and administrative actions as the Committee 
                considers appropriate.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Additional reports.--The Committee may 
                submit to Congress, the Secretary, and the 
                Administrator additional reports and recommendations 
                related to education, training, recruiting, retaining, 
                and advancing women in the aviation industry as the 
                Committee determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Review of Recommendations.--Not later than 60 days 
after the date on which the Secretary receives a report from the 
Committee under subsection (c)(2), the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report that indicates--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) which recommendations of the Committee that 
        the Secretary has determined the Department of Transportation 
        is able to address and provide an update regarding the 
        implementation of such recommendations on an annual basis; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) which such recommendations the Secretary is 
        not able to implement (including any recommendations for 
        legislation) and a rationale for that determination.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Sunset.--The Committee shall terminate on September 
30, 2028.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 503. STUDY OF HIGH SCHOOL AVIATION MAINTENANCE TRAINING 
              PROGRAMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General 
        shall initiate a study to assess the aviation maintenance 
        technician workforce pipeline in the United States, as well as 
        any barriers for students enrolled in high school aviation 
        maintenance programs with respect to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) entering airframe and powerplant 
                mechanic programs; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) accessing pathways to mechanic 
                certification.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--The study required under paragraph 
        (1) shall assess the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) The number of high school aviation 
                maintenance programs in the United States and the 
                typical career outcomes for graduates of such 
                programs.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) The extent to which high school 
                aviation maintenance programs offer curricula that 
                align with FAA mechanic airman certification 
                standards.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) The opportunities afforded to students 
                enrolled in alternative or high school maintenance 
                programs partnered with aviation maintenance technician 
                schools (as described in section 147.15 of title 14, 
                Code of Federal Regulations).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Alternate paths to a certificated 
                aviation maintenance technician school for the 
                fulfillment of the experience requirements described in 
                section 65.75(c) of such title 14.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Any barriers to entry associated 
                with--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) developing and attaining the 
                        knowledge and experience requirements described 
                        in section 65.75 and section 147.31 of such 
                        title 14; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) access to the mechanic 
                        certification process.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) The level of engagement between the 
                FAA and high school aviation maintenance programs with 
                respect to developing curricula that assist with 
                building foundational knowledge and skills necessary to 
                attain FAA mechanic certifications and associated 
                ratings.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) Any barriers to accessing the general 
                knowledge test described in section 65.71(a)(3) of such 
                title 14.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) Whether allowing mechanic certificate 
                applicants to take the general knowledge test prior to 
                such applicants meeting the relevant experience 
                requirements would present a safety risk.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (I) Whether regulatory changes could 
                reduce any barriers described in this 
                paragraph.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall provide to the 
Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress a report and 
briefing on the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a), 
together with recommendations for such legislative and administrative 
action as the Comptroller General deems appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 504. MILITARY AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS 
              RULE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Streamlined Certification for Eligible Military 
Maintenance Technicians.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall issue a final rule 
that revises part 65 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) create a military mechanic written competency 
        test; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) develop, as necessary, a relevant Airman 
        Certification Standard to qualify eligible military maintenance 
        technicians for a mechanic certificate with airframe or 
        powerplant ratings; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) allow a certificate of eligibility from the 
        Joint Services Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification 
        Council (in this section referred to as the ``JSAMTCC'') 
        evidencing completion of a training curriculum for any rating 
        sought to serve as a substitute to fulfill the requirement 
        under such part 65 for oral and practical tests administered by 
        a Designated Mechanic Examiner (in this section referred to as 
        a ``DME'') for eligible military maintenance 
        technicians.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Aeronautical Knowledge Subject Areas.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The military mechanic written 
        competency test and Airman Certification Standard described in 
        subsection (a) shall focus on the aeronautical knowledge 
        subject areas contained in the Aviation Mechanic General, 
        Airframe, and Powerplant Airman Certification Standards, as 
        appropriate to the rating sought.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Identification of subject areas.--The 
        aeronautical knowledge subject areas shall be identified and 
        recommended to the Administrator, in consultation with industry 
        stakeholders, through the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory 
        Committee Airman Certification System Working Group.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Expansion of Testing Locations.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, shall determine whether an expansion of the number 
of active testing locations operated within military installation 
testing centers would increase access to testing, as well as how to 
implement such expansion.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Outreach and Awareness.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in 
coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans 
Affairs, and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall develop a plan 
to increase outreach and awareness regarding--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the services made available by the JSAMTCC; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the military mechanic written competency test 
        established under subsection (a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
which the Administrator issues the final rule under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the 
activities carried out under this section, together with 
recommendations for such legislative or administrative action as the 
Administrator determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Eligible Military Maintenance Technician Defined.--For 
purposes of this section, the term ``eligible military maintenance 
technician'' means an individual who is a current or former maintenance 
technician who was honorably discharged or has retired from the United 
States Armed Forces (as defined in section 101 of title 10, United 
States Code) and meets the following requirements:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The individual presents an official United 
        States Armed Forces record confirming that the individual is or 
        was a military aviation maintenance technician, holding an 
        appropriate Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Code, as 
        determined by the Administrator, in coordination with the 
        Secretary of Defense.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The individual presents documentary evidence 
        of experience in accordance with the requirements under section 
        65.77 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 505. PROHIBITION OF REMOTE DISPATCHING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Amendments to Prohibition.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Section 44711(a) of title 49, 
        United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (9), by striking ``or'' 
                after the semicolon;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by redesignating paragraph (10) as 
                paragraph (11); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by inserting after paragraph (9) the 
                following new paragraph:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(10) work as an aircraft dispatcher outside of a 
        physical location designated as a dispatching center or flight 
        following center of an air carrier; or''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        promulgate regulations requiring persons and air carriers to 
        comply with paragraph (10) of section 44711(a) of title 49, 
        United States Code (as added by paragraph (1)).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by 
        subsection (a) shall take effect on the date that is 1 year 
        after the date of enactment of this section, without regard to 
        whether the regulations required by paragraph (2) have been 
        promulgated as of that date.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Aircraft Dispatching.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Chapter 447 of title 49, United 
        States Code, as amended by section 304(a), is amended by adding 
        at the end the following new section:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 44746. Aircraft dispatching</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--Each air carrier shall establish and 
maintain sufficient dispatch centers and flight following centers to 
maintain operational control of each flight of the air carrier at all 
times.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Requirements.--An air carrier shall ensure that each 
dispatch center and flight following center of the air carrier--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) has a sufficient number of aircraft 
        dispatchers on duty at the dispatch center or flight following 
        center to ensure proper operational control of each flight of 
        the air carrier at all times;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) has the necessary equipment, in good repair, 
        to maintain proper operational control of each flight of the 
        air carrier at all times; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) includes the presence of physical security 
        and cybersecurity protections to prevent unauthorized access to 
        the dispatch center or flight following center or to the 
        operations of either such center.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Prohibition.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), an 
        air carrier may not dispatch aircraft from any location other 
        than the dispatch center or flight following center of the air 
        carrier.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Emergency authority.--In the event of an 
        emergency, an air carrier may dispatch aircraft from a location 
        other than the dispatch center or flight following center of 
        the air carrier for a brief period of time, but not to exceed a 
        period of 24 consecutive hours per location.''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for chapter 
        447 of such title, as amended by section 304(b), is amended by 
        inserting after the item relating to section 44744 the 
        following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44746. Aircraft dispatching.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 506. EMPLOYEE ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PLAN 
              STANDARDS AND BEST PRACTICES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress 
that:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Each air carrier operating under part 121 of 
        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall submit to the 
        Administrator an Employee Assault Prevention and Response Plan 
        pursuant to section 551 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 
        (49 U.S.C. 44903 note).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Each such air carrier should have in place and 
        deploy an Employee Assault Prevention and Response Plan to 
        facilitate appropriate protocols, standards, and training to 
        equip employees with best practices and the experience 
        necessary to respond effectively to hostile situations and 
        disruptive behavior and maintain a safe traveling 
        experience.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Required Briefing.--Section 551 of the FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44903 note) is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall provide to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a briefing on the Employee Assault Prevention 
and Response Plan submitted by each air carrier pursuant to this 
section.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 507. CREWMEMBER SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 44918(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and unruly 
        passenger behavior'' before the period at the end;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (2)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by striking subparagraph (A) and 
                inserting the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) Recognize suspicious behavior and 
                activities and determine the seriousness of any 
                occurrence.'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``, 
                including training to defend against the use of edged 
                or contact weapons'' before the period at the 
                end;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by striking subparagraph (H) and 
                inserting the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(H) De-escalation training based on 
                recommendations issued by the Air Carrier Training 
                Aviation Rulemaking Committee.'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) by redesignating subparagraphs (I) and 
                (J) as subparagraphs (J) and (K), respectively; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) by inserting after subparagraph (H) 
                the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(I) Methods to subdue and restrain an 
                active attacker.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Minimum standards.--Not later than 180 days 
        after the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
        2023, the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
        Administration, in consultation with the Federal Air Marshal 
        Service and the Aviation Security Advisory Committee, shall 
        establish minimum standards for--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) the training provided under this 
                subsection and for recurrent training; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the individuals or entities 
                providing such training.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) in paragraph (6)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in the first sentence--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) by inserting ``and the Federal 
                        Air Marshal Service'' after ``consultation with 
                        the Administrator'';</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) by striking ``and 
                        periodically shall'' and inserting ``and shall 
                        periodically''; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) by inserting ``based on 
                        changes in the potential or actual threat 
                        conditions'' before the period at the end; 
                        and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in the second sentence, by inserting 
                ``, including self-defense training expertise and 
                experience'' before the period at the end; 
                and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(8) Air carrier accommodation.--An air carrier 
        with a crew member participating in the training program under 
        this subsection shall provide a process through which each such 
        crew member may obtain reasonable accommodations.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 508. IMPROVING APRON SAFETY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study and Report on Engine Ingestion Zone and Jet 
Blast Zone Accidents.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a 
        study on ways to minimize or eliminate engine ingestion zone 
        and jet blast zone accidents, including through--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) improving markings on the apron to 
                clearly define and graphically indicate the engine 
                ingestion zones and envelope of safety for the variety 
                of aircraft that may park at the same gate of the 
                airport;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) incorporating markings on aircraft to 
                indicate the engine inlet danger zone, using hazard 
                warning stripes, decals, or other measures;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) limiting ground service personnel 
                access to an aircraft until the engines of the aircraft 
                are no longer running, the beacon on top of the 
                aircraft has been turned off, the individual blades of 
                the engine fan can be observed, and there is a 
                notification from the flight deck crew confirming the 
                engines are off (including the time for cool down, 
                particularly for engines with low ground 
                clearance);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) improving aircraft engine design to 
                prevent or minimize engine ingestion, such as the use 
                of stationary inlet guide vanes or engine 
                guarding;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) improving the use of or requirements 
                for Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) or electrical systems 
                maintenance or incorporating changes to other systems 
                or apron operation procedures to eliminate or minimize 
                the length of time an aircraft engine runs (or be 
                permitted to run) while the aircraft is at the gate or 
                stopped on the ground; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) improving communication devices and 
                requirements for operable radios and 
                headsets.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to 
        the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the study 
        conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations 
        for such legislative or administrative action as determined 
        appropriate by the Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Improved Training.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator may, as 
        appropriate, develop and publish training and related 
        educational materials about aircraft engine ingestion and jet 
        blast hazards for ground crews (including supervisory 
        employees) that includes information on--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the specific dangers and consequences 
                of entering engine ingestion or jet blast 
                zones;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) proper protocols to avoid entering an 
                engine ingestion or jet blast zone; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) on-the-job, instructor-led training to 
                physically demonstrate the engine ingestion zone 
                boundaries and jet blast zones for each kind of 
                aircraft the ground crew may encounter.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Training regulations.--Not later than 180 days 
        after the publication of the training and related educational 
        materials described in paragraph (1), the Administrator may 
        promulgate regulations to require any new, transferred, or 
        current (as of the date of enactment of this section) employee 
        of the FAA to receive the relevant engine ingestion and jet 
        blast zone hazard training before such employee may perform 
        work on the apron.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 509. AVIATION MEDICAL INNOVATION AND MODERNIZATION 
              WORKING GROUP.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish the 
Aviation Medical Innovation and Modernization Working Group (in this 
section referred to as the ``Working Group'') and appoint members of 
the Working Group in accordance with subsection (b).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Membership.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Number.--The members of the Working Group 
        shall not exceed 20 individuals.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Composition.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Federal air surgeon.--The Federal Air 
                Surgeon shall be a member of the Working Group and 
                shall be the Chair of the Working Group.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Senior aviation medical examiners.--In 
                addition to the Federal Air Surgeon, at least 8 members 
                of the Working Group shall be individuals who are 
                Senior Aviation Medical Examiners.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Other members.--In addition to the 
                Federal Air Surgeon and the members appointed under 
                subparagraph (B), the remaining members shall be 
                licensed medical physicians with substantial expertise 
                in--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) aerospace medicine;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) psychological 
                        medicine;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) neurological 
                        medicine;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) cardiovascular medicine; 
                        or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) internal medicine.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Preference in appointments.--The 
                Administrator shall give preference to appointing 
                members of the Working Group who are Aviation Medical 
                Examiners or licensed medical physicians who have 
                demonstrated research and expertise in aviation medical 
                issues.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Use of subgroups.--The Working Group 
                Administrator may use subgroups to develop the 
                recommendations under subsection (c).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Recommendations.--The Working Group shall develop a 
report that includes recommendations with respect to the following 
areas:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Evaluation of the conditions an Aviation 
        Medical Examiner can issue (CACI).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Improvements and reforms to the Special 
        Issuance process, including whether, after initial medical 
        certification by the FAA, renewals can be based on a medical 
        evaluation and treatment plan by a pilot's treating medical 
        specialist with concurrence from the pilot's Aviation Medical 
        Examiner.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Development of an online medical portal 
        administered by the FAA that--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) adheres to cybersecurity protections 
                and protocols;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) authorizes Aviation Medical Examiners, 
                pilots, or their designee, to securely share medical 
                records;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) provides timely updates for a pilot's 
                medical application and improves return to flying 
                timelines;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) provides pilots with the ability to 
                submit additional information requested from the 
                FAA;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) includes the method to contact the 
                reviewing office; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) such other requirements as the Working 
                Group may recommend.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) The use of technologies to address forms of 
        red-green color blindness for pilots.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Improvements to Attention-Deficit 
        Hyperactivity Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder 
        protocols.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Improvements to neurology protocols, 
        specifically, stroke, head injury, and known loss of 
        consciousness.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Improvements to FAA mental health protocols, 
        including, but not limited to, mental health conditions such as 
        depression and anxiety, the use of medications for treating 
        mental health conditions, and neurocognitive testing rules and 
        applicability.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which 
the Working Group is established--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the Working Group shall submit the report 
        developed in accordance with subsection (c) to the 
        Administrator, along with recommendations for such legislation 
        and administrative action as the Working Group determines 
        appropriate; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Administrator shall submit such report and 
        recommendations to the appropriate committees of 
        Congress.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Actions by the Administrator.--The Administrator may 
take such action as the Administrator determines appropriate to 
implement the recommendations in the report under submitted under 
subsection (d).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Exemption From the Federal Advisory Committee Act.--
Chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the 
Working Group.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Sunset.--The Working Group shall terminate on the date 
on which the Working Group submits the report required by subsection 
(d).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 510. AIRMAN CERTIFICATION STANDARDS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall use the Aviation 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee Airman Certification System Working Group 
(in this section referred to as the ``Working Group'') to obtain 
industry recommendations on maintaining and updating Airman 
Certification Standards.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Duties.--In carrying out its activities, the Working 
Group shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) ensure that testing remains correlated and 
        corresponds to current regulations, procedures, equipment, 
        aviation infrastructure, and safety trends;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) work with industry to solicit recommendations 
        on airman certification and testing, including new, and 
        revisions to existing, Airman Certification Standards guidance 
        documents and airman tests; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) ensure other tasks carried out by the Working 
        Group are addressed and completed in a timely and efficient 
        manner.</DELETED>

              <DELETED>Subtitle B--FAA Workforce</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 521. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL STAFFING STANDARDS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) FAA Air Traffic Control Staffing Standards.--The 
Administrator shall complete the requirements of subsection (b) and 
implement revisions to the FAA Certified Professional Controller (in 
this section referred to as ``CPC'') operational staffing targets, in 
consultation with appropriate stakeholders including the exclusive 
bargaining representative of air traffic control specialists of the FAA 
certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code, by 
September 30, 2024.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) National Academy of Sciences Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Study.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall enter 
        into appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of 
        Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (in this subsection 
        referred to as the ``National Academies'') under which the 
        National Academies will conduct a study of the methodology used 
        by the Collaborative Resource Workgroup (in this subsection 
        referred to as ``CRWG'') to determine CPC operational staffing 
        targets needed to meet facility operational, statutory, and 
        contractual requirements, including resources to develop, 
        evaluate, and implement processes and initiatives affecting the 
        national airspace system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--The study required by paragraph (1) 
        shall include the following elements:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) A review of similarities and 
                discrepancies between methodologies used to develop the 
                CRWG CPC operational staffing targets and the staffing 
                targets developed by the FAA as reflected by the 
                staffing standards used in the 2023 Controller 
                Workforce Plan.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) An examination of the discrepancies 
                between the CRWG CPC staffing targets and the FAA-
                developed CPC staffing standards used in the 2023 
                Controller Workforce Plan that contribute to a 
                significant divergence in operational staffing 
                headcounts (including with respect to CPCs, CPCs-in-
                training at new facilities, and trainees), CPC staffing 
                targets, and staffing needs for air traffic controllers 
                between fiscal year 2027 and fiscal year 2032 to ensure 
                the safe and efficient operation of the national 
                airspace system.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) An evaluation of--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) air traffic in the airspace of 
                        each air traffic control facility operated by 
                        the FAA;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) air traffic controller 
                        position utilization;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) attrition rates at each air 
                        traffic control facility operated by the FAA; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) the time needed to meet 
                        facility operational, statutory, and 
                        contractual requirements, including resources 
                        to develop, evaluate, and implement processes 
                        and initiatives affecting the national airspace 
                        system.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) For each air traffic control facility 
                operated by the FAA, a description of--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the current CPC staffing 
                        levels;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the operational staffing 
                        targets for CPCs;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) the anticipated CPC 
                        attrition for each of the next 3 years; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) the number of CPC 
                        trainees.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) An examination of the FAA's current 
                and estimated budgets and funding needed to implement 
                the CRWG CPC operational staffing targets and needs in 
                comparison to such funding needed to implement the 
                staffing standards developed by the FAA as reflected in 
                the 2023 Controller Workforce Plan.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) An analysis of the recommendations 
                included in Transportation Research Board Special 
                Report 314, titled ``The Federal Aviation 
                Administration's Approach for Determining Future Air 
                Traffic Controller Staffing Needs'' that have not yet 
                been addressed or implemented by the 
                Administrator.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) Recommendations for further action by 
                the Administrator, as appropriate, to--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) address operational staffing 
                        requirements to meet facility operational, 
                        statutory, and contractual requirements; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) provide fulsome air traffic 
                        controller staffing to ensure the safe and 
                        efficient operation of the national airspace 
                        system, including the integration of new users, 
                        technologies, and procedures.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Consultation.--In conducting the study 
        required by paragraph (1), the National Academies shall consult 
        with--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Federal Government and industry 
                representatives;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the exclusive bargaining 
                representative of air traffic control specialists of 
                the FAA certified under section 7111 of title 5, United 
                States Code; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) other parties determined appropriate 
                by the National Academies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Reports.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) To the administrator.--Not later than 
                180 days after the date of enactment of this section, 
                the National Academies shall submit to the 
                Administrator a report on the results of the study 
                required by paragraph (1), together with 
                recommendations determined appropriate by the National 
                Academies.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) To congress.--Not later than 180 days 
                after the date on which the National Academies submits 
                the report under subparagraph (A), the Administrator 
                shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
                a report describing--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the results of the study 
                        required by paragraph (1);</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the report submitted by the 
                        National Academies, including the 
                        recommendations of the National Academies; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) the Administrator's 
                        implementation action required by subsection 
                        (a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Revisions to the Controller Workforce Plan.--Section 
44506(e) of title 49, United States Code is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (1)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by inserting ``Collaborative Resource 
                Workgroup (CRWG)'' before ``staffing standards''; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking ``the number of air 
                traffic controllers needed'' and inserting ``the number 
                of fully certified air traffic controllers 
                needed'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
        paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by adding after paragraph (1) the following 
        new paragraph:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) for each air traffic control facility 
        operated by the Federal Aviation Administration--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) the current certified professional 
                controller staffing levels;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the Collaborative Resource Workgroup 
                (CRWG) operational staffing targets for certified 
                professional controllers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) the anticipated certified 
                professional controller attrition for each of the next 
                3 years; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) the number of certified professional 
                controller trainees;''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (c) 
shall take effect and apply to any reports submitted pursuant to 
section 44506(e) of title 49, United States Code, for each Controller 
Workforce Plan submitted after September 30, 2024.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 522. FAA WORKFORCE REVIEW AUDIT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Inspector General of the Department of 
Transportation shall initiate an audit of any FAA workforce plans 
related to aviation safety completed during the past 5 fiscal 
years.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Contents.--In conducting the audit under subsection 
(a), the Inspector General shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) identify whether any safety-critical positions 
        have not been reviewed within the timeframe specified in 
        subsection (a);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) review FAA workforce gaps in safety-critical 
        and senior positions, including the average vacancy period of 
        such positions during the latest fiscal year;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) review whether existing FAA workforce 
        development programs are producing intended results, such as 
        increased recruitment and retention of agency personnel; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) evaluate the extent to which the FAA leverages 
        its direct hire authority to recruit subject matter experts and 
        other technical personnel to fill key senior and technical 
        positions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report and Recommendations.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Inspector general report.--Not later than 1 
        year after the date of enactment of this section, the Inspector 
        General shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate 
        committees of Congress a report on the results of the audit 
        conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations 
        for such legislative and administrative action as the Inspector 
        General determines appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Congressional briefing.--Not later than 90 
        days after receiving the report under paragraph (1), the 
        Administrator shall provide a briefing to appropriate 
        committees of Congress on--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the Administrator's response to the 
                recommendations of the Inspector General contained in 
                such report; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) any plans of the Administrator for the 
                implementation of such recommendations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 523. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY UTILIZATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 40122 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(k) Direct Hire Authority.--The Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall utilize existing direct hire 
authority to expedite the hiring process and hire individuals on a non-
competitive basis for safety critical and safety technical positions 
related to aircraft certification and aviation safety more broadly to 
maintain the gold standard of aviation safety and, as necessary, 
fulfill any gaps identified in workforce reviews at the Federal 
Aviation Administration.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter through 
2028, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of 
Congress on the status of--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) utilization of the direct hire authority 
        described subsection (k) of such section 40122, as added 
        subsection (a); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the number of employees hired under such 
        authority, the relevant line of business to which such 
        employees were hired, and the occupation type of the positions 
        filled.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 524. STAFFING MODEL FOR AVIATION SAFETY 
              INSPECTORS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than October 1, 2024, the 
Administrator shall review and revise as necessary the staffing model 
for aviation safety inspectors.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirements.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Consideration of prior studies and reports.--
        In revising the model, the Administrator shall take into 
        consideration the recommendations outlined in the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) The 2006 report released by the 
                National Research Council entitled ``Staffing Standards 
                for Aviation Safety Inspectors''.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) The 2007 study released by the 
                National Academy of Sciences entitled ``Staffing 
                Standards for Aviation Safety Inspectors''.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) The 2013 report released by Grant 
                Thornton LLP, entitled ``ASTARS Gap Analysis Study: 
                Comparison of the AVS Staffing Model for Aviation 
                Safety Inspectors to the National Academy of Sciences' 
                Recommendations Final Report''.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) The 2021 report released by the 
                Inspector General of the Department of Transportation 
                entitled ``FAA Can Increase Its Inspector Staffing 
                Model's Effectiveness by Implementing System 
                Improvements and Maximizing Its 
                Capabilities''.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) The FAA Fiscal Year 2023 Aviation 
                Safety Workforce Plan conducted to satisfy the 
                requirements of section 104 of the Aircraft 
                Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act, as 
                enacted in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 
                (49 U.S.C. 44701 note).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Service and office staffing level.--The model 
        will project staffing at the service and office level and 
        require managers to use the model as part of the resource 
        assessment for aviation safety inspector resources.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Attrition.--The aviation safety inspector 
        staffing model will take into consideration forecasted 
        attrition.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Consultation.--In revising the model, the 
        Administrator shall consult with interested persons, including 
        the exclusive collective bargaining representative for aviation 
        safety inspectors certified under section 7111 of title 5, 
        United States Code.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 525. SAFETY CRITICAL STAFFING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Implementation of Staffing Standards for Safety 
Inspectors.--Upon completion of the revised staffing model for aviation 
safety inspectors under section 524, and validation of the model by the 
Administrator, the Administrator shall take all appropriate actions in 
response to the number of aviation safety inspectors, aviation safety 
technicians, and operation support positions that such model determines 
are required to meet the responsibilities of the Flight Standards 
Service and Aircraft Certification Service, including increasing the 
number of safety critical positions in the Flight Standards Service and 
Aircraft Certification Service per fiscal year as appropriate, provided 
that such staffing increases shall be measured relative to the number 
of persons serving in safety critical positions as of September 30, 
2023. Any increase in safety critical staffing pursuant to this 
subsection shall be subject to the availability of 
appropriations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Safety Critical Positions Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``safety critical positions'' means--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) aviation safety inspectors, aviation safety 
        specialists (1801 series), aviation safety technicians, and 
        operations support positions in the Flight Standards Service; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) manufacturing safety inspectors, pilots, 
        engineers, Chief Scientist Technical Advisors, aviation safety 
        specialists (1801 series), safety technical specialists, and 
        operational support positions in the Aircraft Certification 
        Service.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 526. INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM INSTALLATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 44502(a)(4) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Installation.--The Administrator 
                shall expedite the installation of at a minimum 15 
                instrument landing systems (referred to in this 
                subparagraph as `ILS') in the national airspace system 
                by January 1, 2025, by utilizing the existing ILS 
                contract vehicle and the Federal Aviation 
                Administration workforce.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Expedited Installation of ILS Equipment.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        initiate action to utilize the existing instrument landing 
        systems (referred to in this subsection as ``ILS'') contract 
        vehicle and FAA employees in facilitating the expedited 
        installation of ILS equipment into the national airspace 
        system. In carrying out this subsection, the Administrator 
        shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) incorporate lessons learned from the 
                installations under section 44502(a)(4) of title 49, 
                United States Code;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) record metrics of cost and time 
                savings of expedited installations; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) consider opportunities to further 
                develop ILS technical expertise among the FAA 
                workforce.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Considerations.--During the implementation 
        planning to carry out this subsection and subparagraph (C) of 
        section 44502(a)(4) of title 49, United States Code, as added 
        by subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider the cost-
        benefit analysis of utilizing the existing ILS contract 
        vehicle, the FAA workforce, or both, to accelerate the 
        installation and deployment of procured equipment.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Report to congress.--Not later than June 30, 
        2025, the Administrator shall report to the appropriate 
        committees of Congress on the ILS installation results, near-
        term ILS installations planned, and shall outline the FAA's 
        approach to accelerate future procurement and installation of 
        ILS throughout the national airspace system in a manner 
        consistent with the requirements of title VIII of division J of 
        the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-
        58).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 527. AVIATION CERTIFICATION FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Program.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Establishment.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year 
                after the date of enactment of this section, the 
                Administrator shall establish within the FAA a program 
                to be known as the ``Aviation Certification 
                Professional Fellowship Program'' (in this section 
                referred to as the ``Program'') to facilitate the 
                assignment of individuals from a private-sector 
                organization to the FAA to serve on a temporary basis 
                in positions relating to aircraft 
                certification.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Appointments.--In appointing 
                individuals under the Program, the Administrator shall 
                enter into agreements with private-sector organizations 
                employing such individuals and selected individuals to 
                participate in the Program pursuant to terms and 
                conditions of service determined appropriate by the 
                Administrator.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Actions subject to availability of 
                funds.--Any action taken by the Administrator under 
                this section shall be subject to the availability of 
                appropriations authorized under subsection 
                (e).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Responsibilities.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Guidelines.--The Administrator shall 
                establish guidelines related to the activities and 
                responsibilities of the fellowships under subsection 
                (b).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Qualifications.--The Administrator 
                shall prescribe the qualifications required for 
                designation of certification professional fellowships 
                under subsection (b).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Authority.--In order to carry out the 
                provisions of this section, the Administrator may--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) appoint, assign the duties of, 
                        and transfer such personnel as may be 
                        necessary;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) make appointments with 
                        respect to temporary and intermittent 
                        services;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) enter into contracts, 
                        cooperative agreements, and other transactions 
                        without regard to section 6101 of title 41, 
                        United States Code;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) accept funds from other 
                        Federal departments and agencies to pay for, 
                        and add to, activities authorized by this 
                        section; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) promulgate such rules and 
                        regulations as may be necessary and 
                        appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Special Rules for Fellowships.--Under the Program, the 
Administrator shall do the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Appoint highly qualified, experienced 
        professionals to advisory positions related to certification 
        that require specialized, unique, or extensive skills in 
        occupations within the FAA, and allow such professionals to 
        occupy specialty or hard-to-fill positions that require 
        specialized knowledge of aircraft design, manufacturing, 
        safety, and certification processes.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Allow appointed individuals to be utilized 
        across the aircraft certification spectrum as 
        appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Open the fellowships to citizens and nationals 
        of the United States.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Limit the term of appointment to up to 1 year 
        with an option to extend for up to an additional year (with no 
        appointment exceeded a total of 2 years).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Reserve the right to terminate individuals 
        participating in the fellowship for any violation of the terms 
        and conditions of service established by the 
        Administrator.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Make clear that any responsibilities of 
        individuals participating in the fellowship program constitute 
        acting in an advisory role for aircraft certification and are 
        subject to conflict-of-interest conditions and FAA supervision 
        and control.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Rules for Pay and Benefits for Individuals Employed by 
Private-sector Organizations.--An individual employed by a private-
sector organization who is participating in the Program at the FAA 
shall continue to receive pay and benefits from such private-sector 
organizations and shall not receive pay or benefits from the FAA for 
the duration of the individual's participation in the 
Program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Conflicts of Interest.--The Administrator shall 
implement policies to identify, mitigate, and manage any perceived or 
actual conflict of interest as a condition of an individual's 
participation in the Program. Such policies shall include the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) A prohibition on an individual participating 
        in the Program from being assigned to a position that has 
        decision-making authority or influence over an application or 
        project submitted to the FAA by the private-sector organization 
        employing such individual.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) A requirement that an individual participating 
        in the Program who has access to proprietary or non-public 
        information at the FAA must sign a non-disclosure agreement 
        prohibiting the sharing of such information that is of 
        commercial value with the private-sector organization employing 
        such individual or with other individuals (whether or not 
        employed by such private-sector organization) or organizations, 
        during the period of the individual's participation in the 
        Program and after the individual's participation in the Program 
        has concluded.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) A prohibition on an individual participating 
        in the Program from improperly using pre-decisional or draft 
        FAA information that such individual may be privy to or aware 
        of during, or as a result of, the individual's participation in 
        the Program for the benefit of the private-sector organization 
        employing such individual,</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Appropriate post-service limitations for 
        individuals participating in the Program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Other elements determined appropriate by the 
        Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 
section. Amounts appropriated under the preceding sentence shall remain 
available until expended.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
be construed as a delegation of authority by the Administrator to 
individuals participating in the Program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Program Review and Report.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Review.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States (in this subsection referred to as the ``Comptroller 
        General'') shall conduct a comprehensive review of the Program, 
        including the impact of the Program on the FAA's aircraft 
        certification processes and the presence of any conflicts of 
        interest under the Program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
        containing the results of the review conducted under paragraph 
        (1), together with recommendations for such legislation and 
        administrative action as the Comptroller General determines 
        appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (h) Sunset.--The Program shall terminate on the date that 
is 5 years after the date of enactment of this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (i) Certified Professional Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``certification professional'' means an individual with expertise 
and background in a line or field that is concerned with, or likely to 
improve, the safety certification of aircraft and other airborne 
objects and systems, including the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Aerospace engineering.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Aerospace physiology.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Aeronautical engineering.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Airworthiness engineering.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Electrical engineering.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Human factors engineering.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Software engineering.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) Systems engineering.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 528. CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER 
              TRAINING PROGRAMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47124 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection 
        (f);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by inserting after subsection (d), the 
        following new subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Air Traffic Controller Training Programs.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall 
        coordinate with air traffic control contractors to create air 
        traffic controller training programs and shall incorporate the 
        use of such programs into new contracts or the exercise of 
        future options entered into under the Contract Tower Program 
        and the Cost-share Program. Such programs shall allow air 
        traffic control contractors to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) provide initial training to 
                candidates who do not have a Control Tower Operator 
                certificate or Federal Aviation Administration tower 
                credential; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) provide training to controllers who 
                have completed an approved Air Traffic Collegiate 
                Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program from an accredited 
                school that has a demonstrated successful 
                curriculum.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Authority.--An air traffic control 
        contractor shall be permitted to train controllers under 
        programs established under paragraph (1) notwithstanding 
        section 65.39(a) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (as 
        in effect on the date of enactment of this 
        subsection).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this 
        subsection shall be construed as a delegation of authority by 
        the Administrator to air traffic control contractors for the 
        purposes of conducting initial testing of, and issuing initial 
        certifications to, air traffic controllers.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Program review.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 3 years 
                after the incorporation of training programs operated 
                by air traffic control contractors under the Contract 
                Tower Program and the Cost-share Program, the Secretary 
                shall conduct a review of such training programs and 
                issue relevant findings. In conducting the review, the 
                Secretary shall identify the degree to which such 
                programs improve workforce development at air traffic 
                control tower facilities staffed through the Contract 
                Tower Program or the Cost-share Program, air traffic 
                control towers staffed by the Federal Aviation 
                Administration, and any related impact such training 
                may have on air traffic controller staffing more 
                broadly.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Report.--Not later than 1 year after 
                the date on which the Secretary initiates the review 
                required by subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 
                submit a report to the appropriate committees of 
                Congress on the results of the review, along with such 
                recommendations as the Secretary determines 
                appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) Definitions.--In this subsection, the term 
        `demonstrated successful curriculum' means an AT-CTI program 
        curriculum with a demonstrated record of graduated students 
        that have enrolled at the FAA Academy and subsequently 
        completed Certified Tower Operator certificates at an 80 
        percent success rate for a consecutive period of 5 
        years.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) Sunset.--The provisions of this subsection 
        shall terminate on September 30, 2028.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (f) (as redesignated by 
        paragraph (1)), by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Appropriate committees of congress.--The 
        term `appropriate committees of Congress' means--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
                and Transportation of the Senate; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure of the House of 
                Representatives.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 529. REVIEW OF FAA AND INDUSTRY COOPERATIVE 
              FAMILIARIZATION PROGRAMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Review.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall complete a review of 
options for employees of the FAA whose responsibilities directly relate 
to certification, to gain or enhance technical expertise, knowledge, 
skills, and abilities, including subject matter relating to innovative 
and complex aviation technologies, through cooperative training and 
visitation with aerospace companies.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Conflicts of Interest.--In conducting the review in 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall ensure that such options for 
FAA employees would occur on a short-term basis and avoid both 
conflicts of interest and the appearance of such conflicts pursuant to 
chapter 131 of title 5, United States Code, chapter 11 of title 18, 
United States Code, subchapter B of chapter XVI of title 5, Code of 
Federal Regulations, sections 2635.101 and 2635.502 of title 5, Code of 
Federal Regulations, and any other regulations as deemed appropriate by 
the Administrator. The Administrator shall also identify any conflicts 
with FAA policies relating to FAA employee interactions with industry 
and determine appropriate obligations of such employees upon returning 
to the FAA after engaging in relevant cooperative training and 
visitation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Considerations.--As part of the review required by 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider the following, 
provided that such actions satisfy conflicts of interest requirements 
referred to in subsection (b):</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Expanding existing familiarization 
        programs.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Leveraging cooperative training programs to 
        support credentialing and recurrent training activities for FAA 
        employees.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Evaluating the options described in subsection 
        (a) based on the level of experience of participating FAA 
        employees and intended benefits related to such 
        participation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Report.--Not later than 90 days after completing the 
review required by subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit a 
report to the appropriate committees of Congress on the results of the 
review and relevant recommendations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 530. IMPROVED ACCESS TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SIMULATION 
              TRAINING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Access.--The Administrator shall make tower simulator 
systems (in this section referred to as ``TSS'') more accessible to all 
air traffic controller specialists assigned to an air traffic control 
tower of the FAA (in this section referred to as an ``ATCT''), 
regardless of facility assignment, by carrying out the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Cloud-based visual database and software 
        system.--Not later than 30 months after the date of enactment 
        of this section, the Administrator shall develop and implement 
        a cloud-based visual database and software system that is 
        compatible with existing and future TSS that includes, at a 
        minimum--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) every ATCT's unique runway layout, 
                approach paths, and lines of sight; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) specifications that meet all 
                applicable data security requirements.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Upgrading tss.--Not later than 2 years after 
        the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        upgrade existing, permanent TSS so that the TSS is capable of, 
        at a minimum--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) securely and quickly downloading data 
                from the cloud-based visual database and software 
                system implemented under paragraph (1);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) running scenarios for each ATCT 
                involving differing levels of air traffic volume; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) running scenarios for each ATCT 
                involving varying complexities of air traffic 
                (including, but not limited to, aircraft emergencies, 
                rapidly changing weather, issuance of safety alerts, 
                and recovering from unforeseen events or losses of 
                separation).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Mobile tss.--Not later than 4 years after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        acquire and implement mobile TSS at each ATCT that is without 
        an existing, permanent TSS so that the mobile TSS is capable 
        of, at a minimum, the functions described in subparagraphs (A), 
        (B), and (C) of paragraph (2).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Collaboration.--In carrying out the activities under 
subsection (a), the Administrator may collaborate with the exclusive 
bargaining representative of air traffic controllers certified under 
section 7111 of title 5, United States Code.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 531. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER INSTRUCTOR 
              PIPELINE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--No later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate a study 
examining the pipeline of air traffic controller instructors and the 
projected number of instructors needed to maintain the safety of the 
national airspace system over the 5-fiscal year period beginning with 
fiscal year 2024.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Contents.--The study required by subsection (a) shall 
include the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) An examination of projected instructor 
        staffing targets, including the number of on-the-job 
        instructors needed for the instruction and training of 
        Certified Professional Controllers in Training (CPC-
        Its).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Whether involving further retired Certified 
        Professional Controllers (CPCs) as instructors, including for 
        classroom training, would produce improvements in air traffic 
        controller instruction and training.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Recommendations on how and where to utilize 
        retired certified professional controllers.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) The effect on the ability of active Certified 
        Professional Controllers (CPCs) to carry out on-the-job duties, 
        other than instruction, and any related efficiencies if more 
        retired Certified Professional Controllers (CPCs) were 
        instructors.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) The known vulnerabilities, as categorized by 
        FAA Air Traffic Organization regions, where requiring Certified 
        Professional Controllers (CPCs) to provide instruction and 
        training to Certified Professional Controllers in Training 
        (CPC-Its) is a significant burden on FAA air traffic controller 
        staffing levels.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Deadline.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
which the Administrator initiates the study required by subsection (a), 
the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on 
the results on the study and any actions that may be taken based on 
such results.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 532. ENSURING HIRING OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALISTS 
              IS BASED ON ASSESSMENT OF JOB-RELEVANT 
              APTITUDES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Review of the Air Traffic Skills Assessment.--Not 
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Administrator shall review and revise, if necessary, the Air Traffic 
Skills Assessment (in this section referred to as the ``AT-SA'') 
administered to air traffic controller applicants described in clauses 
(ii) and (iii) of section 44506(f)(1)(B) of title 49, United States 
Code, in accordance with the following requirements:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The Administrator shall evaluate all questions 
        on the AT-SA and determine whether a peer-reviewed job analysis 
        that ensures all questions test job-relevant aptitudes would 
        result in improvements in the air traffic control specialist 
        workforce pipeline.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The Administrator shall assess the assumptions 
        and methodologies used to develop the AT-SA, the job-relevant 
        aptitudes measured, and the scoring process for the 
        assessment.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) The Administrator shall assess whether any 
        other revisions to the AT-SA are necessary to enhance the air 
        traffic control specialist workforce pipeline.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) DOT Inspector General Report.--Not later than 180 days 
after the date on which the Administrator completes the review and any 
necessary revision of the AT-SA required under subsection (a), the 
Inspector General of the Department of Transportation shall submit to 
the Administrator, the appropriate committees of Congress, and, upon 
request, to any member of Congress, a report that assesses the reviewed 
AT-SA and any applicable revisions, a description of any associated 
actions taken by the Administrator, and any recommended actions to be 
taken to address the results of the report.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 533. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACADEMY AND FACILITY 
              EXPANSION PLAN.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Plan.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--No later than 90 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        initiate the development of a plan to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) expand overall FAA capacity relating 
                to facilities, instruction, equipment, and training 
                resources to grow the number of developmental air 
                traffic controllers enrolled per fiscal year and 
                support increases in FAA air controller staffing to 
                advance the safety of the national airspace system; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) establish a second FAA Academy in an 
                area described in paragraph (2).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Area described.--An area described in this 
        paragraph is a metropolitan statistical area in which each of 
        the following is located:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) At least 2 large hub 
                airports.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) An FAA Flight Standards District 
                Office</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) An FAA Certificate Management 
                Office.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) An FAA regional 
                headquarters.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Considerations.--In developing the plan under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consider--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the resources needed to support an 
                increase in the total number of developmental air 
                traffic controllers enrolled at the FAA 
                Academies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the resources needed to lessen FAA 
                Academy attrition per fiscal year;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) how to modernize the education and 
                training of developmental air traffic controllers, 
                including through the use of new techniques and 
                technologies to support instruction, and whether field 
                training can be administered more flexibly, such as at 
                other FAA locations across the country;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the equipment needed to support 
                expanded instruction, including air traffic control 
                simulation systems, virtual reality, and other virtual 
                training platforms;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) projected staffing needs associated 
                with FAA Academy expansion and the operation of virtual 
                education platforms, including the number of on-the-job 
                instructors needed to educate and train additional 
                developmental air traffic controllers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) the use of existing FAA-owned 
                facilities and classroom space and identifying 
                potential opportunities for new construction;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) the costs of--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) expanding FAA capacity (as 
                        described in paragraph (1)(A)); and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) establishing a second FAA 
                        Academy (as described in paragraph 
                        (1)(B));</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) soliciting input from, and 
                coordinating with, relevant stakeholders as 
                appropriate, including the exclusive bargaining 
                representative of air traffic control specialists of 
                the FAA certified under section 7111 of title 5, United 
                States Code; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (I) other logistical and financial 
                considerations as determined by appropriate the 
                Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress the plan developed under subsection 
(a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the 
submission of the plan under subsection (b), the Administrator shall 
brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the plan, including the 
implementation of the plan.</DELETED>

        <DELETED>TITLE VI--MODERNIZING AIRPORT SYSTEMS</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 601. AIP ELIGIBILITY AMENDMENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47102(3) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subparagraph (B)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in clause (ix), by striking ``and'' 
                after the semicolon;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in clause (x), by striking the period 
                and inserting ``; and''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by adding at the end the 
                following:</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(xi) a medium intensity approach 
                        lighting system with runway alignment indicator 
                        lights.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (Q) and (R) as 
        subparagraphs (S) and (T), respectively;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (M) through (P) 
        as subparagraphs (N) through (Q), respectively;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by inserting after subparagraph (L) the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(M) constructing or acquiring airport-
                owned infrastructure or equipment, notwithstanding 
                revenue producing capability, as defined in subsection 
                (24), required for the on-airport distribution or 
                storage of unleaded aviation gas for use by piston-
                driven aircraft, including on-airport construction or 
                expansion of pipelines, storage tanks, low-emission 
                fuel systems, and airport-owned and operated fuel 
                trucks providing exclusively unleaded aviation fuels, 
                unless the Secretary determines that an alternative 
                fuel may be safely used for a limited 
                time.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) by inserting after subparagraph (Q) (as 
        redesignated by paragraph (3)), the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(R) acquiring or installing new 
                renewable energy generation infrastructure (such as 
                solar, geothermal, or wind) that provide power for on-
                airport uses and energy storage systems, and necessary 
                substation upgrades to support such infrastructure.''; 
                and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) by inserting after subparagraph (T) (as 
        redesignated by paragraph (2)), the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(U) initial acquisition (and excluding 
                subsequent upgrades) of an advanced digital 
                construction management system (meaning a computer 
                platform that uses digital technology throughout the 
                life cycle of a capital infrastructure project, 
                including through project phases such as design and 
                construction, when that system is acquired to carry out 
                a project approved by the Secretary under this 
                subchapter.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(V) reconstructing or rehabilitating an 
                existing crosswind runway provided the sponsor includes 
                reconstruction or rehabilitation of the runway in the 
                sponsor's most recent approved airport layout 
                plan.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 602. REVISED MINIMUM APPORTIONMENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47114(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(K) Minimum apportionment for commercial 
                service airports with more than 4,000 passenger 
                boardings in a calendar year.--Not less than $400,000 
                may be apportioned under subparagraph (A) for each 
                fiscal year to each sponsor of a commercial service 
                airport that had fewer than 8,000 passenger boardings, 
                but at least 4,000 passenger boardings, during the 
                prior calendar year.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 603. APPORTIONMENTS FOR TRANSITIONING AIRPORTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47114(f)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``Beginning 
        with the fiscal year'' and inserting ``For 3 fiscal years''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``fiscal year 
        2004'' and inserting ``fiscal years beginning with fiscal year 
        2024''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 604. UPDATING UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S SHARE OF PROJECT 
              COSTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 47109 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Increased Government Share.--In any State containing 
unappropriated and unreserved public lands and nontaxable Indian lands 
(individual and tribal) of more than 5 percent of the total area of all 
lands in the State, the Government's share of allowable project costs 
provided in subsection (a) shall be--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) unchanged for a project at a large hub 
        airport in the State; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) 95 percent for a project at any other 
        airport in the State.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking subsection (c) and redesignating 
        subsections (d) through (f) as (c) through (e), 
        respectively;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (e), as so redesignated, by 
        striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) is not a medium or large hub airport; and''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by inserting after subsection (e), as so 
        redesignated, the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Special Rule for Fiscal Years 2024 Through 2026.--
Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Government's share of allowable 
project costs for a grant made to a nonhub or nonprimary airport in 
each of fiscal years 2024 through 2026 is 95 percent.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
shall take effect on October 1, 2023.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 605. PRIMARY AIRPORT DESIGNATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47114(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, as 
amended by section 602, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(L) Public airports with military use.--
                Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a public 
                airport shall be considered a nonhub primary airport in 
                fiscal year 2024 for purposes of this chapter if such 
                airport was--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) designated as a primary 
                        airport in fiscal year 2017; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) in use by an air reserve 
                        station in the calendar year used to calculate 
                        apportionments to airport sponsors in a fiscal 
                        year.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 606. DISCRETIONARY FUND FOR TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT 
              COSTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Terminal Projects at Transitioning Airports.--Section 
47119(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``or'' after the 
        semicolon;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at 
        the end and inserting ``; or''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by inserting after paragraph (5), the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) not more than $20,00,000 of the amount that 
        may be distributed for the fiscal year from the discretionary 
        fund established under section 47115 of this title, to the 
        sponsor of a nonprimary airport to pay costs allowable under 
        subsection (a) for terminal development projects, if the 
        Secretary determines (which may be based on actual and 
        projected enplanement trends, as well as completion of an air 
        service development study, demonstrated commitment by airlines 
        to provide commercial service accommodating at least 10,000 
        annual enplanements, the sponsor's documented commitment to 
        providing the remaining funding to complete the proposed 
        project, and a favorable environmental finding (including all 
        required permits) in support of the proposed project) that the 
        status of the nonprimary airport is reasonably expected to 
        change to primary status in the next published report under 
        section 47103.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Limitation.--Section 47119(f) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``$20,000,000'' and inserting 
``$30,000,000''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 607. ALTERNATIVE-DELIVERY AND ADVANCE-CONSTRUCTION 
              METHODS PILOT PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47142 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Pilot Program.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator 
        shall establish a pilot program under which not less than 5 
        airport sponsors shall be authorized through the application 
        process under subsection (a) to award a design-build contract 
        for a project that uses alternative-delivery and advance-
        construction methods, for purposes of evaluating the extent to 
        which such methods expedite project delivery and reduce 
        construction costs.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date on which the pilot program ends, the Administrator shall 
        submit to Congress a report on the results of the pilot 
        program, together with recommendations for such legislative or 
        administrative action as the Administrator determines 
        appropriate.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 608. INTEGRATED PROJECT DELIVERY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Pilot Program.--Not later than 270 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish a pilot 
program under which the Administrator may award grants for integrated 
project delivery contracts to carry out up to 5 building construction 
projects at airports in the United States with a grant awarded under 
section 47104 of title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Application.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Eligibility.--A sponsor of an airport may 
        submit to the Secretary an application, in such time and manner 
        and containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
        to carry out a building construction project under the pilot 
        program that would otherwise be eligible for assistance under 
        chapter 471 of such title 49.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Approval.--The Secretary may approve the 
        application of a sponsor of an airport submitted under 
        paragraph (1) to authorize such sponsor to award an integrated 
        project delivery contract using a selection process permitted 
        under applicable State or local law if--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the Secretary approves the application 
                using criteria established by the Secretary;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the integrated project delivery 
                contract is in a form that is approved by the 
                Secretary;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the Secretary is satisfied that the 
                contract will be executed pursuant to competitive 
                procedures and contains a schematic design and any 
                other material that the Secretary determines sufficient 
                to approve the grant;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the Secretary is satisfied that the 
                use of an integrated project delivery contract will be 
                cost effective and expedite the project;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) the Secretary is satisfied that there 
                will be no conflict of interest; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) the Secretary is satisfied that the 
                contract selection process will be open, fair, and 
                objective and that not less than 2 sets of proposals 
                will be submitted for each team entity under the 
                selection process.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Reimbursement of Costs.--Reimbursement of costs shall 
be based on transparent cost accounting, also known as open book cost 
accounting. The Secretary may reimburse a sponsor of an airport for any 
design or construction costs incurred before a grant is made pursuant 
to this section if--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the project funding is approved by the 
        Secretary in advance;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the project is carried out in accordance with 
        all administrative and statutory requirements under chapter 471 
        of such title 49; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the project is carried out under such chapter 
        after a grant agreement has been executed.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Integrated Project Delivery Contract Defined.--In this 
section, the term ``integrated project delivery contract'' means a 
single contract for the delivery of a whole project that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) includes, at a minimum, the owner, builder, 
        and architect-engineer as parties that are subject to the terms 
        of the contract;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) aligns the interests of all the parties to the 
        contract with respect to the project costs and project 
        outcomes; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) includes processes to ensure transparency and 
        collaboration among all parties to the contract relating to 
        project costs and project outcomes.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Expiration of Authority.--The authority of the 
Secretary to award grants under the pilot program under this section 
shall expire on September 30, 2028.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 609. AIRPORT INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47134(b) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Benefit-cost analysis.--Prior to approving 
        an application submitted under subsection (a), the Secretary 
        may require a benefit-cost analysis. To facilitate the approval 
        process, if a benefit-cost analysis is required, the Secretary 
        shall issue a preliminary and conditional finding, which 
        shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) be issued within 60 days of the 
                sponsor's submission of all information required by the 
                Secretary;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) be based upon a collaborative review 
                process that includes the sponsor or sponsor's 
                representative;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) not constitute the issuance of a 
                Federal grant or obligation to issue a grant under this 
                chapter or other authority; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) not constitute any other obligation 
                on the part of the Federal Government until the 
                conditions specified in the final benefit-cost analysis 
                are met.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 610. AIRPORT ACCESSIBILITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after section 47144 the 
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 47145. Pilot program for airport 
              accessibility</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
establish and carry out a pilot program to award grants to sponsors to 
carry out capital projects to upgrade the accessibility of commercial 
service airports for individuals with disabilities by increasing the 
number of commercial service airports, airport terminals, or airport 
facilities that meet or exceed the standards and regulations under the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.) and 
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 note).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Use of Funds.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), a 
        sponsor shall use a grant awarded under this section--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) for a project to repair, improve, or 
                relocate the infrastructure of an airport, airport 
                terminal, or airport facility to increase accessibility 
                for individuals with disabilities, or as part of a plan 
                to increase accessibility for individuals with 
                disabilities;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) to develop or modify a plan (as 
                described in subsection (e)) for a project that 
                increases accessibility for individuals with 
                disabilities, including--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) assessments of accessibility 
                        or assessments of planned modifications to an 
                        airport, airport terminal, or airport facility 
                        for passenger use, performed by the recipient 
                        airport's disability advisory committee (if 
                        applicable), the protection and advocacy system 
                        for individuals with disabilities in the 
                        applicable State, a center for independent 
                        living, or a similar nonprofit organization 
                        focused on ensuring individuals with 
                        disabilities are able to live and participate 
                        in their communities; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) coordination by the 
                        recipient's disability advisory committee with 
                        a protection and advocacy system, center for 
                        independent living, or similar nonprofit 
                        organization; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) to carry out any other project that 
                meets or exceeds the standards and regulations 
                described in subsection (a).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Limitation.--Eligible costs for a project 
        funded with a grant awarded under this section shall be limited 
        to the costs associated with carrying out the purpose 
        authorized under subsection (a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Eligibility.--A sponsor--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) may use a grant under this section to 
        upgrade a commercial service airport that is accessible to and 
        usable by individuals with disabilities consistent with the 
        current (as of the date of the upgrade) standards and 
        regulations described in subsection (a); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) may use the grant to upgrade a commercial 
        service airport that is not accessible and usable as described 
        in paragraph (1), even if the related service, program, or 
        activity, when viewed in its entirely, is readily accessible 
        and usable as so described.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Selection Criteria.--In making grants to sponsors 
under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to sponsors that 
are proposing--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) a capital project to upgrade the 
        accessibility of a commercial service airport that is not 
        accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities 
        consistent with standards and regulations described in 
        subsection (a); or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) to meet or exceed the Airports Council 
        International accreditation under the Accessibility Enhancement 
        Accreditation, through the incorporation of universal design 
        principles.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Accessibility Commitment.--A sponsor that receives a 
grant under this section shall adopt a plan under which the sponsor 
commits to pursuing airport accessibility projects that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) enhance the customer experience and maximize 
        accessibility of commercial service airports, airport 
        terminals, or airport facilities for individuals with 
        disabilities, including by--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) upgrading bathrooms, counters, or 
                pumping rooms;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) increasing audio and visual 
                accessibility on information boards, security gates, or 
                paging systems;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) updating airport terminals to 
                increase the availability of accessible seating and 
                power outlets for durable medical equipment (such as 
                powered wheelchairs);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) updating airport websites and other 
                information communication technology to be accessible 
                for individuals with disabilities; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) increasing the number of elevators, 
                including elevators that move power wheelchairs to an 
                aircraft;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) improve the operations of, provide 
        efficiencies of service to, and enhance the use of commercial 
        service airports for individuals with disabilities;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) establish a disability advisory committee, 
        as defined in subsection (h);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) make improvements in personnel, 
        infrastructure, and technology that can assist passenger self-
        identification regarding disability and needing assistance; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) address equity of service to all passengers 
        regardless of income, age, race, or ability, taking into 
        account historical and current service gaps for low-income 
        passengers, older individuals, passengers from communities of 
        color, and passengers with disabilities.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Coordination With Disability Advocacy Entities.--In 
administering grants under this section, the Secretary shall 
encourage--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) engagement with disability advocacy entities 
        (such as the sponsor's disability advisory committee) and a 
        protection and advocacy system for individuals with 
        disabilities in the applicable State, a center for independent 
        living, or a similar nonprofit organization focused on ensuring 
        individuals with disabilities are able to live and participate 
        in their communities; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) assessments of accessibility or assessments 
        of planned modifications to commercial service airports to the 
        extent merited by the scope of the capital project of the 
        sponsor proposed to be assisted under this section, taking into 
        account any such assessment already conducted by the Federal 
        Aviation Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) Federal Share of Costs.--The Government's share of 
allowable project costs for a project carried out with a grant under 
this section shall be the Government's share of allowable project costs 
specified under section 47109.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Center for independent living.--The term 
        `center for independent living' has the meaning given the term 
        in section 702 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
        796a).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Disability advisory committee.--The term 
        `disability advisory committee' means a body of stakeholders 
        (including airport staff, airline representatives, and 
        individuals with disabilities) that provide to airports and 
        appropriate transportation authorities input from individuals 
        with disabilities, including identifying opportunities for 
        removing barriers, expanding accessibility features and 
        improving accessibility for individuals with disabilities at 
        airports.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Protection and advocacy system.--The term 
        `protection and advocacy system' means such a system 
        established in accordance with section 143 of the Developmental 
        Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 
        U.S.C. 15043).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(i) Funding.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this chapter, for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, $20,000,000 
of the amounts that would otherwise be used to make grants from the 
discretionary fund under section 47115 for each such fiscal year shall 
be used by the Secretary to carry out this section for each such fiscal 
year.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for subchapter I 
of chapter 471 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 47144 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``47145. Pilot program for airport accessibility.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 611. GENERAL AVIATION PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP 
              PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, 
United States Code, as amended by section 610(a), is amended by 
inserting after section 47145, the following</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 47146. General aviation public-private partnership 
              program</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall 
establish a program that meets the requirements under this section for 
improving facilities at--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) general aviation airports; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) privately owned airports used or intended to 
        be used for public purposes that do not have scheduled air 
        service.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Application Required.--The operator or sponsor of an 
airport, or the community in which an airport is located, seeking, on 
behalf of the airport, to participate in the program established under 
subsection (a), shall submit an application to the Secretary in such 
form, at such time, and containing such information as the Secretary 
may require, including--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) an assessment of the needs of the airport 
        for additional or improved hangars, airport businesses, or 
        other facilities;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) the ability of the airport to leverage 
        private sector investments on the airport or develop public-
        private partnerships to build or improve facilities at the 
        airport; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) if the application is submitted by a 
        community, evidence that the airport supports the 
        application.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Limitation.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) State limit.--Not more than 4 airports in 
        the same State may be selected in any fiscal year to 
        participate in the program established under subsection 
        (a).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Dollar amount limit.--Not more than $500,000 
        shall be made available for any airport in any fiscal year 
        under the program established under subsection (a).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Cost share requirement.--The Federal cost 
        share for this program shall be no more than 50 
        percent.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Priorities.--In selecting airports for participation 
in the program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall 
give priority to airports at which--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) the operator or sponsor of the airport, or 
        the community in which the airport is located--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) will provide a portion of the cost 
                of the project for which assistance is sought under the 
                program from local sources;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) will employ best business practices 
                in developing or implementing a public-private 
                partnership; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) has established, or will establish, 
                a public-private partnership to build or improve 
                facilities at the airport; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) the assistance will be used in a timely 
        fashion.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Types of Assistance.--The Secretary may use amounts 
made available under this section--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) to provide assistance to market an airport 
        to private entities or individuals in order to leverage private 
        sector investments or develop public-private partnerships for 
        the purposes of building or improving hangars, businesses, or 
        other facilities at the airport;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) to fund studies that consider what measures 
        an airport should take to attract private sector investment at 
        the airport; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) to participate in a partnership described in 
        paragraph (1) or an investment described in paragraph 
        (2).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Authority to Make Agreements.--The Secretary may 
enter into agreements with airports and entities entering into 
partnerships with airports under this section to provide assistance 
under this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) Funding.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this chapter, for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, $5,000,000 of 
the amounts that would otherwise be used to make grants from the 
discretionary fund under section 47115 for each such fiscal year shall 
be used by the Secretary to carry out this section for each such fiscal 
year.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 471 of 
such title, as amended by section 610(b), is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 47145 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``47146. General aviation public-private partnership 
                            program.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 612. RUNWAY REHABILITATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    The Administrator shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) not restrict funding to resurface the full 
        length of an existing runway within the State of Alaska based 
        solely on reduced current or forecast aeronautical activity 
        levels or critical design type standards;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) within 60 days review requests for runway 
        rehabilitation or reconstruction projects at airports on a 
        case-by-case basis; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) not reject requests for projects with critical 
        community needs, such as projects in rural communities and 
        villages off the road system, or economic development projects 
        to expand a runway to meet new demands.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 613. EXTENSION OF PROVISION RELATING TO AIRPORT ACCESS 
              ROADS IN REMOTE LOCATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 162 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 
U.S.C. 47102 note) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ``through 2023'' and inserting ``through 2028''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 614. PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO FAA MULTIMODAL 
              PROJECTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Any multimodal airport development 
project that uses grant funding from funds made available to the FAA to 
carry out subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, United States Code, 
or airport infrastructure projects under the Infrastructure Investment 
and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58) shall abide by the procurement 
regulations applicable to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the FAA; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) subject to subsection (b), the component of 
        the project relating to transit, highway, or rail, 
        respectively.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Multiple Component Projects.--In the case of a 
multimodal airport development project described in subsection (a) that 
involves more than 1 component described in paragraph (2) of that 
subsection, such project shall only be required to apply the 
procurement regulations applicable to the component where the greatest 
amount of Federal financial assistance will be expended.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 615. SOLAR POWERED TAXIWAY EDGE LIGHTING 
              SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Administrator shall issue an engineering brief describing 
the acceptable use of durable long-term solar powered taxiway edge 
lighting systems at basic nonprimary airports (as defined in appendix C 
of the 2023-2027 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems published 
by the FAA on September 30, 2022).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 616. ADDITIONAL GROUND BASED TRANSMITTERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Administrator is authorized to and shall waive any positive benefit-
cost ratio requirement for providing additional ground based 
transmitters for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcasts (ADS-B) to 
provide a minimum operational network in Alaska along major flight 
routes.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 617. AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE 
              IMPROVEMENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 533 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 
U.S.C. 44720 note) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as 
        subsections (f) and (g), respectively; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by inserting after subsection (c), the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Maintenance Improvements.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after 
        the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator 
        shall identify and implement reasonable alternative mitigations 
        to improve maintenance of FAA-owned weather observing systems 
        which experience frequent service outages, including associated 
        surface communication outages.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Spare parts availability.--The mitigations 
        identified by the Administrator shall improve spare parts 
        availability, including consideration of storage of more spare 
        parts in the region of the equipment.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Application.--This subsection shall apply 
        only to airports located in non-contiguous States.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Notice of Outages.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after 
        the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator 
        shall update FAA Order 7930.2 Notices to Air Missions, or any 
        successive order, to incorporate weather system outages for 
        Automated Weather Observing Systems and Automated Surface 
        Observing Systems associated with Service A Outages.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Application.--This subsection shall apply 
        only to airports located in non-contiguous States.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 618. CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47124 of title 49, United States Code, as amended 
by section 528, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (b)(3), by adding at the end the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(H) Period for completion of an 
                operational readiness inspection.--The Federal Aviation 
                Administration shall provide airport sponsors that show 
                good faith efforts to join the Contract Tower Program 7 
                years to complete an Operational Readiness Inspection 
                after receiving a benefit-to-cost ratio.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection 
        (h);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by inserting after subsection (e), the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Improving Situational Awareness.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--The Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration shall allow air traffic 
        controllers at Federal Contract Towers to use technology to 
        improve situational awareness including, but not limited to, 
        using Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) 
        radar displays, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast 
        (ADS-B), Flight Data Input/Output (FDIOs), and Automatic 
        Terminal Information System (ATIS).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Requirements.--To help facilitate the 
        integration of the equipment described in paragraph (1), the 
        Administrator shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) establish a set of standards that 
                ensures safety for use of the equipment described in 
                paragraph (1) for the purpose of increased situational 
                awareness;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) identify multiple approved vendors 
                for such equipment if practicable; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) partner with contract tower 
                providers to define an appropriate initial training 
                program to ensure that any tower radar displays, ADS-B 
                displays, or other equipment are correctly integrated 
                into Federal Contract Tower operations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) Liability Insurance.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall consult 
        with industry experts, including air traffic control 
        contractors and aviation insurance professionals, to determine 
        adequate limits of liability for the Contract Tower Program, 
        including during the period described in paragraph (2) with 
        respect to the determination of adequate excess liability 
        insurance under paragraph (2)(B).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Interim steps.--During the period that 
        begins on the date of enactment of this subsection and ends on 
        the date the Secretary submits the report required by paragraph 
        (3), the Secretary shall require air traffic control 
        contractors to have adequate excess liability insurance (as 
        determined by the Secretary in consultation with industry 
        experts under paragraph (1)) to ensure resilience should a 
        major accident occur.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the 
        date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall 
        submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress on 
        the findings, conclusions, and actions taken and planned to be 
        taken to carry out this subsection.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Appropriate committees of congress.--For 
        purpose of this subsection, the term `appropriate committees of 
        Congress' (as defined in subsection (f)(3)) includes the 
        Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the House of Representatives.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 619. REMOTE TOWERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 47124 of title 49, United States 
Code, as amended by sections 528 and 618, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection 
        (i); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by inserting after subsection (g) (as added by 
        section 725), the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(h) Milestones for Design Approval of Remote Towers.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator of 
        the Federal Aviation Administration shall create a structured 
        program and publish milestones to achieve system design 
        approval for a remote tower system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Requirements.--In carrying out subparagraph 
        (A), the Administrator shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) rely on support from the Airports 
                Office of the Federal Aviation Administration and the 
                Air Traffic Organization of the Federal Aviation 
                Administration, including the Air Traffic Services 
                Service Unit and the Technical Operations Service Unit; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) not later than September 30, 2024, 
                expand validation and certification of system design 
                approval for a digital or remote tower system to three 
                locations outside of the William J. Hughes Technical 
                Center, as specified in section 161 of the FAA 
                Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 47104 
                note).''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 47124(b) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), by inserting ``or a 
        remote airport traffic control tower that has received System 
        Design Approval (SDA) from the Federal Aviation 
        Administration'' after `` an operating air traffic control 
        tower''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in each of clauses (i)(III) and (ii)(III) of 
        paragraph (4)(A), by inserting ``or remote air traffic control 
        tower equipment that has received System Design Approval (SDA) 
        from the Federal Aviation Administration'' after ``certified by 
        the Federal Aviation Administration''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 620. GRANT ASSURANCES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47107(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (7), by striking the semicolon 
        and inserting ``, such that there are no unsafe practices or 
        conditions as determined by the Secretary;'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (20), by striking ``and'' after 
        the semicolon;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in paragraph (21), by striking the period at 
        the end and inserting a semicolon; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) by inserting after paragraph (21), the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(22) the airport owner or operator will require 
        a fixed based operator, which operates at the airport and also 
        operates facilities at 3 or more additional public-use airports 
        where fuel, parking, and other related services are offered to 
        general aviation aircraft, will publicly disclose on a 
        continuous basis all its prices and fees for the use of its 
        services, products, and facilities at the airport and that the 
        disclosure will--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) be made in an open and conspicuous 
                manner;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) be made available at the point of 
                purchase, in print, and on the internet; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) include all retail, discounted, or 
                other such prices and fees charged and whether such 
                prices and fees are accepted as payment in full for the 
                products, services, and facilities furnished to airport 
                users;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(23) the airport owner or operator will not 
        impose unreasonable fees for transient aircraft parking that 
        exceed the airport's cost to operate and maintain the area 
        where such transient aircraft may park; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(24) the airport owner or operator will continue 
        to make available to general aviation aircraft all types of 
        fuel, which were available to such aircraft at that airport at 
        any time during calendar year 2022, until the earlier of--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) December 31, 2030; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the date on which a replacement for 
                100 octane Low Lead aviation gas for use by piston-
                driven aircraft is widely available for use, as 
                determined by the Secretary.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 621. CIVIL PENALTIES FOR GRANT ASSURANCES 
              VIOLATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 46301(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``section 
        47107(a)(7) (including any assurance made under such section), 
        section 47107(a)(24) (including any assurance made under such 
        section),'' after ``chapter 451,''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by inserting after paragraph (7), the 
        following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(8) Failure to operate and maintain airports and 
        facilities suitably.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the 
                maximum civil penalty for a violation of section 
                47107(a)(7) (including any assurance made under such 
                section) committed by a person, including if the person 
                is an individual or small business concern, shall be 
                $25,000.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) In determining the amount of a civil 
                penalty under paragraph (1) related to a violation of 
                section 47107(a)(7) (including any assurance made under 
                such section), the Secretary of Transportation shall 
                take into account any mitigating circumstances at the 
                airport and facilities on or connected with the 
                airport.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(9) Failure to continue offering aviation 
        fuel.--Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the maximum civil penalty 
        for a violation of section 47107(a)(24) (including any 
        assurance made under such section) committed by a person, 
        including if the person is an individual or a small business 
        concern, shall be $5,000 for each day that the person is in 
        violation of that section.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 622. COMMUNITY USE OF AIRPORT LAND.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47107(v) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (1)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by striking ``subsection (a)(13)'' and 
                inserting ``subsections (a)(13), (b), and 
                (c)'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking ``the sponsor has 
                entered'' and inserting ``the sponsor has--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) entered'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by striking ``market value.'' and 
                inserting ``market value; or''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) by adding at the end the 
                following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) permanently restricted the use of 
                airport property to compatible recreational and public 
                park use without paying or otherwise obtaining payment 
                of fair market value for the property.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (2)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 
                through (H) as clauses (i) through (viii), 
                respectively, and moving the left margins of each such 
                clause 2 ems to the right;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking ``This subsection shall 
                apply only--'' and inserting the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) Agreements.--Paragraph (1)(A) shall 
                apply only--''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by adding at the end the 
                following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Restrictions.--Paragraph (1)(B) 
                shall apply only--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) to airport property that was 
                        purchased using funds from a Federal grant for 
                        acquiring land issued prior to December 30, 
                        1987;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) to airport property that 
                        has been continuously used for recreational or 
                        public park uses since January 1, 
                        1995;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) if the airport sponsor has 
                        provided a written statement to the 
                        Administrator that the property to be 
                        permanently restricted for recreational and 
                        public park use is not needed for any 
                        aeronautical use at the time the written 
                        statement is provided and is not expected to be 
                        needed for any aeronautical use at any time in 
                        the future;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) if the recreational and 
                        public park use will not impact the 
                        aeronautical use of the airport;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(v) if the airport sponsor 
                        provides a certification that the sponsor is 
                        not responsible for operations, maintenance, or 
                        any other costs associated with the 
                        recreational or public park use;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(vi) if the recreational purpose 
                        is consistent with Federal land use 
                        compatibility criteria under section 
                        47502;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(vii) if the airport sponsor has 
                        continuously leased the property since January 
                        1, 1995, to a local government entity to 
                        operate and maintain the property at no cost to 
                        the airport sponsor; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(viii) if the airport sponsor 
                        will--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(I) continue to lease 
                                the property to a local government 
                                entity to operate and maintain the 
                                property at no cost to the airport 
                                sponsor; or</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(II) transfer title to 
                                the property to a local government 
                                entity subject to a permanent deed 
                                restriction ensuring compatible airport 
                                use under the criteria of section 
                                47502.''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) by adding at the end the 
                following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Aeronautical use; aeronautical purpose 
        defined.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--In this subsection, the 
                terms `aeronautical use' and `aeronautical purpose' 
                mean all activities that involve or are directly 
                related to the operation of aircraft, including 
                activities that make the operation of aircraft possible 
                and safe.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Inclusion of services located on an 
                airport.--Such terms include services located on an 
                airport that are directly and substantially related to 
                the movement of passengers, baggage, mail, and 
                cargo.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Exclusions.--Such terms shall not 
                include any uses of an airport that are not described 
                in subparagraph (A) or (B), including any aviation-
                related uses that do not need to be located on an 
                airport, such as flight kitchens and airline 
                reservation centers.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 623. BUCKEYE 940 RELEASE OF DEED RESTRICTIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to authorize 
the Secretary to issue a Deed of Release from all terms, conditions, 
reservations, restrictions, and obligations contained in the Quitclaim 
Deed and permit the State of Arizona to deposit all proceeds of the 
disposition of Buckeye 940 in the appropriate fund for the benefit of 
the beneficiaries of the Arizona State Land Trust.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Buckeye 940.--The term ``Buckeye 940'' means 
        all of section 12, T.1 N., R.3 W. and all of adjoining 
        fractional section 7, T.1 N., R.2 W., Gila and Salt River 
        Meridian, Arizona, which property was the subject of the 
        Quitclaim Deed between the United States and the State of 
        Arizona, dated July 11, 1949, and which is currently owned by 
        the State of Arizona and held in trust for the beneficiaries of 
        the Arizona State Land Trust.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Quitclaim deed.--The term ``Quitclaim Deed'' 
        means the Quitclaim Deed between the United States and the 
        State of Arizona, dated July 11, 1949.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Release of Any and All Interest in Buckeye 940.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other 
        provision of law, the United States, acting through the 
        Secretary, shall issue to the State of Arizona a Deed of 
        Release to release all terms, conditions, reservations, 
        restrictions, and obligations contained in the Quitclaim Deed, 
        including any and all reversionary interest of the United 
        States in Buckeye 940.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Terms and conditions.--The Deed of Release 
        described in paragraph (1) shall be subject to such additional 
        terms and conditions, consistent with such paragraph, as the 
        Secretary considers appropriate to protect the interests of the 
        United States.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) No restriction on use of proceeds.--
        Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the State of 
        Arizona may dispose of Buckeye 940 and any proceeds thereof, 
        including proceeds already collected by the State and held in a 
        suspense account, without regard to any restriction imposed by 
        the Quitclaim Deed or by section 155.7 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Mineral reservation.--The Deed of Release 
        described in paragraph (1) shall include the release of all 
        interests of the United States to the mineral rights on Buckeye 
        940 included in the Quitclaim Deed.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 624. CLARIFYING AIRPORT REVENUE USE OF LOCAL GENERAL 
              SALES TAXES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Written Assurances on Revenue Use.--Section 47107(b) 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) This subsection does not apply to local 
        general sales taxes as provided in section 
        47133(b)(4).''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Restriction on Use of Revenues.--Section 47133(b) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Local general sales taxes.--Subsection (a) 
        shall not apply to revenues from generally applicable sales 
        taxes imposed by a local government provided--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) the local government had a generally 
                applicable sales tax that did not exclude aviation fuel 
                in effect prior to December 9, 2014;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the local government is not a 
                sponsor of a public airport; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) a large hub airport, which had more 
                than 35,000,000 enplanements in calendar year 2021, is 
                located within the jurisdiction of the local 
                government.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 625. AIP HANDBOOK REVIEW.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Associate Administrator for Airports of 
the FAA, in consultation with the Governor of Alaska, shall identify 
reasonable exceptions to the AIP Handbook to be implemented by the FAA 
to meet unique regional circumstances and advance the safety needs of 
airports in Alaska, including with respect to the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Snow Removal Equipment Building (SREB) size 
        and configuration.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Expansion of lease areas.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Shared governmental use of airport equipment 
        in remote locations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Ensuring the resurfacing or reconstruction of 
        legacy runways to support--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) aircraft necessary to support critical 
                health needs of a community;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) remote fuel deliveries; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) firefighting response.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) The use of runway end identifier lights at 
        locations throughout the State.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Updates to AIP Handbook.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the 
        date on which the Associate Administrator for Airports of the 
        FAA identifies reasonable exceptions under subsection (a), the 
        Administrator shall update the AIP Handbook to incorporate such 
        exceptions to meet the unique circumstances and safety needs of 
        airports in Alaska.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Consultation.--The Administrator shall consult 
        with the Regional Administrator of the FAA Alaskan Region prior 
        to issuing the update to the AIP Handbook required by this 
        section.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 626. PFAS-RELATED RESOURCES FOR AIRPORTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) PFAS Replacement Program for Airports.--Not later than 
90 days after the date on which the Department of Defense approves a 
fluorine-free firefighting agent to the Qualified Products' List for 
products meeting Military Specification MIL-PRE-32725, dated January 
12, 2023, the Secretary shall establish a PFAS replacement program, in 
consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency, and subject to terms, conditions, and assurances acceptable to 
the Secretary, to reimburse eligible airports for the reasonable and 
appropriate costs associated with any of the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The one-time initial acquisition by an 
        eligible airport of fluorine-free firefighting alternatives 
        for--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the capacity of all required aircraft 
                rescue and firefighting (ARFF) equipment listed in the 
                most recent FAA-approved Airport Certification Manual, 
                regardless of how the equipment was initially acquired; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) twice the quantity carried onboard 
                each required truck available in the fire station for 
                the eligible airport</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The disposal of per- or polyfluoroalkyl 
        products, including fluorinated aqueous film-forming agents, to 
        the extent such disposal is necessary to facilitate the 
        transition to an acceptable fluorine-free agent, including, but 
        not limited to, aqueous film-forming agents currently in fire-
        fighting equipment, vehicles, and wastewater generated during 
        the cleaning of fire-fighting equipment and vehicles.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Cleaning or disposal of existing equipment or 
        components thereof, to the extent such cleaning or disposal is 
        necessary to facilitate the transition to an acceptable 
        fluorine-free agent.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Any equipment or components thereof necessary 
        to facilitate the transition to an acceptable fluorine-free 
        agent.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Replacement of aircraft rescue and 
        firefighting (ARFF) equipment as determined by the Secretary as 
        necessary to be replaced.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Distribution of Funds.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Grants to replace arff vehicles.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                reserve up to $30,000,000 of the amounts appropriated 
                to carry out the PFAS replacement program to make 
                grants to each eligible airport that is designated 
                under part 139 as an Index A airport and does not have 
                existing capabilities to produce fluorine-free foam, to 
                replace aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) 
                vehicles.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Amount.--No grant made to an eligible 
                airport under subparagraph (A) shall exceed 
                $2,000,000.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Remainder.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Determination of need.--With respect 
                to the amount of firefighting foam concentrate required 
                for foam production commensurate with applicable 
                aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) equipment 
                required in accordance with the most recent FAA-
                approved Airport Certification Manual, the Secretary 
                shall determine--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the total amount of such 
                        concentrate required for all of the Federally 
                        required aircraft rescue and firefighting 
                        (ARFF) vehicles that meet index requirements 
                        under part 139 of each eligible airport, in 
                        gallons; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the total amount of 
                        nationwide firefighting foam concentrate, in 
                        gallons.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Determination of grant amounts.--From 
                the amounts appropriated to carry out the PFAS 
                replacement program that remain after the application 
                of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make a grant to 
                each eligible airport of the amount equal to the 
                product of--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the amount of such remaining 
                        funds; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the ratio of the amount 
                        determined under subparagraph (A)(i) for such 
                        eligible airport to the amount determined under 
                        subparagraph (A)(ii).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Program Requirements.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Secretary shall determine the 
        eligibility of costs payable under the PFAS replacement program 
        by taking into account all engineering, technical, and 
        environmental protocols and generally accepted industry 
        standards that are developed or established for fluorine-free 
        foams.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Compliance with applicable law.--All actions 
        related to the acquisition, disposal, and transition to 
        fluorine-free foams, including the cleaning and disposal of 
        equipment, shall be conducted in full compliance with all 
        applicable Federal laws in effect at the time of obligation in 
        order to be eligible for reimbursement under the PFAS 
        replacement program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Government share.--The Government's share of 
        allowable costs under the PFAS replacement program shall be 100 
        percent.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated not more than $350,000,000 to carry out the PFAS 
        replacement program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirements.--Amounts appropriated to carry 
        out the PFAS replacement program shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) remain available for expenditure for a 
                period of 5 fiscal years; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) be available in addition to any other 
                funding available for similar purposes under any other 
                Federal, State, local, or Tribal program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Eligible airport.--The term ``eligible 
        airport'' means an airport holding an Airport Operating 
        Certificate issued under part 139.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Part 139.--The term ``part 139'' means part 
        139 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) PFAS replacement program.--The term ``PFAS 
        replacement program'' means the program established under 
        subsection (a).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 627. PROGRESS REPORTS ON THE NATIONAL TRANSITION PLAN 
              RELATED TO A FLUORINE-FREE FIREFIGHTING FOAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, and every 180 days thereafter until the 
progress report termination date described in subsection (c), the 
Administrator, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Defense, shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a progress report on 
the development and implementation of a national transition plan 
related to a fluorine-free firefighting foam that meets the performance 
standards referenced in chapter 6 of AC No: 150/5210-6D and is 
acceptable under section 139.319(l) of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, for use at part 139 airports.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Required Information.--Each progress report required 
by subsection (a) shall include the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) An assessment of the progress made by the FAA 
        with respect to providing part 139 airports with--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) guidance from the Environmental 
                Protection Agency on acceptable environmental limits 
                relating to such fluorine-free firefighting 
                foam;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) guidance from the Department of 
                Defense on that department's transition to a fluorine-
                free firefighting foam;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) best practices for the decontamination 
                of existing aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles, 
                systems, and other equipment used to deploy 
                firefighting foam at part 139 airports; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) timelines for the release of policy 
                and guidance relating to part 139 airport 
                implementation plans for obtaining approved military 
                specification products and firefighting personnel 
                training.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) A comprehensive list of the amount of rolling 
        stock of firefighting foam at each part 139 airport as of the 
        date of the submission of the progress report and the number of 
        gallons regularly kept in reserve at each such 
        airport.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) An assessment of the progress made by the FAA 
        with respect to providing airports that are not part 139 
        airports and local authorities with responsibility for 
        inspection and oversight with guidance described in 
        subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1) as it relates to the 
        use of fluorine-free firefighting foam at such 
        airports.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Such other information as the Administrator 
        determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Progress Report Termination Date.--For purposes of 
subsection (a), the progress report termination date described in this 
subsection is the date on which the Administrator notifies the 
appropriate committees of Congress that development and implementation 
of the national transition plan described in subsection (a) is 
complete.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``part 139 
airport'' means an airport certified under part 139 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 628. REVIEW OF AIRPORT LAYOUT PLANS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 163 of the FAA Reauthorization 
Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 47107 note) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) [Reserved].''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) [Reserved].''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Airport Layout Plan Approval Authority.--Section 47107 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a)(16)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by striking subparagraph (B) and 
                inserting the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) subject to subsection (x), the 
                Secretary will review and approve or disapprove the 
                plan and any revision or modification of the plan 
                before the plan, revision, or modification takes 
                effect;''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking 
                ``subparagraph (B)'' and inserting ``subsection (x)''; 
                and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(x) Scope of the Secretary's Airport Layout Plan Review 
and Approval Authority.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Authority over projects on land acquired 
        without federal assistance.--For purposes of subsection 
        (a)(16)(B), with respect to any project proposed on land 
        acquired by an airport owner or operator without Federal 
        assistance, the Secretary may only review and approve or 
        disapprove those portions of the plan (or any subsequent 
        revision to the plan) that--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) materially impact the safe and 
                efficient operation of aircraft at, to, or from the 
                airport;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) adversely affect the safety of 
                people or property on the ground as a result of 
                aircraft operations; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) adversely affect the value of prior 
                Federal investments to a significant extent.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Limitation on non-aeronautical review.--If 
        only a portion of a project proposed by an airport owner or 
        operator is subject to the Secretary's review and approval 
        under subsection (a)(16)(B), the Secretary shall not extend 
        review and approval authority to other non-aeronautical 
        portions of the project.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Notice.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--An airport owner or 
                operator shall submit to the Secretary a notice of 
                intent to proceed with a proposed project (or a portion 
                thereof) that is outside of the Secretary's review and 
                approval authority, as described in this 
                subsection.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Failure to object.--If not later 
                than 45 days after receiving the notice of intent 
                described in subparagraph (A), the Secretary fails to 
                object to such notice, the proposed project (or portion 
                thereof) shall be deemed as being outside the scope of 
                the Secretary's review and approval authority under 
                subsection (a)(16)(B).''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 629. NEPA PURPOSE AND NEED STATEMENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--To the extent that the FAA is the lead 
Federal agency for preparation of an environmental impact statement or 
an environmental assessment under provisions of the National 
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) where an 
action or approval from more than one Federal agency is required, the 
FAA shall develop its draft purpose and need statement for the project 
not later than 45 days after--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the submission of the airport sponsor's 
        appropriately completed proposed purpose and need description; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) any appropriately completed proposed revision 
        to a development project that affects the purpose and need 
        description previously prepared or accepted by the 
        FAA.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Assistance.--The Administrator shall provide all 
airport sponsors with technical assistance in drafting purpose and need 
statements and necessary supporting documentation for projects 
involving Federal approvals from more than one Federal 
agency.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 630. PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE STREAMLINING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 40117 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (b)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``The 
                Secretary'' and inserting ``Except as set forth in the 
                streamlining process described in subsection (l), the 
                Secretary'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking paragraph (4);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by redesignating paragraphs (5) 
                through (7) as paragraphs (4) through (6), 
                respectively;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) by striking ``paragraphs (1) 
                        and (4)'' and inserting ``paragraph (1)''; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) by striking ``paragraph (1) 
                        or (4)'' and inserting ``paragraph (1)''; 
                        and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) in paragraph (6)(A), as so 
                redesignated--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) by striking ``paragraphs (1), 
                        (4), and (6)'' and inserting ``paragraphs (1) 
                        and (5)''; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) by striking ``paragraph (1) 
                        or (4)'' and inserting ``paragraph 
                        (1)'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (e)(1)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``, 
                or a passenger facility charge imposition is authorized 
                under subsection (l)'' after ``of this section''; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                ``reasonable'' after ``subject to''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (l)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                ``Pilot Program for Passenger Facility Charge 
                Authorizations'' and inserting ``Passenger Facility 
                Charge Streamlining'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking paragraph (1) and 
                inserting the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall prescribe 
        regulations to streamline the process for authorizing eligible 
        agencies for airports to impose passenger facility charges. An 
        eligible agency may impose a passenger facility charge in 
        accordance with the provisions of this subsection instead of 
        using the procedures otherwise provided in this 
        section.'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by striking paragraph (4) and 
                inserting the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Acknowledgment of receipt and indication of 
        objection.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                acknowledge receipt of the notice and indicate any 
                objection to the imposition of a passenger facility 
                charge under this subsection for any project identified 
                in the notice within 30 days after receipt of the 
                eligible agency's notice.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Prohibited objection.--The Secretary 
                may not object to an eligible airport-related project 
                that received Federal financial assistance for airport 
                development, terminal development, airport planning, or 
                for the purposes of noise compatibility, provided that 
                the Federal financial assistance and passenger facility 
                charge collection (including interest and other returns 
                on the revenue) does not exceed the total cost of the 
                project.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Allowed objection.--The Secretary 
                may only object to the imposition of a passenger 
                facility charge under this subsection for a project 
                that--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) establishes significant 
                        policy precedent;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) raises significant legal 
                        issues;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) garners significant 
                        controversy, as evidenced by significant 
                        opposition to the proposed action by the 
                        applicant or other airport authorities, airport 
                        users, governmental agencies, elected 
                        officials, or communities;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iv) raises significant revenue 
                        diversion, airport noise, or access issues, 
                        including compliance with section 47111(e) or 
                        subchapter II of chapter 475 of title 49, 
                        United States Code; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(v) includes multimodal 
                        components.'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) by striking paragraph (6); 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) by redesignating paragraph (7) as 
                paragraph (6).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall commence a 
rulemaking to implement the amendments made by subsection 
(a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Interim Guidance.--The interim guidance established in 
FAA Memorandum ``PFC 73-20. Streamlined Procedures for Passenger 
Facility Charge (PFC) Authorizations at Small-, Medium-, and Large-Hub 
Airports.'' (issued January 22, 2020), as modified by subsection (a), 
shall remain in effect until the effective date of the final rule 
promulgated under subsection (b).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 631. USE OF PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGES FOR NOISE 
              BARRIERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 40117(a)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(H) A project at a small hub airport for 
                a noise barrier where the day-night average sound level 
                from commercial, general aviation, or cargo operations 
                is expected to exceed 55 decibels as a result of new 
                airport development.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 632. AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEMS 
              POLICY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Administrator shall establish a process to collaborate 
with the Director of the National Weather Service to expedite the 
Automated Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) and the Service Life 
Extension Program (SLEP) and ensure adequate spare parts and personnel 
are available for timely response to outages.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 633. INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT 
              IMPLEMENTATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall distribute 
administrative funding to assist States participating in the State 
block grant program in accordance with section 47128 of title 49, 
United States Code, with program implementation of airport 
infrastructure projects under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
Act (Public Law 117-58).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Funding Source.--Administrative funds to States under 
this section shall be distributed from the funds made available in the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for personnel, contracting, and 
other costs to administer and oversee grants of the Airport 
Infrastructure Grants, Contract Tower Competitive Grant Program, and 
Airport Terminal Program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Administrative Funds.--With respect to administrative 
funds made available for fiscal years 2022 through 2026--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the amount of administrative funds available 
        for distribution under subsection (b) shall be an amount equal 
        to a percentage determined by the Secretary, but not less than 
        2 percent, of the annual allocations provided under the heading 
        ``airport infrastructure grants'' under the heading ``Federal 
        Aviation Administration'' in title VIII of division J of the 
        Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58; 135 
        Stat. 1416) to non-primary airports participating in the 
        State's block grant program each fiscal year of the Airport 
        Infrastructure Grant program;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) administrative funds distributed under 
        subsection (b) shall be used by such States to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) administer and oversee, as outlined in 
                the Memorandum of Agreement or current agreements 
                between the FAA and the State, all airport grant 
                program funds provided under the Infrastructure 
                Investment and Jobs Act to non-primary airports 
                participating in the State's block grant program, 
                whether through direct allocation or through 
                competitive selection; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) carry out the public purposes of 
                supporting eligible and justified airport development 
                and infrastructure projects as provided in the 
                Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) except as provided in subsection (d), such 
        administrative funds shall be distributed to such States 
        through a cooperative agreement executed between the State and 
        the FAA not later than December 1 of each fiscal year in which 
        the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides airport 
        grant program funds.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Initial Distribution.--With respect to administrative 
funds made available for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, funds available as 
of the date of enactment of this section shall be distributed to such 
States through a cooperative agreement executed between the State and 
the FAA not later than 30 days after such date of enactment.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 634. REPORT ON AIRPORT NOTIFICATIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report on the FAA's progress with respect to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) collecting more accurate data in notices of 
        construction, alteration, activation, and deactivation of 
        airports as required under part 157 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) making the database under part 157 of title 
        14, Code of Federal Regulations, more accurate and useful for 
        aircraft operators, particularly for helicopter and rotary wing 
        type aircraft operators.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 635. COASTAL AIRPORTS RESILIENCY STUDY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall work with the 
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
and the United States Army Corps of Engineers to identify best 
practices for, and study the feasibility of, improving resiliency of 
airports in coastal or flood-prone areas.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a 
report describing the results of the study conducted under subsection 
(a), together with such recommendations for legislation or 
administrative action as the Administrator determines 
appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 636. SURVEY OF POWER DISTRIBUTION CAPACITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47140(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting ``power distribution capacity and location,'' 
after ``back-up power,''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 637. STUDY ON COMPETITION AND AIRPORT ACCESS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Secretary shall report to the appropriate committees 
of Congress--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) specific actions the Secretary and the 
        Administrator, using existing legal authority, can take to 
        expand access for lower cost passenger air carriers to capacity 
        constrained airports in the United States, including, but not 
        limited to, New York John F. Kennedy International Airport 
        (JFK) and New York/Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR); 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) any additional legal authority the Secretary 
        and the Administrator require in order to make additional slots 
        at JFK and runway timings at EWR available to lower cost 
        passenger air carriers.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 638. REGIONAL AIRPORT CAPACITY STUDY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate a study on 
the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Existing FAA policy and guidance that govern 
        the siting of new airports or the transition of general 
        aviation airports to commercial service.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Ways that existing regulations and policies 
        could be streamlined to facilitate the development of new 
        airport capacity, particularly in high-demand air travel 
        regions looking to invest in new airport capacity.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Whether Federal funding sources (existing as 
        of the date of enactment of this section) that are authorized 
        by the Secretary could be used for such purposes.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Whether such Federal funding sources meet the 
        needs of the national airspace system for adding new airport 
        capacity outside of the commercial service airports in 
        operation as of the date of enactment of this 
        section.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) If such Federal funding sources are determined 
        by the Administrator to be insufficient for the purposes 
        described in this subsection, an estimate of the funding 
        gap.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations for such 
legislative or administrative action as the Administrator determines 
appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Guidance.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall revise FAA guidance 
to incorporate the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a) 
to assist airports and State and local departments of transportation in 
increasing airport capacity to meet regional air travel 
demand.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 639. STUDY ON AUTONOMOUS AND ELECTRIC-POWERED TRACK 
              SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study to 
develop a standard for autonomous and electric-powered track systems 
that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) are located underneath the pavement at an 
        airport; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) allow a transport category aircraft to taxi 
        without the use of the main engines of the aircraft.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report detailing the results of 
the study conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations 
for such legislation and administrative action as the Administrator 
determines appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 640. SPECIAL RULE FOR RECLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN 
              UNCLASSIFIED AIRPORTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Request for Reclassification.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than September 30, 
        2024, a privately owned reliever airport (as defined in section 
        47102 of title 49, United States Code) that is identified as 
        unclassified in the National Plan of Integrated Airport 
        Systems, 2023-2027 (as published under section 47103 of title 
        49, United States Code) may submit to the Secretary a request 
        to reclassify the airport according to the criteria used to 
        classify a public airport.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Required information.--In submitting a request 
        under paragraph (1), the privately owned reliever airport shall 
        include the following information:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) A sworn statement and accompanying 
                documentation that demonstrates how the airport would 
                satisfy the requirements of FAA Order 5090.5, titled 
                ``Formulation of the NPIAS and ACIP'', (or any 
                successor guidance) to be classified as ``Local'' or 
                ``Basic'' if the airport was publicly owned.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) A report that--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) identifies the role of the 
                        airport to the aviation system; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) describes the long-term 
                        fiscal viability of the airport based on 
                        demonstrated aeronautical activity and 
                        associated revenues relative to ongoing 
                        operating and maintenance costs.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Eligibility Review.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after 
        receiving a request from a privately owned reliever airport 
        under subsection (a), the Secretary shall perform an 
        eligibility review with respect to the airport, including an 
        assessment of the airport's safety, security, capacity, access, 
        compliance with Federal grant assurances, and protection of 
        natural resources and the quality of the environment, as 
        prescribed by the Secretary.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Public sponsor.--In performing the eligibility 
        review under paragraph (1), the Secretary--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) may require the airport requesting 
                reclassification to provide information regarding the 
                outlook (whether positive or negative) for transferring 
                the airport to a public sponsor; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) may not require the airport to obtain 
                a public sponsor.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Reclassification by the Secretary.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after 
        receiving a request from a privately owned reliever airport 
        under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall grant such request 
        if the following criteria are met:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) The request includes the required 
                information under subsection (a)(2).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) The privately owned reliever airport, 
                to the satisfaction of the Secretary passes the 
                eligibility review performed under subsection 
                (b).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Corrective action plan.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--With respect to a 
                privately owned reliever airport that does not, to the 
                satisfaction of the Secretary, pass the eligibility 
                review performed under subsection (b), the Secretary 
                shall provide notice of disapproval to such airport not 
                later than 60 days after receiving the request under 
                subsection (a)(1), and such airport may resubmit to the 
                Secretary a reclassification request along with a 
                corrective action plan that--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) resolves any shortcomings 
                        identified in such eligibility review; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) proves that any necessary 
                        corrective action has been completed by the 
                        airport.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Evaluation.--Not later than 60 days 
                after receiving a corrective action plan under 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall grant the 
                reclassification request of any privately owned 
                reliever airport if such airport submit such corrective 
                action plan to the satisfaction of the 
                Secretary.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Effective Date.--The reclassification of any privately 
owned reliever airport under this section shall take effect not later 
than--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) fiscal year 2025 for any request granted under 
        subsection (c)(1); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) fiscal year 2026 for any request granted after 
        the submission of a corrective action plan under subsection 
        (c)(2).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 641. GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT RUNWAY EXTENSION PILOT 
              PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, 
United States Code, as amended by section 611(a), is amended by adding 
at the end the following new section:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 47147. General aviation program runway extension pilot 
              program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation 
shall establish a pilot program to provide grants to general aviation 
airports to increase usable the runway length capability at such 
airports in order to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) expand access to such airports for larger 
        aircraft; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) support the development and economic 
        viability of such airports.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Grants.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--For the purpose of carrying out 
        the pilot program established in subsection (a), the Secretary 
        shall make grants to not more than 2 sponsors of general 
        aviation airports per fiscal year.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Use of funds.--A sponsor of a general 
        aviation airport shall use a grant awarded under this section 
        to plan, design, or construct a project to extend an existing 
        primary runway by not greater than 1,000 feet to a sufficient 
        length to accommodate large turboprop or turbojet aircraft that 
        cannot be accommodated with the existing runway 
        length.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a 
        grant under this section, a sponsor of a general aviation 
        airport shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
        time, in such form, and containing such information as the 
        Secretary may require.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Selection.--In selecting an applicant for a 
        grant under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize 
        projects that demonstrate that the existing runway length at 
        the airport is--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) inadequate to support the near-term 
                operations of 1 or more business entities operating at 
                the airport as of the date of submission of such 
                application;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) a direct aircraft operational 
                impediment to airport economic viability, job creation 
                or retention, or local economic development; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) not located within 20 miles of 
                another National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems 
                airport with comparable runway length.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Project Justification.--A project that demonstrates 
the criteria described in subsection (b) shall be considered a 
justified cost with respect to the pilot program, notwithstanding--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) any benefit-cost analysis required under 
        section 47115(d) of title 49, United States Code; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) a project justification determination 
        described in section 3 of chapter 3 of FAA Order 5100.38D, 
        Airport Improvement Program Handbook (dated September 30, 
        2014).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Federal Share.--The Government's share of allowable 
project costs for a project carried out with a grant under this section 
shall be the Government's share of allowable project costs specified 
under section 47109.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 5 years after 
the establishment of the pilot program under subsection (a), the 
Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives a report that evaluates 
the pilot program, including--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) information regarding the level of applicant 
        interest in grants for increasing runway length;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) the number of large aircraft that accessed 
        each general aviation airport that received a grant under the 
        pilot program in comparison to the number of such aircraft that 
        accessed the airport prior to the date of enactment of this 
        Act, based on data provided by the airport sponsor to the 
        Secretary not later than 6 months prior to the due date of such 
        report to Congress; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) a description, provided by the airport 
        sponsor to the Secretary not later than 6 months prior to the 
        due date of such report to Congress, of the economic 
        development opportunities supported by increasing the runway 
        length at general aviation airports.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Funding.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--For each of fiscal years 2024 
        through 2028, the Secretary may use funds made available under 
        section 48103 to carry out this section.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for subchapter I of 
chapter 471 of such title, as amended by section 611(b), is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 47146 the 
following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``47147. General aviation airport runway extension pilot 
                            program.''.

         <DELETED>TITLE VII--AIR SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS</DELETED>

          <DELETED>Subtitle A--Consumer Enhancements</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 701. ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AVIATION CONSUMER 
              PROTECTION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Extension.--Section 411(h) of the FAA Modernization 
and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 42301 prec. note) is amended by 
striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2028''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Additional Members.--Section 411(b) of the FAA 
Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 42301 prec. note) is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the 
        end;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at 
        the end and inserting a semicolon; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) foreign air carriers; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) nonprofit public interest groups with 
        expertise in disability and accessibility matters.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 702. UNREALISTIC OR DECEPTIVE SCHEDULING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 41712 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Unrealistic or Deceptive Scheduling.--It shall be an 
unfair or deceptive practice and an unfair method of competition under 
subsection (a) for any air carrier or foreign air carrier providing 
scheduled passenger air transportation to engage in unrealistic or 
deceptive scheduling of flights, as determined by the Secretary of 
Transportation subject to an investigation and finding, if any, that an 
air carrier or foreign air carrier engaged in the unrealistic or 
deceptive scheduling of flights.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
be construed to limit the authority of the Secretary under section 
41712(a) of title 49, United States Code, or the ability of the 
Secretary to act pursuant to the authority under section 399.81 of 
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, with respect to any activity of 
an air carrier or foreign air carrier that occurred prior to the date 
of enactment of subsection (d) of section 41712 of such title 49, as 
added by subsection (a) of this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee 
Recommendations.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall require 
        the Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee to provide 
        to the Secretary recommendations regarding the types of 
        practices or circumstances that qualify as unrealistic or 
        deceptive scheduling of flights, including whether scheduling 
        flights in light of technological deficiencies or workforce 
        shortcomings that were known to an air carrier or foreign air 
        carrier at the time of such scheduling qualifies as unrealistic 
        or deceptive scheduling.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Rulemaking.--Not later than 90 days after 
        receiving the recommendations under paragraph (1), the 
        Secretary shall initiate a rulemaking to implement any such 
        recommendations determined appropriate by the 
        Secretary.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 703. REFUNDS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 423 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting after section 42304 the 
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 42305. Refunds for cancelled or significantly delayed 
              or changed flights</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--In the case of a passenger that holds a 
nonrefundable ticket on a scheduled flight to, from, or within the 
United States, an air carrier or a foreign air carrier shall, upon 
request of the passenger, promptly provide a full refund, including any 
taxes and ancillary fees, for the fare such carrier collected for any 
cancelled flight or significantly delayed or changed flight where the 
passenger chooses not to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) fly on the significantly delayed or changed 
        flight or accept rebooking on an alternative flight; 
        or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) accept any voucher, credit, or other form of 
        compensation offered by the air carrier or foreign air carrier 
        pursuant to subsection (c).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Timing of Refund.--Any refund required under 
subsection (a) shall be issued by the air carrier or foreign air 
carrier--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) in the case of a ticket purchased with a 
        credit card, not later than 7 business days after the request 
        for the refund; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) in the case of a ticket purchased with cash 
        or another form of payment, not later than 20 days after the 
        request for the refund.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Alternative to Refund.--An air carrier and a foreign 
air carrier may offer a voucher, credit, or other form of compensation 
as an alternative to providing a refund required by subsection (a) but 
only if the offer includes a clear and conspicuous notice of--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) the terms of the offer; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) the passenger's right to a full refund under 
        this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Significantly Delayed or Changed Flight.--In 
defining `significantly delayed or changed flight' for purposes of this 
section, the Secretary shall ensure that such term includes, at a 
minimum, a flight where the passenger arrives at a destination 
airport--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) in the case of a domestic flight, 3 or more 
        hours after the original scheduled arrival time; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) in the case of an international flight, 6 or 
        more hours after the original scheduled arrival time.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Application to Ticket Agents.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall issue a final rule to apply refund requirements to 
ticket agents in the case of cancelled flights and significantly 
delayed or changed flights.</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 42306. Refund portal</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--Not later than the date that is 270 
days after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall require covered entities to prominently display at 
the top of the homepage of the covered entity's public internet website 
a link that passengers eligible for a refund may use to request a 
refund.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Covered Entity Defined.--In this subsection, the 
term `covered entity' means--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) an air carrier or foreign air carrier that 
        provides scheduled passenger air transportation by operating an 
        aircraft that as originally designed has a passenger capacity 
        of 30 or more seats; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) a ticket agent that sells scheduled 
        passenger service on an aircraft that as originally designed 
        has a passenger capacity of 30 or more seats.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 423 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 42304 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``42305. Refunds for cancelled or significantly delayed or 
                            changed flights.
<DELETED>``42306. Refund Portal.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 704. AIRLINE PASSENGER RIGHTS TRANSPARENCY ACT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Air travel is an essential part of modern 
        life, and passengers have certain rights and protections under 
        the law.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Passengers are often not aware of such rights 
        and protections under the law.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) To address this problem, airports, air 
        carriers, and foreign air carriers must provide clear and 
        concise information regarding passenger rights in a manner that 
        is easily accessible and understandable to all 
        passengers.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Transparency Requirements.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Consumer complaints.--Section 42302 of title 
        49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
        following new subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Notice to Passengers on Electronic Flight Itinerary 
Ticket Confirmation.--Each air carrier and foreign air carrier shall 
provide on any electronic flight itinerary ticket confirmation issued 
by the carrier a link to the Aviation Consumer Protection website and 
the Air Travel Service Complaint or Comment Form website of the 
Department of Transportation.''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Know your rights posters.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--Chapter 423 of title 49, 
                United States Code, as amended by section 703(a), is 
                amended by inserting after section 42306 the 
                following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 42307. Know your rights posters</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--Each large hub airport, medium hub 
airport, and small hub airport (as such terms are defined in section 
40102) with scheduled passenger service shall prominently display 
posters that clearly and concisely outline the rights of airline 
passengers under Federal law with respect to, at a minimum--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) flight delays and cancellations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) refunds;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) bumping of passengers from flights and the 
        oversale of flights; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) lost, delayed, or damaged baggage.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Location.--Such posters shall be displayed in 
conspicuous locations throughout the airport, including ticket 
counters, security checkpoints, and boarding gates.''.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for 
                chapter 423 of title 49, United States Code, as amended 
                by section 703(b), is amended by inserting after the 
                item relating to section 42306 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``42307. Know your rights posters.''.
        <DELETED>    (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this 
        subsection shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of this section.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 705. DISCLOSURE OF ANCILLARY FEES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Flexibility.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--In determining whether a practice 
        is an unfair or deceptive practice under section 41712 of title 
        49, United States Code, with respect to the disclosure of 
        ancillary fees, the Secretary, shall provide air carriers, 
        foreign air carriers, and ticket agents with the flexibility to 
        develop the manner in which such information is transmitted to 
        consumers as long as such information (consistent with the 
        objective of assuring that consumers are provided with useable, 
        current, and accurate information on critical ancillary fees in 
        a format that the consumer can easily compare multiple flight 
        options) is--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) presented to the consumer in a 
                reasonable and transparent manner prior to booking; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) displayed in a format that assists the 
                consumer in making more informed decisions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Critical ancillary fees defined.--For purposes 
        of paragraph (1), the term ``critical ancillary fees'' means--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) fees for--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the first and second checked 
                        bag of an airline passenger;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) one carry-on bag of an 
                        airline passenger;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) changing or canceling a 
                        reservation; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) adjacent seating when 
                        traveling with a child that is 13 years of age 
                        or younger; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) any other fees for ancillary services 
                that are identified by the Secretary in the rule 
                finalizing the proposed rule published by the Secretary 
                on March 3, 2023, and titled ``Enhancing Transparency 
                of Airline Ancillary Service Fees'' (88 Fed. Reg. 
                13389) as being critical to consumers in choosing among 
                air transportation options.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Ticket Agents.--The Secretary shall not find that a 
ticket agent is out of compliance with a requirement in the final rule 
described in subsection (a)(2)(B) with respect to the disclosure of 
critical ancillary fees if the Secretary determines that such 
noncompliance is due to the failure of an air carrier or foreign air 
carrier to provide the ticket agent with the information required to 
comply with such requirement.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 706. ACCESS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE ASSISTANCE FOR ALL 
              TRAVELERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In the event of a cancelled or delayed flight, 
        it is important for customers to be able easily access 
        information about the status of their flight and any 
        alternative flight options.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) During a period of mass cancellations, 
        customers may be unable to easily connect, either in-person or 
        through a toll-free customer service phone number, with a 
        customer service representative of an air carrier.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) While many air carriers have robust online and 
        smart phone application chat resources, many customers may not 
        have access to those resources, and customers often have time-
        sensitive questions that cannot be answered through an 
        automated service or website.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Not all customers of air carriers are able to 
        easily use online and chat resources.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Customers should be able to access real-time 
        assistance from customer service agents of air carriers without 
        an excessive wait time, particularly during times of mass 
        disruptions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Transparency Requirements.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Consumer complaints.--Section 42302 of title 
        49, United States Code, as amended by section 704(b), is 
        amended by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) Notice to Passengers on Electronic Flight Itinerary 
Ticket Confirmation.--Each air carrier and foreign air carrier shall 
provide on any electronic flight itinerary ticket confirmation issued 
by the carrier a link to the Aviation Consumer Protection website and 
the Air Travel Service Complaint or Comment Form website of the 
Department of Transportation.''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirement to maintain a live customer chat 
        or monitored text messaging number.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--Chapter 423 of title 49, 
                United States Code, as amended by section 704(b), is 
                amended by inserting after section 42307 the 
                following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 42308. Requirement to maintain a live customer chat or 
              monitored text messaging number</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Requirement.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--A covered air carrier that 
        operates a domestic or international flight to, from, or within 
        the United States shall, in addition to maintaining a toll-free 
        customer service telephone line, maintain a live customer chat 
        or monitored text messaging number that enables customers to 
        speak to a live agent directly.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Provision of services.--The services 
        required under subsection (a) shall be provided to customers 
        without charge for the use of such services, and shall be 
        available in real time and on a 24 hour/7 days a week 
        basis.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Rulemaking Authority.--The Secretary shall 
promulgate such rules as may be necessary to carry out this 
section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Covered Air Carrier Defined.--In this section, the 
term `covered air carrier' means an air carrier that provides scheduled 
passenger air transportation by operating an aircraft that as 
originally designed has a passenger capacity of 30 or more 
seats.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Effective Date.--Beginning on the date that is 120 
days after the date of enactment of this section, a covered air carrier 
shall comply with the requirement specified in subsection (b) without 
regard to whether the Secretary has promulgated any rules to carry out 
this section as of the date that is 120 days after such date of 
enactment.''.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for 
                chapter 423 of title 49, United States Code, as amended 
                by section 704(b), is amended by inserting after the 
                item relating to section 42307 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``42308. Requirement to maintain a live customer chat or 
                            monitored text messaging number.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 707. FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS AND VOUCHERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 423 of title 49, United States 
Code, as amended by section 706(b), is amended by inserting after 
section 42308 the following new section:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 42309. Frequent flyer programs</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Reduction in Benefits.--An air carrier may not 
reduce or devalue the benefits, rewards, points, or other accrued value 
of an existing account holder of a frequent flyer program unless the 
air carrier provides such account holder not less than 90 days notice 
of such reduction or devaluation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Expiration of Benefits.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Initial notification.--Upon the issuance of 
        any flight voucher or flight credit, an air carrier or ticket 
        agent, where applicable, shall notify the recipient of such 
        voucher or credit of the expiration date of the voucher or 
        credit.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Subsequent notification.--Not less than 30 
        days before the expiration date of any flight voucher or flight 
        credit issued by an air carrier or ticket agent, the air 
        carrier or ticket agent shall make a reasonable attempt to 
        notify the recipient of such voucher or credit of the 
        expiration date of the voucher or credit.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Definition of Frequent Flyer Program.--In this 
section, the term `frequent flyer program' means a program in which an 
air carrier promises or offers benefits, rewards, points, or other 
accrued value for tickets purchased from the air carrier.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 423 of 
such title, as amended by section 706(b), is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 42308 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``42309. Frequent flyer programs.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 708. AIRLINE CUSTOMER SERVICE DASHBOARDS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Dashboards.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Chapter 423 of title 49, United 
        States Code, as amended by section 707(a), is amended by 
        inserting after section 42309 the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 42310. DOT airline customer service 
              dashboards</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Requirement to Establish and Maintain Publicly 
Available Dashboards.--The Secretary of Transportation (in this section 
referred to as the `Secretary') shall establish, maintain, and make 
publicly available, the following online dashboards for purposes of 
keeping aviation consumers informed with respect to certain policies 
of, and services provided by, large air carriers (as defined by the 
Secretary) to the extent that such policies or services exceed what is 
required by Federal law:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Delay and cancellation dashboard.--A 
        dashboard that displays information regarding the services and 
        compensation provided by each large air carrier to mitigate any 
        passenger inconvenience caused by a delay or cancellation due 
        to circumstances in the control of such carrier. The website on 
        which such dashboard is displayed shall explain the 
        circumstances under which a delay or cancellation is not due to 
        circumstances in the control of the large air carrier (such as 
        a delay or cancellation due to a weather event or an 
        instruction from the Federal Aviation Administration Air 
        Traffic Control System Command Center).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Family seating dashboard.--A dashboard that 
        displays information regarding which large air carriers 
        guarantee that each child shall be seated adjacent to an adult 
        accompanying the child without charging any additional 
        fees.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Seat size dashboard.--A dashboard that 
        displays information regarding aircraft seat size for each 
        large air carrier, including the pitch, width, and length of a 
        seat in economy class for the aircraft models and 
        configurations most commonly flown by such carrier.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Bureau of Transportation Statistics.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) ATCSCC delays.--Not later than 30 days after 
        the date of enactment of this section, the Director of the 
        Bureau of Transportation Statistics shall update the reporting 
        framework of the Bureau to create a new `cause of delay' 
        category that identifies and tracks information on delays and 
        cancellations of air carriers (as defined in section 40102) 
        that are due to instructions from the Federal Aviation 
        Administration Air Traffic Control System Command 
        Center.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Family seating complaints.--Not later than 
        30 days after the date of enactment of this section, the 
        Director of the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shall 
        update the reporting framework of the Bureau to create a new 
        category to identify and track information on complaints 
        related to family seating.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Air Travel Consumer Report.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) ATCSCC delays.--Not later than 30 days after 
        the date on which the Director of the Bureau of Transportation 
        Statistics updates the reporting framework under subsection 
        (b)(1), the Secretary shall include information on delays and 
        cancellations that are due to instructions from the Federal 
        Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control System Command 
        Center in the Air Travel Consumer Report issued by the Office 
        of Aviation Consumer Protection of the Department of 
        Transportation.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Family seating complaints.--Not later than 
        30 days after the date on which the Director of the Bureau of 
        Transportation Statistics updates the reporting framework under 
        subsection (b)(2), the Secretary shall include information on 
        complaints related to family seating in the Air Travel Consumer 
        Report issued by the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection of 
        the Department of Transportation and on the family seating 
        dashboard required by subsection (a)(2).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Provision of Information.--Each large air carrier 
shall provide to the Secretary such information as the Secretary 
requires to carry out this section.''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish 
        each of the online dashboards required by section 42310(a) of 
        title 49, United States Code, not later than 30 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 423 of 
title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 707(b), is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 42309 the 
following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``42310. DOT airline customer service dashboards.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 709. ANNUAL BRIEFINGS ON DISRUPTIONS OF PASSENGER AIR 
              TRANSPORTATION AND PERIODS OF MASS CANCELLATIONS OF 
              SCHEDULED FLIGHTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 106(g) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraph:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Annually, (and more frequently as needed) 
        brief the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
        House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate on the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) The efforts, activities, objectives, 
                and plans of the Administration in continuing to 
                address ongoing concerns about passenger protections 
                during operational meltdowns of air carriers and 
                foreign air carriers.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) The efforts of the Administration to 
                engage with Congress and the public on issues related 
                to operational meltdowns of air carriers and foreign 
                air carriers.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 710. ENHANCING CHILD SAFETY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall issue new or revised 
guidance that provides testing standards to allow for the use of a 
child restraint system on a covered aircraft that meets such testing 
standards, without regard to whether such child restraint system also 
meets the standards set forth in section 571.213 of title 49, Code of 
Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Covered Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the term 
``covered aircraft'' means an aircraft that, as originally designed, 
has a passenger capacity of 30 or more seats.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 711. CODIFICATION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION 
              PROVISIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Section 429 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Section 429 of the FAA 
        Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 42301 note prec.) is 
        amended--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by transferring such section to appear 
                after section 41726 of title 49, United States 
                Code;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by redesignating such section as 
                section 41727 of such title 49; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by amending the section heading of 
                such section to read as follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 41727. Passenger Rights''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Technical amendment.--Section 41727 of title 
        49, United States Code, as transferred and redesignated by 
        paragraph (1), is amended, in subsection (a), by striking ``Not 
        later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
        Secretary'' and inserting ``The Secretary''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Section 434 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Section 434 of the FAA 
        Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 41705 note) is amended--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by transferring such section to appear 
                after section 41727 of title 49, United States Code, as 
                transferred and redesignated by subsection 
                (a)(1);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by redesignating such section 434 as 
                section 41728 of such title 49; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by amending the section heading of 
                such section 41728 to read as follows:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 41728. Airline passengers with disabilities bill of 
              rights''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Technical amendment.--Section 41728 of title 
        49, United States Code, as transferred and redesignated by 
        paragraph (1), is amended--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``the 
                section 41705'' and inserting ``section 
                41705'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subsection (c), by striking ``the 
                date of enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``the 
                date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
                2018''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) in subsection (f), by striking 
                ``ensure employees'' and inserting ``ensure that 
                employees''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 417 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``41727. Passenger rights.
<DELETED>``41728. Airline passengers with disabilities bill of 
                            rights.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 712. GAO STUDY ON COMPETITION AND CONSOLIDATION IN THE 
              AIR CARRIER INDUSTRY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a study 
assessing competition and consolidation in the United States air 
carrier industry. Such study shall include an assessment of--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the history of mergers in the United States 
        air carrier industry, including whether any claimed 
        efficiencies have been realized;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the effect of consolidation in the United 
        States air carrier industry, if any, on consumers;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the effect of consolidation in the United 
        States air carrier industry, if any, on air transportation 
        service in small and rural markets; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) the current state of competition in the United 
        States air carrier industry as of the date of enactment of this 
        section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report containing the results of 
the study conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations 
for such legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller 
General determines appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 713. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON THE OPERATIONAL PREPAREDNESS 
              OF AIR CARRIERS FOR PREPARING FOR CHANGING WEATHER AND 
              OTHER EVENTS RELATED TO CHANGING CONDITIONS AND NATURAL 
              HAZARDS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall 
        study and assess the operational preparedness of air carriers 
        for preparing for changing weather and other events related to 
        changing conditions and natural hazards, including flooding, 
        extreme heat, changes in precipitation, storms, including 
        winter storms, coastal storms, tropical storms, and hurricanes, 
        and fire conditions.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirements.--As part of the study required 
        by paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall assess the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) The extent to which air carriers are 
                preparing for weather events and natural disasters, as 
                well as changing conditions and natural hazards, that 
                may impact air carriers' operational investments, 
                staffing levels and safety policies, mitigation 
                strategies, and other resiliency planning.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) How the FAA oversees air carriers' 
                operational resilience to storms and natural disasters, 
                as well as changing conditions.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Steps the Federal Government and air 
                carriers can take to improve their operational 
                resilience to storms and natural disasters, as well as 
                changing conditions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Briefing and Report.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General 
        shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the study 
        required by subsection (a), together with recommendations for 
        such legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller 
        General determines appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the 
        briefing required by paragraph (1) is provided, the Comptroller 
        General shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of 
        Congress on the study required by subsection (a), together with 
        recommendations for such legislation and administrative action 
        as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Definition of Air Carrier.--In this section, the term 
``air carrier'' has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of 
title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 714. INCREASE IN CIVIL PENALTIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 46301(a) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
striking ``$25,000'' and inserting ``$50,000''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) 
shall apply to violations occurring on or after the date of 
enactment.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Conforming Regulations.--The Secretary shall revise 
such regulations as necessary to conform to the amendment made by 
subsection (a).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 715. FAMILY SEATING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a notice of 
proposed rulemaking to establish a policy directing air carriers that 
assign seats, or allow individuals to select seats in advance of the 
date of departure of a flight, to sit each young child adjacent to an 
accompanying adult, to the greatest extent practicable, if adjacent 
seat assignments are available at any time after the ticket is issued 
for each young child and before the first passenger boards the 
flight.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Prohibition on Fees.--The notice of proposed 
rulemaking described in subsection (a) shall include a provision that 
prohibits an air carrier from charging a fee, or imposing an additional 
cost beyond the ticket price of the additional seat, to seat each young 
child adjacent to an accompanying adult within the same class of 
service.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Rule of Construction.--Notwithstanding the requirement 
in subsection (a), nothing in this section may be construed to allow 
the Secretary to impose a change in the overall seating or boarding 
policy of an air carrier that has an open or flexible seating policy in 
place that generally allows adjacent family seating as described under 
this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Young Child.--In this section, the term ``young 
child'' means an individual who has not attained 14 years of 
age.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 716. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF AVIATION CONSUMER 
              PROTECTION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 102 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (e)(1)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                (A), by striking ``7'' and inserting ``8''; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and 
                an Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy'' and 
                inserting ``an Assistant Secretary for Transportation 
                Policy, and an Assistant Secretary for Aviation 
                Consumer Protection''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(j) Office of Aviation Consumer Protection.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Establishment.--There is established in the 
        Department an Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (referred 
        to in this subsection as the `Office') to administer and 
        enforce the aviation consumer protection and civil rights 
        authorities provided to the Department by statute, including 
        those under section 41712--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) to assist, educate, and protect 
                passengers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) to monitor compliance with, conduct 
                investigations relating to, and enforce, including by 
                taking appropriate action to address violations of, 
                aviation consumer protection, civil rights, and 
                aviation economic requirements; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) to promulgate, as appropriate, 
                aviation consumer protection and civil rights 
                regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Leadership.--The Office shall be headed by 
        the Assistant Secretary for Aviation Consumer Protection 
        (referred to in this subsection as the `Assistant 
        Secretary').</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Transition.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the date of enactment of this subsection, the Office of 
        Aviation Consumer Protection that is a unit within the Office 
        of the General Counsel of the Department which is headed by the 
        Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Consumer Protection, 
        shall cease to exist. The Department shall determine which 
        employees are necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the 
        new Office of Aviation Consumer Protection and those employees 
        shall be transferred from the Office of the General Counsel as 
        appropriate to the newly established Office of Aviation 
        Consumer Protection. To the extent the Office of the General 
        Counsel retains any attorney or hires any new attorney to 
        advise the newly established Office of Aviation Consumer 
        Protection, those attorneys will be located in the remaining 
        offices within the Office of the General Counsel.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Coordination.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
        coordinate with the General Counsel appointed under subsection 
        (e)(1)(E), in accordance with section 1.26 of title 49, Code of 
        Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), on all legal 
        matters relating to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) aviation consumer protection; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the duties and activities of the 
                Office described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of 
                paragraph (1).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) Annual report.--The Assistant Secretary 
        shall submit to the Secretary, who shall submit to Congress and 
        make publicly available on the website of the Department, an 
        annual report that, with respect to matters under the 
        jurisdiction of the Department, or otherwise within the 
        statutory authority of the Department--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) analyzes trends in aviation consumer 
                protection, civil rights, and licensing;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) identifies major challenges facing 
                passengers; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) addresses any other relevant issues, 
                as the Assistant Secretary determines to be 
                appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) Funding.--There is authorized to be 
        appropriated $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, $13,000,000 for 
        fiscal year 2025, $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, $15,000,000 
        for fiscal year 2027, and $16,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2028.''.</DELETED>

              <DELETED>Subtitle B--Accessibility</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 731. EXTENSION OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE AIR 
              TRAVEL NEEDS OF PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 439(g) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 
U.S.C. 41705 note) is amended by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
``2028''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 732. MODERNIZATION AND IMPROVEMENTS TO AIRCRAFT 
              EVACUATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        conduct a study on improvements to the safety and efficiency of 
        evacuation standards for manufacturers and carriers of 
        transport category airplanes, as described in parts 25 and 121 
        of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Requirements.--The study required by 
                paragraph (1) shall include--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) a prospective risk analysis, 
                        as well as an evaluation of relevant past 
                        incidents with respect to evacuation safety and 
                        evacuation standards;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) an assessment of the 
                        evacuation testing procedures described in 
                        section 25.803 of such title 14, as well as 
                        recommendations for how to revise such testing 
                        procedures to ensure that the testing 
                        procedures assess, in a safe manner, the 
                        ability of passengers with disabilities, 
                        including those who use wheelchairs or other 
                        mobility assistive devices, to safely and 
                        efficiently evacuate an aircraft;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) an assessment of the 
                        evacuation demonstration procedures described 
                        in such part 121, as well as recommendations 
                        for how to improve such demonstration 
                        procedures to ensure that the demonstration 
                        procedures assess, in a safe manner, the 
                        ability of passengers with disabilities, 
                        including those who use wheelchairs or other 
                        mobility assistive devices, to safely to 
                        efficiently evacuate an aircraft;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) the research proposed in 
                        National Transportation Safety Board Safety 
                        Recommendation A-18-009; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) any other analysis determined 
                        appropriate by the Administrator.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Considerations.--In conducting the 
                study under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall 
                assess the following:</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) The ability of passengers of 
                        different ages (including infants, children, 
                        and senior citizens) to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) The ability of passengers of 
                        different heights and weights to safely and 
                        efficiently evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) The ability of passengers 
                        with disabilities to safety and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) The ability of passengers who 
                        cannot speak, have difficulty speaking, use 
                        synthetic speech, or are non-vocal or non-
                        verbal to safely and efficiently evacuate a 
                        transport category airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) The ability of passengers who 
                        do not speak English to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vi) The impact of the presence of 
                        carry-on luggage and personal items (such as a 
                        purse, briefcase, laptop, or backpack) on the 
                        ability of passengers to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (vii) The impact of seat size and 
                        passenger seating space and pitch on the 
                        ability of passengers to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (viii) The impact of seats and 
                        other obstacles in the pathway to the exit 
                        opening from the nearest aisle on the ability 
                        of passengers to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ix) With respect to aircraft with 
                        parallel longitudinal aisles, the impact of 
                        seat pods or other seating configurations that 
                        block access between such aisles within a cabin 
                        on the ability of passengers to safely and 
                        efficiently evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (x) The impact of passenger load 
                        (the number of passengers relative to the 
                        number of seats on board the aircraft) on the 
                        ability of passengers to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (xi) The impact of service animals 
                        on the ability of passengers (including such 
                        service animals and their handlers) to safely 
                        and efficiently evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (xii) Whether an applicant for a 
                        type certificate (as defined in section 
                        44704(e)(7) of title 49, United States Code) 
                        should be required to demonstrate compliance 
                        with FAA emergency evacuation regulations (as 
                        described in section 25.803 and Appendix J of 
                        part 25 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                        Regulations) through live testing when the 
                        Administrator determines that the new aircraft 
                        design is significant.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (xiii) Any other factor determined 
                        appropriate by the Administrator.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Passengers with disabilities 
                defined.--For purposes of this paragraph, the term 
                ``passengers with disabilities'' means any qualified 
                individual with a disability, as defined in section 
                382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                Regulations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Aviation Rulemaking Committee for Evacuation 
Standards.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        completion of the study under subsection (a), the Administrator 
        shall establish an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (in this 
        section referred to as the ``Committee'') to review the 
        findings of the study and develop and submit to the 
        Administrator recommendations regarding improvements to the 
        evacuation standards described in parts 25 and 121 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Composition.--The Committee shall consist of 
        members appointed by the Administrator, including the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Representatives of industry.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Representatives of aviation labor 
                organizations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Aviation safety experts with specific 
                knowledge of the evacuation standards and requirements 
                under such parts 25 and 121.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Representatives of the disability 
                community with specific knowledge of accessibility 
                standards regarding evacuations in emergency 
                circumstances.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Representatives of the senior citizen 
                community.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) Representatives of 
                pediatricians.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Considerations.--In reviewing the findings of 
        the study under subsection (a) and developing recommendations 
        regarding the improvement of the evacuation standards, the 
        Committee shall consider the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) The recommendations made by any prior 
                Aviation Rulemaking Committee regarding the evacuation 
                standards described in such parts 25 and 121.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Scientific data derived from the study 
                under subsection (a).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Any data gathered from aviation safety 
                reporting programs.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) The cost-benefit analysis and risk 
                analysis of any recommended standards.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Any other item determined appropriate 
                by the Committee.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date on which the Committee submits recommendations under subsection 
(b), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the findings of the study conducted under 
        subsection (a);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the recommendations of the Committee under 
        subsection (b); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the Administrator's plan, if any, to implement 
        such recommendations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Rulemaking.--Not later than 90 days after submitting 
the report to Congress under subsection (c), the Administrator shall 
issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement the recommendations 
of the Committee that the Administrator deems appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 733. IMPROVED TRAINING STANDARDS FOR ASSISTING PASSENGERS 
              WHO USE WHEELCHAIRS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Rulemaking.--The Secretary shall conduct a rulemaking 
to develop requirements for minimum training standards for airline 
personnel or contractors who assist wheelchair users who must board or 
deplane using an aisle chair or other boarding device.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirements.--The training standards developed under 
subsection (a) shall require, at a minimum, that airline personnel or 
contractors--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) complete refresher training every 6 months and 
        be recertified yearly on the job by a superior in order to 
        remain qualified for providing aisle chair assistance; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) be able to successfully demonstrate the each 
        of following skills in hands-on training sessions before being 
        allowed to board or deplane a passenger using an aisle chair or 
        other boarding device:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) How to safely use the aisle chair, or 
                other boarding device, including the use of all straps, 
                brakes, and other safety features.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) How to assist in the transfer of 
                passengers to and from their wheelchair, the aisle 
                chair, and the aircraft's passenger seat, either by 
                physically lifting the passenger or deploying a 
                mechanical device for the lift or transfer.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) How to effectively communicate with, 
                and take instruction from, the passenger.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Considerations.--In conducting the rulemaking under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) whether to require air carriers and foreign 
        air carriers to partner with national disability organizations 
        and disabled veterans organizations representing individuals 
        with disabilities who use wheelchairs and scooters in 
        administering and auditing training;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) whether to require air carriers and foreign 
        air carriers to use a lift device, instead of an aisle chair, 
        to board and deplane passengers with mobility 
        disabilities;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) whether air carriers and foreign air carriers 
        should be required to use their own personnel instead of 
        contractors for boarding passengers with limited or no 
        mobility; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) whether individuals able to provide boarding 
        and deplaning assistance for passengers with limited or no 
        mobility should receive training from medical professionals on 
        how to properly lift these passengers.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Final Rule.--Not later than 12 months after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a final rule 
pursuant to the rulemaking conducted under this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Penalties.--The Secretary may assess a civil penalty 
in accordance with section 46301 of title 49, United States Code, to 
any air carrier or foreign air carrier who fails to meet the 
requirements established under the final rule under subsection 
(d).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 734. TRAINING STANDARDS FOR STOWAGE OF WHEELCHAIRS AND 
              SCOOTERS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Rulemaking.--The Secretary shall conduct a rulemaking 
to develop minimum training standards related to stowage of wheelchairs 
and scooters on aircraft.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirements.--The training standards developed under 
subsection (a) shall require, at a minimum, that airline personnel or 
contractors--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) complete refresher training every 6 months and 
        be recertified yearly on the job by a superior in order to 
        remain qualified for handling and stowing wheelchairs and 
        scooters; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) be able to successfully demonstrate the each 
        of following skills in hands-on training sessions before being 
        allowed to handle or stow a wheelchair or scooter:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) How to properly handle and configure, 
                at a minimum, the most commonly used power and manual 
                wheelchairs and scooters for stowage on each aircraft 
                type operated by the air carrier or foreign air 
                carrier.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) How to properly review any wheelchair 
                or scooter information provided by the passenger or the 
                assistive device manufacturer.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) How to properly load, secure, and 
                unload wheelchairs and scooters, including how to use 
                any specialized equipment for loading or unloading, on 
                each aircraft type operated by the air carrier or 
                foreign air carrier.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Considerations.--In conducting the rulemaking under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) whether to require air carriers and foreign 
        air carriers to partner with wheelchair manufacturers, national 
        disability and disabled veterans organizations representing 
        individuals who use wheelchairs and scooters, and aircraft 
        manufacturers, in administering and auditing training; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) whether air carriers and foreign air carriers 
        should require personnel or contractors to use specialized 
        equipment in loading and unloading wheelchairs and 
        scooters.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Final Rule.--Not later than 12 months after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a final rule 
pursuant to the rulemaking conducted under this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Penalties.--The Secretary may assess a civil penalty 
in accordance with section 46301 of title 49, United States Code, to 
any air carrier or foreign air carrier who fails to meet the 
requirements established under the final rule under subsection 
(d).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 735. MOBILITY AIDS ON BOARD IMPROVE LIVES AND EMPOWER ALL 
              ACT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Publication of Information Related to Powered 
Wheelchairs.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Advisory circular.--Not later than 1 year 
        after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary 
        shall issue an advisory circular that provides guidance to air 
        carriers and foreign air carriers (as defined in section 40102 
        of title 49, United States Code) on publishing information 
        related to powered wheelchairs on the website of such carrier, 
        including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) information describing the dimensions 
                of the cargo holds of all aircraft types in the air 
                carrier's fleet, including the dimensions of the cargo 
                hold entry; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in the case of a qualified individual 
                with a disability (as defined in section 382.3 of title 
                14, Code of Federal Regulations) traveling with a 
                wheelchair (including a power wheelchair, manual 
                wheelchair, or scooter) who has purchased a ticket for 
                a flight from the air carrier but who cannot fly on the 
                existing aircraft because the wheelchair of such 
                qualified individual cannot fit in the cargo hold, 
                information regarding the process for such qualified 
                individual to get a refund of any previously paid 
                fares, fees, and taxes applicable to such 
                flight.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirement.--Not later than 18 months after 
        the date of enactment of this section, each air carrier and 
        foreign air carrier shall be required to publish, on a 
        prominent and easily accessible place on the website of the 
        carrier, the information described in the advisory circular 
        issued under paragraph (1).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Evaluation of Data Regarding Mishandled Wheelchairs.--
Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this section, 
and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) evaluate data (which shall be delineated by 
        type of wheelchair being mishandled, such as power wheelchairs, 
        manual wheelchairs, and scooters, and by type of mishandling, 
        such as damage (including the type of damage, such as broken 
        drive wheels or casters, bent or broken frames, damage to 
        electrical connectors or wires, control input devices, 
        joysticks, upholstery, or other components, and any other type 
        of damage deemed appropriate by the Secretary), delay, or loss) 
        regarding the frequency of mishandling of wheelchairs (as 
        defined in section 37.3 of title 49, Code of Federal 
        Regulations) occurring on aircraft;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) determine whether there are issues with 
        respect to such frequency and type of mishandling; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) review and report any claims for which an air 
        carrier has conclusive evidence of fraud.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report on Mishandled Wheelchairs.--Not later than 6 
months after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report (which shall 
be made publicly available on the website of the Department of 
Transportation) regarding the results of each such evaluation and 
determination under subsection (b), including how the Secretary plans 
to address such results through consultation with air carriers, 
wheelchair manufacturers, national disability and disabled veterans 
organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Feasibility of In-cabin Wheelchair Restraint 
Systems.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Roadmap.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a publicly available 
        strategic roadmap that describes how the Department of 
        Transportation and the United States Access Board, 
        respectively, shall, in accordance with the recommendations 
        from the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and 
        Mathematics Transportation Research Board Special Report 341--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) establish a program of research, in 
                collaboration with the Rehabilitation Engineering and 
                Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), 
                the assistive technology industry, air carriers, 
                original equipment manufacturers, national disability 
                and disabled veterans organizations, and any other 
                relevant stakeholders, to test and evaluate an 
                appropriate selection of WC19-compliant wheelchairs and 
                accessories in accordance with applicable FAA 
                crashworthiness and safety performance criteria, 
                including the issues and considerations set forth in 
                Special Report 341; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) sponsor studies that assess issues and 
                considerations, including those set forth in Special 
                Report 341, such as--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the likely demand for air 
                        travel by individuals who are nonambulatory if 
                        such individuals could remain seated in their 
                        personal wheelchairs in flight; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the feasibility of 
                        implementing seating arrangements that would 
                        accommodate passengers in wheelchairs in the 
                        main cabin in flight.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Study.--If determined to be technically 
        feasible by the Secretary, not later than 2 years after making 
        such determination, the Secretary shall commence a study to 
        assess the economic and financial feasibility of air carriers 
        and foreign air carriers implementing seating arrangements that 
        accommodate passengers with wheelchairs (including power 
        wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, and scooters) in the main 
        cabin during flight. Such study shall include an assessment 
        of--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the cost of such seating arrangements, 
                equipment, and installation;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the demand for such seating 
                arrangements;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the impact of such seating 
                arrangements on passenger seating and safety on 
                aircraft;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the impact of such seating 
                arrangements on the cost of operations and airfare; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) any other information determined 
                appropriate by the Secretary.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        on which the study under paragraph (2) is completed, the 
        Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
        Congress a publicly available report describing the results of 
        the study conducted under paragraph (2), together with any 
        recommendations the Secretary determines appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 736. PRIORITIZING ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR 
              AVIATION CONSUMERS ACT OF 2023.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary 
shall submit a report on aviation consumer complaints related to 
passengers with a disability filed with the Department of 
Transportation to the appropriate committees of Congress, and shall 
make each annual report publicly available.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Each annual report submitted under subsection 
(a) shall include, but not be limited to, the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The number of aviation consumer complaints 
        reported to the Secretary related to passengers with a 
        disability filed with the Department of Transportation during 
        the 5 most recent calendar years.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The nature of such complaints, such as 
        reported issues with--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) an air carrier, including an air 
                carrier's staff training or lack thereof;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) mishandling of passengers with a 
                disability or their accessibility equipment;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the condition or lack of accessibility 
                equipment or materials;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) the accessibility of in-flight 
                services, including accessing and utilizing on-board 
                lavatories, for passengers with a disability;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) difficulties experienced by passengers 
                with a disability in communicating with an air carrier 
                or staff of an air carrier;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) difficulties experienced by passengers 
                with a disability in being moved, handled, or having 
                their schedule changed without consent;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) issues experienced by passengers with 
                a disability traveling with a service animal; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (H) such other issues as the Secretary 
                deems appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) An overview of the review process for such 
        complaints received during such period.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) The median length of time for how quickly 
        review such complaints were initiated.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) The median length of time for how quickly such 
        complaints were resolved or otherwise addressed.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Of the complaints that were found to violate 
        section 41705 of title 49, United States Code, (commonly known 
        as the ``Air Carrier Access Act of 1986'')--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the number of such complaints for 
                which a formal enforcement order was issued; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the number of such complaints for 
                which a formal enforcement order was not 
                issued.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) How many aviation consumer complaints related 
        to passengers with a disability were referred to the Department 
        of Justice for an enforcement action under--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
                of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 
                1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.); or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) any other provision of law.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) How many aviation consumer complaints related 
        to passengers with a disability filed with the Department of 
        Transportation that involved airport staff, or other matters 
        under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration, 
        were referred to the Federal Aviation Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Definitions.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The definitions set forth in 
        section 40102 of title 49, United States Code, and section 
        382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, apply to any 
        term defined in such sections that is used in this 
        section.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Passengers with a disability defined.--In this 
        section, the term ``passengers with a disability'' has the 
        meaning given the term ``qualified individual with a 
        disability'' in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 737. TRANSPORTATION OF ORGANS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Handling of Organs on Aircraft.--Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in 
coordination with relevant Federal agencies and stakeholders, shall 
issue a rulemaking to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) establish a safe, standardized process for a 
        commercial airline's acceptance, handling, management, and 
        transportation of an organ in the cabin of an 
        aircraft;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) require each commercial airline to establish a 
        protocol to ensure the safe and timely transport of an organ in 
        the cabin of the aircraft, including through any connecting 
        flight; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) identify metrics regarding the handling of 
        organs by commercial airlines in order to increase transparency 
        and aid the development of best practices and improvement 
        initiatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Definition of Organ.--For purposes of this section, 
the term ``organ''--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) has the meaning given such term in section 
        121.2 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) includes organ-related tissue.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 738. ACCESS AND DIGNITY FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL 
              ACT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the 
``Access and Dignity for All People Who Travel Act of 2023''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Air carrier.--The term ``air carrier'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United 
        States Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Foreign air carrier.--The term ``foreign air 
        carrier'' has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of 
        title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Qualified individual with a disability.--The 
        term ``qualified individual with a disability'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Service animal.--The term ``service animal'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 382.3 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Seating Accommodations for Qualified Individuals With 
Disabilities.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Advanced notice of proposed 
                rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
                enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue an 
                advanced notice of proposed rulemaking regarding 
                seating accommodations for any qualified individual 
                with a disability.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Notice of proposed rulemaking.--Not 
                later than 1 year after the date on which the advanced 
                notice of proposed rulemaking under subparagraph (A) is 
                completed, the Secretary shall issue a notice of 
                proposed rulemaking regarding seating accommodations 
                for any qualified individual with a 
                disability.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Final rule.--Not later than 1 year 
                after the date on which the notice of proposed 
                rulemaking under subparagraph (B) is completed, the 
                Secretary shall issue a final rule regarding seating 
                accommodations for any qualified individual with a 
                disability.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirements.--In carrying out any rulemaking 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) The scope and anticipated number of 
                qualified individuals with a disability who--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) may need to be seated with a 
                        companion to receive assistance during a 
                        flight; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) should be afforded bulkhead 
                        seats or other seating 
                        considerations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) The types of disabilities that may 
                need seating accommodations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Whether such qualified individuals 
                with a disability are unable to obtain, or have 
                difficulty obtaining, such a seat.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) The scope and anticipated number of 
                individuals assisting a qualified individual with a 
                disability who should be afforded an adjoining seat 
                pursuant to section 382.81 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                Regulations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Any notification given to qualified 
                individuals with a disability regarding available 
                seating accommodations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) Any method that is adequate to 
                identify fraudulent claims for seating 
                accommodations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) Any other information determined 
                appropriate by the Secretary.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Known Service Animal User Travel Pilot Program.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Pilot program.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Establishment.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) In general.--The Secretary 
                        shall establish a pilot program to allow 
                        approved program participants as known service 
                        animal users for the purpose of exemption from 
                        the documentation requirements under part 382 
                        of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, with 
                        respect to air travel with a service 
                        animal.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) Requirements.--The pilot 
                        program established under clause (i) shall--
                        </DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) be optional;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) provide to applicants 
                                assistance, including over-the-phone 
                                assistance, throughout the application 
                                process for the program;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (III) with respect to any 
                                web-based components of the pilot 
                                program, meet or exceed the standards 
                                described in section 508 of the 
                                Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
                                794d) and the regulations implementing 
                                that Act as set forth in part 1194 of 
                                title 36, Code of Federal Regulations; 
                                and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (IV) exempt participants 
                                of the pilot program from any 
                                documentation requirements under part 
                                382 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                                Regulations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Consultation.--In establishing the 
                pilot program under subparagraph (A), the Secretary 
                shall consult with--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) disability advocacy entities, 
                        including nonprofit organizations focused on 
                        ensuring that individuals with disabilities are 
                        able to live and participate in their 
                        communities;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) air carriers and foreign air 
                        carriers;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) accredited service animal 
                        training programs and authorized registrars, 
                        such as the International Guide Dog Federation, 
                        Assistance Dogs International, and other 
                        similar organizations and foreign and domestic 
                        governmental registrars of service 
                        animals;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iv) other relevant departments or 
                        agencies of the Federal Government; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (v) other entities determined to 
                        be appropriate by the Secretary.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Eligibility.--To be eligible to 
                participate in the pilot program under this paragraph, 
                an individual shall--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) be a qualified individual with 
                        a disability;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) require the use of a service 
                        animal because of a disability; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) submit an application to the 
                        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
                        containing such information as the Secretary 
                        may require.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) Clarification.--The Secretary may 
                award a grant or enter into a contract or cooperative 
                agreement in order to carry out this 
                paragraph.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) Nominal fee.--The Secretary may 
                require an applicant to pay a nominal fee (not to 
                exceed $25) to participate in the pilot 
                program.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) Reports to congress.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) Planning report.--Not later 
                        than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
                        section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
                        appropriate committees of Congress a publicly 
                        available report describing the implementation 
                        plan for the pilot program under this 
                        paragraph.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) Annual report.--Not later 
                        than 1 year after the establishment of the 
                        pilot program under this paragraph, and 
                        annually thereafter until the date described in 
                        subparagraph (G), the Secretary shall submit to 
                        the appropriate committees of Congress a 
                        publicly available report on the progress of 
                        the pilot program.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) Final report.--Not later 
                        than 5 years after the date of enactment of 
                        this section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
                        appropriate committees of Congress a publicly 
                        available final report that includes 
                        recommendations for the establishment and 
                        implementation of a permanent known service 
                        animal user travel program for the Federal 
                        Government.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) Sunset.--The pilot program shall 
                terminate on the date that is 5 years after the date of 
                enactment of this section.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Accredited service animal training programs 
        and authorized registrars.--Not later than 6 months after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall publish 
        on the website of the Department of Transportation and maintain 
        a list of--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) accredited programs that train service 
                animals; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) authorized registrars that evaluate 
                service animals.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Report to congress on service animal 
        requests.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
        this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on 
        requests for air travel with service animals, including--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) during the reporting period, how many 
                requests to board an aircraft with a service animal 
                were made; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the number and percentage of such 
                requests, categorized by type of request, that were 
                reported by air carriers or foreign air carriers as--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) granted;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) denied; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) fraudulent.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Training.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days 
                after the date of enactment of this section, the 
                Secretary shall, in consultation with the Air Carrier 
                Access Act Advisory Committee, issue guidance regarding 
                improvements to training for airline personnel 
                (including contractors) in recognizing when a qualified 
                individual with a disability is traveling with a 
                service animal.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Requirements.--The guidance issued 
                under paragraph (1) shall--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) take into account respectful 
                        engagement with and assistance for individuals 
                        with a wide range of visible and non-visible 
                        disabilities;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) provide information on--
                        </DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) service animal 
                                behavior and whether the service animal 
                                is appropriately harnessed, leashed, or 
                                otherwise tethered; and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) the various types of 
                                service animals, such as guide dogs, 
                                hearing or signal dogs, psychiatric 
                                service dogs, sensory or social signal 
                                dogs, and seizure response dogs; 
                                and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) outline the rights and 
                        responsibilities of the handler of the service 
                        animal.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 739. EQUAL ACCESSIBILITY TO PASSENGER PORTALS 
              ACT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Applications and Information Communication 
Technologies.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Rulemaking.--Not later than 6 months after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a 
        notice of proposed rulemaking to ensure that customer-focused 
        websites, applications, and information communication 
        technologies (including those used to notify any individual 
        with a disability of changes to flight information (such as 
        delays, gate changes, or boarding announcements), passenger 
        safety information, or in-flight services and updates) of an 
        air carrier, foreign air carrier, or airport are 
        accessible.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Final rule.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
        promulgate a final rule for the purposes described in paragraph 
        (1).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Considerations.--In any rulemaking under this 
        subsection, the Secretary--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) shall consider--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the standards described in 
                        section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
                        (29 U.S.C. 794d); and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the regulations implementing 
                        that Act as set forth in part 1194 of title 36, 
                        Code of Federal Regulations; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) may consider--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) additional standards, 
                        including those provided in the Web Content 
                        Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA of the 
                        Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide 
                        Web Consortium (or subsequent versions); 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the technical capabilities of 
                        the information communication 
                        technology.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Consultation.--For purposes of this section, 
        the Secretary may consult with the Architectural and 
        Transportation Barriers Compliance Board and any other relevant 
        department or agency to determine appropriate accessibility 
        standards.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Review.--Not later than 5 years after 
        promulgating the final rule under paragraph (2), and every 5 
        years thereafter, the Secretary shall review the rules issued 
        under this subsection and update such rules as 
        necessary.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Audit.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Initial audit.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Requirement.--Not later than 1 year 
                after the date on which the Secretary promulgates the 
                final rule under subsection (a)(2), and subsequently 
                thereafter as described in paragraph (3), the Secretary 
                shall commence an audit of each customer-focused 
                website, application, or information communication 
                technology of an air carrier, foreign air carrier, or 
                airport for the purpose of informing improvements that 
                ensure any individual with a disability has equal 
                access to travel, in accordance with such final rule. 
                Such audit shall be limited to a review of the 
                following:</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) The accessibility of any 
                        customer-focused website or application of an 
                        air carrier, foreign air carrier, or 
                        airport.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) The accessibility of the 
                        information communication technology an air 
                        carrier, foreign air carrier, or airport uses 
                        to--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (I) notify any individual 
                                with a disability of changes to flight 
                                information (such as delays, gate 
                                changes, or boarding announcements); 
                                or</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    (II) provide services to 
                                such individual, such as checking in, 
                                printing a boarding pass, or printing a 
                                luggage tag.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) Other relevant information, 
                        as determined by the Secretary in consultation 
                        with stakeholders from the disability 
                        community, air carriers, foreign air carriers, 
                        airports, and other relevant 
                        stakeholders.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Notice.--Not later than 9 months 
                before commencing any audit under subparagraph (A), the 
                Secretary shall notify any entity being audited and 
                publish in a prominent place on the website of the 
                Department of Transportation and in an accessible 
                manner, information regarding such audit, including--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) a notice of the 
                        audit;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the standards that the 
                        customer-focused website, application, or 
                        information communication technology of an air 
                        carrier, foreign air carrier, or airport must 
                        meet; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) the potential civil 
                        penalties that may be assessed for 
                        noncompliance with such standards.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Clarification.--The Secretary may--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) award a grant or enter into a contract 
                or cooperative agreement in order to carry out the 
                audits required under paragraph (1); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) require any air carrier, foreign air 
                carrier, or airport audited under this section to 
                provide to the Secretary such information as the 
                Secretary requires to carry out any such 
                audit.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Subsequent audits.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Large air carriers, large hub 
                airports, and medium hub airports.--For purposes of 
                paragraph (1), after the initial audit described in 
                such paragraph, the Secretary shall conduct subsequent 
                audits every 3 years thereafter with respect to large 
                air carriers, large hub airports, and medium hub 
                airports.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Small air carriers.--For purposes of 
                paragraph (1), after the initial audit described in 
                such paragraph, the Secretary shall conduct subsequent 
                audits every 5 years thereafter with respect to small 
                air carriers.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after commencing any 
audit under subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a publicly-available report 
containing the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The number of air carriers, foreign air 
        carriers, and airports audited during the reporting 
        period.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) The number of violations per type of operator 
        (air carrier, foreign air carrier, and airport) during the 
        reporting period.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) An analysis of the number and type of 
        violations (such as lack of captions, audio descriptions, image 
        descriptions), with such types being at the discretion of the 
        Secretary.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Recommendations for such legislation and 
        administrative action as the Secretary determines 
        appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Penalties.--Upon completing an audit conducted under 
subsection (b), the Secretary may assess a civil penalty in accordance 
with section 46301 of title 49, United States Code, to any air carrier, 
foreign air carrier, or airport that utilizes a customer-focused 
website, application, or information communication technology that is 
not accessible, as determined by the Secretary.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Air carrier.--The term ``air carrier'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United 
        States Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Airport.--The term ``airport'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States 
        Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Application.--The term ``application'' means 
        software that is designed to run on a device, including a 
        smartphone, tablet, self-service kiosk, wearable technology 
        item, or laptop or desktop computer, or another device, 
        including a device developed after the date of enactment of 
        this section, and that is designed to perform, or to help the 
        user perform, a specific task.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Foreign air carrier.--The term ``foreign air 
        carrier'' has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of 
        title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Individual with a disability.--The term 
        ``individual with a disability'' has the meaning given that 
        term in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Information communication technology.--The 
        term ``information communication technology''--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) means any equipment, system, 
                technology, or process for which the principal function 
                is the creation, manipulation, storage, display, 
                receipt, or transmission of relevant electronic data 
                and information, as well as any associated content; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) includes a computer and peripheral 
                equipment, an information kiosk or transaction machine, 
                telecommunications equipment, customer premises 
                equipment, a multifunction office machine, software, a 
                video, or an electronic document.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Large air carrier.--The term ``large air 
        carrier'' means an air carrier or foreign air carrier operating 
        under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that 
        operates an aircraft with 125 passenger seats or 
        more.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) Large hub airport.--The term ``large hub 
        airport'' has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of 
        title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) Medium hub airport.--The term ``medium hub 
        airport'' has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of 
        title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (10) Small air carrier.--The term ``small air 
        carrier'' means an air carrier or foreign air carrier operating 
        under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that 
        operates an aircraft with less than 125 passenger 
        seats.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 740. STORE ON-BOARD WHEELCHAIRS IN CABIN ACT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Requirements.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--In the case an aircraft that is 
        required to be equipped with an on-board wheelchair in 
        accordance with section 382.65 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, an air carrier and a foreign air carrier shall 
        provide in a prominent place on a publicly available internet 
        website of the carrier, and in any place where a passenger can 
        make a reservation, information regarding the rights and 
        responsibilities of both passengers on such aircraft and the 
        air carrier or foreign air carrier, including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) that an air carrier or foreign air 
                carrier is required to equip aircraft that have more 
                than 60 passenger seats and that have an accessible 
                lavatory (whether or not having such a lavatory is 
                required by section 382.63 of such title 14) with an 
                on-board wheelchair unless an exception described in 
                such section 382.65 applies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) that a qualified individual with a 
                disability may request an on-board wheelchair on 
                aircraft with more than 60 passenger seats even if the 
                lavatory is not accessible and that the basis of such 
                request must be that the individual can use an 
                inaccessible lavatory but cannot reach it from a seat 
                without using an on-board wheelchair;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) that the air carrier or foreign air 
                carrier may require the qualified individual with a 
                disability to provide the advance notice specified in 
                section 382.27 of such title 14 in order for the 
                individual to be provided with the on-board wheelchair; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) if the air carrier or foreign air 
                carrier requires the advance notice described in 
                subparagraph (C), information on how a qualified 
                individual with a disability can make such a 
                request.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Annual training.--An air carrier and a foreign 
        air carriers shall require that all personnel who regularly 
        interact with the traveling public, including contractors, 
        complete annual training regarding assisting qualified 
        individual with a disability, including regarding the 
        availability of accessible lavatories and on-board wheelchairs 
        and such individual's right to request an on-board 
        wheelchair.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Public awareness campaign.--The Secretary 
        shall conduct a public awareness campaign on the rights of 
        qualified individuals with a disability, including with respect 
        to accessible lavatories and such individual's right to request 
        an on-board wheelchair in accordance section 382.65 of title 
        14, Code of Federal Regulations .</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Qualified individual with a disability 
        defined.--In this subsection, the term ``qualified individual 
        with a disability'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Penalties.--The Secretary may assess a civil 
        penalty in accordance with section 46301 of title 49, United 
        States Code, to any air carrier or foreign air carrier who 
        fails to meet the requirements under paragraph (1) or 
        (2).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Increased Civil Penalties.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Section 46301(a)(7) of title 49, 
        United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking 
                ``to harm''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subparagraph (A)--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) in the heading, by striking 
                        ``bodily harm or damage to wheelchair or other 
                        mobility aid'' and inserting ``damage to 
                        wheelchair or other mobility aid, bodily harm, 
                        or failure to equip aircraft with a 
                        wheelchair''; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) by striking ``or injury to a 
                        passenger with a disability'' and inserting ``, 
                        injury to a passenger with a disability, or a 
                        failure to equip an aircraft with an on-board 
                        wheelchair pursuant to section 382.65 of title 
                        14, Code of Federal Regulations (or a successor 
                        regulation)''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by 
        paragraph (1) shall apply to flights occurring on or after the 
        effective date of the revision described in subsection 
        (a).</DELETED>

         <DELETED>Subtitle C--Air Service Development</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 741. ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Definitions.--Section 41731 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Eligible Place Defined.--In this subchapter, the 
term `eligible place' means a place in the United States that--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) is at least 75 miles from the nearest medium 
        or large hub airport, if within the 48 contiguous states, which 
        shall not be waived;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) had an average of 10 enplanements per 
        service day or more, as determined by the Secretary, during the 
        most recent fiscal year;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) during the most recent fiscal year had an 
        average subsidy per passenger, as determined by the Secretary, 
        of--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) less than $500 for locations that 
                are less than 175 driving miles from the nearest large 
                or medium hub airport; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) less than $1,000 for all locations, 
                regardless of driving distance to a hub; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) is a community that, at any time during the 
        period between September 30, 2010, and September 30, 2011, 
        inclusive--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) received essential air service for 
                which compensation was provided to an air carrier under 
                this subchapter; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) received notice of intent to 
                terminate essential air service and the Secretary 
                required the air carrier to continue to provide such 
                service to the community.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``subsection 
        (a)(1) of this section'' and inserting ``subsection 
        (a)'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``Subparagraphs 
        (B), (C), and (D) of subsection (a)(1)'' and inserting 
        ``Paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (a)'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) in subsection (d), by striking ``Subsection 
        (a)(1)(B)'' and inserting ``Subsection (a)(2)'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Waivers.--The Secretary may waive, on an annual 
basis, subsection (a)(2) or subsection (a)(3)(A) with respect to a 
location if the location demonstrates to the Secretary's satisfaction 
that the reason the location averages fewer than 10 enplanements per 
day or has a subsidy higher than $500 per passenger is due to a 
temporary decline in demand; provided, that the Secretary may not 
provide more than 2 consecutive waivers of subsection (a)(2) or 
subsection (a)(3)(A) to any location.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) in subsection (f), by striking ``subsection 
        (a)(1)(B)'' and inserting ``subsection (a)(2)''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Improvements to Basic Essential Air Service.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Section 41732 of title 49, United 
        States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in subsection (a)(1), by striking 
                ``hub airport'' and all that follows through ``beyond 
                that airport'' and inserting ``medium or large hub 
                airport''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subsection (b)--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) in paragraph (2), by striking 
                        ``and at prices'' and all that follows through 
                        the period; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) by striking paragraphs (3) 
                        through (6).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Level of Basic Essential Air Service.--Section 41733 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (c)(1)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by striking subparagraph (B) and 
                inserting the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the contractual, marketing 
                arrangements, code-share, or interline arrangements the 
                applicant has made with a larger air carrier serving 
                the hub airport;'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking subparagraph (C) and 
                redesignating subparagraphs (D) through (F) as 
                subparagraphs (C) through (E), respectively;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) in subparagraph (D), as so 
                redesignated, by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) in subparagraph (E), as so 
                redesignated, by striking the period at the end and 
                inserting ``; and''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) by adding at the end the 
                following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) service provided in aircraft with at 
                least 2 engines and using 2 pilots.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (h), by striking ``by section 
        332 of the Department of Transportation and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2000 (Public Law 106-69; 113 Stat. 1022)'' 
        and inserting ``under section 41731(a)(3)''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Ending, Suspending, and Reducing Basic Essential Air 
Service.--Section 41734 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by striking ``An air carrier'' and 
                inserting ``Subject to subsection (d), an air 
                carrier''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by striking ``90'' and inserting 
                ``180'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Continuation of Compensation After Notice Period.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--If an air carrier receiving 
        compensation under section 41733 of this title for providing 
        basic essential air service to an eligible place is required to 
        continue to provide service to the place under this section 
        after the 180-day notice period under subsection (a) of this 
        section, the Secretary--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) shall provide the carrier with 
                compensation sufficient to pay to the carrier the 
                amount required by the then existing contract for 
                performing the basic essential air service that was 
                being provided when the 180-day notice was given under 
                subsection (a) of this section;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) may pay an additional amount that 
                represents a reasonable return on investment; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) may pay an additional return that 
                recognizes the demonstrated additional lost profits 
                from opportunities foregone and the likelihood that 
                those lost profits increase as the period during which 
                the carrier or provider is required to provide the 
                service continues.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Authority.--The Secretary may impose 
        contract termination penalties or conditions on compensation 
        that take effect in the event an air carrier provides notice 
        that it is ending, suspending, or reducing basic essential air 
        service.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (e), by striking ``providing 
        that service after the 90-day notice period'' and all that 
        follows through the period at the end of paragraph (2) and 
        inserting ``providing that service after the 180-day notice 
        period required by subsection (a), the Secretary may provide 
        the air carrier with compensation after the end of the 180-day 
        notice period to pay for the fully allocated actual cost to the 
        air carrier of performing the basic essential air service that 
        was being provided when the 180-day notice was given under 
        subsection (a) plus a reasonable return on investment that is 
        at least 5 percent of operating costs.''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) in subsection (f), by inserting ``air'' after 
        ``find another''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Enhanced Essential Air Service.--Section 41735 of 
title 49, United States Code, and the item relating to such section in 
the analysis for subchapter II of chapter 417 of such title, are 
repealed.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (f) Air Transportation to Noneligible Places.--Section 
41736 of title 49, United States Code, and the item relating to such 
section in the analysis for subchapter II of chapter 417 of such title, 
are repealed.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (g) Compensation Guidelines, Limitations, and Claims.--
Section 41737(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary 
        may''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking paragraph (2).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (h) Joint Proposals.--Section 41740 of title 49, United 
States Code, and the item relating to such section in the analysis for 
subchapter II of chapter 417 of such title, are repealed.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (i) Essential Air Service Authorization.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Section 41742(a) of title 49, 
        United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking 
                ``$50,000,000'' and inserting 
                ``$154,400,000'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking 
                ``$155,000,000 for fiscal year 2018,'' and all that 
                follows through ``2023'' and inserting ``$335,000,000 
                for fiscal year 2024, $340,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2025, $342,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, $342,000,000 
                for fiscal year 2027, and $350,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2028''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) by striking paragraph (3).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by 
        paragraph (1) shall take effect on October 1, 2023.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (j) Preservation of Basic Essential Air Service at Single 
Carrier Dominated Hub Airports.--Section 41744 of title 49, United 
States Code, and the item relating to such section in the analysis for 
subchapter II of chapter 417 of such title, are repealed.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (k) Community and Regional Choice Programs.--Section 41745 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking subparagraph 
        (E) and redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph 
        (E);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking subsections (b) and (c); 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by redesignating subsections (d) through (g) 
        as subsections (b) through (e), respectively.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (l) Marketing Program.--Section 41748 of title 49, United 
States Code, and the item relating to such section in the analysis for 
subchapter II of chapter 417 of such title, are repealed.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 742. SMALL COMMUNITY AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT 
              GRANTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 41743 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (c)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``10-
                year'' and inserting ``5-year''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in paragraph (5)(E), by inserting ``or 
                substantially reduced (as measured by enplanements, 
                capacity (seats), schedule, connections, or routes)'' 
                after ``terminated'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (d)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, 
                which shall begin with each new grant, including same-
                project new grants, and which shall be calculated on a 
                non-consecutive basis for air carriers that provide air 
                service that is seasonal'' after ``3 years'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' 
                after the semicolon;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking the 
                period and inserting ``; and''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) by adding at the end the 
                following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) to provide assistance to an airport where 
        air service has been terminated or substantially 
        reduced.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (e)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``or 
                the community's current air service needs'' after ``the 
                project'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking 
                ``$10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2018 through 
                2023'' and inserting ``$20,000,000 for each of fiscal 
                years 2024 through 2028'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) in subsection (g)(4), by striking ``and the 
        creation of aviation development zones''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) by striking subsections (f) and (h) and 
        redesignating subsection (g) (as amended by paragraph (4)) as 
        subsection (f).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 743. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON THE ALTERNATE ESSENTIAL AIR 
              SERVICE PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General shall study the 
effectiveness of the Alternate Essential Air Service program (in this 
section referred to as the ``Alternate EAS program''), including 
challenges if any that have impeded robust community participation in 
the Alternate EAS program. The study shall include an assessment of 
potential changes to the Alternate EAS program and the basic Essential 
Air Service programs under section 41731 of title 49, United States 
Code, wherein Governors of Essential Air Service eligible States and 
Puerto Rico are given block grants to distribute Essential Air Service 
funds to Essential Air Service eligible communities in their States and 
Puerto Rico.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall brief the 
appropriate committees of Congress on the study required by subsection 
(a), together with recommendations for such legislation and 
administrative action as the Comptroller General determines 
appropriate.</DELETED>

              <DELETED>TITLE VIII--NEW ENTRANTS</DELETED>

        <DELETED>Subtitle A--Unmanned Aircraft Systems</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 801. OFFICE OF ADVANCED AVIATION TECHNOLOGY AND 
              INNOVATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 106 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(u) Office of the Associate Administrator for Advanced 
Aviation Technology and Innovation.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Establishment.--There is established in the 
        Federal Aviation Administration the Office of Advanced Aviation 
        Technology and Innovation (in this subsection referred to as 
        the `Office').</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Associate administrator.--The Office shall 
        be headed by an Associate Administrator, who shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) be appointed by the Administrator; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) report directly to the 
                Administrator.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Purposes.--The purposes of the Office are 
        to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) serve as an entry point for 
                stakeholders to share information with the Federal 
                Aviation Administration on advanced aviation 
                technologies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) examine the potential impact of 
                advanced aviation technologies on the national airspace 
                system, and methods to safely integrate into the 
                national airspace system;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) work collaboratively with subject 
                matter experts from all lines of business and staff 
                offices to examine advanced aviation technologies and 
                concepts for integration into the national airspace 
                system in an expeditious manner that takes into account 
                acceptable levels of risk;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) lead cross-U.S. government 
                collaborative efforts to develop integrated approaches 
                for the acceleration and deployment of Advanced 
                Technologies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) provide leadership with regard to 
                internal collaboration, industry engagement, and 
                collaboration with international partners;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) lead cross-FAA integration, 
                planning, coordination, and collaboration in support of 
                the integration of advanced aviation technologies 
                ;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(G) support the development of safety 
                cases for advanced aviation technologies in 
                coordination with the operational approval office; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(H) coordinate and review approval of 
                advanced aviation technologies, including support to 
                and approval of any required rulemakings, exemptions, 
                waivers, or other types of authorizations, as 
                appropriate.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Duties.--The Associate Administrator shall--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) establish, manage, and oversee the 
                Office of Advanced Aviation Technology and 
                Innovation;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) develop and maintain a comprehensive 
                strategy and action plan for fully integrating advanced 
                aviation technologies into the national aviation 
                ecosystem and providing full authorization for 
                operations at scale for each of these 
                technologies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) collaborate with Federal Aviation 
                Administration organizations to identify and develop 
                specific recommendations to address skills gaps in the 
                existing engineer and inspector workforce involved in 
                the certification and operational approval of safety 
                technology;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) coordinate and review, as 
                appropriate, rulemaking activities related to advanced 
                aviation technologies, including by scoping complex 
                regulatory issues, evaluating internal processes, and 
                positioning the Federal Aviation Administration to 
                support aerospace innovation;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) coordinate and review, as 
                appropriate, applications for type, production, or 
                airworthiness certificates, or alternatives to 
                airworthiness certificates, operating and pilot 
                certification, and airspace authorizations, among 
                others, related to advanced aviation 
                technologies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) coordinate and review, as 
                appropriate, applications for waivers, exemptions and 
                other operational authorizations;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(G) coordinate and review the 
                implementation of the process required by section 2209 
                of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 
                (as amended) (49 U.S.C. 40101 note);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(H) coordinate with the Chief Operating 
                Officer of the Air Traffic Organization and other 
                agency leaders to develop policies to address airspace 
                integration issues at all levels of uncontrolled and 
                controlled airspace;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(I) implement the BEYOND program and the 
                UAS Test Site Program, among others, and develop other 
                pilot programs in partnership with industry 
                stakeholders and State, local, and Tribal Governments 
                to enable highly automated and autonomous operations of 
                Advanced Technologies unmanned aircraft systems, AAM, 
                and other innovative aviation technologies at scale by 
                providing the data necessary to support rulemakings and 
                other approval processes;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(J) serve as the designated Federal 
                officer to the Advanced Aviation Technology and 
                Innovation Steering Committee; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(K) serve as the Federal Aviation 
                Administration lead for the Drone Safety 
                Team.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) Congressional briefings.--Not later than 60 
        days after establishing the position in paragraph (1), and on a 
        quarterly basis thereafter, the Administrator shall brief the 
        appropriate committees of Congress on the status of--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) implementing the comprehensive 
                strategy and action plan for fully integrating advanced 
                aviation technologies into the national aviation 
                ecosystem and providing full authorization for 
                operations at scale for each of these 
                technologies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) rulemakings, major guidance 
                documents, and other agency pilot programs or 
                initiatives supporting the comprehensive strategy and 
                action plan;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) implementing recommendations from 
                the Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation 
                Steering Committee; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) engagement with international 
                aviation regulators to develop global standards for 
                advanced aviation technologies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) UAS integration office.--Not later than 90 
        days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the 
        functions, duties and responsibilities of the UAS Integration 
        Office shall be incorporated into the Office.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(7) Definitions.--In this subsection:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) AAM.--The term `AAM' has the meaning 
                given the term `advanced air mobility' in section 
                2(i)(1) of the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and 
                Leadership Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Advanced aviation technologies.--The 
                term `advanced aviation technologies' means 
                technologies for which introduction has potential 
                safety implications and shall include unmanned aircraft 
                systems, powered-lift aircraft, electric propulsion, 
                and super- and hypersonic aircraft.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 802. ADVANCED AVIATION TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION STEERING 
              COMMITTEE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish an 
Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation Steering Committee (in this 
section referred to as the ``Steering Committee'') to ensure the FAA's 
comprehensive strategy and action plan for fully integrating unmanned 
aircraft systems, AAM, and other innovative aviation technologies into 
the national aviation ecosystem and providing full authorization for 
operations at scale for each of these technologies as reflects the 
equities and interests of all stakeholders within the agency.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Chair.--The Associate Administrator for Advanced 
Aviation Technology and Innovation shall serve as the Chair of the 
Steering Committee.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Composition.--In addition to the Chair, the Steering 
Committee shall consist of at least 1 senior leader of each of the 
following FAA offices:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Aircraft Certification Service.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Flight Standards Service.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Air Traffic Organization.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Office of Accident Investigation and 
        Prevention.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) Office of Aerospace Medicine.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) Office of Airports.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) Office of Commercial Space.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) Office of Finance and Management.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (9) Office of NextGen or any successor 
        office.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (10) Office of the Chief Counsel.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (11) Office of Rulemaking.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (12) Office of Policy, International Affairs, and 
        Environment.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 803. BEYOND VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT OPERATIONS FOR UNMANNED 
              AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 44811. Beyond visual line of sight operations for 
              unmanned aircraft systems</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration (in this section referred to as the `Administrator') 
shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking establishing a regulatory 
pathway for certification or approval of unmanned aircraft systems to 
enable commercial beyond visual line of sight (in this section referred 
to as `BVLOS') operations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Consultation.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), in 
        promulgating the rule under subsection (a), the Administrator 
        shall implement the final report and recommendations of the 
        Beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee which 
        were submitted to the Administrator on March 10, 
        2022.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Exception.--If the Administrator determines 
        not to implement 1 or more of the recommendations described in 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator shall provide to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a statement of explanation 
        for such determination.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Final Rule.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after 
        the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        issue a final rule establishing a regulatory pathway for 
        certification or approval of unmanned aircraft systems to 
        enable commercial BVLOS operations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Requirements.--The final rule described in 
        paragraph (1) shall, at a minimum, do the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) Establish an applicable risk 
                assessment methodology for the authorization of BVLOS 
                unmanned aircraft system operations that includes 
                quantified measures of acceptability which sufficiently 
                account for the total air and ground risks associated 
                with such operations and the means for mitigating such 
                risks, taking into account an aircraft's size, weight, 
                speed, kinetic energy, operational capability, 
                proximity to airports and populated areas, operation 
                over people, and operation beyond the visual line of 
                sight, or operation during the day or night, including 
                consideration of unmanned aircraft using an approved or 
                accepted detect and avoid system appropriate for the 
                class and type of airspace in which the operation is 
                being conducted.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Establish remote pilot certification 
                standards for remote pilots for BVLOS operations, 
                taking into account varying levels of automated control 
                and management of unmanned aircraft system 
                flights.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Establish an airworthiness process 
                for small unmanned aircraft systems that requires a 
                manufacturer's declaration of compliance to a Federal 
                Aviation Administration accepted means of compliance, 
                which shall not require type or production 
                certification or the issuance of a special 
                airworthiness certificate.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) Establish a special airworthiness 
                certificate to be issued upon a manufacturer's 
                declaration of compliance to a Federal Aviation 
                Administration accepted means of compliance, which--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) shall not require type or 
                        production certification;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) shall, at least, govern 
                        airworthiness of any unmanned aircraft system 
                        that--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(I) is not--</DELETED>
                                        <DELETED>    ``(aa) a small 
                                        unmanned aircraft system; 
                                        and</DELETED>
                                        <DELETED>    ``(bb) appropriate 
                                        for the process described in 
                                        subparagraph (C), as determined 
                                        by the Administrator;</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(II) has a maximum gross 
                                weight of not more than 1,320 lbs; 
                                and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(III) has a maximum 
                                speed of 100 miles per hour; 
                                and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) may require unmanned 
                        aircraft systems subject to the certificate to 
                        operate in the national airspace system at 
                        altitudes below at least--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(I) 400 feet above 
                                ground level; or</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(II) with respect to an 
                                unmanned aircraft system flown within a 
                                400-foot radius of a structure, 400 
                                feet above the structure's immediate 
                                uppermost limit.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) Amend the Code of Federal 
                Regulations to establish generally applicable standards 
                for the type certification of unmanned aircraft systems 
                that the Administrator determines pose higher air or 
                ground risks such that those unmanned aircraft systems 
                are not appropriate for approvals under the processes 
                described in subparagraph (C) or (D).</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) Establish operating rules for--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) the operation of the 
                        unmanned aircraft systems described in 
                        subparagraphs (C), (D), or (E); and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) certain unmanned aircraft 
                        systems to enable lower-risk BVLOS operations 
                        without airworthiness requirements in a manner 
                        consistent with the final report and 
                        recommendations of the Beyond Visual Line of 
                        Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee described 
                        in subsection (b)(1).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this 
        section shall prohibit the use of the manufacturer declarations 
        of compliance required under paragraph (2)(C) for other 
        unmanned aircraft systems.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 44810 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44811. Beyond visual line of sight operations for unmanned 
                            aircraft systems.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 804. EXTENDING SPECIAL AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN UNMANNED 
              AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Extension.--Section 44807(d) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``September 30, 2023'' and 
inserting ``on the date the rules described in section 44811 take 
effect''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clarification.--Section 44807(a) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting ``or chapter 447'' after 
``Notwithstanding any other requirement of this chapter''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Expedited Exemptions.--In exercising authority under 
section 44807 of title 49, United States Code (as amended by subsection 
(a)), the Administrator shall, taking into account the statutory 
mandate to ensure safe and efficient use of the national airspace 
system and without requiring a rulemaking or imposing the requirements 
of part 11 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, grant exemptions--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) to enable--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) low-risk beyond visual line of sight 
                operations, such as certain package delivery operations 
                or shielded operations within 100 feet of the ground or 
                a structure; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) extended visual line of sight 
                operations that rely on visual observers to keep the 
                aircraft or airspace within view; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) that are aligned with FAA exemptions that 
        enable beyond visual line of sight operations with the use of 
        acoustics, ground based radar, and other technological 
        solutions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Clarification of Status of Previously Issued 
Rulemakings and Exemptions.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Rulemakings.--Any rulemaking published prior 
        to the date of enactment of this section under the authority 
        described in section 44807 of title 49, United States Code, 
        shall continue to be in effect following the expiration of such 
        authority.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Exemptions.--Any exemption granted under the 
        authority described in section 44807 of title 49, United States 
        Code, and in effect as of September 30, 2023, shall continue to 
        be in effect until the date that is 3 years after the date of 
        termination described in such exemption.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Delegation.--The authority granted to the 
        Secretary in such section 44807 may continue to be delegated to 
        the Administrator in whole or in part.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Rules of construction.--Nothing in this 
        section shall be construed to interfere with the Secretary's--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) authority to rescind or amend the 
                granting of an exemption for reasons such as unsafe 
                conditions or operator oversight; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) ability to grant an exemption based on 
                a determination made pursuant to such section 44807 
                prior to the date described in subsection (d) of such 
                section.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 805. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND NOISE 
              CERTIFICATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) National Environmental Policy Act Guidance.--Not later 
than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Administrator shall publish drone-specific environmental review 
guidance and implementation procedures and thereafter revise such 
guidance as appropriate to carry out the requirements of this 
section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Programmatic Level Approach to NEPA Review.--Not later 
than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Administrator shall examine and integrate programmatic-level approaches 
to the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
(42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (including regulations promulgated to carry 
out that Act) for the commercial drone industry to create an efficient 
process for preparing environmental reviews of reasonably foreseeable 
drone operations across a geographic region, for an individual 
operator's network of drone operations within a defined geographic 
region, and for operations within and over commercial and industrial 
sites closed or restricted to the public.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Developing One or More Categorical Exclusions.--The 
Administrator shall engage in ongoing consultations with the Council on 
Environmental Quality to identify actions that are appropriate for a 
categorical exclusion and shall incorporate such actions in FAA Order 
1050.1F, as amended or revised, from time to time, as, and when, deemed 
appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Suspension of Noise Certification Requirement Pending 
Standards Development.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Upon the date of enactment of 
        this section, and notwithstanding the requirements of section 
        44715 of title 49, United States Code, the Administrator shall 
        waive the determination of compliance with part 36 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations, for drone models seeking type and 
        airworthiness certification, and shall not deny, withhold, or 
        delay such certification due to the absence of a noise 
        certification basis under such part, provided the FAA has 
        developed appropriate noise measurement procedures for such 
        drone models and the FAA has received the noise measurement 
        results based on those procedures from the applicant.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Duration.--The suspension provided in this 
        subsection shall continue until such time as the Administrator 
        publishes final noise certification standards for drones as 
        amendments to part 36 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
        or to another part of title 14 of such Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Deadline for noise certification standards.--
        Based on drone noise data the Administrator has received in the 
        process of reviewing applications for type and airworthiness 
        certification, in conducting environmental assessments of 
        proposed drone operations under section 44807 of title 49, 
        United States Code, and part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, and from other sources, including standards 
        organizations, the Administrator shall propose generally 
        applicable drone noise certification standards, not later than 
        the date that is 36 months after the date of enactment of this 
        section, and following notice and comment rulemaking 
        procedures, and shall publish final noise certification 
        standards not later than 24 months after the date on which the 
        period for public comment on such proposed generally applicable 
        noise certification standards ends.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Drone Defined.-- In this section, the term ``drone'' 
has the meaning given the term ``unmanned aircraft'' in section 44801 
of title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 806. UTM IMPLEMENTATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Approval Process.--Not later than 270 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish 
procedures, which may include a rulemaking, to establish a standard 
approval process for third party service suppliers of UTM in order to 
fulfill safety functions for Beyond Visual Line of Sight.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) ASTM Standard.--- In establishing the standard 
approval process required by subsection (a), the Administrator shall 
ensure that ASTM International Standard F3548-21, entitled ``UAS 
Traffic Management (UTM) UAS Service Supplier (USS) Interoperability'', 
and any future possible revisions as refined and validated by the 
Administrator in conjunction with stakeholders including the private 
sector, is included as an acceptable means of compliance.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Certification.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days of the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        initiate a process, which may include a rulemaking, to define 
        and implement criteria and conditions for the certification and 
        oversight of third party service suppliers of UTM that could 
        have a direct or indirect impact on air traffic services in the 
        national airspace system and require FAA oversight.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Considerations.--In carrying out the 
        certification process described in paragraph (1) the 
        Administrator shall consider the facilitation and streamlining 
        of processes for global recognition and applicability, 
        including through bilateral aviation safety agreements, 
        implementation procedures, and other associated bilateral 
        arrangements.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Third party service supplier.--The term 
        ``third party service supplier'' means an entity other than the 
        UAS operator or the FAA that provides a distributed service 
        that affects the national airspace system safety, including UAS 
        Service Suppliers (USS), Supplemental Data Service Providers 
        (SDSPs), and infrastructure providers such as ground-based 
        surveillance, command-and-control and information exchange to 
        another party.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) UTM.--The term ``UTM'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 44801 of title 49, United States 
        Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) UAS.--The term ``UAS'' has the meaning given 
        the term ``unmanned aircraft system'' in section 44801 of title 
        49, United States Code.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 807. OPERATIONS OVER THE HIGH SEAS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, and to the extent permitted by treaty 
obligations of the United States, including the Convention on 
International Civil Aviation, the Administrator shall establish and 
implement an operational approval process to permit small unmanned 
aircraft systems (as defined in section 44801 of title 49, United 
States code), and unmanned aircraft systems (as so defined) with a 
special airworthiness certificate, to operate over the high seas within 
flight information regions for which the United States is responsible 
for the operational control.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Consultation.--In establishing and implementing the 
approval process under subsection (a), the Administrator shall consult 
with appropriate stakeholders outside of the FAA, including industry 
stakeholders.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 808. EXTENSION OF THE BEYOND PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States 
Code, as amended by section 803(a), is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 44812. BEYOND program</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``During the period beginning on the date of enactment of 
this section and ending on September 30, 2028, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall continue to operate the Federal 
Aviation Administration's BEYOND program (as established on October 26, 
2020) under the same terms and conditions applicable under such program 
as of such date of enactment. A waiver or authority granted under the 
Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program established under 
section 351 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 shall continue to 
apply during such period to an entity participating in the BEYOND 
program under such waiver or authority on such date of enactment for so 
long as the entity continues to participate in the BEYOND 
program.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of 
title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 803(b), is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 44811 the 
following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44812. BEYOND program.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 809. EXTENSION OF THE KNOW BEFORE YOU FLY 
              CAMPAIGN.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 356 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Pub. 
Law 115-254; 132 Stat. 3305) is amended by striking ``2019 through 
2023'' and inserting ``2024 through 2028''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 810. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM DATA EXCHANGE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Data Exchange Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall develop and 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a plan to make 
available data that is prudent to ensure the safe integration of 
unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system. Such plan 
shall include the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) A description of technical efforts to digitize 
        and automate aeronautical information (including through the 
        development and use of an unmanned aircraft systems geospatial 
        information management system) to provide an authoritative 
        source of geospatial information to support the operation of 
        unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace 
        system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Suggested refinements to standard sets of 
        aeronautical information for current and upcoming unmanned 
        aircraft systems integration efforts to facilitate the exchange 
        of unmanned aircraft systems data that is relevant to the 
        unmanned aircraft systems community.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) An identification of sensitive flight data 
        that may require information security controls or protection to 
        safeguard the operational security of such flight activity with 
        respect to air navigation services that contain information 
        about sensitive national security or law enforcement 
        flights.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Means and service fees for the data to be 
        shared consistent with industry standard geospatial 
        formats.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Coordination.--In developing the plan under subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) solicit from the Secretary of the Interior and 
        other departments or agencies, as deemed necessary by the 
        Administrator, information relevant to the safe operation of 
        unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace system; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) coordinate with unmanned aircraft systems 
        industry and technical groups to identify an efficient and 
        effective format, method, and cadence for providing the 
        required data.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 811. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM DETECTION AND MITIGATION 
              ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States 
Code, as amended by sections 803(a) and 808(a), is amended by adding at 
the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 44813. Unmanned aircraft system detection and 
              mitigation enforcement</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Prohibition.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--No person may operate a system 
        or technology to detect, identify, monitor, track, or mitigate 
        an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system in a manner 
        that adversely impacts or interferes with safe airport 
        operations, navigation, or air traffic services, or the safe 
        and efficient operation of the national airspace 
        system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Actions by the administrator.--The 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may take 
        such action as may be necessary to address the adverse impacts 
        or interference of operations that violate paragraph 
        (1).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Termination.--The prohibition under 
        paragraph (1) shall not apply on or after September 30, 
        2028.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Penalties.--A person who operates a system or 
technology in violation of subsection (a)(1) is liable to the Federal 
Government for a civil penalty of not more than $25,000 per 
violation.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Rule of Construction.--The term `person' as used in 
this section does not include--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) the Federal Government or any bureau, 
        department, instrumentality, or other agency of the Federal 
        Government; or</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) an officer, employee, or contractor of the 
        Federal Government or any bureau, department, instrumentality, 
        or other agency of the Federal Government if the officer, 
        employee, or contractor is authorized by the Federal Government 
        or any bureau, department, instrumentality, or other agency of 
        the Federal Government to operate a system or technology 
        referred to in subsection (a)(1).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on any 
enforcement actions taken (including any civil penalties imposed) using 
the authority under this section.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of 
title 49, United States Code, as amended by sections 803(b) and 808(b), 
is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 44812 the 
following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44813. Unmanned aircraft system detection and mitigation 
                            enforcement.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 812. RECREATIONAL OPERATIONS OF DRONE SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Section 44809 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a) by striking paragraph (6) 
        and inserting the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) Except for circumstances when the 
        Administrator establishes alternative altitude ceilings or as 
        otherwise authorized in subsection (c)(2), in Class G airspace, 
        the aircraft is flown from the surface to not more than 400 
        feet above ground level and complies with all airspace and 
        flight restrictions and prohibitions established under this 
        chapter, such as special use airspace designations and 
        temporary flight restrictions.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (c)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (1) by striking 
                ``organization conducting a sanctioned event'' and 
                inserting ``organization sponsoring 
                operations'';</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 
                paragraph (3);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) in paragraph (3) (as so 
                redesignated)--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) in the paragraph heading by 
                        striking ``weighing more than 55 pounds'' and 
                        inserting ``weighing 55 pounds or 
                        greater'';</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) in the matter preceding 
                        subparagraph (A), by striking ``weighing more 
                        than 55 pounds'' and inserting ``weighing 55 
                        pounds or greater''; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (iii) in subparagraph (B), by 
                        inserting ``or (2)'' after ``paragraph (1)''; 
                        and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
                following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Operations in class g airspace.--Subject to 
        compliance with all airspace and flight restrictions and 
        prohibitions established under this chapter, such as special 
        use airspace designations and temporary flight restrictions--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) persons operating drones under 
                subsection (a) from a fixed site at which the 
                operations are sponsored by a community-based 
                organization may operate within Class G airspace--
                </DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) up to 400 feet above ground 
                        level, without prior authorization from the 
                        Administrator; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) above 400 feet above ground 
                        level, with prior authorization from the 
                        Administrator; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) persons operating drones under 
                paragraph (3) from a fixed site at which the operations 
                are sponsored by a community-based organization may 
                operate within Class G airspace with prior 
                authorization from the Administrator.'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) in subsection (d) by striking the subsection 
        heading and all that follows through ``Nothing in this 
        subsection'' and inserting the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Savings Clause.--Nothing in this 
subsection'';</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) in subsection (f)(1) by striking ``updates to 
        the operational parameters'' and inserting ``the operational 
        limitations''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) in subsection (h)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) 
                through (6) as paragraphs (2) through (7), 
                respectively; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as 
                so redesignated) the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) is recognized by the Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration;''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Use of UAS at Institutions of Higher Education.--
Section 350 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44809 
note) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and 
                (3) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
                following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) operated by an elementary school or 
        secondary school for educational or research purposes;''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in subsection (d)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in paragraph (2), in the matter 
                preceding subparagraph (A), by inserting ``an 
                elementary school, or a secondary school,'' after 
                ``institution of higher education,''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) by adding at the end the 
                following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Elementary school.--The term `elementary 
        school' has the meaning given that term in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Secondary school.--The term `secondary 
        school' has the meaning given that term in section 8101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 813. UAS TEST RANGES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by striking section 44803 and inserting the 
following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 44803. Unmanned aircraft test ranges</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) Test Ranges.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--The Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration shall carry out and update, as 
        appropriate, a program for the use of unmanned aircraft system 
        test ranges to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) enable a broad variety of research, 
                development, testing, and evaluation activities at the 
                test ranges; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) not later than 5 years after the 
                date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
                2023, expand the number of test ranges, to the extent 
                consistent with aviation safety and efficiency, for 
                purposes of the safe integration of unmanned aircraft 
                systems into the national airspace system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Designations.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph 
                (B), the designations of test ranges under this section 
                may include the following:</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) The 7 test ranges 
                        established by the Administrator under section 
                        332(c) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act 
                        of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note), as in effect on 
                        the day before the date of enactment of the FAA 
                        Reauthorization Act of 2018, and pursuant to 
                        section 2201(b) of the FAA Extension, Safety, 
                        and Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 40101 
                        note), which, except for the eligibility 
                        factors as provided in paragraph (3) of this 
                        section, shall each be subject to the 
                        requirements of this section.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) Two additional test ranges 
                        subject to the requirements of this section, 
                        which may be established by the Administrator 
                        through a competitive selection process after 
                        successful conversion of test ranges 
                        established prior to the date of enactment of 
                        the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2023 and at 
                        least 6 months of data sharing demonstrating 
                        safe operations and improved use of the test 
                        range consistent with any standard established 
                        by the Administrator through the selection 
                        process.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Limitation.--Not more than 9 test 
                ranges shall be designated under this section at any 
                given time.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Eligibility.--An applicant shall be 
        considered eligible for designation as a test range sponsor 
        under paragraph (2)(A)(ii) based on the following 
        criteria:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) The applicant shall be an 
                instrumentality of a State, a local, tribal, or 
                territorial government, or other public 
                entity.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) The applicant shall be approved by 
                the chief executive officer of the State, local, 
                territorial, or tribal government for the applicant's 
                principal place of business, prior to seeking 
                designation by the Administrator.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) The applicant shall not have been 
                selected previously by the Administrator to sponsor or 
                host a test range covered by this section.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) The applicant shall undertake and 
                ensure testing in innovative concepts, technologies, 
                and operations that will offer new safety benefits, 
                including expanding advanced research and developing 
                and retaining an advanced aviation industrial base 
                within the United States.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) The applicant shall meet any other 
                requirements established by the Administrator in a 
                competitive selection process.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Airspace Requirements.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program 
        under subsection (a), the Administrator may establish, upon the 
        request of a test range sponsor designated by the Administrator 
        under subsection (a), a restricted area, pursuant to part 73 of 
        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, for purposes of--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) accommodating hazardous research, 
                development, testing, and evaluation activities to 
                inform the safe integration of unmanned aircraft 
                systems into the national airspace system; or</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) other activities authorized by the 
                Administrator pursuant to subsection (f).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) NEPA review.--The Administrator may require 
        that each test range sponsor designated by the Administrator 
        under subsection (a) provide a draft environmental review 
        consistent with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
        (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.), subject to the supervision and 
        adoption by the Federal Aviation Administration, with respect 
        to any request for the establishment of a restricted area under 
        this subsection.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Inactive restricted area.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--In the event a 
                restricted area established under paragraph (1) is not 
                needed to meet the requirements of the using agency (as 
                described in subparagraph (B)), the restricted area 
                shall be inactive and revert to the controlling 
                agency.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Using agency.--For purposes of this 
                subsection, a test range sponsor designated by the 
                Administrator under subsection (a) shall be considered 
                the using agency with respect to a restricted area 
                established by the Administrator under this 
                subsection.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Approval authority.--The Administrator shall 
        have the authority to approve access by a participating or 
        nonparticipating operator to a test range or restricted area 
        established by the Administrator under this 
        subsection.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Program Requirements.--In carrying out the program 
under subsection (a), the Administrator--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) may develop operational standards and air 
        traffic requirements for flight operations at test 
        ranges;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) shall coordinate with, and leverage the 
        resources of, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
        and the Department of Defense, as appropriate;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) shall address both civil and public aircraft 
        operations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) shall provide for verification of the safety 
        of flight systems and related navigation procedures as it 
        relates to the continued development of standards for 
        integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national 
        airspace system;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) shall engage test range sponsors, as 
        necessary and with available resources, in projects for 
        research, development, testing, and evaluation of flight 
        systems to facilitate the Federal Aviation Administration's 
        development of standards for the safe integration of unmanned 
        aircraft systems into the national airspace system, which may 
        include solutions for--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) developing and enforcing geographic 
                and altitude limitations;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) providing for alerts by the 
                manufacturer regarding any hazards or limitations on 
                flight, including prohibition on flight as 
                necessary;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) developing sense and avoid 
                capabilities;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) developing technology to support 
                communications, navigation, and surveillance;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) 
                operations, nighttime operations, operations over 
                people, operations involving multiple small unmanned 
                aircraft systems, unmanned aircraft systems traffic 
                management, or other critical research priorities; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(F) improving privacy protections 
                through the use of advances in unmanned aircraft 
                systems;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) shall coordinate periodically with all test 
        range sponsors to ensure the test range sponsors know which 
        data should be collected, how data can be de-identified to flow 
        more readily to the Federal Aviation Administration, what 
        procedures should be followed, and what research would advance 
        efforts to safely integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the 
        national airspace system; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(7) shall allow test range sponsors to receive 
        Federal funding (including in-kind contributions), other than 
        from the Federal Aviation Administration, from test range 
        participants in furtherance of research, development, and 
        testing objectives.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Exemption.--Except as provided in subsection (f), 
the requirements of section 44711 (including any related implementing 
regulations) shall not apply to persons approved by the test range 
sponsor for operation at a test range designated by the Administrator 
under this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(e) Responsibilities of Test Range Sponsors.--The 
sponsor of each test range designated by the Administrator under 
subsection (a) shall do the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Provide access to all interested private and 
        public entities seeking to carry out research at the test 
        range, to the greatest extent practicable, consistent with 
        safety and any operating procedures established by the test 
        range sponsor, including access by small business concerns (as 
        defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
        632)).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Maintain operational control for all testing 
        activities conducted at its respective test range.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Ensure all activities remain within the 
        geographical boundaries and altitude limitations established 
        for any restricted area covering the test range.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Ensure any activity conducted at the 
        designated test range is not conducted in a careless or 
        reckless manner.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) Establish safe operating procedures for all 
        operators approved for testing activities at the test range, 
        including provisions for maintaining operational control and 
        ensuring protection of persons and property on the ground, 
        subject to approval by the Administrator.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(6) Exercise direct oversight of all operations 
        conducted at the test range.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(7) Consult with the Administrator on the nature 
        of planned activity at the test range and whether segregation 
        of the airspace is required to contain the activity consistent 
        with aviation safety.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(8) Protect proprietary technology, sensitive 
        data, or sensitive research of any civil or private entity when 
        using the test range.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(9) Maintain detailed records of all ongoing and 
        completed research activities conducted at the test range and 
        all operators conducting such activities, for inspection by, 
        and reporting to, the Administrator, as required by agreement 
        between the Administrator and the test range sponsor.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(10) Make all original records available for 
        inspection upon request by the Administrator.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(11) Provide recommendations, on a quarterly 
        basis until the program terminates, to the Administrator to 
        further enable public and private research and development 
        operations at the test ranges that contribute to the Federal 
        Aviation Administration's safe integration of unmanned aircraft 
        systems into the national airspace system.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(f) Testing.--The Administrator may authorize a sponsor 
of a test range designated under subsection (a) to host research, 
development, testing, and evaluation activities other than those 
directly related to the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into 
the national airspace system, provided that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) the activity is necessary to inform the 
        development of standards or policy for integrating new types of 
        flight systems into the national airspace system; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) the Administrator waives the requirements of 
        section 44711 (including any related implementing regulations) 
        to the extent the Administrator determines such waiver is 
        consistent with aviation safety.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) Collaborative Research and Development Agreements.--
The Administrator may use the transaction authority under section 
106(l)(6), in coordination with the Center of Excellence for Unmanned 
Aircraft Systems, to enter into collaborative research and development 
agreements or to direct research related to unmanned aircraft systems, 
including at any test range designated under subsection (a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(h) Use of Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems.--The Administrator, in carrying out research necessary to 
implement the consensus safety standards accepted under section 44805, 
shall, to the maximum extent practicable, leverage the research and 
testing capacity and capabilities of the Center of Excellence for 
Unmanned Aircraft Systems and the test ranges designated under 
subsection (a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(i) Clarification.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed as authorizing the research, development, testing, 
evaluation, or any other use of a system or technology for the 
detection or mitigation of unmanned aircraft systems (commonly referred 
to as `counter-UAS') at any test range designated under subsection 
(a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(j) Termination.--The program under this section shall 
terminate on September 30, 2028.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 44801(10) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``any of the 6 test ranges 
established by the Administrator under section 332(c) of the FAA 
Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note), as in 
effect on the day before the date of enactment of the FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2018, and any public entity authorized by the 
Federal Aviation Administration as an unmanned aircraft system flight 
test center before January 1, 2009'' and inserting ``the test ranges 
designated by the Administrator under section 44803''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 814. AUTHORITY REGARDING PROTECTION OF CERTAIN FACILITIES 
              AND ASSETS FROM UNMANNED AIRCRAFT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 547 of title V of division F of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328) is amended by striking 
``September 30, 2023'' and inserting ``September 30, 2026''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 815. AIRPORT SAFETY AND AIRSPACE HAZARD MITIGATION AND 
              ENFORCEMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 44810(h) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ``September 30, 2023'' and inserting ``September 
30, 2028''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 816. SPECIAL AUTHORITY FOR TRANSPORT OF HAZARDOUS 
              MATERIALS BY COMMERCIAL PACKAGE DELIVERY UNMANNED 
              AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other Federal 
requirement or restriction related to the transportation of hazardous 
materials on aircraft, the Secretary shall, beginning not later than 
180 days after enactment of this section, use a risk-based approach to 
establish the operational requirements, standards, or special permits 
necessary to approve or authorize the safe transportation of hazardous 
materials by unmanned aircraft systems providing common carriage under 
part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, or under other 
authorities, as applicable.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Requirement.--In implementing the authority in 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the safety of the public and users of the 
        national airspace system;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) efficiencies of allowing the safe 
        transportation of hazardous materials by unmanned aircraft 
        systems; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the risk profile of the transportation of 
        hazardous materials by unmanned aircraft systems, taking into 
        consideration the likelihood, if any, that such operations will 
        carry small quantities of hazardous materials.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Conformity of Hazardous Materials Regulations.--The 
Secretary shall make such changes as necessary to conform the hazardous 
materials regulations under parts 173 and 175 of title 49, Code of 
Federal Regulations, to this section. Such changes shall not be 
required before the Secretary exercises the authority provided for in 
this section.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Hazardous materials.--The term ``hazardous 
        materials'' has the meaning given that term in section 5102 of 
        title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term ``unmanned 
        aircraft system'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        44801 of title 49, United States Code.</DELETED>

          <DELETED>Subtitle B--Advanced Air Mobility</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 821. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON FAA LEADERSHIP.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    It is the sense of Congress that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the United States should take actions to 
        position itself as a global leader in advanced air mobility; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) as such a global leader, the FAA should--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) prioritize its work on the type 
                certification of aircraft;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) publish in line with its stated 
                deadlines rulemakings and policy necessary to enable 
                commercial operations, such as the powered-lift Special 
                Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) work with global partners to promote 
                acceptance of advanced air mobility products; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) leverage the existing aviation system 
                to the greatest extent possible to support advanced air 
                mobility operations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 822. AVIATION RULEMAKING COMMITTEE ON CERTIFICATION OF 
              POWERED-LIFT AIRCRAFT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
which the first special class type certificate for powered-lift 
aircraft is issued, the Administrator shall establish an Aviation 
Rulemaking Committee (in this section referred to as the ``Committee'') 
to provide the Administrator with specific findings and recommendations 
for the creation of a standard certification pathway for the 
certification of powered-lift aircraft.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date on which the Committee is established under subsection 
        (a), the Committee shall submit to the Administrator a report 
        detailing the findings and recommendations of the 
        Committee.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Considerations.--In submitting the report 
        under paragraph (1), the Committee shall consider the 
        following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) Broad, outcome-driven safety 
                objectives that will spur innovation and technology 
                adoption and promote the development of performance-
                based regulations.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) Lessons and insights learned from 
                previously published FAA special conditions and other 
                Federal Register notices of airworthiness certification 
                criteria for powered-lift aircraft.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
which the Committee submits the report to the Administrator under 
subsection (b), the Administrator shall initiate a rulemaking to 
implement the findings and recommendations of the Committee, as 
determined appropriate by the Administrator.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 823. APPLICATION OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT 
              (NEPA) CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS FOR VERTIPORT 
              PROJECTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--In considering the environmental impacts 
of a proposed vertiport project on an existing airport, the 
Administrator shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) apply an applicable categorical exclusion in 
        accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 
        (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) and subchapter A of chapter V of title 
        40, Code of Federal Regulations; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) after consultation with the Council on 
        Environmental Quality, take steps to establish categorical 
        exclusions for vertiports on an existing airport, in accordance 
        with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
        4321 et seq.) and subchapter A of chapter V of title 40, Code 
        of Federal Regulations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (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.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Vertiport.--The term ``vertiport'' means a 
        designated location used or intended to be used to support 
        advanced air mobility (AAM) operations, including the landing, 
        take-off, loading, taxiing, parking, and storage of aircraft 
        developed for advanced air mobility (AAM) operations.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 824. ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY WORKING GROUP 
              AMENDMENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 2(f) of the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and 
Leadership Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
        end;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
        (3);</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following 
        new paragraph:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) recommendations for sharing expertise and 
        data on critical items, including long-term electrification 
        requirements and the needs of cities (from a macro-
        electrification standpoint) to enable the deployment of AAM; 
        and''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by paragraph 
        (2) of this section, by striking ``paragraph (1)'' and 
        inserting ``paragraphs (1) and (2)''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 825. RULES FOR OPERATION OF POWERED-LIFT 
              AIRCRAFT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Powered-lift Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``powered-lift aircraft'' means a heavier-than-air aircraft 
capable of vertical take-off, vertical landing, and low speed flight 
that depends principally on engine-driven lift devices or engine thrust 
for lift during these flight regimes and on 1 or more nonrotating 
airfoils for lift during horizontal flight. Such term includes, but is 
not limited to, electric aircraft capable of vertical take-off and 
landing (eVTOL).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than December 31, 2024, the 
Administrator shall finalize a Powered-Lift Special Federal Aviation 
Regulation (SFAR) establishing a procedure for certifying pilots and 
the operation of powered-lift aircraft capable of transporting 
passengers and cargo.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 826. INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION ON POWERED-LIFT 
              AIRCRAFT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Powered-lift Aircraft Plan.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        develop a plan to facilitate the ability of the aerospace 
        industry of the United States to efficiently operate powered-
        lift aircraft and export powered-lift products and articles in 
        key markets globally.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Requirements.--The plan developed under 
        paragraph (1) shall include the following:</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) An assessment of existing bilateral 
                aviation safety agreements, implementation procedures, 
                and other associated bilateral arrangements so that 
                current and future powered-lift products and articles 
                can utilize the most appropriate validation mechanisms 
                and procedures for powered-lift aircraft, products, and 
                articles.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) A description of methods to facilitate 
                the efficient, global acceptance of the FAA approach to 
                certification of powered-lift aircraft, products, and 
                articles.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) Any other information determined 
                appropriated by the Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Coordination With Civil Aviation Authorities.--Not 
later than 90 days after the plan is developed under subsection (a), 
the Administrator shall coordinate with international civil aviation 
authorities in countries that have a bilateral safety agreement and 
implementation procedure with the United States regarding the 
establishment of mutual processes for efficient validation, acceptance, 
and working arrangements of certificates and approvals for powered-lift 
aircraft, products, and articles.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Establishment of Provisions.--Not later than 2 years 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
establish the mutual processes described in subsection (b).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Powered-lift Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``powered-lift aircraft'' means a heavier-than-air aircraft 
capable of vertical take-off, vertical landing, and low speed flight 
that depends principally on engine-driven lift devices or engine thrust 
for lift during these flight regimes and on 1 or more nonrotating 
airfoils for lift during horizontal flight. Such term includes, but is 
not limited to, electric aircraft capable of vertical take-off and 
landing (eVTOL).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 827. ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY PROPULSION SYSTEMS AVIATION 
              RULEMAKING COMMITTEE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish an 
Aviation Rulemaking Committee (in this section referred to as the 
``Committee'') to provide the Administrator with specific findings and 
recommendations for regulations covering, with respect to small and 
large type certificated aircraft, the certification and installation 
of--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) electric engines and propellers;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) hybrid electric engines and propulsion 
        systems;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) hydrogen fuel cells; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) hydrogen combustion engines or propulsion 
        systems.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Considerations.--In providing the findings and 
recommendations under subsection (a), the Committee shall consider the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Broad, outcome-driven safety objectives that 
        will spur innovation and technology adoption, and promote the 
        development of performance-based regulations.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Lessons and insights learned from previously 
        published FAA special conditions and other Federal Register 
        notices of airworthiness certification criteria for advanced 
        air mobility engines, propellers, and aircraft.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) The requirements of part 33 and part 35 of 
        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, any boundaries of 
        applicability for stand alone engine type certificates 
        (including highly integrated systems), and the use of technical 
        standards order authorizations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
which the Committee is established under subsection (a), the Committee 
shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report containing the findings and recommendations described 
in subsection (a).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
which the Committee submits the report under subsection (c), the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress 
regarding the FAA's plans in response to the findings and 
recommendations contained in the report.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Safety Cooperation.--The Administrator shall lead 
efforts to engage with foreign authorities to further harmonize 
standards for certification and installation of the products described 
in paragraphs (1) through (4) of subsection (a).</DELETED>

  <DELETED>TITLE IX--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIVE AVIATION 
                         TECHNOLOGIES</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 901. ADVANCED MATERIALS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE 
              ENHANCEMENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 44518 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``under its 
        structure'' and all that follows through the period and 
        inserting ``through September 30, 2028, under its structure as 
        in effect on March 1, 2023, which shall focus on applied 
        research and training on the safe use of composites and 
        advanced materials in airframe structures. The Center shall 
        also conduct research and development into aircraft structure 
        crash worthiness and passenger safety, as well as address safe 
        and accessible air travel of individuals with a disability (as 
        defined in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations (or any successor regulation)), including materials 
        required to facilitate safe wheelchair restraint systems on 
        commercial aircraft. The Administrator shall award grants to 
        the Center within 90 days from the date the Grants Officer 
        recommends a proposal for award to the Administrator.''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Center shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) promote and facilitate collaboration among 
        member universities, academia, the Federal Aviation 
        Administration, the commercial aircraft industry, including 
        manufacturers, commercial air carriers, and suppliers, and 
        other appropriate stakeholders;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) establish goals set to advance technology, 
        improve engineering practices, and facilitate continuing 
        education in relevant areas of study, which should include all 
        structural materials, such as carbon fiber polymers and 
        thermoplastic composites, and structural technologies, such as 
        additive manufacturing, to be used in applications within the 
        commercial aircraft industry, including traditional fixed-wing 
        aircraft, rotorcraft, and emerging aircraft types such as 
        advanced air mobility aircraft; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) establish criteria for the safe movement of 
        all passengers, including individuals with a disability (as 
        defined in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations (or any successor regulation)), and individuals 
        using their personal wheelchairs in flight, that takes into 
        account the modeling, engineering, testing, operating, and 
        training issues significant to all passengers and relevant 
        stakeholders.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 902. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT 
              SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States 
Code, as amended by section 811(a), is amended by inserting after 
section 44813 the following new section:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 44814. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT 
              SYSTEMS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--During the period beginning on the date 
of enactment of this section, and ending on September 30, 2028, the 
Administrator shall continue operation of the Center of Excellence for 
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (referred to in this section as the `Center') 
under the structure of the Center as in effect on January 1, 
2023.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Center shall carry out the 
following responsibilities:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Conduct applied research and training on the 
        safe and efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems and 
        advanced air mobility into the national airspace 
        system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Promote and facilitate collaboration among 
        academia, the FAA, Federal agency partners, and industry 
        stakeholders (including manufacturers, operators, service 
        providers, standards development organizations, carriers, and 
        suppliers), with respect to the safe and efficient integration 
        of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility into the 
        national airspace system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Establish goals set to advance technology, 
        improve engineering practices, and facilitate continuing 
        education with respect to the safe and efficient integration of 
        unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility into the 
        national airspace system.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Program Participation.--The Administrator shall 
ensure the participation in the Center of public institutions of higher 
education and research institutions that provide accredited bachelor's 
degree programs in aeronautical sciences that provide pathways to 
commercial pilot certifications and focus primarily on supporting pilot 
training for women aviators.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of 
title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 811(b), is amended 
by inserting after the item relating to section 44813 the 
following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44814. Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft 
                            Systems.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 903. ASSURED SAFE CREDENTIALING AUTHORITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States 
Code, as amended by section 902(a), is amended by inserting after 
section 44814 the following new section:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``SEC. 44815. ASSURED SAFE CREDENTIALING AUTHORITY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall establish the credentialing authority for the 
Administration's program of record (referred to in this section as 
`ASSUREd Safe') under the Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems at the Mississippi State University.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Purposes.--The ASSUREd Safe credentialing authority 
established under subsection (a) shall offer services throughout the 
United States, and to allies and partners of the United States, 
including--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) online and in-person standards, education, 
        and testing to certify first responders' use of unmanned 
        aircraft systems for public safety and disaster 
        operations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) uniform communications standards, 
        operational standards, and reporting standards for civilian, 
        military, and international allies and partners; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) any other services determined appropriate by 
        the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of 
such title, as amended by section 902(b), is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 44814 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44815. ASSUREd Safe Credentialing Authority.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 904. FAA AND NASA ADVANCED AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES PILOT 
              PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Pilot Program.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in 
        coordination with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
        and Space Administration (in this section referred to as the 
        ``NASA Administrator''), shall establish a pilot program to 
        facilitate the appointment of individuals from NASA to the FAA 
        to serve in temporary technical discipline expert positions 
        relating to advanced aviation technologies (in this section 
        referred to as the ``program'').</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Considerations.--In developing the program, 
        the Administrator shall consider--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) existing mechanisms of collaboration 
                between FAA and NASA relating to aeronautics programs, 
                advisory committees, and work groups;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the degree to which FAA and NASA 
                facilitate partnerships between subject matter experts 
                to support the research and development, testing, and 
                certification of advanced aviation technologies; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) how temporary appointments under the 
                program may be best used to enhance the technical 
                capacity of the FAA and technical partnerships between 
                agencies.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Temporary Appointment of NASA Personnel.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Terms and conditions.--The Administrator, in 
        coordination with the NASA Administrator, shall identify 
        qualifying projects or activities at the FAA that would benefit 
        from temporary appointments of highly qualified, experienced 
        professionals under the program to enhance technical capacity, 
        knowledge, skills, and abilities relating to research and 
        development, certification, and the safe deployment of advanced 
        aviation technologies. The Administrator and NASA Administrator 
        shall jointly establish the terms and conditions of service 
        under the program and issue relevant guidelines related to the 
        responsibilities and duration of service of participating NASA 
        personnel. In approving NASA personnel for participation in the 
        program, the NASA Administrator shall certify that the 
        temporary appointment of such personnel shall not have an 
        adverse impact on the post-assignment employment duties of 
        relevant NASA personnel or an undue adverse impact on the 
        mission of the agency.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Special rules.--The Administrator shall make 
        clear that any responsibilities of NASA personnel participating 
        in the program constitute serving in temporary technical 
        discipline expert positions at the FAA and are subject to FAA 
        conflict-of-interest policies and supervision.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Rules for pay and benefits for nasa 
        personnel.--Any individuals employed by NASA who are 
        participating in the program shall continue to receive pay and 
        benefits from NASA and shall not receive pay or benefits from 
        the FAA for the duration of the program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Authority to Transfer and Receive Resources.--In 
supporting the participation of NASA personnel, the Administrator and 
NASA Administrator may authorize the use of NASA technical services, 
equipment, software, and facilities without reimbursement to facilitate 
cooperation between agencies under the program.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Program Review and Report.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Review.--The Comptroller General shall conduct 
        a comprehensive review of the program that includes evaluation 
        of the impact of the program on improving coordination on 
        projects and sharing of technical expertise between agencies 
        relating to advanced aviation technologies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
        containing the results of the review conducted under paragraph 
        (1), along with recommendations for such future action as the 
        Comptroller General determines appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 905. ADVANCING GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ON CIVIL SUPERSONIC 
              AIRCRAFT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 181 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 
U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``regulations, 
        and standards'' and inserting ``regulations, standards, and 
        recommended practices''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) Additional Reports.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Initial progress report.--Not later than 1 
        years after the date of enactment of this subsection, the 
        Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
        Congress a report describing--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) the progress of the actions 
                described in subsection (d)(1);</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) any planned, proposed, or 
                anticipated action to update or modify existing 
                policies and regulations related to civil supersonic 
                aircraft, including those identified as a result of 
                stakeholder consultation and feedback (such as landing 
                and takeoff noise); and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) any other information determined 
                appropriate by the Administrator.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Subsequent report.--Not later than 2 years 
        after the date on which the Administrator submits the initial 
        progress report under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress an updated 
        report on the progress of the actions described in paragraph 
        (1).''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 906. CLEEN ENGINE AND AIRFRAME TECHNOLOGY 
              PARTNERSHIP.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 47511 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``subsonic'' 
        after ``fuels for civil''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Selection.--In carrying out the program, the 
Administrator may ensure that not less than 2 of the cooperative 
agreements entered into under this section involve the participation of 
an entity that is a small business concern (as defined in section 3 of 
the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)), provided that the entity's 
submitted technology proposal meets requisite technology readiness 
levels for entry into the agreement as determined by the 
Administrator.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 907. HYPERSONIC FLIGHT TESTING.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish procedures 
for permitting manned flights in oceanic airspace and overland flights 
operating with speeds in excess of Mach 5 and above for the purposes of 
developmental and airworthiness testing (including demonstration 
flights in areas where such flights will not interfere with the safety 
of other aircraft or the efficient use of airspace in the national 
airspace system).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Considerations.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall consider--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the provisions of parts 91.817 and 91.818 of 
        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) applications for special flight authorizations 
        for flights operating with speeds in excess of Mach 5, as 
        described in such part 91.818;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the environmental impacts of developmental and 
        airworthiness testing operations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) whether to require applicants to include 
        specification of proposed flight areas;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) the authorization of flights to and from 
        spaceports and airports in Class D airspace within 10 nautical 
        miles of oceanic coastline;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (6) developing the vertical limits at or above the 
        altitude necessary for safe hypersonic operations;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (7) proponent-provided data regarding the design 
        and operational analysis of the aircraft, as well as data 
        regarding sonic boom overpressure; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (8) the safety of the uninvolved public.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 908. HYPERSONIC PATHWAY TO INTEGRATION STUDY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Study.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--The Administrator shall conduct a 
        study assessing actions necessary to facilitate the safe 
        operation and integration of hypersonic aircraft into the 
        national airspace system.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--The study conducted under paragraph 
        (1) shall include, at a minimum--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) an initial assessment of cross-agency 
                equities related to hypersonic aircraft technologies 
                and flight;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the identification, development, and 
                collection of data required to develop certification, 
                flight standards, and air traffic requirements for the 
                deployment and integration of hypersonic 
                aircraft;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the development of a framework and 
                timeline to establish the appropriate regulatory 
                requirements for conducting hypersonic aircraft 
                flights;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) strategic plans to improve the FAA's 
                state of preparedness and response capability in 
                advance of receiving applications to conduct hypersonic 
                aircraft flights; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) a survey of global hypersonic 
                aircraft-related regulatory and testing developments or 
                activities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) Considerations.--In conducting the study under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator may consider--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the feedback and technical expertise 
                of the aerospace industry and other stakeholders when 
                creating policies, regulations, and standards that 
                enable the safe operation and integration of hypersonic 
                aircraft into the national airspace system;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) opportunities for--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) demonstrating United States 
                        global leadership in aeronautics, including 
                        hypersonic aircraft and related technologies; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) strengthening global 
                        harmonization in aeronautics; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) the development of international 
                policies, regulations, and standards relating to the 
                certification and safe operation of hypersonic 
                aircraft.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) Consultation.--In conducting the study under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consult with 
        representatives from Federal agencies, industry, and other 
        stakeholders, including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) the Department of Defense;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) aircraft manufacturers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) institutions of higher education; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) any other stakeholders the 
                Administrator determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations to 
facilitate the safe operation and integration of hypersonic aircraft 
into the national airspace system.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Definition of Hypersonic.--In this section, the term 
``hypersonic'' means an aircraft or flight operating at speeds in 
excess of Mach 5 and above.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 909. OPERATING HIGH-SPEED FLIGHTS IN HIGH ALTITUDE CLASS 
              E AIRSPACE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Consultation.--Not later than 12 months after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in consultation with 
the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
and relevant stakeholders, including industry and academia, shall 
identify the minimum altitude above the upper boundary of Class A 
airspace at or above which flights operating with speeds above Mach 1 
generate sonic booms that are inaudible at the surface under prevailing 
atmospheric conditions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 2 years after the date on 
which the Administrator identifies the minimum altitude described in 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall publish in the Federal Register 
a notice of proposed rulemaking to amend sections 91.817 and 91.818 of 
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and such other regulations as 
appropriate, to permit flight operations with speeds above Mach 1 at or 
above the minimum altitude identified under subsection (a) without 
specific authorizations, provided that such flight operations--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) show compliance with airworthiness 
        requirements;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) do not cause a measurable sonic boom 
        overpressure to reach the surface; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) have ordinary instrument flight rules 
        clearances necessary to operate in controlled 
        airspace.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 910. ELECTRIC PROPULSION AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS 
              STUDY.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall initiate a 
study assessing the safe and scalable operation and integration of 
electric aircraft into the national airspace system.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Contents.--The study required under subsection (a) 
shall address--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the technical capacity and competencies needed 
        for the FAA to certify aircraft systems specific to electric 
        aircraft;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the data development and collection required 
        to develop standards specific to electric aircraft;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the regulatory standards and guidance material 
        needed to facilitate the safe operation of electric aircraft, 
        including--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) fire protection;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) high voltage electromagnetic 
                environments;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) engine and human machine 
                interfaces;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) reliability of high voltage components 
                and insulation;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) lithium batteries for propulsion 
                use;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) operating and pilot qualifications; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) airspace integration;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) the airport infrastructure requirements to 
        support electric aircraft operations, including an assessment 
        of--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) existing capabilities of airport 
                infrastructure as of the date of enactment of this 
                section;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) aircraft operations 
                specifications;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) projected operations demand by 
                carriers and other operators;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) potential modifications to existing 
                airport infrastructure;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) additional investments in new 
                infrastructure and systems required to meet operations 
                demand; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) management of infrastructure relating 
                to hazardous materials used in hybrid and electric 
                propulsion; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) varying types of electric aircraft, including 
        advanced air mobility aircraft and small or regional passenger 
        or cargo aircraft.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Considerations.--In conducting the study under 
subsection (a), the Comptroller General may consider the 
following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) The potential for improvements to air service 
        connectivity for communities through the deployment of electric 
        aircraft operations, including by--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) establishing routes to small and rural 
                communities; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) introducing alternative modes of 
                transportation for multimodal operations within 
                communities.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Impacts to airport-adjacent communities, 
        including implications due to changes in airspace utilization 
        and land use compatibility.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of 
the study conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations 
for such legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller 
General determines appropriate.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Electric aircraft.--The term ``electric 
        aircraft'' means an aircraft with a fully electric or hybrid 
        electric driven propulsion system used for flight.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Advanced air mobility.--The term ``advanced 
        air mobility'' means a transportation system that transports 
        passengers and cargo by air between two points in the United 
        States using aircraft with advanced technologies, including 
        aircraft with hybrid or electric vertical take-off and landing 
        capabilities, in both controlled and uncontrolled 
        airspace.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 911. CONTRACT WEATHER OBSERVERS PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 2306 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security 
Act of 2016 (P.L. 114-190; 130 Stat. 641) is amended by striking 
subsection (b) and inserting the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Continued Use of Contract Weather Observers.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), the 
        Administrator may not discontinue or diminish the contract 
        weather observer program at any airport until September 30, 
        2028.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Availability of new technology.--If the 
        Administrator determines that technology has become available 
        that could provide equal or better service than the contract 
        weather observer program, the Administrator may discontinue or 
        diminish the contract weather observer program at any airport 
        earlier than the date specified in paragraph (1), but only if, 
        not later than 180 days before the date on which the 
        Administrator proposes to discontinue or diminish such program 
        at any airport, the Administrator notifies the appropriate 
        committees of Congress of such proposed action and submits 
        information relating to the determination of the availability 
        of such technology and the reasoning for such proposed 
        action.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 912. AIRFIELD PAVEMENT TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Using amounts made available under section 48102(a) of 
title 49, United States Code, the Secretary may carry out a program for 
the research and development of airfield pavement technologies under 
which the Secretary makes grants to, and enters into cooperative 
agreements with, institutions of higher education (as defined in 
section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) and 
nonprofit organizations that--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) research concrete and asphalt pavement 
        technologies that extend the life of airfield 
        pavements;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) develop sustainability and resiliency 
        guidelines to improve long-term pavement performance;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) develop and conduct training with respect to 
        such airfield pavement technologies;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) provide for demonstration projects of such 
        airfield pavement technologies; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) promote the latest airfield pavement 
        technologies to aid the development of safer, more cost 
        effective, and more resilient and sustainable airfield 
        pavements.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 913. NATIONAL AVIATION RESEARCH PLAN 
              MODIFICATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Modification of Submission Deadline.--Section 
44501(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking 
``the date of submission'' and inserting ``the date that is 45 days 
after the date of submission''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 48102(g) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``the date of submission'' 
and inserting ``the date that is 45 days after the date of 
submission''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 914. FAA AND NASA RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION 
              REVIEW.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Review.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in 
        coordination with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics 
        and Space Administration (in this section referred to as 
        ``NASA'') shall conduct a review of aeronautics research and 
        development coordination between Federal agencies and the 
        extent to which NASA and the FAA can improve collaboration in 
        order to leverage each other's subject matter expertise 
        relating to civil aviation projects.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Contents.--In carrying out the review under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) review the extent to which NASA and 
                the FAA leverage each other's laboratory and testing 
                capabilities, facilities, resources, and subject matter 
                expert personnel in support of aeronautics research and 
                development programs and projects;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) assess--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) the current fiscal year, and 
                        the 3 most recent fiscal years, of Federal 
                        expenditures for the FAA and NASA's research 
                        and development programs and projects; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) the extent to which other 
                        Federal agencies, industry partners, and 
                        research organizations are involved in such 
                        programs and projects; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) develop recommendations for the 
                improvement of coordination, collaboration, and 
                efficiency of aeronautics research and development 
                programs to reduce overlap between NASA, the FAA, other 
                Federal agencies, academia, research organizations, 
                standards groups, and industry.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after completing the 
review under subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report on such review, including 
the recommendations developed under subsection (a)(2)(C).</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 915. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF FAA'S AERONAUTICAL 
              INFORMATION SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION ACTIVITIES.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator, in coordination with the 
John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, shall carry out a 
research and development program to assist with the continuous 
modernization of the FAA's aeronautical information systems, including, 
but not limited to--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the Aeronautical Information Management 
        Modernization (AIMM), including the FAA's Notice to Air 
        Missions (NOTAM) system;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and 
        Sharing (ASIAS) system; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the Service Difficulty Reporting System 
        (SDRS).</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Review and Report.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Review.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
        enter into an agreement with a Federally funded research and 
        development center to conduct and complete a review of planned 
        and ongoing modernization efforts of FAA's aeronautical 
        information systems. Such review shall identify opportunities 
        for additional coordination between the FAA and the John A. 
        Volpe National Transportation Systems Center to further 
        modernize such systems.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        Administrator enters into the agreement with the center under 
        paragraph (1), the Center shall submit to the Administrator and 
        the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the review 
        conducted under paragraph (1), together with such 
        recommendations as the Center determines appropriate.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 916. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR ALTERNATIVE JET FUELS AND 
              ENVIRONMENT.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) In General.--Chapter 445 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
section:</DELETED>
<DELETED>``Sec. 44520. Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels 
              and Environment</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(a) In General.--During the period beginning on the date 
of enactment of this section and ending on September 30, 2028, the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (in this section 
referred to as the `Administrator') shall continue operation of the 
Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment (in this 
section referred to as the `Center') under its structure as in effect 
on January 1, 2023.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Center shall--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) focus on research to--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) assist in the development, 
                qualification, and certification of the use of aviation 
                fuel from alternative and renewable sources (such as 
                biomass, alcohols, organic acids, hydrogen, and gaseous 
                carbon) for commercial aircraft;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) assist in informing the safe use of 
                alternative aviation fuels in commercial aircraft that 
                also apply electrified aircraft propulsion 
                systems;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) reduce community exposure to 
                civilian aircraft noise and pollutant 
                emissions;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) inform decision making to support 
                United States leadership on international aviation 
                environmental issues, including the development of 
                domestic and international standards; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(E) improve and expand the scientific 
                understanding of civil aviation noise and pollutant 
                emissions and their impacts, as well as support the 
                development of improved modeling approaches and tools; 
                and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) examine the use of novel technologies and 
        other forms of innovation to reduce noise, emissions, and fuel 
        burn in commercial aircraft.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) Grant Authority.--The Administrator shall carry out 
the work of the Center through the use of grants or other measures as 
determined appropriate by the Administrator pursuant to section 44513, 
including through interagency agreements with other Federal 
agencies.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Participation.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Participation of educational and research 
        institutions.--In carrying out the responsibilities described 
        in subsection (b), the Center shall include, as appropriate, 
        participation by--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) higher education and research 
                institutions that--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) have existing facilities for 
                        research, development, and testing; 
                        and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) leverage private sector 
                        partnerships;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) other Federal agencies;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) consortia with experience across the 
                alternative fuels supply chain, including with 
                research, feedstock development and production, small-
                scale development, testing, and technology evaluation 
                related to the creation, processing, production, and 
                transportation of alternative aviation fuel; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(D) consortia with experience in 
                innovative technologies to reduce noise, emissions, and 
                fuel burn in commercial aircraft.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Use of nasa facilities.--The Center shall 
        consider utilizing the existing capacity in aeronautics 
        research at the Langley Research Center, NASA John H. Glenn 
        Center at the Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility, and other 
        appropriate facilities of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration.''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 445 of 
such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 
44519 the following:</DELETED>

<DELETED>``44520. Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and 
                            Environment.''.

<DELETED>SEC. 917. AIRCRAFT NOISE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish an 
Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the 
``Advisory Committee)'' to advise the Administrator on issues facing 
the aviation community that are related to aircraft noise exposure and 
existing FAA noise policies and regulations.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Membership.--The Administrator shall appoint the 
members of the Advisory Committee, which shall be comprised of--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) at least 1 representative of each of--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) engine manufacturers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) air carriers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (C) airport owners or operators;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (D) aircraft manufacturers;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (E) advanced air mobility manufacturers or 
                operators;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (F) institutions of higher education; 
                and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (G) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) representatives of airport-adjacent 
        communities from geographically diverse regions.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Duties.--The duties of the Advisory Committee shall 
include--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) the evaluation of existing research on 
        aircraft noise impacts and annoyance;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) the assessment of alternative noise metrics 
        that could be used to supplement or replace the existing Day 
        Night Level (DNL) standard;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (3) the evaluation of the current 65-decibel 
        exposure threshold, including the impact to land use 
        compatibility around airports if such threshold was 
        lowered;</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (4) the evaluation of current noise mitigation 
        strategies and the community engagement efforts by the FAA with 
        respect to changes in airspace utilization, such as the 
        integration of new entrants and usage of performance-based 
        navigation; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (5) other duties determined appropriate by the 
        Administrator.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Reports.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of establishment of the Advisory Committee, the Advisory 
        Committee shall submit to the Administrator a report on any 
        recommended changes to current aviation noise 
        policies.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Report to congress.--Not later than 180 days 
        after the date the Administrator receives the report under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report containing the 
        recommendations made by the Advisory Committee.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (e) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after 
submission of the report under paragraph (2), the Administrator shall 
brief the appropriate committees of Congress on how the Administrator 
plans to implement recommendations contained in the report and, for 
each recommendation that the Administrator does not plan to implement, 
the Administrator's reason for not implementing the 
recommendation.</DELETED>

               <DELETED>TITLE X--MISCELLANEOUS</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 1001. NOISE MITIGATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Requirements for Landing and Departing Aircraft.--
</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Landing aircraft.--All aircraft landing at 
        Boise Airport (BOI) that will be facing west on the runway when 
        landing on runways 10R and 10L shall travel over a circle on 
        the ground (the center of which is located at 4337'45.3" N, 
        11624'49.3" W, and the radius of which is 2 miles) at an 
        altitude of not less than 5,000 feet when passing over such 
        circle. All aircraft approaching from the west shall fly a 
        straight vector from the above described circle to the Boise 
        Airport (BOI) runway on which it is landing.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Departing aircraft.--All aircraft departing 
        the Boise Airport (BOI) to the west on runways 28R and 28L 
        shall travel over the circle described in paragraph (1) and in 
        such a manner as the aircraft is at least 5,000 feet in 
        altitude as it passes over the circle. All aircraft departing 
        the Boise Airport (BOI) to the west shall fly a straight vector 
        from the Boise Airport (BOI) runway the aircraft is leaving, to 
        the such circle and only after leaving the circle shall the 
        aircraft change vectors.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Applicability.--Subject to subsection (c), this 
requirement shall apply to and regulate all entities and persons 
including, but not limited to the FAA, FAA Employees and their 
contractors and agents, all branches of the United States Military, air 
traffic controllers, pilots, co-pilots, and all other persons and 
entities directing or controlling any aircraft landing at or departing 
Boise Airport (BOI) in Boise, Idaho. This requirement shall only apply 
to commercial aviation, military aviation, and general aviation 
aircraft that weigh 12,500 pounds of maximum takeoff weight or 
more.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Exception.--This regulation shall not apply during a 
bono fide safety emergency applicable to a single flight.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Enforcement.--A violation of this section shall be a 
misdemeanor and violators shall be liable for civil damages.</DELETED>

           <DELETED>TITLE XI--TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 1101. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Disposal of Property.--Section 40110(c)(4) of title 
49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``subsection (a)(2)'' 
and inserting ``subsection (a)(3)''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Civil Penalty.--Section 44704(f) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``subsection (a)(6)'' and inserting 
``subsection (d)(3)''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (c) Sunset of Rule.--Section 44729 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by striking subsection (d); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by redesignating subsections (e) through (h) 
        as (d) through (g), respectively.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (d) Public Disclosure of Information.--Section 44735 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (a)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
                by inserting ``, nor by any agency receiving 
                information from the Administrator,'' after ``Federal 
                Aviation Administration''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``or 
                for any other purpose regarding the development and 
                implementation of a safety management system acceptable 
                to the Administrator'' before the period at the end; 
                and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(d) Applicability to the National Transportation Safety 
Board.--This section shall not be construed to limit the National 
Transportation Safety Board's accident or incident investigation 
authority under chapter 11 of this title, including the requirement to 
not disclose voluntarily provided safety-related information under 
section 1114.''.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2024''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definitions.

                        TITLE I--AUTHORIZATIONS

Sec. 101. Airport planning and development and noise compatibility 
                            planning and programs.
Sec. 102. Facilities and equipment.
Sec. 103. FAA operations.
Sec. 104. Extension of expiring authorities.
Sec. 105. Research, engineering, and development.
Sec. 106. Prevention of duplicate obligation authority.

                TITLE II--FAA OVERSIGHT AND ORGANIZATION

                        Subtitle A--Organization

Sec. 201. Future of NextGen.
Sec. 202. Airspace Innovation Office.
Sec. 203. Commercial Software Options for Improving ASIAS Analytics.
Sec. 204. Authority to use electronic service.

                     Subtitle B--Regulatory Reform

Sec. 211. Safety and efficiency through digitization of FAA systems.
Sec. 212. Report elimination or modification.
Sec. 213. Internal regulatory process review.
Sec. 214. Review and Updates of Categorical Exclusions.

                     TITLE III--SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

Sec. 301. Independent Study on future state of type certification 
                            processes.
Sec. 302. Report on international validation program performance.
Sec. 303. High risk flight testing.
Sec. 304. Recording devices.
Sec. 305. Helicopter safety.
Sec. 306. Review and incorporation of human readiness levels into 
                            agency guidance material.
Sec. 307. Service difficulty reports.
Sec. 308. Accountability and compliance.
Sec. 309. Accountability for aircraft registration numbers.
Sec. 310. Aircraft reregistration.
Sec. 311. FAA oversight of repair stations located outside the United 
                            States.
Sec. 312. Alcohol and drug testing and background checks.
Sec. 313. Continuous aircraft tracking and transmission for high 
                            altitude balloons.
Sec. 314. International engagement.
Sec. 315. Air tour and sport parachuting safety.
Sec. 316. International aviation safety assessment program.
Sec. 317. Changed product rule reform.
Sec. 318. Development of low-cost voluntary ADS-B.
Sec. 319. Public aircraft flight time logging eligibility.
Sec. 320. Safety management systems.
Sec. 321. Aviation safety information analysis and sharing program.
Sec. 322. Consistent and timely pilot checks for air carriers.
Sec. 323. Enhancing processes for authorizing aircraft for service in 
                            commuter and on demand operations.
Sec. 324. Tower marking compliance.
Sec. 325. Administrative authority for civil penalties.
Sec. 326. Civil penalties for whistleblower protection program 
                            violations.
Sec. 327. Flight service stations.
Sec. 328. Technical assistance agreements.
Sec. 329. Restoration of authority.
Sec. 330. Tarmac operations monitoring study.
Sec. 331. GAO report on cybersecurity of commercial aviation avionics.
Sec. 332. Securing aircraft avionics systems.
Sec. 333. Maintenance data availability.
Sec. 334. Study on airworthiness standards compliance.
Sec. 335. Fire protection standards.
Sec. 336. Cabin air safety.
Sec. 337. Airport air safety.
Sec. 338. Aircraft interchange agreement limitations.
Sec. 339. Wildfire suppression.
Sec. 340. Study on impacts of temperature in aircraft cabins.
Sec. 341. Part 135 pilot supplemental oxygen requirement.
Sec. 342. Crewmember pumping guidance.
Sec. 343. Reauthorization of certain provisions of the Aircraft 
                            Certification, Safety, and Accountability 
                            Act.
Sec. 344. Report on the compliance of foreign regulators with Bilateral 
                            Aviation Safety Agreements.
Sec. 345. Study on FAA use of mandatory Equal Access to Justice Act 
                            waivers.
Sec. 346. Sense of Congress regarding mandated contents of onboard 
                            emergency medical kits.
Sec. 347. Passenger aircraft first aid and emergency medical kit 
                            equipment and training.
Sec. 348. Runway traffic alerting technology.
Sec. 349. Runway landing safety technology.
Sec. 350. Hawaii Air Noise and Safety Task Force.
Sec. 351. Improved safety in rural areas.
Sec. 352. Alaska aviation safety initiative.
Sec. 353. Reducing turbulence on part 121 aircraft operations.
Sec. 354. Enhanced qualification program for restricted airline 
                            transport pilot certificate.
Sec. 355. Reauthorization of the National Transportation Safety Board.

           TITLE IV--MODERNIZING THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM

Sec. 401. NextGen accountability task force.
Sec. 402. Use of advanced surveillance in oceanic airspace.
Sec. 403. GPS monitoring pilot program.
Sec. 404. Runway safety technologies.
Sec. 405. Flight profile optimization.
Sec. 406. STARS remote surveillance displays.
Sec. 407. Audit of legacy systems.
Sec. 408. Aeronautical mobile communications services.
Sec. 409. Low-altitude routes for vertical flight.
Sec. 410. ADS-B out equipage study; Vehicle-to-Vehicle link program.
Sec. 411. Extension of enhanced air traffic services pilot program.
Sec. 412. NextGen equipage plan.
Sec. 413. Performance based navigation report and utilization plan.
Sec. 414. Air traffic control facility realignment study.
Sec. 415. Update of FAA standards to allow distribution and use of 
                            certain restricted routes and terminal 
                            procedures.
Sec. 416. Protection of safe and efficient use of airspace at airports.
Sec. 417. ASOS/AWOS service report dashboard.
Sec. 418. Upgrading and replacing aging air traffic systems.
Sec. 419. Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area Special Flight Rules Area.

                      TITLE V--AVIATION WORKFORCE

                  Subtitle A--Civil Aviation Workforce

Sec. 501. Aviation workforce development grants.
Sec. 502. Women in Aviation Advisory Committee.
Sec. 503. Study of high school aviation maintenance training programs.
Sec. 504. Military aviation maintenance technicians rule.
Sec. 505. Prohibition of remote dispatching.
Sec. 506. Employee assault prevention and response plan standards and 
                            best practices.
Sec. 507. Crewmember self-defense training.
Sec. 508. Improving apron safety.
Sec. 509. Aviation Medical Innovation and Modernization Working Group.
Sec. 510. Airman Certification Standards.
Sec. 511. Airport service workforce analysis.

                       Subtitle B--FAA Workforce

Sec. 521. Air traffic control staffing standards.
Sec. 522. FAA Workforce review audit.
Sec. 523. Direct hire authority utilization.
Sec. 524. Staffing model for aviation safety inspectors.
Sec. 525. Safety critical staffing.
Sec. 526. Instrument landing system installation.
Sec. 527. Contract Tower Program air traffic controller training 
                            programs.
Sec. 528. Review of FAA and industry cooperative familiarization 
                            programs.
Sec. 529. Improved access to air traffic control simulation training.
Sec. 530. Air Traffic Controller Instructor Pipeline.
Sec. 531. Ensuring hiring of air traffic control specialists is based 
                            on assessment of job-relevant aptitudes.
Sec. 532. Federal Aviation Administration academy and facility 
                            expansion plan.
Sec. 533. Pilot program to provide veterans with pilot training 
                            services.
Sec. 534. Biennial reports to Congress on designated pilot examiners.
Sec. 535. GAO study and report on the extent and effects of the 
                            commercial aviation pilot shortage on 
                            regional/commuter carriers.
Sec. 536. Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Internship Program.
Sec. 537. FAA Educational Partnership Initiative.

                  Subtitle C--Flight Education Access

Sec. 541. Short title.
Sec. 542. Increase in Federal student loan limits for students in 
                            flight education and training programs.
Sec. 543. GAO report.
Sec. 544. Rule of construction.
Sec. 545. Authorization of appropriations.

                 TITLE VI--MODERNIZING AIRPORT SYSTEMS

Sec. 601. AIP eligibility amendments.
Sec. 602. Revised minimum apportionments.
Sec. 603. Apportionments for transitioning airports.
Sec. 604. Updating United States Government's share of project costs.
Sec. 605. Primary airport designation.
Sec. 606. Discretionary fund for terminal development costs.
Sec. 607. Alternative-delivery and advance-construction methods pilot 
                            program.
Sec. 608. Integrated project delivery.
Sec. 609. Airport investment partnership program.
Sec. 610. Airport accessibility.
Sec. 611. General aviation public-private partnership program.
Sec. 612. Runway rehabilitation.
Sec. 613. Extension of provision relating to airport access roads in 
                            remote locations.
Sec. 614. Procurement regulations applicable to FAA multimodal 
                            projects.
Sec. 615. Solar powered taxiway edge lighting systems.
Sec. 616. Additional ground based transmitters.
Sec. 617. Automated weather observing systems maintenance improvements.
Sec. 618. Contract Tower Program.
Sec. 618A. Contract tower program safety enhancements.
Sec. 619. Remote towers.
Sec. 620. Grant assurances.
Sec. 620A. GAO study on fee transparency by fixed based operators.
Sec. 620B. Aviation fuel in Alaska.
Sec. 621. Civil penalties for grant assurances violations.
Sec. 622. Community use of airport land.
Sec. 623. Buckeye 940 release of deed restrictions.
Sec. 624. Clarifying airport revenue use of local general sales taxes.
Sec. 625. AIP handbook review.
Sec. 626. PFAS-related resources for airports.
Sec. 627. Progress reports on the national transition plan related to a 
                            fluorine-free firefighting foam.
Sec. 628. Review of airport layout plans.
Sec. 629. NEPA purpose and need statements.
Sec. 630. Passenger facility charge streamlining.
Sec. 631. Use of passenger facility charges for noise barriers.
Sec. 632. Automated weather observing systems policy.
Sec. 633. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act implementation.
Sec. 634. Report on airport notifications.
Sec. 635. Coastal airports resiliency study.
Sec. 636. Electric aircraft infrastructure.
Sec. 637. Study on competition and airport access.
Sec. 638. Regional airport capacity study.
Sec. 639. Study on autonomous and electric-powered track systems.
Sec. 640. Special rule for reclassification of certain unclassified 
                            airports.
Sec. 641. General aviation airport runway extension pilot program.
Sec. 642. Applicability of screening requirements.
Sec. 643. Additional permitted uses of passenger facility charge 
                            revenue.
Sec. 644. Airport infrastructure resilience pilot program.
Sec. 645. Prohibition on provision of airport improvement grant funds 
                            to certain entities that have violated 
                            intellectual property rights of United 
                            States entities.
Sec. 646. Ensuring that certain projects related to natural hazards and 
                            emergency management are eligible for 
                            funding under the Federal Aviation 
                            Administration's airport improvement 
                            program.
Sec. 647. Visual weather observation systems.
Sec. 648. Transfers of air traffic systems acquired with AIP funding.
Sec. 649. Consideration of small hub control towers.
Sec. 650. Codification of FAA notice of policy relating to addressing 
                            disputed changes of sponsorship at 
                            Federally obligated, publicly owned 
                            airports.
Sec. 651. Eligible revenue-producing facilities at rural public-use 
                            general aviation airports.
Sec. 652. Increasing the energy efficiency of airport power sources.

                  TITLE VII--AIR SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS

                   Subtitle A--Consumer Enhancements

Sec. 701. Advisory committee for aviation consumer protection.
Sec. 702. Refunds.
Sec. 703. Airline passenger rights transparency act.
Sec. 704. Disclosure of ancillary fees.
Sec. 705. Access to customer service assistance for all travelers.
Sec. 706. Frequent flyer programs and vouchers.
Sec. 707. Airline customer service dashboards.
Sec. 708. Annual briefings on disruptions of passenger air 
                            transportation and periods of mass 
                            cancellations of scheduled flights.
Sec. 709. Enhancing child safety.
Sec. 710. Codification of consumer protection provisions.
Sec. 711. GAO study on competition and consolidation in the air carrier 
                            industry.
Sec. 712. GAO study and report on the operational preparedness of air 
                            carriers for preparing for changing weather 
                            and other events related to changing 
                            conditions and natural hazards.
Sec. 713. Increase in civil penalties.
Sec. 714. Family seating.
Sec. 715. Establishment of Office of Aviation Consumer Protection.
Sec. 716. Extension of aviation consumer advocate reporting 
                            requirement.
Sec. 717. Additional within and beyond perimeter slot exemptions at 
                            Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

                       Subtitle B--Accessibility

Sec. 731. Extension of the advisory committee on the air travel needs 
                            of passengers with disabilities.
Sec. 732. Modernization and improvements to aircraft evacuation.
Sec. 733. Improved training standards for assisting passengers who use 
                            wheelchairs.
Sec. 734. Training standards for stowage of wheelchairs and scooters.
Sec. 735. Mobility Aids On Board Improve Lives and Empower All.
Sec. 736. Prioritizing Accountability and Accessibility for Aviation 
                            Consumers.
Sec. 737. Access and Dignity for All People who Travel.
Sec. 738. Equal Accessibility to Passenger Portals.
Sec. 739. Store On-board Wheelchairs in Cabin.
Sec. 740. Standards.
Sec. 741. Investigation of complaints.

                  Subtitle C--Air Service Development

Sec. 751. Essential air service.
Sec. 752. Small community air service development grants.
Sec. 753. GAO study and report on the alternate Essential Air Service 
                            program.
Sec. 754. Essential air service in parts of Alaska.
Sec. 755. Essential air service community petition for review.

                        TITLE VIII--NEW ENTRANTS

                 Subtitle A--Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Sec. 801. Office of Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation.
Sec. 802. Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation Steering 
                            Committee.
Sec. 803. Beyond visual line of sight operations for unmanned aircraft 
                            systems.
Sec. 804. Extending special authority for certain unmanned aircraft 
                            systems.
Sec. 805. Environmental Review and Noise Certification.
Sec. 806. Third party service approvals.
Sec. 807. Operations over the high seas.
Sec. 808. Extension of the BEYOND program.
Sec. 809. Extension of the Know Before You Fly campaign.
Sec. 810. Unmanned aircraft system data exchange.
Sec. 811. Unmanned aircraft system detection and mitigation enforcement 
                            authority.
Sec. 812. Recreational operations of drone systems.
Sec. 813. UAS test ranges.
Sec. 814. Authority regarding protection of certain facilities and 
                            assets from unmanned aircraft.
Sec. 815. Airport safety and airspace hazard mitigation and 
                            enforcement.
Sec. 816. Special authority for transport of hazardous materials by 
                            commercial package delivery unmanned 
                            aircraft systems.
Sec. 817. Stop Illicit Drones.
Sec. 818. Drone infrastructure inspection grants.
Sec. 819. Unmanned aircraft in the Arctic.
Sec. 820. Remote identification alternative means of compliance.
Sec. 821. Prohibition on operation, procurement, or contracting action 
                            of foreign-made unmanned aircraft systems.
Sec. 822. FAA comprehensive plan on UAS automation.
Sec. 823. Sense of Congress.
Sec. 824. Comprehensive unmanned aircraft system integration strategy.
Sec. 825. Establishment of Associate Administrator of UAS Integration.
Sec. 826. Use of modeling and simulation tools in unmanned aircraft 
                            test ranges; program extension.

                   Subtitle B--Advanced Air Mobility

Sec. 831. Sense of Congress on FAA leadership.
Sec. 832. Aviation Rulemaking Committee on certification of powered-
                            lift aircraft.
Sec. 833. Application of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 
                            categorical exclusions for vertiport 
                            projects.
Sec. 834. Advanced Air Mobility Working Group amendments.
Sec. 835. Rules for operation of powered-lift aircraft.
Sec. 836. International coordination on powered-lift aircraft.
Sec. 837. Advanced air mobility propulsion systems aviation rulemaking 
                            committee.

TITLE IX--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIVE AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES

Sec. 901. Advanced materials center of excellence enhancements.
Sec. 902. Center of excellence for unmanned aircraft systems.
Sec. 903. ASSUREd safe credentialing authority.
Sec. 904. FAA and NASA advanced aviation technologies pilot program.
Sec. 905. Advancing global leadership on civil supersonic aircraft.
Sec. 906. CLEEN engine and airframe technology partnership.
Sec. 907. Hypersonic and Supersonic flight testing.
Sec. 908. Hypersonic pathway to integration study.
Sec. 909. Operating high-speed flights in high altitude Class E 
                            airspace.
Sec. 910. Electric propulsion aircraft operations study.
Sec. 911. Contract weather observers program.
Sec. 912. Airfield pavement technology program.
Sec. 913. National aviation research plan modification.
Sec. 914. FAA and NASA research and development coordination review.
Sec. 915. Research and development of FAA's aeronautical information 
                            systems modernization activities.
Sec. 916. Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and 
                            Environment.
Sec. 917. Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee.
Sec. 918. Next generation radio altimeters.
Sec. 919. Hydrogen aviation strategy.
Sec. 920. Aviation fuel systems.

                         TITLE X--MISCELLANEOUS

Sec. 1001. Authorization for carriage reimbursement.
Sec. 1002. Clarifying minimum altitudes for go-arounds, inspection 
                            passes, practice approaches, and instrument 
                            approaches.
Sec. 1003. Let Me Travel America.
Sec. 1004. Transportation of organs, bone marrow, and human cells, 
                            tissues, or cellular or tissue-based 
                            products (HCT/Ps).

                    TITLE XI--TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS

Sec. 1101. Technical corrections.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Administrator.--Unless otherwise specified, the term 
        ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration.
            (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means the Committee on 
        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the 
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives.
            (3) Comptroller general.--The term ``Comptroller General'' 
        means the Comptroller General of the United States.
            (4) FAA.--The term ``FAA'' means the Federal Aviation 
        Administration.
            (5) Secretary.--Unless otherwise specified, the term 
        ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Transportation.

                        TITLE I--AUTHORIZATIONS

SEC. 101. AIRPORT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT AND NOISE COMPATIBILITY 
              PLANNING AND PROGRAMS.

    (a) Authorization.--Section 48103(a) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (7) and inserting 
the following:
            ``(1) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            ``(2) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            ``(3) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
            ``(4) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; and
            ``(5) $4,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2028.''.
    (b) Obligation Authority.--Section 47104(c) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ``March 8, 2024,'' and inserting ``2028''.
    (c) Extension of Special Rule for Apportionments.--Section 
47114(c)(1)(J) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking 
``March 8, 2024,'' and inserting ``September 30, 2024''.

SEC. 102. FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT.

    Section 48101(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
striking paragraphs (1) through (7) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) $3,575,000,000 for fiscal year 2024.
            ``(2) $3,625,000,000 for fiscal year 2025.
            ``(3) $3,675,000,000 for fiscal year 2026.
            ``(4) $3,675,000,000 for fiscal year 2027.
            ``(5) $3,675,000,000 for fiscal year 2028.''.

SEC. 103. FAA OPERATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Section 106(k)(1) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by striking subparagraphs (A) through (G) and inserting the 
following:
                    ``(A) $12,740,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
                    ``(B) $13,033,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
                    ``(C) $13,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
                    ``(D) $13,900,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; and
                    ``(E) $14,400,000,000 for fiscal year 2028.''.
    (b) Authority to Transfer Funds.--Section 106(k)(3) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``through 2023'' and all 
that follows through ``March 8, 2024'' and inserting ``through 2028''.

SEC. 104. EXTENSION OF EXPIRING AUTHORITIES.

    (a) Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau.--Section 47115(i) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``March 8, 2024'' 
and inserting ``September 30, 2028''.
    (b) Extension of Compatible Land Use Planning and Projects by State 
and Local Governments.--Section 47141(f) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``March 8, 2024'' and inserting 
``September 30, 2028''.
    (c) Midway Island Airport.--Section 186(d) of the Vision 100--
Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (Public Law 108-176; 117 Stat. 
2518) is amended by striking ``March 8, 2024'' and inserting 
``September 30, 2028''.
    (d) Authority to Provide Insurance.--Section 44310(b) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by striking ``March 8, 2024'' and 
inserting ``September 30, 2028''.
    (e) Competitive Access Reporting Requirement.--Section 47107(r)(3) 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``March 9, 
2024'' and inserting ``October 1, 2028''.
    (f) Non-Movement Area Surveillance Pilot Program.--Section 47143(c) 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``March 9, 
2024'' and inserting ``October 1, 2028''.

SEC. 105. RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT.

    Section 48102(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (15), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (16) and inserting the following:
            ``(16) $344,000,000 for fiscal year 2024;
            ``(17) $360,000,000 for fiscal year 2025;
            ``(18) $367,000,000 for fiscal year 2026;
            ``(19) $374,000,000 for fiscal year 2027; and
            ``(20) $390,000,000 for fiscal year 2028.''.

SEC. 106. PREVENTION OF DUPLICATE OBLIGATION AUTHORITY.

    The amounts available for obligation for fiscal year 2024 under the 
amendments made by sections 101(a), 102, 103(a), 105, 501(b), 751(i), 
and 752(3) shall be reduced by the amounts obligated for fiscal year 
2024 under the amendments made by section 2201 of the Continuing 
Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions Act (Public Law 118-15) 
and section 101 of the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2023, Part 
II (Public Law 118-34) before the date of enactment of this Act.

                TITLE II--FAA OVERSIGHT AND ORGANIZATION

                        Subtitle A--Organization

SEC. 201. FUTURE OF NEXTGEN.

    (a) Completion and Sunset.--
            (1) Key programs.--Not later than December 31, 2025, the 
        FAA shall operationalize all the key programs under the NextGen 
        project as described in the FAA's deployment plan.
            (2) Office; advisory committee.--The NextGen Office and the 
        NextGen Advisory Committee shall terminate on December 31, 
        2025.
            (3) Transfer of residual nextgen implementation functions; 
        status report.--If the FAA does not complete the NextGen 
        project by the deadline specified in paragraph (1), the 
        Administrator shall transfer the residual functions of 
        completing NextGen to the Airspace Innovation Office 
        established under section 202.
            (4) Transfer of advanced air mobility functions.--Not later 
        than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, any 
        AAM (as defined in section 106(u)(7) of title 49, United States 
        Code (as added by section 801)) relevant functions, duties, and 
        responsibilities of the NAS Systems, Engineering, & Integration 
        Office or other Offices within the Office of NextGen shall be 
        incorporated into the Office of Advanced Aviation Technology 
        and Innovation established under section 106(u) of title 49, 
        United States Code (as so added).
            (5) Status reports.--If the FAA does not complete the 
        NextGen project by the deadline specified in paragraph (1), the 
        Administrator shall, not later than 30 days after such 
        deadline, and quarterly thereafter until all key programs under 
        the NextGen project are deployed, brief the appropriate 
        committees of Congress on the status of each incomplete 
        program, including, with respect to each such incomplete 
        program--
                    (A) an explanation as to why the program deployment 
                was delayed or not completed by such deadline;
                    (B) an assessment of the key risks to the full 
                implementation of the program and a description of how 
                the FAA is mitigating, or plans to mitigate, those 
                risks; and
                    (C) a detailed schedule of actions necessary to 
                complete the program, including updated milestones and 
                deadlines.
    (b) Independent Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days of the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall contract 
        with an independent third-party contractor or a Federally 
        funded research and development center to develop a report 
        reviewing and assessing the implementation of the NextGen 
        project.
            (2) Requirements.--The report developed under paragraph (1) 
        shall include the following:
                    (A) Evaluation of the promised operational benefits 
                at the time of initiation and the realized benefits 
                upon completion of the NextGen project.
                    (B) Recommendations for the technical capacity and 
                resources needed by the FAA in order to oversee a 
                comprehensive airspace modernization project on-
                schedule and on-budget.
                    (C) Identification of programs under the NextGen 
                project that were significantly delayed, significantly 
                diminished, or ultimately not implemented, including an 
                explanation of the cause of the delay, reduction, or 
                removal of the program from the NextGen project by the 
                FAA. This discussion shall include at a minimum, 
                programs relating to expanding surveillance coverage 
                across the country, increasing performance-based 
                navigation, and improving enroute data communications.
                    (D) Identification of any challenges that impacted 
                the implementation of the NextGen project.
                    (E) Identification of any lessons learned during 
                the NextGen project effort, and whether, how, and to 
                what effect those lessons may be applied to future 
                national airspace system modernization efforts.
                    (F) Assessment of national airspace system user 
                engagement in the NextGen project priorities and 
                implementation.
                    (G) Recommendations of the justifications for 
                further national airspace system modernization efforts 
                including economic, safety, efficiency, capacity, 
                predictability, and resiliency of the United States air 
                transportation system.
            (3) Deadline.--Not later than June 30, 2026, the report 
        developed under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the 
        Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress.

SEC. 202. AIRSPACE INNOVATION OFFICE.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) In general.--On January 1, 2026, the Administrator 
        shall establish within the FAA the Airspace Innovation Office 
        (in this section referred to as the ``Office'').
            (2) Assistant administrator.--The Office shall be led by 
        the Assistant Administrator.
            (3) Duties.--The Office shall be responsible for--
                    (A) the research and development, systems 
                engineering, enterprise architecture, and portfolio 
                management for the continuous modernization of the 
                national airspace system; and
                    (B) developing an integrated plan for the future 
                state of the national airspace system and overseeing 
                the deployment of the system.
            (4) Consultation.--The Assistant Administrator shall 
        consult, as necessary, with the Chief Technology Officer 
        appointed under section 106(s) of title 49, United States Code, 
        and the Associate Administrator for Advanced Aviation 
        Technology and Innovation appointed under section 106(u) of 
        title 49, United States Code (as added by section 801).
    (b) Integrated Plan Requirements.--The integrated plan developed by 
the Office shall be designed to ensure that the national airspace 
system meets future safety, security, mobility, efficiency, and 
capacity needs of a diverse set of airspace users. The integrated plan 
shall include the following:
            (1) A description of the demand for services that will be 
        required of the Nation's future air transportation system, and 
        an explanation of how those demand projections were derived, 
        including--
                    (A) the most likely range of average annual 
                resources required over the duration of the plan to 
                cost-effectively maintain the safety, sustainability, 
                and other characteristics of national airspace 
                operation and the FAA's mission; and
                    (B) an estimate of FAA resource requirements by 
                user group, including expectations concerning the 
                growth of new entrants and potential new users.
            (2) A roadmap for creating and implementing the integrated 
        plan, including--
                    (A) the most significant technical, operational, 
                and personnel obstacles and the activities necessary to 
                overcome such obstacles, including the role of other 
                Federal agencies, corporations, institutions of higher 
                learning, and non-profit organizations in carrying out 
                such activities;
                    (B) the annual anticipated cost of carrying out 
                such activities; and
                    (C) the technical milestones that will be used to 
                evaluate the activities.
            (3) A description of the operational concepts needed to 
        meet the system performance requirements for all system users 
        and a timeline and anticipated expenditures needed to develop 
        and deploy the system.
            (4) The management of the enterprise architecture framework 
        for the introduction of these operational improvements and to 
        inform FAA financial decision-making.
            (5) A business case for the operational improvements that 
        the Office will develop and deploy not later than 2040, 
        including the benefits, costs, and risks of the preferred and 
        alternative options.
    (c) Considerations.--In developing and carrying out the integrated 
plan, the Office shall consider--
            (1) the results and recommendations of the independent 
        report on implementation of the NextGen project under section 
        201(b);
            (2) the status of the transition to, and deployment of, 
        trajectory-based operations within the national airspace 
        system; and
            (3) the audit of legacy systems required by section 407, 
        and the resulting plan to replace or enhance the identified 
        legacy systems within a reasonable time frame.
    (d) Consultation.--In developing and carrying out the integrated 
plan, the Office shall consult with representatives from--
            (1) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
            (2) airlines;
            (3) business aviation;
            (4) general aviation;
            (5) aviation labor groups;
            (6) aviation research and development entities;
            (7) aircraft and avionics manufacturers;
            (8) air traffic control suppliers;
            (9) commercial space industry;
            (10) commercial and recreational drone industry; and
            (11) any other entities the Office deems necessary.
    (e) Plan Deadline; Briefings.--
            (1) Plan deadline.--Not later than November 30, 2026, the 
        Administrator shall submit the integrated plan required by 
        subsection (a)(3)(B) to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate, the Committee on Appropriations 
        of the Senate, the Committee on Transportation and 
        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and the 
        Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
            (2) Annual briefings.--The Administrator shall provide the 
        committees of Congress specified in paragraph (1) with an 
        annual briefing describing the progress in carrying out the 
        integrated plan required by subsection (a)(3)(B), including any 
        changes to the plan.
    (f) DOT Inspector General Review.--Not later than 180 days 
following submission of the integrated plan under subsection (e)(1), 
the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation shall review 
the integrated plan and submit to the committees of Congress specified 
in paragraph (1) a report that--
            (1) assesses the business case for the integrated plan;
            (2) provides any recommendations for improving the 
        integrated plan; and
            (3) includes any other information that the Inspector 
        General determines appropriate.
    (g) Limitation.--The FAA is not authorized to spend any amounts on 
the deployment of new air traffic management technologies and 
operational improvements that have yet to be deployed and identified in 
the integrated plan until the committees of Congress specified in 
paragraph (1) have been briefed under subsection (e)(2).

SEC. 203. COMMERCIAL SOFTWARE OPTIONS FOR IMPROVING ASIAS ANALYTICS.

    (a) ASIAS Analytics.--
            (1) Evaluation.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall evaluate 
        whether commercial software solutions are available to improve 
        the FAA's Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing 
        (ASIAS) system to advance the system's predictive capabilities 
        and analytical solutions developed.
            (2) Requirements.--In carrying out the evaluation required 
        by paragraph (1), the Administrator shall--
                    (A) prioritize production-ready configurable 
                solutions over custom development to support FAA 
                critical aviation safety programs; and
                    (B) ensure that adequate market research is 
                completed in accordance with FAA acquisition management 
                system requirements, including appropriate live 
                demonstrations of proposed solutions, as part of the 
                evaluation criteria.
    (b) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the results of the 
evaluation carried out under subsection (a) that--
            (1) includes an assessment of the FAA's progress toward 
        achieving previously identified milestones for ASIAS by the 
        Inspector General of the Department of Transportation and the 
        Special Committee to Review FAA Aircraft Certification Reports; 
        and
            (2) outlines the FAA's plan to use rapidly deployable 
        commercial solutions to assist the FAA in meeting such 
        milestones.

SEC. 204. AUTHORITY TO USE ELECTRONIC SERVICE.

    Section 46103 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``or'' 
                        after the semicolon;
                            (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting a semicolon; 
                        and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(D) by electronic or facsimile transmission to 
                the person to be served or the designated agent of the 
                person; or
                    ``(E) as designated by regulation or guidance 
                published in the Federal Register.''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) The date of service made by an electronic or 
        facsimile method is--
                    ``(A) the date an electronic or facsimile 
                transmission is sent; or
                    ``(B) the date a notification is sent by an 
                electronic or facsimile method that a notice, process, 
                or action is immediately available and accessible in an 
                electronic database.''; and
            (2) in subsection (c) by striking the first sentence and 
        inserting ``Service on an agent designated under this section 
        shall be made at the office or usual place of residence of the 
        agent or at the electronic or facsimile address designated by 
        the agent.''.

                     Subtitle B--Regulatory Reform

SEC. 211. SAFETY AND EFFICIENCY THROUGH DIGITIZATION OF FAA SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall--
            (1) identify, at the discretion of the Administrator, 3 
        processes of the FAA that result in a certification (such as an 
        aircraft certification, aircraft registration, or airmen 
        certification) or authorization, an exemption, or a letter of 
        authorization; and
            (2) initiate the digitization of such processes.
    (b) Requirements.--In carrying out the digitization required by 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall ensure that the digitization of 
any process allows for--
            (1) an applicant to track their application throughout the 
        period of submission and review of such application; and
            (2) the status of the application to be available upon 
        demand to the applicant, as well as FAA employees responsible 
        for reviewing and making a decision on the application.
    (c) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
which the Administrator initiates the digitization under subsection 
(a)(2), the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of 
Congress on the progress of such digitization.
    (d) Definition of Digitization.--In this section, the term 
``digitization'' means the transition from a predominantly paper-based 
system to a system centered on the use of a data management system and 
the internet.

SEC. 212. REPORT ELIMINATION OR MODIFICATION.

    (a) Reports Modified.--
            (1) Report on the airport improvement program.--
                    (A) In general.--Section 47131(a) of title 49, 
                United States Code, is amended by striking the first 
                sentence and inserting ``Not later than June 1, 2025, 
                and biennially thereafter, the Secretary of 
                Transportation shall submit to Congress a report on 
                activities carried out under this subchapter during the 
                prior 2 fiscal years.''.
                    (B) Conforming amendments.--
                            (i) Section 47131 of title 49, United 
                        States Code, is amended in the section heading 
                        by striking ``Annual'' and inserting 
                        ``Biennial''.
                            (ii) The analysis for chapter 471 of title 
                        49, United States Code, is amended by striking 
                        the item relating to section 47131 and 
                        inserting the following:

``47131. Biennial report.''.
            (2) National aviation research plan.--
                    (A) Section 44501(c)(1) of title 49, United States 
                Code, is amended by striking ``the date of submission'' 
                and inserting ``90 days after the date of submission''.
                    (B) Section 48102(g) of title 49, United States 
                Code, is amended by striking ``the date of submission'' 
                and inserting ``90 days after the date of submission''.
    (b) Reports Eliminated.--
            (1) Laser pointer incidents.--Section 2104(a) of the FAA 
        Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 46301 
        note) is amended by striking ``Beginning 90 days after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration, in coordination with appropriate 
        Federal law enforcement agencies, shall provide quarterly 
        updates to the appropriate committees of Congress regarding'' 
        and inserting ``The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration, in coordination with appropriate Federal law 
        enforcement agencies, shall provide an annual briefing to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress regarding''.
            (2) Report on helicopter air ambulance operations.--Section 
        44731 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (d)--
                            (i) in the subsection heading, by striking 
                        ``Report to Congress'' and inserting 
                        ``Briefing'';
                            (ii) by striking the first sentence and 
                        inserting ``The Administrator shall provide a 
                        briefing to the Committee on Transportation and 
                        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
                        and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                        Transportation of the Senate annually on the 
                        data collected under subsection (a).''; and
                            (iii) in the second sentence by striking 
                        ``report'' and inserting ``briefing''; and
                    (B) in subsection (e)(2), by striking ``the 
                report'' and inserting ``the briefing''.

SEC. 213. INTERNAL REGULATORY PROCESS REVIEW.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish an internal 
regulatory process review team (in this section referred to as the 
``review team'') comprised of FAA employees and individuals described 
in subsection (b) to develop recommendations to improve the timeliness 
of, and performance accountability in, the development and promulgation 
of regulatory materials (as defined in subsection (g)). The review team 
shall deliver a report with recommendations to the Secretary in 
accordance with the deadlines specified in subsection (e).
    (b) Other Members; Consultation.--
            (1) In general.--The review team shall include outside 
        experts and academics with relevant experience or expertise in 
        aviation safety and in improving the performance, 
        accountability, and transparency of the Federal regulatory 
        process, particularly as it relates to aviation safety. The 
        review team shall include at least 3 outside experts or 
        academics with relevant experience or expertise in aviation 
        safety and at least 1 outside expert or academic with relevant 
        experience or expertise in improving the performance, 
        accountability, and transparency of the Federal regulatory 
        process, particularly as it relates to aviation safety.
            (2) Consultation.--The review team may, as appropriate, 
        consult with industry stakeholders.
    (c) Contents of Review.--In conducting the review required under 
subsection (a), the review team shall do the following:
            (1) Develop a proposal for rationalizing processes and 
        eliminating redundant administrative review of regulatory 
        materials within the FAA, particularly when FAA-sponsored 
        rulemaking committees and stakeholders have collaborated on the 
        proposed regulations to address airworthiness standards 
        deficiencies.
            (2) With respect to each office within the FAA that reviews 
        regulatory materials, assess--
                    (A) the timeline assigned to each such office to 
                complete the review of regulatory materials;
                    (B) the actual time spent for such review;
                    (C) opportunities to reduce the actual time for 
                such review; and
                    (D) whether clear roles, responsibilities, 
                requirements, and expectations are clearly defined for 
                each office required to review the regulatory 
                materials.
            (3) Define and document the roles and responsibilities of 
        each office within the FAA that develops, drafts, or reviews 
        each kind of regulatory material in order to ensure that hiring 
        reflects who, where, and how these employees function in the 
        rulemaking framework.
            (4) Describe any organizational changes or the need to hire 
        additional FAA employees, if necessary and taking into 
        consideration whether current positions are staffed, to reduce 
        delays in publication of proposed and final regulatory 
        materials.
            (5) In order to provide the public with detailed 
        information on the progress of the development of regulatory 
        materials, identify reporting mechanisms and develop a template 
        and appropriate system metrics for making publicly available on 
        a website a real-time progress tracker that updates itself to 
        show the major stages (as determined by the Secretary) of the 
        development of regulatory materials as they are initiated, in 
        progress, and completed, from inception of a proposed 
        development of regulatory materials to publication of the final 
        version of such materials.
            (6) Consider changes to the FAA's best practices under 
        rules governing ex parte communications with other validating 
        authorities, including international validating authorities, 
        and with consideration of the public interest in transparency, 
        to provide flexibility for FAA employees to discuss regulatory 
        materials, particularly for those related to enhancing aviation 
        safety and the United States' aviation international 
        leadership.
            (7) Recommend methods by which the FAA can incorporate 
        research funded by the Department of Transportation, in 
        addition to consensus standards and conformance assessment 
        processes set by private sector standards-developing 
        organizations into regulatory materials, to keep pace with 
        rapid changes in aviation technologies and processes.
            (8) Recommend mechanisms to optimize the roles of the 
        Office of the Secretary of Transportation and the Office of 
        Management and Budget, with the objective of improving the 
        efficiency of regulatory activity.
    (d) Action Plan.--The Administrator shall develop an action plan to 
implement the recommendations developed by the review team. The 
Administrator shall publish the action plan on the internet website of 
the FAA and shall transmit the plan to the appropriate committees of 
Congress.
    (e) Deadlines.--The requirements of this section shall be subject 
to the following deadlines:
            (1) The review team shall complete the evaluation required 
        under subsection (a) and submit the review team's report on 
        such evaluation to the Secretary not later than 120 days after 
        the date of enactment of this section.
            (2) The Administrator shall develop and publish the action 
        plan under subsection (d) not later than 30 days after the date 
        on which the review team submits the report required by 
        subsection (a) to the Administrator.
    (f) Administrative Procedure Requirements Inapplicable.--The 
provisions of subchapter II of chapter 5, and chapter 7, of title 5, 
United States Code (commonly known as the ``Administrative Procedure 
Act'') shall not apply to any activities of the review team in carrying 
out the requirements of this section.
    (g) Regulatory Materials Defined.--In this section, the term 
``regulatory materials'' means rules, orders, advisory circulars, 
statements of policy, guidance, and other materials related to aviation 
safety regulations, as well as other materials pertaining to training 
and operation of aeronautical products.

SEC. 214. REVIEW AND UPDATES OF CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Secretary shall--
            (1) identify each categorical exclusion under the 
        jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation (referred to 
        in this section as the ``Department''), including any operating 
        administration within the Department; and
            (2) review, adopt, and broaden the applicability of 
        categorical exclusions to enable the use by operating 
        administrations of the Department, as relevant and appropriate, 
        of categorical exclusions identified in paragraph (1).

                     TITLE III--SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

SEC. 301. INDEPENDENT STUDY ON FUTURE STATE OF TYPE CERTIFICATION 
              PROCESSES.

    (a) Review and Study.--Not later than 60 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, subject to the availability of 
appropriations, the Administrator shall enter into an agreement with an 
appropriate Federally-funded research and development center, or other 
independent nonprofit organization that recommends solutions to 
aviation policy challenges through objective analysis, to conduct a 
review and study in accordance with the requirements and elements set 
forth in this section.
    (b) Elements.--The review and study under subsection (a) shall 
provide analyses, assessments, and recommendations that address the 
following:
            (1) A vision for a future state of type certification that 
        reflects the highly complex, highly integrated nature of 
        today's aircraft and improvements in aviation safety.
            (2) A review of the current tools and techniques used for 
        type certification and an evaluation of whether use of advanced 
        digital tools and techniques, including model-based system 
        engineering, would improve the type certification process and 
        enhance aviation safety.
            (3) How the FAA could develop a risk-based model for type 
        certification that improves the safety of aircraft.
            (4) What changes are needed to ensure that corrective 
        actions for continued operational safety issues can be approved 
        and implemented quickly, particularly with respect to software 
        modifications, while maintaining the safety of the type 
        certification process.
            (5) What efficiencies and safety process improvements are 
        needed in the FAA's type certification system that will 
        facilitate the assessment and integration of innovating 
        technologies that advance aviation safety, such as conducting 
        product familiarization, developing certification requirements, 
        and demonstrating flight test safety readiness.
            (6) Best practices and tools used by other certification 
        authorities that could be adopted by the FAA and the United 
        States, as well as the best practices and tools used by the 
        United States which can be shared with other certification 
        authorities.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 15 months after the date of enactment 
of this section, the organization conducting the review and study shall 
submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress 
a report on the results of the review and study that includes the 
findings and recommendations of the organization.
    (d) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 270 days after the 
report required under subsection (c) is submitted to the Administrator, 
the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress 
regarding the FAA's response to the findings and recommendations of 
such report, what actions the FAA will take as a result of such 
findings and recommendations, and the FAA rationale for not taking 
action on any specific recommendation.

SEC. 302. REPORT ON INTERNATIONAL VALIDATION PROGRAM PERFORMANCE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall evaluate the performance 
of the FAA's type certificate validation program under bilateral 
agreements, with reference to agreed implementation procedures.
    (b) Contents.--The evaluation under subsection (a) shall consider, 
at minimum, the following:
            (1) Progress under section 243(a) of the FAA 
        Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note) with respect 
        to improving the FAA's leadership abroad.
            (2) Develop criteria and procedures whereby an Organization 
        Designation Authorization Holder (as defined in section 
        44736(c)(5) of title 49, United States Code) may provide an ODA 
        Unit recommendation that certain data produced during an 
        applicant's company flight test program may be accepted by the 
        FAA as final compliance data in accordance with section 
        21.35(b) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, at the sole 
        discretion of the FAA.
            (3) Training on the minimum standards for validation work 
        plan content, such as the validating authority level of 
        involvement, and what constitutes justification for level of 
        involvement and compliance document requests.
            (4) The perspectives of FAA employees responsible for type 
        validation projects, bilateral civil aviation regulatory 
        partners, and industry applicants, on the FAA's performance in 
        carrying out validation projects.
            (5) The levels of funding and staffing for the 
        International Validation Branch of the Compliance and 
        Airworthiness Division of the Aircraft Certification Service of 
        the FAA compared to the Branch's workload and goals.
            (6) The effectiveness of FAA training for employees and of 
        outreach conducted to improve and enforce validation processes.
            (7) Efforts undertaken to strengthen relationships with 
        international certification authorities to maximize safety 
        cooperation and the use of approvals issued by other certifying 
        authorities in compliance with applicable bilateral agreements 
        and implementation procedures.
    (c) Report.--The Administrator shall issue a report regarding the 
evaluation required under subsection (a) to the appropriate committees 
of Congress not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
section.

SEC. 303. HIGH RISK FLIGHT TESTING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall take necessary actions, 
including as appropriate, amending part 21 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, and revising or modifying any associated advisory 
circulars, guidance, or policy of the FAA, in accordance with this 
section to improve flight test safety risk.
    (b) Requirements.--In developing, amending, revising, or modifying 
regulations, advisory circulars, guidance, or policy under subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall do the following:
            (1) Develop validation criteria and procedures whereby data 
        produced in high fidelity engineering laboratories and 
        facilities may be allowed in conjunction with, or in lieu of, 
        data produced on a flying test article to support an 
        applicant's showing of compliance required under section 
        21.35(a)(1) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (2) Develop criteria and procedures whereby an Organization 
        Designation Authorization (as defined in section 44736(c)(5) of 
        title 49, United States Code) may recommend that certain data 
        produced during an applicant's company flight test program may 
        be accepted by the FAA as final compliance data in accordance 
        with section 21.35(b) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
        at the sole discretion of the FAA.
            (3) Work with other civil aviation authorities representing 
        States of Design to identify their best practices relative to 
        high risk flight testing and adopt those practices into the 
        FAA's flight-testing requirements to the maximum extent 
        practicable.

SEC. 304. RECORDING DEVICES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 44745. Cockpit recording device
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall complete a rulemaking proceeding to--
            ``(1) require that, not later than 4 years after the date 
        of enactment of this Act, all applicable aircraft are fitted 
        with a cockpit voice recorder and a flight data recorder that 
        are each capable of recording the most recent 25 hours of data;
            ``(2) prohibit any person from deliberately erasing or 
        tampering with any recording on such a cockpit voice recorder 
        or flight data recorder following a National Transportation 
        Safety Board reportable event under part 830 of title 49, Code 
        of Federal Regulations, and provide for civil and criminal 
        penalties for such deliberate erasing or tampering, which may 
        be assessed in accordance with section 1155 of this title and 
        section 32 of title 18;
            ``(3) require that such a cockpit voice recorder has the 
        capability for an operator to use an erasure feature, such as 
        an installed bulk erase function, consistent with applicable 
        law and regulations;
            ``(4) require that, in the case of such a cockpit voice 
        recorder or flight data recorder that uses a solid state 
        recording medium in which activation of a bulk erase function 
        assigns a random discrete code to the deleted recording, only 
        the manufacturer of the recorder and the National 
        Transportation Safety Board have access to the software 
        necessary to determine the code in order to extract the deleted 
        recorded data; and
            ``(5) ensure that data on such a cockpit voice recorder or 
        a flight data recorder, through technical means other than 
        encryption (such as overwriting or the substitution of a blank 
        recording medium before the recorder is returned to the owner) 
        is not disclosed for use other than for accident or incident 
        investigation purposes.
    ``(b) Prohibited Use.--A cockpit voice recorder recording shall not 
be used by the Administrator or any employer for any certificate 
action, civil penalty, or disciplinary proceedings against flight 
crewmembers.
    ``(c) Applicable Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the term 
`applicable aircraft' means an aircraft that is--
            ``(1) operated under part 121 or 135 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations; and
            ``(2) required by regulation to have a cockpit voice 
        recorder or a flight data recorder.''.
    (b) Flight Data Recovery From Overwater Operations.--Chapter 447 of 
title 49, United States Code, as amended by subsection (a), is further 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 44746. Flight data recovery from overwater operations
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall complete a rulemaking proceeding to require that, 
not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of this section, all 
applicable aircraft are--
            ``(1) fitted with a means, in the event of an accident, to 
        recover mandatory flight data parameters in a manner that does 
        not require the underwater retrieval of the cockpit voice 
        recorder or flight data recorder;
            ``(2) equipped with a tamper-resistant method to broadcast 
        sufficient information to a ground station to establish the 
        location where an applicable aircraft terminates flight as the 
        result of such an event; and
            ``(3) equipped with an airframe low-frequency underwater 
        locating device that functions for at least 90 days and that 
        can be detected by appropriate equipment.
    ``(b) Applicable Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the term 
`applicable aircraft' means an aircraft manufactured on or after 
January 1, 2027, that is--
            ``(1) operated under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations;
            ``(2) required by regulation to have a cockpit voice 
        recorder and a flight data recorder; and
            ``(3) used in extended overwater operations.''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 447 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 44744 the following:

``44745. Recording devices.
``44746. Flight data recovery from overwater operations.''.

SEC. 305. HELICOPTER SAFETY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall task the Aviation 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the 
``Committee'') with reviewing and assessing the need for changes to the 
safety requirements for turbine-powered rotorcraft certificated for 6 
or more passenger seats in relation to flight data recorders, flight 
data monitoring, and terrain awareness and warning systems. The 
Committee shall submit to the Administrator a report on the findings 
from such review and assessment, together with recommendations for such 
legislative or administrative action as the Committee deems 
appropriate.
    (b) Considerations.--In reviewing and assessing the safety 
requirements under subsection (a), the Committee shall consider--
            (1) any applicable safety recommendations of the National 
        Transportation Safety Board; and
            (2) the operational requirements and safety considerations 
        for operations under parts 121 and 135 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations.
    (c) Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after the date on which the 
Committee submits the report under subsection (a), the Administrator 
shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on--
            (1) the findings and recommendations included in the 
        Committee's report; and
            (2) the Administrator's plan, if any, to implement such 
        recommendations.

SEC. 306. REVIEW AND INCORPORATION OF HUMAN READINESS LEVELS INTO 
              AGENCY GUIDANCE MATERIAL.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Proper attention to human factors during the 
        development of technological systems is a significant factor in 
        minimizing or preventing human error.
            (2) The evaluation and monitoring of a new aviation 
        technology or system with respect to human use throughout its 
        design and development may reduce human error in new systems 
        and technologies when used in operational conditions.
            (3) The technical standard ``ANSI/HFES 400-2021, Human 
        Readiness Level Scale in the System Development Process'' 
        defines the 9 levels of a Human Readiness Level scale and their 
        application in systems engineering and human systems 
        integration processes.
    (b) Review.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall initiate a process to review 
ANSI/HFES Standard 400-2021 and determine whether any materials from 
this standard can and should be incorporated or referenced in agency 
procedures and guidance material in order to enhance safety in relation 
to human factors.
    (c) Consultation.--In carrying out subsection (b), the 
Administrator shall conduct a review of the ANSI/HFES 400-2021 
technical standard and may consult with subject matter experts 
affiliated with the authoring organization for such technical standard.
    (d) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate 
committees of Congress on the progress of the review required by 
subsection (b).

SEC. 307. SERVICE DIFFICULTY REPORTS.

    (a) Annual Congressional Briefings.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on 
compliance during the preceding year with requirements relating to 
Service Difficulty Reports, specifically--
            (1) compliance by operators with the requirements of 
        section 121.703 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations;
            (2) compliance by approval or certificate holders with the 
        requirements of section 183.63 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations; and
            (3) compliance by FAA offices with the requirements for 
        investigation of Service Difficulty Reports, as documented in 
        the following FAA Orders (and any subsequent revisions of such 
        Orders):
                    (A) FAA Order 8900.1A, Flight Standards Information 
                Management System (issued October 27, 2022);
                    (B) FAA Order 8120.23A, Certificate Management of 
                Production Approval Holders (issued March 6, 2017); and
                    (C) FAA Order 8110.107A, Monitor Safety/Analyze 
                Data (issued October 1, 2012).
    (b) Requirements.--The briefings required by subsection (a) shall 
include the following with respect to the preceding year:
            (1) Identification of categories of service difficulties 
        reported, as determined by the Administrator, including 
        repetitive service difficulties reported.
            (2) The causes of the service difficulties, as determined 
        by the Administrator.
            (3) Actions taken by, or required by, the Administrator to 
        address the identified causes of service difficulties.
            (4) Violations of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
        and what, if any, action the FAA took in response to a 
        violation, including any actions set forth in FAA Order 
        2150.3C, FAA Compliance and Enforcement Program w/Changes 1-10 
        (issued September 18, 2018) (or any subsequent revisions of 
        such Order).

SEC. 308. ACCOUNTABILITY AND COMPLIANCE.

    (a) In General.--Section 44704(a)(1) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: ``When an 
applicant submits design data to the Administrator for a finding of 
compliance as part of an application for a type certificate, the 
applicant shall certify to the Administrator that the submitted design 
data demonstrates compliance with the applicable airworthiness 
standards or that any airworthiness standards not complied with are 
compensated for by factors that provide an equivalent level of safety 
as agreed upon by the Administrator.''
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall provide to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the implementation of 
the certification required by the amendment made by subsection (a).

SEC. 309. ACCOUNTABILITY FOR AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION NUMBERS.

    The Administrator shall review the process of reserving aircraft 
registration numbers and implement appropriate changes to ensure fair 
participation by the general public, including the implementation of 
readily available software to prevent any computer auto-fill systems 
from reserving aircraft registration numbers in bulk.

SEC. 310. AIRCRAFT REREGISTRATION.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 441 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new section:
``Sec. 44114. Reregistration of aircraft
    ``If an application for reregistration of an aircraft is filed 
before the date on which the aircraft's registration expires, the 
aircraft may continue to be operated after the expiration of the 90-day 
period following the date on which the owner of the aircraft filed such 
reregistration application (without regard for whether the 
Administrator has received such reregistration application), provided 
that--
            ``(1) any operator of the aircraft has evidence aboard the 
        aircraft that the owner of the aircraft filed the 
        reregistration application with the Administrator not less than 
        90 days previously; and
            ``(2) the Administrator has not rejected such 
        reregistration application.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date that is 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this section.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 441 of such title 
is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 44113 the 
following:

``44114. Reregistration of aircraft.''.

SEC. 311. FAA OVERSIGHT OF REPAIR STATIONS LOCATED OUTSIDE THE UNITED 
              STATES.

    (a) In General.--Section 44733 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in the section heading by striking ``Inspection'' and 
        inserting ``Oversight'';
            (2) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in the first sentence--
                            (i) by inserting ``, without prior notice 
                        to such repair stations,'' after ``annually''; 
                        and
                            (ii) by inserting ``and the applicable laws 
                        of the country in which a repair station is 
                        located'' after ``international agreements''; 
                        and
                    (B) by striking the second sentence and inserting 
                ``The Administrator may carry out announced or 
                unannounced inspections in addition to the annual 
                unannounced inspection required under this subsection 
                based on identified risks and in a manner consistent 
                with United States obligations under international 
                agreements and with the applicable laws of the country 
                in which a repair station is located.'';
            (3) by redesignating subsection (g) as subsection (i); and
            (4) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
    ``(g) Data Analysis.--
            ``(1) In general.--An air carrier conducting operations 
        under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall, 
        if applicable, provide to the appropriate office of the 
        Administration, not less than once every year, a report 
        containing the information described in paragraph (2) with 
        respect to heavy maintenance work on aircraft (including on-
        wing aircraft engines) performed in the preceding year.
            ``(2) Information required.--A report under paragraph (1) 
        shall contain the following information:
                    ``(A) The location where any heavy maintenance work 
                on aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engines) was 
                performed outside the United States.
                    ``(B) A description of the work performed at each 
                such location.
                    ``(C) The date of completion of the work performed 
                at each such location.
                    ``(D) If applicable, a list of all failures, 
                malfunctions, or defects affecting the safe operation 
                of such aircraft identified by the air carrier within 
                30 days after the date on which an aircraft is returned 
                to service, organized by reference to aircraft 
                registration number, that--
                            ``(i) require corrective action after the 
                        aircraft is approved for return to service; and
                            ``(ii) result from the work performed on 
                        such aircraft.
                    ``(E) The certificate number of the person 
                approving such aircraft or on-wing aircraft engine, for 
                return to service following completion of the work 
                performed at each such location.
            ``(3) Analysis.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration shall--
                    ``(A) analyze information made available under 
                paragraph (1) of this subsection and sections 121.703, 
                121.705, 121.707, and 145.221 of title 14, Code of 
                Federal Regulations, or any successor provisions, to 
                detect safety issues associated with heavy maintenance 
                work on aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engines) 
                performed outside the United States; and
                    ``(B) require appropriate actions in response.
            ``(4) Confidentiality.--Information made available under 
        paragraph (1) shall be subject to the same protections given to 
        voluntarily provided safety or security related information 
        under section 40123.
    ``(h) Minimum Qualifications for Mechanics and Others Working on 
U.S. Registered Aircraft.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this subsection, the Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration shall require that, at each covered 
        repair station--
                    ``(A) all supervisory personnel are appropriately 
                certificated as a mechanic or repairman under part 65 
                of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, or under an 
                equivalent certification or licensing regime, as 
                determined by the Administrator; and
                    ``(B) all personnel authorized to approve an 
                article for return to service are appropriately 
                certificated as a mechanic or repairman under part 65 
                of such title, or under an equivalent certification or 
                licensing regime, as determined by the Administrator.
            ``(2) Available for consultation.--Not later than 1 year 
        after the date of enactment of this subsection, the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall 
        require any individual who is responsible for approving an 
        article for return to service or who is directly in charge of 
        aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engine) maintenance 
        performed on aircraft operated under part 121 of title 14, Code 
        of Federal Regulations, be available for consultation while 
        work is being performed at a covered repair station.''.
    (b) Definition of Covered Repair Station.--
            (1) In general.--Section 44733(i) of title 49, United 
        States Code (as redesignated by subsection (a)(3)), is 
        amended--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (3) as 
                paragraphs (2) through (4), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so 
                redesignated, the following:
            ``(1) Covered repair station.--The term `covered repair 
        station' means a facility that--
                    ``(A) is located outside the United States;
                    ``(B) is certificated under part 145 of title 14, 
                Code of Federal Regulations; and
                    ``(C) performs heavy maintenance work on aircraft 
                (including on-wing aircraft engines) operated under 
                part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.''.
            (2) Technical amendment.--Section 44733(a)(3) of title 49, 
        United States Code, is amended by striking ``covered part 145 
        repair stations'' and inserting ``part 145 repair stations''.
    (c) Clerical Amendments.--The analysis for chapter 447 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 
44733 and inserting the following:

``44733. Oversight of repair stations located outside the United 
                            States.''.

SEC. 312. ALCOHOL AND DRUG TESTING AND BACKGROUND CHECKS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsection (c), beginning on the date 
that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Administrator may not approve or authorize international travel for any 
employee of the FAA until a final rule carrying out the requirements of 
subsection (b) of section 2112 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and 
Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44733 note) has been published in the 
Federal Register.
    (b) Rulemaking on Assessment Requirement.--With respect to any 
employee not covered under the requirements of section 1554.101 of 
title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, the Administrator shall initiate 
a rulemaking that requires a covered repair station to confirm that any 
such employee has successfully completed an assessment commensurate 
with a security threat assessment described in subpart C of part 1540 
of such title.
    (c) Exceptions.--The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply 
to international travel that is determined by the Administrator on an 
individual-by-individual basis to be--
            (1) exclusively for the purpose of conducting a safety 
        inspection;
            (2) directly related to aviation safety standards, 
        certification, and oversight; or
            (3) vital to the national interests of the United States.
    (d) Definition of Covered Repair Station.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``covered repair station'' means a facility that--
            (1) is located outside the United States;
            (2) is certificated under part 145 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations; and
            (3) performs heavy maintenance work on aircraft (including 
        on-wing aircraft engines), operated under part 121 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations.

SEC. 313. CONTINUOUS AIRCRAFT TRACKING AND TRANSMISSION FOR HIGH 
              ALTITUDE BALLOONS.

    (a) Aviation Rulemaking Committee.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish an 
        Aviation Rulemaking Committee (in this section referred to as 
        the ``Committee'') to review and develop findings and 
        recommendations regarding a standard that any high altitude 
        balloon be equipped with a system for continuous aircraft 
        tracking that shall transmit, at a minimum, the altitude, 
        location, and identity of the high altitude balloon in a manner 
        that is accessible to air traffic controllers and ensures the 
        safe integration of high altitude balloons into the national 
        airspace system.
            (2) Composition.--The Committee shall consist of members 
        appointed by the Administrator, including the following:
                    (A) Representatives of industry.
                    (B) Aviation safety experts, including experts with 
                specific knowledge--
                            (i) of high altitude balloon operations; or
                            (ii) FAA tracking and surveillance systems.
                    (C) Non-governmental researchers and educators.
                    (D) Representatives of the Department of Defense.
                    (E) Representatives of Federal agencies that 
                conduct high altitude balloon operations.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Committee shall submit to the 
        Administrator a report detailing the findings and 
        recommendations of the Committee described in paragraph (1). 
        Such report shall include recommendations regarding the 
        following:
                    (A) How to update sections 91.215, 91.225, and 
                99.13 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to 
                require all high altitude balloons (including public 
                aircraft operations) to have a continuous aircraft 
                tracking and transmission system.
                    (B) Any necessary updates to the requirements for 
                unmanned free balloons under subpart D of part 101 of 
                title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
                    (C) Any necessary updates to other FAA regulations 
                or requirements deemed appropriate and necessary by the 
                Administrator to--
                            (i) ensure any high altitude balloon has a 
                        continuous aircraft tracking and transmission 
                        system;
                            (ii) ensure all data relating to the 
                        altitude, location, and identity of any high 
                        altitude balloon is made available to air 
                        traffic controllers;
                            (iii) determine criteria and provide 
                        approval guidance for new equipment that 
                        provides continuous aircraft tracking and 
                        transmission for high altitude balloons and 
                        meets the performance requirements described 
                        under such section 91.225, including portable, 
                        battery-powered Automatic Dependent 
                        Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out equipage; 
                        and
                            (iv) maintain airspace safety.
            (4) Use of prior work.--In developing the report under 
        paragraph (3), the Committee may make full use of any research, 
        comments, data, findings, or recommendations made by any prior 
        Aviation Rulemaking Committee.
            (5) New technologies and solutions.--Nothing in this 
        subsection shall require the Committee to develop 
        recommendations requiring equipage of high altitude balloons 
        with an ADS-B or an air traffic control transponder 
        transmission system, or preclude the Committee from making 
        recommendations for the adoption of new systems or solutions 
        that may require that a high altitude balloon be equipped with 
        a system that can transmit, at a minimum, the altitude, 
        location, and identity of the high altitude balloon.
    (b) Rulemaking and Other Requirements.--Not later than 18 months 
after the date on which the Committee submits the report under 
subsection (a)(3), the Administrator shall--
            (1) issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to require a 
        continuous aircraft tracking and transmission system for any 
        high altitude balloon, in accordance with the recommendations 
        of the Committee; and
            (2) coordinate with foreign authorities (including 
        bilateral partners and the International Civil Aviation 
        Organization (ICAO)) to identify opportunities to align 
        continuous aircraft tracking and transmission system standards 
        for any high altitude balloon operating outside of the national 
        airspace system.
    (c) Interim Standard.--During the period beginning on the date that 
is 2 years after the date of enactment of this section and ending on 
the date on which the Administrator issues a notice of proposed 
rulemaking under subsection (b)(1), a person may only operate a high 
altitude balloon if such balloon meets the requirements described in 
section 91.215(b) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
notwithstanding the exemption provided in subsection (e)(1) of such 
section 91.215 or in subsection (e) of section 91.1 of such title 14.
    (d) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, and every 6 months thereafter until the 
Administrator promulgates a final rule under subsection (b), the 
Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
report on the status of the rulemaking and other requirements being 
developed under such subsection.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) 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 Appropriations of the Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and
                    (D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            (2) High altitude balloon.--The term ``high altitude 
        balloon'' means a manned or unmanned free balloon operating not 
        less than 18,000 feet above mean sea level.

SEC. 314. INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT.

    (a) Plan.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall develop and 
        implement a plan to enhance United States' leadership in 
        aviation safety and policy.
            (2) Contents of plan.--The plan required under paragraph 
        (1) shall include, at minimum, the following:
                    (A) Measures to advance international cooperation 
                related to--
                            (i) approval of new safety-enhancing 
                        technologies and aeronautical products;
                            (ii) development of regulatory policy and 
                        plans related to advanced air mobility 
                        concepts;
                            (iii) innovation in the general aviation 
                        sector;
                            (iv) further integration of uncrewed 
                        aircraft systems and advanced air mobility 
                        aircraft and operators; and
                            (v) development of international standards 
                        and best practices for enhancing aviation 
                        safety consistent with United States policy and 
                        objectives.
                    (B) Initiatives to attain greater expertise among 
                employees of the FAA on issues related to dispute 
                resolution, intellectual property, and export control 
                laws.
                    (C) Policy regarding the future direction and 
                strategy of United States engagement with the 
                International Civil Aviation Organization and bilateral 
                partner countries, including the secondment of subject 
                matter experts.
                    (D) Procedures for acceptance of mandatory 
                continuing airworthiness information, such as 
                airworthiness directives and other safety-related 
                regulatory documents, consistent with section 
                44701(e)(5) of title 49, United States Code.
                    (E) Measures to align the FAA's technical 
                assistance to foreign civil aviation regulators, taking 
                into account, among other factors, with respect to each 
                such foreign regulator, the particular aeronautical 
                products for which the United States is the State of 
                Design in operation in the State of such regulator's 
                jurisdiction.
                    (F) Measures, such as funding and the hiring of 
                additional FAA personnel, necessary for the FAA to 
                fully participate in global and bilateral activities 
                related to aviation safety.
                    (G) Measures to facilitate and expand the FAA's 
                international programs, training, and technical 
                assistance to foreign civil aviation authorities in 
                order to--
                            (i) strengthen aviation safety oversight;
                            (ii) meet the United Nations International 
                        Civil Aviation Organization standards; and
                            (iii) further United States policy and 
                        objectives.
                    (H) Initiatives to further develop and establish 
                the FAA's foreign offices in strategic regions, 
                particularly Africa and Asia-Pacific, in order to 
                support the FAA's international mission to promote a 
                safe, secure, seamless, and sustainable global 
                aerospace system.
    (b) Public Availability of Plan.--Not later than 210 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall make the plan 
developed under subsection (a) available on the internet website of the 
FAA.
    (c) Submission to Congress.--
            (1) Plan.--Not later than 210 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a copy of the plan developed 
        under subsection (a).
            (2) Updates on implementation.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the submission of the plan under paragraph (1), and annually 
        thereafter through 2028, the Administrator shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report on the activities 
        the FAA is conducting in order to implement such plan.
    (d) International Travel.--The Administrator, or the 
Administrator's designee, may authorize international travel for any 
FAA employee, without the approval of any other person or office, for 
the purpose of--
            (1) promotion of aviation safety and other relevant 
        aviation standards;
            (2) providing support for expedited acceptance of FAA 
        design and production approvals by other civil aviation 
        authorities;
            (3) facilitation of adoption of United States approaches on 
        standards and recommended practices at the International Civil 
        Aviation Organization; or
            (4) providing support for technical assistance and training 
        by the FAA.

SEC. 315. AIR TOUR AND SPORT PARACHUTING SAFETY.

    (a) Safety Management System Requirements for Certain Operators.--
Not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Administrator shall issue a final rule requiring each person 
holding a certificate under part 119 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, and authorized to conduct operations in accordance with 
the provisions of part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to 
implement a safety management system, as appropriate for the 
operations.
    (b) Other Safety Requirements for Commercial Operators.--
            (1) Safety reforms.--
                    (A) Authority to conduct nonstop commercial air 
                tours.--
                            (i) In general.--Subject to clauses (ii) 
                        and (iii), beginning on the date that is 3 
                        years after the date of enactment of this 
                        section, no person may conduct commercial air 
                        tours unless that person--
                                    (I) holds a certificate identifying 
                                the person as an air carrier or 
                                commercial operator under part 119 of 
                                title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; 
                                and
                                    (II) conducts all commercial air 
                                tours under the applicable provisions 
                                of part 121 or part 135 of title 14, 
                                Code of Federal Regulations.
                            (ii) Small business exception.--The 
                        provisions of clause (i) shall not apply to a 
                        person who conducts 50 or fewer commercial air 
                        tours in a year.
                            (iii) Temporary exception.--Notwithstanding 
                        the requirements of clause (i), for a period of 
                        5 years after the date described in clause (i), 
                        a person who holds a letter of authorization 
                        issued by the Administrator to conduct nonstop 
                        commercial air tours under section 91.147 of 
                        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, may 
                        continue to conduct nonstop commercial air 
                        tours under such letter of authorization so 
                        long as the person--
                                    (I) as of the date of enactment of 
                                this section, has submitted (or not 
                                later than 18 months after such date of 
                                enactment, submits) an application to 
                                the Administrator for an air carrier 
                                certificate under part 119, Code of 
                                Federal Regulations; and
                                    (II) has not been issued such part 
                                119 certificate or received a denial of 
                                the application submitted under 
                                subclause (I).
                            (iv) Reporting required.--Beginning on the 
                        date that is 3 years after the date of 
                        enactment, and every 12 months thereafter, each 
                        person that conducts commercial air tours 
                        (including any person excluded from the 
                        certificate requirement under clause (ii) or 
                        (iii)) shall report to the Administrator the 
                        total number of commercial air tours that 
                        person conducted during the previous 12 months.
                            (v) Other terms.--The Administrator shall--
                                    (I) revise title 14, Code of 
                                Federal Regulations, to include 
                                definitions for the terms ``aerial 
                                work'' and ``aerial photography'' that 
                                are limited to aerial operations 
                                performed for compensation or hire with 
                                an approved operating certificate; and
                                    (II) to the extent necessary, 
                                revise section 119.1(e)(4)(iii) of 
                                title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
                                to conform with the requirements of 
                                such definitions.
                    (B) Additional safety requirements.--Not later than 
                3 years after the date of enactment of this section, 
                the Administrator shall issue new or revised 
                regulations that shall require each commercial air tour 
                operator to ensure that the doors of the airplane or 
                helicopter, rotorcraft, or other aircraft used for such 
                tour remain closed during the period of the tour in 
                which the airplane or helicopter is moving on the 
                surface or is airborne and provide an exception for a 
                parachuting flight and operations under section 
                119.1(e)(4) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
                and incorporate avoidance training for controlled 
                flight into terrain and in-flight loss of control into 
                the training program required under part 121 or 135 of 
                title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, as applicable. 
                The training shall address reducing the risk of 
                accidents involving unintentional flight into 
                instrument meteorological conditions to address day, 
                night, and low visibility environments with special 
                attention paid to research available as of the date of 
                enactment of this section on human factors issues 
                involved in such accidents, including but not limited 
                to--
                            (i) specific terrain, weather, and 
                        infrastructure challenges relevant in the local 
                        operating environment that increase the risk of 
                        such accidents;
                            (ii) pilot decision-making relevant to the 
                        avoidance of instrument meteorological 
                        conditions while operating under visual flight 
                        rules;
                            (iii) use of terrain awareness displays;
                            (iv) spatial disorientation risk factors 
                        and countermeasures; and
                            (v) strategies for maintaining control, 
                        including the use of automated systems.
            (2) Aviation rulemaking committee.--
                    (A) In general.--The Administrator shall convene an 
                aviation rulemaking committee to review and develop 
                findings and recommendations to inform--
                            (i) establishing a performance-based 
                        standard for flight data monitoring for all 
                        commercial air tour operators that reviews all 
                        available data sources to identify deviations 
                        from established areas of operation and 
                        potential safety issues;
                            (ii) requiring all commercial air tour 
                        operators to install flight data recording 
                        devices capable of supporting collection and 
                        dissemination of the data incorporated in the 
                        Flight Operational Quality Assurance Program 
                        (or, if an aircraft cannot be retrofitted with 
                        such equipment, requiring the commercial air 
                        tour operator for such aircraft to collect and 
                        maintain flight data through alternative 
                        methods);
                            (iii) requiring all commercial air tour 
                        operators to implement a flight data monitoring 
                        program, such as a Flight Operational Quality 
                        Assurance Program;
                            (iv) establishing methods to provide 
                        effective terrain awareness and warning; and
                            (v) establishing methods to provide 
                        effective traffic avoidance in identified high-
                        traffic tour areas, such as requiring air tour 
                        operators that operate within those areas be 
                        equipped with an Automatic Dependent 
                        Surveillance-Broadcast Out- and In-supported 
                        traffic advisory system that--
                                    (I) includes both visual and aural 
                                alerts;
                                    (II) is driven by an algorithm 
                                designed to eliminate nuisance alerts; 
                                and
                                    (III) is operational during all 
                                flight operations.
                    (B) Membership.--The aviation rulemaking committee 
                shall consist of members appointed by the 
                Administrator, including--
                            (i) representatives of industry, including 
                        manufacturers of aircraft and aircraft 
                        technologies;
                            (ii) representatives of aviation operator 
                        organizations; and
                            (iii) aviation safety experts with specific 
                        knowledge of safety management systems and 
                        flight data monitoring programs under part 135 
                        of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
                    (C) Duties.--
                            (i) In general.--The Administrator shall 
                        direct the aviation rulemaking committee to 
                        make findings and submit recommendations 
                        regarding each of the matters specified in 
                        clauses (i) through (v) of subparagraph (A).
                            (ii) Considerations.--In carrying out its 
                        duties under clause (i), the Administrator 
                        shall direct the aviation rulemaking committee 
                        to consider--
                                    (I) recommendations of the National 
                                Transportation Safety Board;
                                    (II) recommendations of previous 
                                aviation rulemaking committees that 
                                reviewed flight data monitoring program 
                                requirements on part 135 commercial 
                                operators;
                                    (III) recommendations from industry 
                                safety organizations, including but not 
                                limited to the Vertical Aviation Safety 
                                Team (VAST), the General Aviation Joint 
                                Safety Committee, and the United States 
                                Helicopter Safety Team (USHST);
                                    (IV) scientific data derived from a 
                                broad range of flight data recording 
                                technologies capable of continuously 
                                transmitting and that support a 
                                measurable and viable means of 
                                assessing data to identify and correct 
                                hazardous trends;
                                    (V) appropriate use of data for 
                                modifying behavior to prevent 
                                accidents;
                                    (VI) the need to accommodate 
                                technological advancements in flight 
                                data recording technology;
                                    (VII) data gathered from aviation 
                                safety reporting programs;
                                    (VIII) appropriate methods to 
                                provide effective terrain awareness and 
                                warning system (TAWS) protections while 
                                mitigating nuisance alerts for 
                                aircraft;
                                    (IX) the need to accommodate the 
                                diversity of airworthiness standards 
                                under part 27 and part 29 of title 14, 
                                Code of Federal Regulations;
                                    (X) the need to accommodate 
                                diversity of operations and mission 
                                sets;
                                    (XI) benefits of third-party data 
                                analysis for large and small 
                                operations;
                                    (XII) accommodations necessary for 
                                small businesses; and
                                    (XIII) other issues as necessary.
                    (D) Reports and regulations.--The Administrator 
                shall--
                            (i) not later than 20 months after the date 
                        of enactment of this section, submit to the 
                        appropriate committees of Congress a report 
                        based on the findings of the aviation 
                        rulemaking committee;
                            (ii) not later than 12 months after the 
                        date of submission of the report under clause 
                        (i), and after consideration of the 
                        recommendations of the aviation rulemaking 
                        committee, issue an intent to proceed with 
                        proposed rulemakings regarding each of the 
                        matters specified in clauses (i) through (v) of 
                        subparagraph (A); and
                            (iii) not later than 3 years after the date 
                        of enactment of this section, issue a final 
                        rule with respect to each of the matters 
                        specified in such clauses of subparagraph (A).
    (c) Expedited Process for Obtaining Operating Certificates.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall implement 
        procedures to improve the process for obtaining operating 
        certificates under part 119 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.
            (2) Considerations.--In carrying out paragraph (1), 
        beginning on the date that is 18 months after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall give 
        priority consideration to operators that must obtain a 
        certificate in accordance with subsection (b)(1)(A).
            (3) Report required.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to 
        the appropriate committees of Congress a report describing--
                    (A) how the procedures implemented under paragraph 
                (1) will increase the efficiency of the process for 
                obtaining operating certificates under part 119 of 
                title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and, if 
                applicable, certificates authorizing operations under 
                part 135 of such title;
                    (B) how considerations under paragraph (2) will be 
                incorporated into procedures implemented under 
                paragraph (1); and
                    (C) any additional resources required to implement 
                procedures under paragraph (1).
            (4) Additional reports required.--Not later than 3 years 
        after the date of enactment of this section, and annually 
        thereafter, the Administrator shall submit a report to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress that--
                    (A) includes--
                            (i) data on certification approvals and 
                        denials; and
                            (ii) data on duration of key phases of the 
                        certification process; and
                    (B) identifies certification policies in need of 
                reform or repeal.
    (d) Safety Requirements for Sport Parachute Operations.--
            (1) Aviation rulemaking committee.--The Administrator shall 
        convene an aviation rulemaking committee to review and develop 
        findings and recommendations to inform--
                    (A) rulemaking governing parachute operations 
                conducted in the United States that are subject to the 
                requirements of part 105 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                Regulations, to address--
                            (i) Federal Aviation Administration-
                        approved aircraft maintenance and inspection 
                        programs that consider, at a minimum, 
                        requirements for compliance with engine 
                        manufacturers' recommended maintenance 
                        instructions, such as service bulletins and 
                        service information letters for time between 
                        overhauls and component life limits;
                            (ii) initial and annual recurrent pilot 
                        proficiency checking programs for pilots 
                        conducting parachute operations that address, 
                        at a minimum, operation- and aircraft-specific 
                        weight and balance calculations, preflight 
                        inspections, emergency and recovery procedures, 
                        and parachutist egress procedures for each type 
                        of aircraft flown; and
                            (iii) initial and annual recurrent pilot 
                        review programs for parachute operations pilots 
                        that address, at a minimum, operation-specific 
                        and aircraft-specific weight and balance 
                        calculations, preflight inspections, emergency 
                        and recovery procedures, and parachutist egress 
                        procedures for each type of aircraft flown, as 
                        well as competency flight checks to determine 
                        pilot competence in practical skills and 
                        techniques in each type of aircraft;
                    (B) the revision of guidance material contained in 
                Advisory Circular 105-2E (relating to sport parachute 
                jumping), to include guidance for parachute operations 
                in implementing the Federal Aviation Administration-
                approved aircraft maintenance and inspection program 
                and the pilot training and pilot proficiency checking 
                programs required under any new or revised regulations 
                issued in accordance with paragraph (1); and
                    (C) the revision of guidance materials issued in 
                Order 8900.1 entitled ``Flight Standards Information 
                Management System'', to include guidance for Federal 
                Aviation Administration inspectors who oversee part 91 
                of title 14 Code of Federal Regulations, operations 
                conducted under any of the exceptions specified in 
                section 119.1(e) of title 14, Code of Federal 
                Regulations, which include parachute operations.
            (2) Membership.--The aviation rulemaking committee under 
        paragraph (1) shall consist of members appointed by the 
        Administrator, including--
                    (A) representatives of industry, including 
                manufacturers of aircraft and aircraft technologies;
                    (B) representatives of parachute operator 
                organizations; and
                    (C) aviation safety experts with specific knowledge 
                of safety management systems and flight data monitoring 
                programs under part 135 and part 105 of title 14, Code 
                of Federal Regulations.
            (3) Duties.--
                    (A) In general.--The Administrator shall direct the 
                aviation rulemaking committee to make findings and 
                submit recommendations regarding each of the matters 
                specified in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph 
                (1).
                    (B) Considerations.--In carrying out its duties 
                under subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall direct 
                the aviation rulemaking committee to consider--
                            (i) findings and recommendations of the 
                        National Transportation Safety Board generally, 
                        as relevant, and specifically those related to 
                        parachute operations, including the June 21, 
                        2019, incident in Mokuleia, Hawaii;
                            (ii) recommendations of previous aviation 
                        rulemaking committees that considered similar 
                        issues;
                            (iii) recommendations from industry safety 
                        organizations, including, but not limited to, 
                        the United States Parachute Association;
                            (iv) appropriate use of data for modifying 
                        behavior to prevent accidents;
                            (v) data gathered from aviation safety 
                        reporting programs;
                            (vi) the need to accommodate diversity of 
                        operations and mission sets;
                            (vii) accommodations necessary for small 
                        businesses; and
                            (viii) other issues as necessary.
            (4) Reports and regulations.--The Administrator shall--
                    (A) not later than 20 months after the date of 
                enactment of this section, submit to the appropriate 
                committees of Congress a report based on the findings 
                of the aviation rulemaking committee;
                    (B) not later than 12 months after the date of 
                submission of the report under subparagraph (A), and 
                after consideration of the recommendations of the 
                aviation rulemaking committee, issue, as necessary, an 
                intent to proceed with proposed rulemakings regarding 
                each of the matters specified in subparagraphs (A) 
                through (C) of paragraph (1); and
                    (C) not later than 3 years after the date of 
                enactment of this section, issue, as necessary, a final 
                rule with respect to each of the matters specified in 
                such subparagraphs of paragraph (1).
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Air carrier.--The term ``air carrier'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Commercial air tour.--The term ``commercial air tour'' 
        means a flight conducted for compensation or hire in an 
        airplane or helicopter where a purpose of the flight is 
        sightseeing.
            (3) Commercial air tour operator.--The term ``commercial 
        air tour operator'' means any person who conducts a commercial 
        air tour.
            (4) Parachute operation.--The term ``parachute operation'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 105.3 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation).

SEC. 316. INTERNATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM.

    Section 44701 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(g) Aviation Safety Oversight Measures Carried Out by Foreign 
Countries.--
            ``(1) Assessment.--
                    ``(A) In general.--At intervals the Administrator 
                considers necessary in the interests of safety, the 
                Administrator, in consultation with the Secretary of 
                Transportation and the Secretary of State, shall assess 
                the effectiveness of the aviation safety oversight 
                measures carried out by a foreign country--
                            ``(i) from which a foreign air carrier 
                        serves the United States;
                            ``(ii) from which a foreign air carrier 
                        seeks to serve the United States;
                            ``(iii) whose air carriers code-share with 
                        a United States air carrier; or
                            ``(iv) as the Administrator considers 
                        appropriate.
                    ``(B) Requirements.--In conducting an assessment 
                under subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall--
                            ``(i) consult with the appropriate 
                        authorities of the government of the foreign 
                        country concerned;
                            ``(ii) determine the extent to which such 
                        country effectively maintains and carries out 
                        its aviation safety oversight measures pursuant 
                        to the Convention on International Civil 
                        Aviation (in this section referred to as the 
                        `Chicago Convention'); and
                            ``(iii) use a standard that will result in 
                        an analysis of the aviation safety oversight 
                        measures carried out by such country based on 
                        the minimum standards contained in Annexes 1, 
                        6, and 8 to the Chicago Convention in effect on 
                        the date of the assessment.
                    ``(C) Non-compliance findings.--
                            ``(i) In general.--When the assessment 
                        required by this subsection identifies areas of 
                        non-compliance to the safety oversight measures 
                        in the Chicago Convention, the Administrator 
                        shall conduct final discussions with the 
                        foreign country within 90 days of the 
                        assessment to determine whether the non-
                        compliance findings have been corrected and the 
                        foreign country is now in compliance with the 
                        applicable international standards for 
                        effective aviation safety oversight.
                            ``(ii) Correction.--If the Administrator 
                        determines that the foreign country has 
                        corrected the identified area of non-compliance 
                        by the close of final discussions, the Federal 
                        Aviation Administration will issue or continue 
                        to issue operations specifications to the 
                        foreign operator to enable the United States 
                        air service or to the United States operator if 
                        the foreign operator is to carry its airline 
                        code.
                            ``(iii) Non-correction.--If the 
                        Administrator determines that the foreign 
                        country has not has corrected the identified 
                        area of non-compliance by the close of final 
                        discussions--
                                    ``(I) immediate notification will 
                                be made to the Secretary of 
                                Transportation and the Secretary of 
                                State that a condition exists that 
                                threatens the safety of passengers, 
                                aircraft, or crew traveling to or from 
                                the foreign country; and
                                    ``(II) notwithstanding section 
                                40105(b), the Administrator, after 
                                consulting with the appropriate civil 
                                aviation authority of the foreign 
                                country concerned and notification to 
                                the Secretary of Transportation and the 
                                Secretary of State, may withhold, 
                                revoke, or prescribe conditions on the 
                                operating authority of a foreign air 
                                carrier that provides foreign air 
                                transportation.
                    ``(D) Authority.--Notwithstanding subparagraphs (B) 
                and (C), the Administrator retains the ability to 
                initiate immediate safety oversight action when 
                justified based on available safety information.
            ``(2) Notification.--At the conclusion of the international 
        aviation safety assessment process, the Administrator, after 
        advising the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of 
        State, shall inform the foreign country of the determination 
        regarding its compliance to ICAO standards. The determination 
        shall--
                    ``(A) for foreign countries determined to be 
                compliant with ICAO standards, state that no further 
                action is needed; and
                    ``(B) for foreign countries determined to be non-
                compliant with ICAO standards, recommend the actions 
                necessary to bring the aviation safety oversight 
                measures carried out by that country into compliance 
                with the international standards contained in the 
                Chicago Convention, as used by the Federal Aviation 
                Administration in making the assessment.
            ``(3) Failure to maintain and carry out standards.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), if 
                the Administrator determines that a foreign country 
                does not maintain and carry out effective aviation 
                safety oversight measures, the Administrator shall--
                            ``(i) notify the appropriate authorities of 
                        the government of the foreign country 
                        consistent with paragraph (2);
                            ``(ii) publish the identity of the foreign 
                        country on the Federal Aviation Administration 
                        website, in the Federal Register, and through 
                        other mediums to provide notice to the public;
                            ``(iii) transmit the identity of the 
                        foreign country to the Secretary of State to 
                        inform the relevant travel advisories; and
                            ``(iv) provide the identity of the foreign 
                        country and any critical safety information 
                        resulting from the assessment to the Committee 
                        on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
                        Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
                        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
                    ``(B) Immediate exercise of authority.--
                            ``(i) In general .--The Administrator may 
                        immediately exercise authority under 
                        subparagraph (A) if the Administrator, in 
                        consultation with the Secretary of 
                        Transportation and the Secretary of State, 
                        determines that a condition exists that 
                        threatens the safety of passengers, aircraft, 
                        or crew traveling to or from the foreign 
                        country.
                            ``(ii) Notification to the secretary of 
                        state.--The Administrator shall immediately 
                        notify the Secretary of State of a 
                        determination under clause (i) so that the 
                        Secretary of State may issue a travel advisory 
                        with respect to the foreign country.
            ``(4) Accuracy of the iasa list.--To meet the need for the 
        public to have timely and accurate information about the 
        aviation safety oversight of foreign countries, the 
        Administrator shall regularly review the activity of foreign 
        air carriers serving the United States and carrying the code of 
        a United States air carrier. Countries with no such operations 
        for an extended period of time, as determined by the 
        Administrator, will be removed from the public listings for 
        inactivity, after advisement from the Secretary of 
        Transportation and the Secretary of State.
            ``(5) Training.--The Federal Aviation Administration shall 
        use data, tools, and methods in order to ensure transparency 
        and repeatable results of the assessments conducted under this 
        subsection. The Federal Aviation Administration shall ensure 
        that Federal Aviation Administration personnel are properly and 
        adequately trained to carry out the assessments set forth in 
        this subsection, including with respect to ICAO standards and 
        their implementation by foreign countries.
            ``(6) Report to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this subsection, and annually thereafter, 
        the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report on the assessments conducted under 
        this subsection, including the results of any corrective action 
        period.''.

SEC. 317. CHANGED PRODUCT RULE REFORM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall issue a notice of proposed 
rulemaking to revise section 21.101 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, to achieve the following objectives:
            (1) For any significant design change, as determined by the 
        Administrator, to require that any exception from the 
        requirement to comply with the latest amendments of the 
        applicable airworthiness standards in effect on the date of 
        application for the change be approved only after providing 
        public notice and opportunity to comment on such exception.
            (2) To ensure appropriate documentation of any exception or 
        exemption from airworthiness requirements codified in title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on the date of 
        application for the change.
    (b) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall provide to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on the FAA's 
implementation of the recommendations of the Changed Product Rule 
International Authorities Working Group, established under section 117 
of the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act (49 
U.S.C. 44704 note), including recommendations on harmonized changes and 
reforms regarding the impractical exception.

SEC. 318. DEVELOPMENT OF LOW-COST VOLUNTARY ADS-B.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 24 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator, working with 
representatives from industry groups, including pilots, aircraft 
owners, avionics manufacturers, and any others deemed necessary to 
offer technical expertise, shall develop a report regarding the 
development of a suitable position reporting system for voluntary use 
in airspace not mandated for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast 
Out equipment and use (in this section referred to as ``ADS-B Out'') by 
section 91.225 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to facilitate 
traffic awareness.
    (b) Requirements.--The report developed under subsection (a) 
shall--
            (1) research and catalog equipment, standards, and systems 
        (including international) relating to ADS-B Out available as of 
        the date on which the report is submitted under subsection (c);
            (2) address strengths and weaknesses of such equipment, 
        standards, and systems, including with respect to costs;
            (3) outline potential regulatory and procedural changes 
        that may need to be undertaken by the FAA and other government 
        entities, as well as equipment, standards, and systems that may 
        need to be developed and required, to enable the development 
        and voluntary use of equipment (existing or new) that enables 
        the use of portable, and installed, low cost position reporting 
        in airspace not mandated for ADS-B Out;
            (4) determine market size, development costs, and barriers 
        that may need to be overcome for the development of technology 
        that enables the use of portable, and installed, low cost 
        position reporting in airspace not mandated for ADS-B Out; and
            (5) include a communication strategy that is targeted 
        towards potential users and promotes the benefits of the 
        position reporting solutions to enhance traffic awareness for 
        voluntary use in airspace not mandated for ADS-B Out, when such 
        technology is available for commercial use.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 30 day after the date on 
which the report developed under subsection (a) is finalized, the 
Administrator shall submit the report to the appropriate committees of 
Congress.

SEC. 319. PUBLIC AIRCRAFT FLIGHT TIME LOGGING ELIGIBILITY.

    (a) Forestry and Fire Protection Flight Time Logging.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, aircraft under the direct operational control of forestry 
        and fire protection agencies are eligible to log pilot flight 
        times, if the flight time was acquired by the pilot while 
        engaged on an official forestry or fire protection flight, in 
        the same manner as aircraft under the direct operational 
        control of a Federal, State, county, or municipal law 
        enforcement agency.
            (2) Retroactive application.--Paragraph (1) shall be 
        applied as if enacted on October 8, 2018.
    (b) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall make such regulatory 
changes as are necessary as a result of the enactment of subsection 
(a).

SEC. 320. SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS.

    (a) Finding.--Congress finds that on January 11, 2023, the FAA 
released a notice of proposed rulemaking to update and expand the 
requirements for safety management systems.
    (b) Scale of Program Requirements.--As the FAA reviews comments to 
the notice of proposed rulemaking described in subsection (a) and 
drafts the final rule, the Administrator shall ensure that safety 
management systems program requirements can be appropriately scaled to 
the size and complexity of each operator.

SEC. 321. AVIATION SAFETY INFORMATION ANALYSIS AND SHARING PROGRAM.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report on the FAA's progress with respect to the Aviation 
Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) program that--
            (1) describes the phased approach the FAA is following to 
        construct the ASIAS system;
            (2) describes the efforts of the FAA to secure increased 
        safety data from--
                    (A) commercial air carriers;
                    (B) general aviation operators;
                    (C) helicopter operators;
                    (D) unmanned aircraft system operators; and
                    (E) other aircraft operators; and
            (3) provides a summary of the efforts of the FAA to address 
        gaps in safety data provided from any of the classes of 
        operators described in paragraph (2).

SEC. 322. CONSISTENT AND TIMELY PILOT CHECKS FOR AIR CARRIERS.

    (a) Establishment of Working Group.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, subject to subsection (b)(2), 
the Administrator shall establish a working group for purposes of 
reviewing, evaluating, and making recommendations on check pilot 
functions for air carriers operating under part 135 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The working group required by this section 
        shall include--
                    (A) employees of the FAA who serve as check pilots 
                (as described in section 91.1089 of title 14, Code of 
                Federal Regulations);
                    (B) representatives of air carriers operating under 
                such part 135; and
                    (C) industry associations representing such air 
                carriers.
            (2) Existing working group.--The Administrator may assign 
        the duties of the working group described in subsection (c) to 
        an existing FAA working group if--
                    (A) the membership of the existing working group 
                includes the members required under paragraph (1); or
                    (B) the members required under paragraph (1) are 
                added to the membership of the existing working group.
    (c) Duties.--The working group shall review, evaluate, and make 
recommendations on the following:
            (1) Methods for approving check pilots for air carriers 
        operating under such part 135.
            (2) Actions required to ensure such air carriers are 
        authorized an adequate number of check pilots to enable timely 
        occurrence of pilot checks.
            (3) Differences in qualification standards applied to--
                    (A) employees of the FAA who serve as check pilots; 
                and
                    (B) check pilots of an authorized air carrier.
            (4) Methods to standardize the qualification standards for 
        check pilots, including check pilots who are employees of the 
        FAA or of an authorized air carrier.
            (5) Methods to improve the training and qualification of 
        check pilots.
            (6) Prior recommendations made by FAA advisory committees 
        or working groups regarding check pilot functions.
            (7) Petitions for rulemaking submitted to the FAA regarding 
        check pilot functions.
    (d) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
which the Administrator establishes the working group under subsection 
(a) (or tasks an existing FAA working group under subsection (b)(2) 
with the duties described in subsection (c)), the Administrator shall 
brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the progress and 
recommendations of the working group, as well as the Administrator's 
efforts to implement such recommendations.

SEC. 323. ENHANCING PROCESSES FOR AUTHORIZING AIRCRAFT FOR SERVICE IN 
              COMMUTER AND ON DEMAND OPERATIONS.

    (a) Establishment of Working Group.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
establish a Part 135 Aircraft Conformity Working Group (in this section 
referred to as the ``Working Group''). The Working Group shall study 
methods and make recommendations to clarify requirements and 
standardize the process for conducting and completing aircraft 
conformity processes for existing part 135 air carriers and operators 
in a timely manner and entering those aircraft into service.
    (b) Membership.--The Working Group shall be comprised of 
representatives of the FAA, existing part 135 air carriers and 
operators, and associations or trade groups representing such class of 
air carriers or operators.
    (c) Duties.--The Working Group shall consider all aspects of the 
current FAA processes for ensuring aircraft conformity and make 
recommendations to enhance those processes, including with respect to--
            (1) methodologies for air carriers and operators to 
        document and attest to aircraft conformity in accordance with 
        the requirements of part 135;
            (2) streamlined protocols for part 135 operators to add an 
        aircraft that was listed on another part 135 certificate 
        immediately prior to moving to the new air carrier; and
            (3) changes to FAA policy and documentation necessary to 
        implement the recommendations of the Working Group.
    (d) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
on which the Administrator establishes the Working Group, the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
progress made by the Working Group in carrying out the duties specified 
in subsection (c), recommendations of the Working Group, and the 
Administrator's efforts to implement such recommendations.
    (e) Definition of Part 135.--In this section the term ``part 135'' 
means part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

SEC. 324. TOWER MARKING COMPLIANCE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall provide a briefing 
to the appropriate committees of Congress on implementation of the 
requirements of section 2110 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security 
Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44718 note) (as amended by section 576 of the 
FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254, 132 Stat. 3391)).
    (b) Requirements.--The briefing required by subsection (a) shall 
include the following:
            (1) A description of, and timeframe for, the 
        Administrator's development of requirements to file notice of 
        construction of meteorological evaluation towers and other 
        renewable energy projects under the notice of proposed 
        rulemaking RIN 2120-AK77.
            (2) A description of the FAA's use of existing publicly 
        accessible databases to collect and make available information 
        about certain structures that are required to, or voluntarily, 
        file notice with the FAA.
            (3) For the period beginning on July 15, 2016, and ending 
        on the date the briefing required by subsection (a) is 
        provided, a list of aircraft accidents during such period that 
        are associated with covered towers (as such term is defined in 
        section 2110(b)(1)(A) of the FAA Extension, Safety, and 
        Security Act of 2016 (49 U.S.C. 44718 note) that are not marked 
        in accordance with applicable guidance in the advisory circular 
        of the FAA issued December 4, 2015 (AC 70/7460-IL).

SEC. 325. ADMINISTRATIVE AUTHORITY FOR CIVIL PENALTIES.

    Section 46301(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4), by striking subparagraph (A) and 
        inserting the following:
                    ``(A) the amount in controversy is more than--
                            ``(i) $400,000 if the violation was 
                        committed by any person other than an 
                        individual or small business concern before the 
                        date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization 
                        Act of 2024;
                            ``(ii) $50,000 if the violation was 
                        committed by an individual or small business 
                        concern before the date of enactment of the FAA 
                        Reauthorization Act of 2024;
                            ``(iii) $10,000,000 if the violation was 
                        committed by a person other than an individual 
                        or small business concern on or after the date 
                        of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
                        2024;
                            ``(iv) $250,000 if the violation was 
                        committed by an individual on or after the date 
                        of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
                        2024; or
                            ``(v) $2,500,000 if the violation was 
                        committed by a small business concern on or 
                        after the date of enactment of the FAA 
                        Reauthorization Act of 2024;'';
            (2) by striking paragraph (8) and inserting the following:
            ``(8) The maximum civil penalty the Administrator of the 
        Transportation Security Administration, Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration, or Board may impose under this 
        subsection is--
                    ``(A) $400,000 if the violation was committed by a 
                person other than an individual or small business 
                concern before the date of enactment of the FAA 
                Reauthorization Act of 2024;
                    ``(B) $50,000 if the violation was committed by an 
                individual or small business concern before the date of 
                enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024;
                    ``(C) $10,000,000 if the violation was committed by 
                a person other than an individual or small business 
                concern on or after the date of enactment of the FAA 
                Reauthorization Act of 2024;
                    ``(D) $250,000 if the violation was committed by an 
                individual on or after the date of enactment of the FAA 
                Reauthorization Act of 2024; or
                    ``(E) $2,500,000 if the violation was committed by 
                a small business concern on or after the date of 
                enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.''; 
                and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(10) The maximum amounts authorized in clauses (iii) 
        through (v) of paragraph (4)(A) and in subparagraphs (C) 
        through (E) of paragraph (8) of this subsection shall be 
        adjusted for inflation no less frequently than every 5 
        years.''.

SEC. 326. CIVIL PENALTIES FOR WHISTLEBLOWER PROTECTION PROGRAM 
              VIOLATIONS.

    Section 46301(d)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
inserting ``subchapter III of chapter 421,'' before ``chapter 441''.

SEC. 327. FLIGHT SERVICE STATIONS.

    (a) Repeal.--Section 44514 of title 49, United States Code, and the 
item relating to that section in the analysis for chapter 445 of such 
title 49 are repealed.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 106(g)(1)(D) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``44514,''.

SEC. 328. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENTS.

    Section 40104(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(3) State-to-state agreements.--The Administrator shall 
        promote efficient delivery of bilateral and multilateral 
        engagement and technical assistance by waiving the requirement 
        for State-to-State agreements for the provision of technical 
        assistance and training if the Administrator determines that--
                    ``(A) a foreign government would benefit from 
                technical assistance pursuant to this subsection to 
                strengthen aviation safety, efficiency, and security; 
                and
                    ``(B) the engagement is to provide inherently 
                governmental technical assistance and training.
            ``(4) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `inherently 
        governmental technical assistance and training' means technical 
        assistance and training that--
                    ``(A) relies upon or incorporates Federal Aviation 
                Administration-specific program, system, policy, or 
                procedural matters;
                    ``(B) must be accomplished using agency expertise 
                and authority; and
                    ``(C) relates to--
                            ``(i) international aviation safety 
                        assessment technical reviews and technical 
                        assistance;
                            ``(ii) aerodrome safety and certification;
                            ``(iii) aviation system certification 
                        activities based on Federal Aviation 
                        Administration regulations and requirements;
                            ``(iv) cybersecurity efforts to protect 
                        United States aviation ecosystem components and 
                        facilities;
                            ``(v) operation and maintenance of air 
                        navigation system equipment, procedures, and 
                        personnel; or
                            ``(vi) related training and exercises in 
                        support of aviation safety, efficiency, and 
                        security.''.

SEC. 329. RESTORATION OF AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 401 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 40118 the following:
``Sec. 40119. Security and research and development activities
    ``(a) General Requirements.--The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall conduct research (including behavioral 
research) and development activities appropriate to develop, modify, 
test, and evaluate a system, procedure, facility, or device to protect 
passengers and property against acts of criminal violence, aircraft 
piracy, and terrorism and to ensure safety, security, and efficiency.
    ``(b) Disclosure.--
            ``(1) Regulations prohibiting disclosure.--Notwithstanding 
        the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security, the 
        Secretary of Transportation, in accordance with section 
        552(b)(3)(B) of title 5, United States Code, shall prescribe 
        regulations prohibiting disclosure of information obtained or 
        developed in ensuring security under this title if the 
        Secretary of Transportation decides disclosing the information 
        would--
                    ``(A) be an unwarranted invasion of personal 
                privacy;
                    ``(B) reveal a trade secret or privileged or 
                confidential commercial or financial information; or
                    ``(C) be detrimental to transportation safety.
            ``(2) Disclosure to congress.--Paragraph (1) of this 
        subsection does not authorize information to be withheld from a 
        committee of Congress authorized to have the information.
            ``(3) Sensitive security information.--Nothing in paragraph 
        (1) shall be construed to authorize the designation of 
        information as sensitive security information (as defined in 
        section 15.5 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations)--
                    ``(A) to conceal a violation of law, inefficiency, 
                or administrative error;
                    ``(B) to prevent embarrassment to a person, 
                organization, or agency;
                    ``(C) to restrain competition; or
                    ``(D) to prevent or delay the release of 
                information that does not require protection in the 
                interest of transportation security, including basic 
                scientific research information not clearly related to 
                transportation security.
            ``(4) Law enforcement disclosure.--Section 552a of title 5, 
        United States Code, shall not apply to disclosures that the 
        Administrator may make from the systems of records of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration to any Federal law enforcement, 
        intelligence, protective service, immigration, or national 
        security official in order to assist the official receiving the 
        information in the performance of official duties.
    ``(c) Transfer of Duties and Powers Prohibited.--Except as 
otherwise provided by law, a duty or power under this section may not 
be transferred to another department, agency, or instrumentality of the 
United States Government.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall be 
effective as of October 5, 2018, and all authority restored to the 
Secretary and the FAA under this section shall be treated as if it had 
never been repealed by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 
115-254; 132 Stat. 3186).
    (c) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Chapter 401 analysis.--The analysis for chapter 401 of 
        title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 40118 the following:

``40119. Security and research and development activities.''.
            (2) Other amendments.--Section 44912(d)(2)(A)(iii) of title 
        49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``safety'' and 
        inserting ``security''.

SEC. 330. TARMAC OPERATIONS MONITORING STUDY.

    (a) In General.--The Director of the Bureau of Transportation 
Statistics (referred to in this section as the ``Director''), in 
consultation with other offices within the Office of the Secretary of 
Transportation and the FAA, shall conduct a study to explore the 
capture, storage, analysis, and feasibility of monitoring ground source 
data at airports in the United States.
    (b) Objectives.--The objectives of the study conducted under 
subsection (a) shall include:
            (1) Determining the current state of ground source data 
        coverage at airports in the United States.
            (2) Understanding the technology requirements for 
        monitoring ground movements at airports through sensors, 
        receivers, or other technologies.
            (3) Conducting data collection through a pilot program and 
        developing ground-based tarmac delay statistics.
            (4) Performing an evaluation and feasibility analysis of 
        potential system-level tarmac operations monitoring solutions.
    (c) Pilot Program.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Director shall establish a pilot 
        program for the purposes of collecting data and developing 
        ground-based tarmac delay statistics or other relevant 
        statistics with respect to airports in the United States.
            (2) Requirements.--The pilot program established under 
        paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) include up to 6 airports that the Director 
                determines reflect a diversity of factors, including 
                geography, size, and air traffic;
                    (B) terminate not more than 3 years after the date 
                of enactment of this section; and
                    (C) be subject to any guidelines issued by the 
                Director.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 4 years after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Director shall publish the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a) and the pilot program established under 
subsection (c) on a publicly available website.

SEC. 331. GAO REPORT ON CYBERSECURITY OF COMMERCIAL AVIATION AVIONICS.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a review on 
the consideration, identification, and inclusion of aircraft 
cybersecurity into the strategic framework for aviation security as 
part of the FAA's cybersecurity strategy.
    (b) Contents of the Review.--The review required by subsection (a) 
shall assess--
            (1) how onboard aircraft cybersecurity risks and 
        vulnerabilities are defined and accounted for in the strategy 
        aviation security framework, particularly in pillar 2 of that 
        framework to ``protect and defend FAA networks and systems to 
        mitigate risks to FAA missions and service delivery'';
            (2) how onboard aircraft cybersecurity, particularly of the 
        aircraft avionics, is considered, incorporated, and prioritized 
        in the cybersecurity strategy pursuant to section 509 of the 
        FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44903 note);
            (3) how roles and responsibilities for aircraft and ground 
        systems cybersecurity are differentiated and enforced between 
        the Transportation Security Agency and the FAA;
            (4) how aircraft and ground systems cybersecurity 
        vulnerabilities are being identified and prioritized for 
        mitigation, particularly considering the commercial technology 
        ecosystem; and
            (5) the budgets of the parties responsible for implementing 
        the strategy framework for aviation security, as identified in 
        subsection (a), to satisfy those mitigation requirements 
        necessary to secure the aviation ecosystem from onboard 
        cybersecurity vulnerabilities.
    (c) Report Required.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit a 
report containing the results of the review required by this section 
to--
            (1) the appropriate committees of Congress;
            (2) the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of 
        Representatives; and
            (3) the Committee on Homeland Security and Government 
        Affairs of the Senate.

SEC. 332. SECURING AIRCRAFT AVIONICS SYSTEMS.

    Section 506(a) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (42 U.S.C. 
44704 note) is amended--
            (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
        ``consider, where appropriate, revising'' and inserting 
        ``revise, where appropriate, existing'';
            (2) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (3) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) to require that software-based systems and equipment, 
        including aircraft flight critical systems, be verified to 
        ensure the software-based systems and equipment have not been 
        compromised by unauthorized external and internal access.''.

SEC. 333. MAINTENANCE DATA AVAILABILITY.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall assign to the Aviation 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee the task of--
            (1) performing a comprehensive review of previous and 
        current FAA regulations and related internal and external 
        guidance material related to instructions for continued 
        airworthiness (in this section referred to as ``ICA''); and
            (2) developing and submitting to the Administrator 
        recommendations for guidance or regulatory changes to--
                    (A) clarify the obligations of design approval 
                holders to develop and make ICA available;
                    (B) create methods to identify and provide access 
                to ICA; and
                    (C) create mechanisms to accept complaints, resolve 
                disputes, and enforce obligations.
    (b) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after receiving the 
recommendations under subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a report that describes such 
recommendations and the Administrator's plan, if any, to implement such 
recommendations.

SEC. 334. STUDY ON AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS COMPLIANCE.

    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study on the safety 
consequences of a transport airplane design approved by a domestic or 
foreign aviation manufacturer failing to comply with the applicable 
airworthiness standards. The study shall identify--
            (1) each final airworthiness directive applicable to 
        transport airplanes that was issued by the FAA in the 2-year 
        period prior to the date of enactment of this section to 
        address unsafe conditions resulting from the approval of 
        designs that were non-compliant with an applicable 
        airworthiness standard; and
            (2) for each such airworthiness directive--
                    (A) the airworthiness standard with which the 
                affected products failed to comply, as well as the 
                resulting unsafe condition and whether such condition 
                resulted in an accident;
                    (B) the methods by which the noncompliance was 
                discovered and brought to the attention of the FAA;
                    (C) an analysis of whether the method used by the 
                applicant to show compliance was acceptable and whether 
                other compliance methods would have identified the 
                noncompliance during the type certification process;
                    (D) the date of approval of the relevant type 
                design and the date of issuance of the airworthiness 
                directive;
                    (E) any corrective action mandated to address the 
                identified unsafe condition;
                    (F) the period of time specified for the 
                incorporation of the corrective action, during which 
                the affected products were allowed to operate before 
                the unsafe condition was corrected; and
                    (G) the total cost of compliance estimated in the 
                final rule adopting the airworthiness directive.
    (b) Coordination.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), 
the Administrator shall coordinate with, and solicit comments from, 
union representatives of the aviation safety engineers involved in the 
development of airworthiness directives.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes--
            (1) the results of the study conducted under subsection 
        (a);
            (2) a description of any root cause of unsafe conditions 
        identified by such study, as well as an identification of any 
        action required to address any such root cause;
            (3) the union representative comments solicited under 
        subsection (b); and
            (4) any other recommendations for legislative or 
        administrative action determined appropriate by the 
        Administrator.
    (d) Definition of Transport Airplane.--For purposes of this 
section, the term ``transport airplane'' has the meaning given such 
term in FAA Notice N 8900.649, titled ``Use of Air Carrier Pilots 
During Flight Standardization Board Evaluations for Transport 
Airplanes'' (issued December 23, 2022).

SEC. 335. FIRE PROTECTION STANDARDS.

    (a) Internal Regulatory Review Team.--
            (1) Establishment.--Not later than 60 days after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish 
        an internal regulatory review team (in this section referred to 
        as the ``Team'').
            (2) Review.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date on which the Team is established, the Team shall 
                conduct a review of foreign airworthiness standards and 
                guidance for firewalls to determine best practices that 
                should be adopted by the FAA and submit to the 
                Administrator a report on the findings of such review.
                    (B) Requirements.--In conducting the review, the 
                Team shall--
                            (i) identify any significant differences in 
                        standards or guidance with respect to test 
                        article selection, fire test boundaries, and 
                        evaluation criteria for such tests, including 
                        the use of certification by analysis where 
                        substantially similar designs have passed burn 
                        tests;
                            (ii) assess the safety implications for any 
                        products imported into the United States that 
                        do not comply with the FAA's firewall 
                        requirements; and
                            (iii) consult with industry stakeholders to 
                        the maximum extent practicable.
    (b) Duties of the Administrator.--The Administrator shall--
            (1) not later than 60 days after the date on which the Team 
        reports the findings of the review to the Administrator, update 
        the FAA's Significant Standards List based on such findings; 
        and
            (2) not later than 90 days after such date, submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report on such findings, 
        together with recommendations for such legislative or 
        administrative action as the Administrator determines 
        appropriate.

SEC. 336. CABIN AIR SAFETY.

    (a) Deadline for Submissions to Congress.--Not later than 60 days 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
complete the requirements of section 326 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) and submit to the appropriate 
Congressional committees the following:
            (1) The study by the Airliner Cabin Environmental Research 
        Center of Excellence on bleed air required by subsection (c) of 
        such section.
            (2) The report on the feasibility, efficacy, and cost-
        effectiveness of certification and installation of systems to 
        evaluate bleed air quality required by subsection (d) of such 
        section.
    (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 1 year after such date of 
enactment, the Administrator may issue a notice of proposed rulemaking 
to establish requirements for scheduled passenger air carrier 
operations under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, 
with respect to incidents onboard aircraft involving oil and hydraulic 
fluid fume events. The rulemaking shall include, as necessary, the 
study and report required under subsection (a) and may include the 
following:
            (1) Training for flight attendants, pilots, aircraft 
        maintenance technicians, airport first responders, and 
        emergency responders on how to respond to incidents on aircraft 
        involving smoke or fume events.
            (2) A standardized FAA form and system for reporting 
        incidents involving smoke or fume events onboard aircraft.
            (3) The development of investigative procedures for the FAA 
        to follow after receipt of a report of an incident involving an 
        oil and hydraulic fluid event onboard aircraft in which at 
        least 1 passenger or crew member required medical attention as 
        a result of the incident.
            (4) Installation onboard aircraft of detectors and other 
        air quality monitoring equipment situated in the air supply 
        system to enable pilots and maintenance technicians to locate 
        the sources of air supply contamination, including carbon 
        monoxide.

SEC. 337. AIRPORT AIR SAFETY.

    The Administrator shall evaluate whether there are impacts to 
travelers due to poor air quality and bleed air inside Washington 
Dulles International Airport.

SEC. 338. AIRCRAFT INTERCHANGE AGREEMENT LIMITATIONS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall revise section 
121.569 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to include each of 
the provisions described in subsection (b).
    (b) Provisions Described.--The provisions described in this 
subsection are the following:
            (1) A 30-day limit on foreign aircraft interchange 
        agreements.
            (2) A minimum break between foreign aircraft interchange 
        renewals of 90 days.
            (3) A limit of no more than 1 foreign aircraft interchange 
        agreement between 2 airlines.
            (4) A limit of no more than 2 foreign aircraft on the 
        interchange agreement.

SEC. 339. WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION.

    (a) In General.--To ensure that sufficient firefighting resources 
are available to suppress wildfires and protect public safety and 
property, and notwithstanding any other provision of law or agency 
regulation, not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall promulgate an interim final rule 
under which--
            (1) an operation described in section 21.25(b)(7) of title 
        14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall allow for the transport 
        of firefighters to and from the site of a wildfire to perform 
        ground wildfire suppression and designate the firefighters 
        conducting such an operation as essential crewmembers on board 
        a covered aircraft operated on a mission to suppress wildfire;
            (2) the aircraft maintenance, inspections, and pilot 
        training requirements under part 135 of such title 14 may apply 
        to such an operation, if determined by the Administrator to be 
        necessary to maintain the safety of firefighters carrying out 
        wildfire suppression missions; and
            (3) the noise standards described in part 36 of such title 
        14 shall not apply to such an operation.
    (b) Surplus Military Aircraft.--In promulgating any rule under 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall not enable any aircraft of a 
type that has been manufactured in accordance with the requirements of, 
and accepted for use by, any branch of the United States Military and 
has been later modified to be used for wildfire suppression operations.
    (c) Conforming Amendments to FAA Documents.--In promulgating an 
interim final rule under subsection (a), the Administrator shall amend 
FAA Order 8110.56, Restricted Category Type Certification (dated 
February 27, 2006), as well as any corresponding policy or guidance 
material, to reflect the requirements of subsection (a).
    (d) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section shall be construed 
to limit the Administrator's authority to take action otherwise 
authorized by law to protect aviation safety or passenger safety.
    (e) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            (1) Covered aircraft.--The term ``covered aircraft'' means 
        an aircraft type-certificated in the restricted category under 
        section 21.25 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, used 
        for transporting firefighters to and from the site of a 
        wildfire in order to perform ground wildfire suppression for 
        the purpose of extinguishing a wildfire on behalf of, or 
        pursuant to a contract with, a Federal, State, or local 
        government agency.
            (2) Firefighters.--The term ``firefighters'' means a 
        trained fire suppression professional the transport of whom is 
        necessary to accomplish a wildfire suppression operation.

SEC. 340. STUDY ON IMPACTS OF TEMPERATURE IN AIRCRAFT CABINS.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall enter into 
        appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of 
        Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (in this subsection 
        referred to as the ``National Academies'') under which the 
        National Academies will conduct a 1-year study on the health 
        and safety impacts, with respect to passengers and crewmembers 
        during each season in which the study is conducted, of the 
        temperature of a covered aircraft cabin falling outside of a 
        temperature between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit during all 
        phases of flight operation.
            (2) Consultation.--In conducting the study required by 
        paragraph (1), the National Academies shall consult with the 
        FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, air carriers operating 
        under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and 
        applicable aviation labor organizations.
            (3) Flight operation definition.--For purposes of paragraph 
        (1), the term ``flight operation'' means the period beginning 
        on the moment an individual boards the covered aircraft with 
        the intention of work and duty related to the flight until such 
        time as all such individuals have disembarked from the covered 
        aircraft.
    (b) Reports.--
            (1) To the administrator.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the date on which the study under subsection (a) is completed, 
        the National Academies shall submit to the Administrator a 
        report on the results of such study, together with 
        recommendations determined appropriate by the National 
        Academies.
            (2) To congress.--Not later than 60 days after the date on 
        which the National Academies submits the report under paragraph 
        (1), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
        committees of Congress a report describing the results of the 
        study required by subsection (a), together with recommendations 
        for further action deemed appropriate by the Administrator.
    (c) Definition of Covered Aircraft.--For purposes of this section, 
the term ``covered aircraft'' means an aircraft operated under part 121 
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

SEC. 341. PART 135 PILOT SUPPLEMENTAL OXYGEN REQUIREMENT.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Administrator shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking 
concerning whether to revise the requirements under paragraphs (3) and 
(4) of section 135.89(b) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to 
only apply to aircraft operating at altitudes above flight level 410. 
In the notice of proposed rulemaking, the Administrator shall consider 
applicable safety data and risks, including in relation to applicable 
incidents and accidents, as well as the investigations and 
recommendations of the National Transportation Safety Board.

SEC. 342. CREWMEMBER PUMPING GUIDANCE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall issue guidance to 
Part 121 air carriers relating to the expression of milk by crewmembers 
on an aircraft during non-critical phases of flight, consistent with 
the performance of the crewmember's duties aboard the aircraft. The 
guidance shall be equally applicable to any lactating crewmember. In 
developing the guidance, the Administrator shall--
            (1) consider multiple methods of expressing breast milk 
        that could be used by crewmembers, including the use of 
        wearable lactation technology; and
            (2) ensure that complying with the advisory circular will 
        not require an air carrier or foreign air carrier to incur 
        significant expense, such as through the addition of an extra 
        crewmember in response to providing a break, removal or 
        retrofitting of seats on the aircraft, or modification or 
        retrofitting of an aircraft.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Crewmember.--The term ``crewmember'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 1.1 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.
            (2) Critical phases of flight.--The term ``critical phases 
        of flight'' has the meaning given such term in section 121.542 
        of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (3) Part 121.--The term ``Part 121'' means part 121 of 
        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
    (c) Aviation Safety.--Nothing in this section shall limit the 
Administrator's authority over aviation safety under subtitle VII of 
title 49, United States Code.

SEC. 343. REAUTHORIZATION OF CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT 
              CERTIFICATION, SAFETY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT.

    (a) Oversight of Organization Designation Authorization Unit 
Members.--Section 44741 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (f)(2), in the matter preceding 
        subparagraph (A), by striking ``September 30, 2023'' and 
        inserting ``September 30, 2028''; and
            (2) in subsection (j), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2028''.
    (b) Integrated Project Teams.--Section 108(f) of division V of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (49 U.S.C. 44704 note) is amended 
by striking ``fiscal year 2023'' and inserting ``fiscal year 2028''.
    (c) Appeals of Certification Decisions.--Section 44704(g)(1)(C)(ii) 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``calendar year 
2025'' and inserting ``calendar year 2028''.
    (d) Professional Development, Skills Enhancement, Continuing 
Education and Training.--Section 44519(c) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2028''.
    (e) Voluntary Safety Reporting Program.--Section 113(f) of division 
V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note) 
is amended by striking ``fiscal year 2023'' and inserting ``fiscal year 
2028''.
    (f) Changed Product Rule.--Section 117(b)(1) of division V of the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (49 U.S.C. 44704 note) is amended 
by striking ``fiscal year 2023'' and inserting ``fiscal year 2028''.
    (g) Domestic and International Pilot Training.--Section 119(f)(3) 
of division V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 is amended 
by striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2028''.
    (h) Oversight of FAA Compliance Program.--Section 122 of division V 
of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)(4), by striking ``October 1, 2023'' 
        and inserting ``October 1, 2028''; and
            (2) in subsection (d), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2028''.
    (i) National Air Grant Fellowship Program.--Section 131(d) of 
division V of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (49 U.S.C. 
40101 note) is amended by striking ``2025'' and inserting ``2028''.

SEC. 344. REPORT ON THE COMPLIANCE OF FOREIGN REGULATORS WITH BILATERAL 
              AVIATION SAFETY AGREEMENTS.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall conduct a study on 
        the extent to which foreign regulators are complying with 
        Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreements, including agreements on 
        honoring Federal Aviation Administration certified aircraft, 
        parts, and systems.
            (2) Requirements.--The study conducted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include--
                    (A) the identification of, and the tracking of 
                concerns related to, foreign regulators that fail to 
                comply with the spirit of Bilateral Aviation Safety 
                Agreements;
                    (B) an analysis of the effect that noncompliance 
                with such Agreements by foreign regulators has on 
                manufacturers and supply chains;
                    (C) a description of the steps the Administrator is 
                taking to enforce such Agreements; and
                    (D) other items determined appropriate by the 
                Administrator.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection (a), 
together with recommendations for such legislation as the Administrator 
determines appropriate.

SEC. 345. STUDY ON FAA USE OF MANDATORY EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE ACT 
              WAIVERS.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a study on 
the Administrator's use of waivers of rights that may arise under 
section 504 of title 5, United States Code, or section 2412 of title 
28, United States Code, as a condition for the settlement of any 
proceedings to amend, modify, suspend, or revoke an airman certificate 
or to impose a civil penalty on a flight engineer, mechanic, pilot, or 
repairman (or an individual acting in that capacity). Such study shall 
consider--
            (1) the frequency of the Administrator's use of waivers 
        described in this subsection;
            (2) the benefits and consequences of the use of such 
        waivers to both the Administrator and the certificate holder; 
        and
            (3) the effects of a prohibition on using such waivers.
    (b) Cooperation With Study.--The Administrator shall cooperate with 
the Comptroller General's requests for information to complete the 
study described in subsection (a).
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report containing the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations for such 
legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller General 
determines appropriate.

SEC. 346. SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING MANDATED CONTENTS OF ONBOARD 
              EMERGENCY MEDICAL KITS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) a regularly scheduled panel of experts should reexamine 
        and provide an updated list of mandated contents of onboard 
        emergency medical kits that is thorough and practical, keeping 
        passenger safety and wellbeing paramount; and
            (2) such panel should consider including on the list of 
        mandated contents of such medical kits Naloxone or another 
        overdose reversal medication.

SEC. 347. PASSENGER AIRCRAFT FIRST AID AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL KIT 
              EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING.

    The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note) is 
amended by striking section 307 and inserting the following:

``SEC. 307. EMERGENCY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ON PASSENGER AIRCRAFT.

    ``(a) First Aid and Emergency Medical Kit Equipment and Training.--
Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of the `FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2024', the Administrator shall issue a notice of 
proposed rulemaking regarding first aid and emergency medical kit 
equipment and training required for flight crewmembers as provided in 
part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, applicable to all 
certificate holders operating passenger aircraft under that part.
    ``(b) Regular Review.--Not later than 5 years after the issuance of 
the final rule under subsection (a), and every 5 years thereafter, the 
Administrator shall evaluate and revise, if appropriate, the first aid 
and emergency medical kit equipment and training required for flight 
crewmembers, as well as any required training for flight crewmembers 
regarding the content, location, and function of such kit.''.

SEC. 348. RUNWAY TRAFFIC ALERTING TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) Requirement.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Aviation Rulemaking Committee of the FAA shall review 
and submit recommendations to the Administrator regarding whether 
transport airplanes should be equipped with runway traffic alerting 
technology that reduces the risk of collision on the runway with other 
traffic by providing the flight crew with both aural alerts and text 
alert messages.
    (b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``transport airplane'' 
means a transport category airplane designed for operation by an air 
carrier or foreign air carrier jet type-certificated with a passenger 
seating capacity of at least 10 seats or a maximum takeoff weight 
(MTOW) above 12,500 pounds or an all-cargo or combi derivative of such 
an airplane.

SEC. 349. RUNWAY LANDING SAFETY TECHNOLOGY.

    (a) Requirement.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Aviation Rulemaking Committee of the FAA shall review 
and submit recommendations to the Administrator regarding whether 
transport airplanes should be equipped with a system that--
            (1) while airborne, provides a clear and timely alert to 
        the flight crew if the system-calculated required landing 
        distance exceeds the landing distance available; and
            (2) after touch-down, provides a clear and timely alert to 
        the flight crew if increased deceleration is required to bring 
        the aircraft to a safe stop before the end of the runway.
    (b) Definition.--In this section, the term ``transport airplane'' 
means a transport category airplane designed for operation by an air 
carrier or foreign air carrier jet type-certificated with a passenger 
seating capacity of at least 10 seats or a maximum takeoff weight 
(MTOW) above 12,500 pounds or an all-cargo or combi derivative of such 
an airplane.

SEC. 350. HAWAII AIR NOISE AND SAFETY TASK FORCE.

    (a) Participation.--The FAA shall participate as a technical 
advisor in the air noise and safety task force established by State 
legislation in the State of Hawaii.
    (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 18 months after the date of the 
first meeting of the task force described in subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall--
            (1) issue an intent to proceed with proposed rulemaking;
            (2) take other action sufficient to carry out feasible, 
        consensus recommendations; or
            (3) issue a statement determining that no such rule or 
        other action is warranted, including a detailed explanation of 
        the rationale for such determination.
    (c) Considerations.--In determining whether to proceed with a 
proposed rulemaking or other action under subsection (b) and, if 
applicable, in developing the proposed rule or carrying out the other 
action, the Administrator shall consider the findings and consensus 
recommendations of the task force described in subsection (a).
    (d) Authorities.--The Administrator, in issuing the rule or 
carrying out the other action described in subsection (b), may take the 
following actions in the State of Hawaii:
            (1) Set minimum altitudes for commercial air tours for the 
        purpose of noise reduction, provided that such minimums do not 
        negatively impact safety conditions.
            (2) Set time-of-day restrictions on commercial air tours 
        for the purpose of reducing noise disruptions, provided that 
        such restrictions do not negatively impact safety conditions.
            (3) Set limits on the number of flights in a certain area 
        per unit of time.
            (4) Require the use of quiet aircraft technology by 
        commercial air tour operators conducting commercial air tours 
        in the State of Hawaii.
            (5) Prohibit hovering or circling in certain or all areas 
        in the State of Hawaii.
            (6) Prohibit commercial air tours in certain or all areas 
        in the State of Hawaii.
            (7) Establish certain required routes for commercial air 
        tours in certain or all areas in the State of Hawaii.
            (8) Establish a method for residents of the State of Hawaii 
        to publicly report noise disruptions due to commercial air 
        tours and for commercial air tour operators to respond to 
        complaints.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Commercial air tour.--The term ``commercial air tour'' 
        means a flight conducted for compensation or hire in an 
        airplane or helicopter where the purpose of the flight is 
        sightseeing.
            (2) Commercial air tour operator.--The term ``commercial 
        air tour operator'' means any person who conducts a commercial 
        air tour.

SEC. 351. IMPROVED SAFETY IN RURAL AREAS.

    (a) In General.--Subtitle A of title III of the FAA Reauthorization 
Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note) is amended by striking section 322 
and inserting the following:

``SEC. 322. IMPROVED SAFETY IN RURAL AREAS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall permit an air carrier 
operating pursuant to part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, to operate under instrument flight rules (in this section 
referred to as `IFR') to a destination in a noncontiguous State that 
has a published instrument approach, but that does not have a 
Meteorological Aerodrome Report (in this section referred to as 
`METAR'), and then to conduct an instrument approach at that 
destination if--
            ``(1) a current Area Forecast, supplemented by noncertified 
        destination weather observations (such as weather cameras and 
        other noncertified observations), is available, and, at the 
        time of departure, the combination of the Area Forecast and 
        noncertified observation indicates that weather is expected to 
        be at or above approach minimums upon arrival;
            ``(2) upon arrival and prior to commencing the approach, 
        the air carrier has a means to communicate to the pilot of the 
        aircraft whether the destination weather observation is either 
        at or above minimums for the approach to be flown; and
            ``(3) in the event the destination weather observation is 
        below minimums, a suitable alternate airport that has a METAR 
        is specified in the IFR flight plan.
    ``(b) Application Template.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Administrator shall develop an 
        application template with standardized, specific approval 
        criteria to enable FAA inspectors to evaluate the application 
        of an air carrier objectively.
            ``(2) Requirements.--The template required by paragraph (1) 
        shall include an area for an air carrier to describe--
                    ``(A) how any non-certified human observations will 
                be conducted; and
                    ``(B) how such observations will be communicated--
                            ``(i) to air carriers prior to dispatch; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) to pilots prior to approach.
            ``(3) Response to application.--
                    ``(A) Timeline.--The Administrator shall ensure--
                            ``(i) that the FAA has the ability to 
                        respond to an application of an air carrier not 
                        later than 30 days after receipt of such 
                        application; and
                            ``(ii) in the event the FAA cannot respond 
                        within 30 days, that the FAA informs the air 
                        carrier of the expected response time with 
                        respect to the application of the air carrier.
                    ``(B) Rejection.--In the event that the FAA rejects 
                an application of an air carrier, the FAA shall inform 
                the air carrier of the specific criteria that were the 
                cause for rejection.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on the date that is 60 days after the date of enactment of this 
section.

SEC. 352. ALASKA AVIATION SAFETY INITIATIVE.

    (a) In General.--Beginning on the date that is 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter through 
fiscal year 2028, the Administrator shall submit to the committees of 
relevant jurisdiction of Congress a report on the FAA Alaska Aviation 
Safety Initiative (in this section referred to as the ``FAASI''), 
including an itemized description of how the FAA budget meets the goals 
of the FAASI.
    (b) GAO Study on Alaska Aviation Safety.--
            (1) Study.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a study 
        to--
                    (A) examine the effectiveness of the FAASI to 
                improve aviation safety, service, and infrastructure; 
                and
                    (B) identify challenges within the FAA to 
                accomplishing safety improvements.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit 
        to the committees of relevant jurisdiction of Congress a report 
        on the findings of the study under paragraph (1), together with 
        recommendations for such legislative or administrative action 
        as the Comptroller General deems appropriate.
    (c) Committees of Relevant Jurisdiction of Congress Definition.--In 
this section, the term ``committees of relevant jurisdiction of 
Congress'' means--
            (1) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
        of the Senate;
            (2) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
            (3) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
        the House of Representatives; and
            (4) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
        Representatives.

SEC. 353. REDUCING TURBULENCE ON PART 121 AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS.

    Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Administrator shall review the recommendations made by the Chair of 
the National Transportation Safety Board to the Administrator contained 
in the safety research report titled ``Preventing Turbulence-Related 
Injuries in Air Carrier Operations Conducted Under Title 14 Code of 
Federal Regulations Part 121'', issued on August 10, 2021 (NTSB/SS-21/
01) and provide an update to the appropriate committees of Congress if 
there are any actions the Administrator plans to take based on the 
recommendations in the report.

SEC. 354. ENHANCED QUALIFICATION PROGRAM FOR RESTRICTED AIRLINE 
              TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE.

    (a) Program.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish 
        the requirements for a program to be known as the Enhanced 
        Qualification Program (in this section referred to as the 
        ``Program'') under which--
                    (A) qualified air carriers are certified by the 
                Administrator to provide enhanced training for eligible 
                pilots seeking to obtain restricted airline transport 
                certificates, either directly by the air carrier or by 
                a certified training institution under part 141 or part 
                142 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that is 
                under contract with the qualified air carrier; and
                    (B) qualified instructors and evaluators provide 
                enhanced training to eligible pilots pursuant to the 
                curriculum requirements under paragraph (4).
            (2) Qualified instructors and evaluators.--Under the 
        Program--
                    (A) all testing and training shall be performed by 
                qualified instructors; and
                    (B) all evaluations shall be performed by qualified 
                evaluators.
            (3) Pilot assessment.--Under the Program, the Administrator 
        shall establish guidelines for an assessment that prospective 
        pilots are required to pass in order to participate in the 
        training under the Program. Such assessment shall include an 
        evaluation of the pilot's aptitude, ability, and readiness for 
        operation of transport category aircraft.
            (4) Program curriculum.--Under the Program, the 
        Administrator shall establish requirements for the curriculum 
        to be provided under the Program. Such curriculum shall 
        include--
                    (A) a nationally standardized, non-air carrier or 
                aircraft-specific training curriculum which shall--
                            (i) ensure prospective pilots have 
                        appropriate knowledge at the commercial pilot 
                        certificate, multi-engine rating, and 
                        instrument rating level;
                            (ii) introduce the pilots to concepts 
                        associated with air carrier operations;
                            (iii) meet all requirements for an ATP 
                        Certification Training Program under part 
                        61.156 or part 142 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                        Regulations; and
                            (iv) include a course of instruction 
                        designed to prepare the prospective pilot to 
                        take the ATP Multiengine Airplane Knowledge 
                        Test;
                    (B) an aircraft-specific training curriculum, 
                developed by the air carrier using objectives and 
                learning standards developed by the Administrator, 
                which shall--
                            (i) only be administered to prospective 
                        pilots who have completed the requirements 
                        under subparagraph (A);
                            (ii) resemble a type rating training 
                        curriculum that includes aircraft ground and 
                        flight training that culminates in--
                                    (I) the completion of a maneuvers 
                                evaluation that incorporates elements 
                                of a type rating practical test; or
                                    (II) at the discretion of the air 
                                carrier, an actual type rating 
                                practical test resulting in the 
                                issuance of a type rating for the 
                                specific aircraft; and
                            (iii) ensure the prospective pilot has an 
                        adequate understanding and working knowledge of 
                        transport category aircraft automation and 
                        autoflight systems; and
                    (C) air carrier-specific procedures using 
                objectives and learning standards developed by the 
                Administrator to further expand on the concepts 
                described in subparagraphs (A) and (B), which shall--
                            (i) only be administered to prospective 
                        pilots who have completed requirements under 
                        subparagraphs (A) and (B) and an ATP 
                        Multiengine Airplane Knowledge Test;
                            (ii) include instructions on air carrier 
                        checklist usage and standard operating 
                        procedures; and
                            (iii) integrate aircraft-specific training 
                        in appropriate flight simulation training 
                        devices representing the specific aircraft 
                        type, including complete crew resource 
                        management and scenario-based training.
            (5) Application and certification.--Under the Program, the 
        Administrator shall establish a process for air carriers to 
        apply for training program certification. Such process shall 
        include a review to ensure that the training provided by the 
        air carrier will meet the requirements of this section, 
        including--
                    (A) the assessment requirements under paragraph 
                (3);
                    (B) the curriculum requirements under paragraph 
                (4);
                    (C) the requirements for qualified instructors 
                under subsection (d)(5); and
                    (D) the requirements for eligible pilots under 
                subsection (d)(2).
            (6) Data.--Under the Program, the Administrator shall 
        require that each qualified air carrier participating in the 
        Program collect and submit to the Administrator such data from 
        the Program that the Administrator determines is appropriate 
        for the Administrator to provide for oversight of the Program.
            (7) Regular inspection.--Under the Program, the 
        Administrator shall provide for the regular inspection of 
        qualified air carriers certified under paragraph (5) to ensure 
        that the air carrier continues to meet the requirements under 
        the Program.
    (b) Regulations.--The Administrator may issue regulations or 
guidance as determined necessary to carry out the Program.
    (c) Clarification Regarding Required Flight Hours.--The provisions 
of this section shall have no effect on the total flight hours required 
under part 61.159 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to receive 
an airline transport pilot certificate, or the Administrator's 
authority under section 217(d) of the Airline Safety and Federal 
Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note) 
(as in effect on the date of enactment of this section).
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Air carrier.--The term ``air carrier'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Eligible pilot.--The term ``eligible pilot'' means a 
        pilot that--
                    (A) has--
                            (i) graduated from a United States Armed 
                        Forces undergraduate pilot training school;
                            (ii) obtained a degree with an aviation 
                        major from an institution of higher education 
                        (as defined in part 61.1 of title 14, Code of 
                        Federal Regulations) that has been issued a 
                        letter of authorization by the Administrator 
                        under part 61.169 of such title 14; or
                            (iii) completed flight and ground training 
                        for a commercial pilot certificate in the 
                        airplane category and an airplane instrument 
                        rating at a certified training institution 
                        under part 141 of such title 14;
                    (B) has a current commercial pilot certificate 
                under part 61.123 of such title 14, with airplane 
                category multi-engine and instrument ratings under part 
                61.129 of such title 14; and
                    (C) meets the pilot assessment requirements under 
                subsection (a)(3).
            (3) Qualified air carrier.--The term ``qualified air 
        carrier'' means an air carrier that has been issued a part 119 
        operating certificate for conducting operations under part 121 
        of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (4) Qualified evaluator.--The term ``qualified evaluator'' 
        means an individual that meets the requirements for a training 
        center evaluator under part 142.55 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, or for check airmen under part 121.411 of such 
        title 14.
            (5) Qualified instructor.--The term ``qualified 
        instructor'' means an individual that--
                    (A) is qualified in accordance with the minimum 
                training requirements for an ATP Certification Training 
                Program under paragraphs (1) through (3) of part 
                121.410(b) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations;
                    (B) if the instructor is a flight instructor, is 
                qualified in accordance with part 121.410(b)(4) of such 
                title 14;
                    (C) if the instructor is administering type rating 
                practical tests, is qualified as an appropriate 
                examiner for such rating;
                    (D) received training in threat and error 
                management, facilitation, and risk mitigation 
                determined appropriate by the Administrator; and
                    (E) meets any other requirement determined 
                appropriate by the Administrator.

SEC. 355. REAUTHORIZATION OF THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD.

    Section 1118(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read 
as follows:
    ``(a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated for the 
purposes of this chapter, $140,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, and 
$145,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2028. Such sums 
shall remain available until expended.''.

           TITLE IV--MODERNIZING THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE SYSTEM

SEC. 401. NEXTGEN ACCOUNTABILITY TASK FORCE.

    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish a task force, 
to be known as the ``NextGen Accountability Task Force'' (referred to 
in this section as the ``Task Force'') to provide recommendations on 
the most effective operational metrics that can be used to assess the 
performance of the FAA in delivering and implementing quantifiable 
operational benefits to the national airspace system within the Next 
Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) project.
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) In general.--The Task Force shall be composed of, at a 
        minimum, representatives from--
                    (A) the FAA;
                    (B) trade associations representing avionics 
                manufacturers;
                    (C) trade associations representing air carriers;
                    (D) trade associations representing business or 
                general aviation operators;
                    (E) labor organizations representing air traffic 
                controllers; and
                    (F) any other interested parties that the 
                Administrator determines may provide expertise to and 
                assist the Task Force in fulfilling its obligations.
            (2) Appointment.--The Administrator shall appoint each 
        member of the Task Force.
            (3) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Task Force shall be filled 
        in the manner in which the original appointment was made.
    (c) Duties.--The Task Force shall --
            (1) leverage current metrics used by the FAA to quantify 
        the benefits of NextGen technology and investments;
            (2) validate current and establish additional metrics for 
        the FAA to track national airspace system throughput and 
        savings due to NextGen investments by calculating a weighted 
        average by distance, on a per flight basis--
                    (A) reduction and cumulative savings of track miles 
                and time savings;
                    (B) reduction and cumulative savings of emissions 
                and fuel burn;
                    (C) reduction of aircraft operation time; and
                    (D) any other metrics that the Administrator 
                determines may provide quantifiable benefits for 
                operators in the national airspace system; and
            (3) validate current and establish metrics for the FAA to 
        track and assess fleet equipage across operators in the 
        national airspace system including--
                    (A) percentage of aircraft equipped with NextGen 
                avionics equipment as recommended in the Minimum 
                Capabilities List (MCL) Ad Hoc Team, NextGen Advisory 
                Committee (NAC) Task 19-1 Report completed in November 
                2020;
                    (B) quantified costs and benefits for an operator 
                to properly equip with baseline NextGen avionics 
                equipment over the aircraft's lifecycle; and
                    (C) cumulative unrealized NextGen benefits 
                associated with rates of mixed equipage across 
                operators.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Task Force shall submit to the Administrator a report 
with its findings and recommendations and metrics developed pursuant to 
subsections (a) and (c).
    (e) Public Display.--Not later than 180 days after receiving the 
report required under subsection (d), the Administrator shall establish 
a website of the FAA that can be used to present, track, and update 
through 2030--
            (1) the metrics recommended and established by the Task 
        Force on a quarterly and annual basis depending on the metric; 
        and
            (2) the total amount invested in NextGen technologies and 
        resulting quantifiable benefits on a quarterly basis until the 
        Administrator declares the completion of NextGen 
        implementation.
    (f) Federal Advisory Committee Act.--Chapter 10 of title 5, United 
States Code (commonly known as the ``Federal Advisory Committee Act''), 
shall not apply to the Task Force.
    (g) Sunset.--The Task Force shall terminate on the date on which 
the Administrator receives the report required under subsection (d).

SEC. 402. USE OF ADVANCED SURVEILLANCE IN OCEANIC AIRSPACE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall develop a plan to--
            (1) coordinate with counterparts at air navigation service 
        providers in airspace that is adjacent to United States 
        airspace or international airspace delegated to the United 
        States to--
                    (A) adopt reduced separation standards in oceanic 
                airspace;
                    (B) implement procedures that will permit user 
                preferred routes to increase fuel efficiency and reduce 
                greenhouse gas emissions; and
                    (C) exercise leadership in setting global standards 
                by harmonizing the safety and efficiency of air traffic 
                operations in airspace neighboring any airspace 
                delegated to the United States; and
            (2) utilize Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast 
        (ADS-B) relay service within United States airspace or 
        international airspace delegated to the United States for--
                    (A) positive air traffic control, including 
                separation of aircraft by implementing the ICAO 
                Advanced Surveillance-Enhanced Procedural Separation 
                standard;
                    (B) air traffic flow management;
                    (C) search and rescue;
                    (D) accident investigation; and
                    (E) data analytics.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 120 days after the date on which the 
Administrator completes development of the plan required by subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report that--
            (1) details the actions the Administrator shall take to 
        implement the plan, including specifying the required technical 
        system upgrades, operational procedure modifications, new 
        training requirements, and a transition plan;
            (2) details a schedule with milestones for implementation 
        of the use of advanced surveillance systems or services and 
        coordination of such use with international air service 
        navigation providers; and
            (3) describes any anticipated safety enhancements, fuel and 
        operating cost savings, and reduction in carbon emissions of 
        aircraft operating through airspace in which such advanced 
        surveillance systems or services are used.

SEC. 403. GPS MONITORING PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator shall conduct a pilot program 
to evaluate technologies to detect, measure, and locate disrupting 
sources of interference to the GPS Standard Positioning Service in 
order to mitigate the impacts on air commerce and other related 
government and civilian functions within the air traffic management 
ecosystem.
    (b) Evaluation of Technologies.--
            (1) Types of technologies.--The pilot program shall 
        evaluate commercially available technologies, as well as 
        technologies under development by the FAA, the Department of 
        Transportation, the Department of Defense, the Department of 
        Homeland Security, and the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration.
            (2) Scope.--The pilot program shall consider technologies 
        that have both physical electronics equipment and software 
        components, as well as technologies with only software 
        components.
    (c) Number of Evaluation Sites.--The pilot program shall evaluate 
technologies for the purposes described in subsection (a) at not less 
than 5, and not more than 7, airports unless the Administrator 
determines that additional evaluation sites are needed to carry out the 
pilot program.
    (d) Location of Evaluation Sites.--
            (1) In general.--The pilot program shall be conducted at 
        each of the following types of airports:
                    (A) A primary airport in Class B airspace.
                    (B) A primary airport in Class C airspace.
                    (C) A primary airport in Class D airspace.
                    (D) An airport in Class E airspace.
                    (E) A Joint-Use Airport.
            (2) Documented interference.--In determining whether an 
        airport should be an evaluation site for the pilot program, the 
        Administrator shall consider airports described in paragraph 
        (1) that have experienced documented instances of interference 
        to the GPS Standard Positioning Service during the 5-year 
        period ending with the date of enactment of this section.
    (e) Private Sector Participation.--The Administrator shall 
collaborate with the private sector, including providers of technology 
that can cost-effectively implement a capability to potentially 
mitigate the impacts of GPS Standard Positioning Service interference 
on air commerce.
    (f) Congressional Briefings.--Beginning 12 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, and annually thereafter until the date on 
which the report required by subsection (g) is submitted, the 
Administrator shall provide the appropriate committees of Congress with 
a briefing summarizing the status of, and findings from, the pilot 
program.
    (g) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which the 
pilot program is terminated, the Administrator shall provide a report 
to the appropriate committees of Congress on the results of the pilot 
program.
    (h) GPS Standard Positioning Service Defined.--In this section, the 
term ``GPS Standard Positioning Service'' has the meaning given such 
term in section 2281(d)(2) of title 10, United States Code.

SEC. 404. RUNWAY SAFETY TECHNOLOGIES.

    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study of runway 
safety incidents and accidents at airports in the United States and 
identify technologies that may prevent or reduce the risk of such 
incidents and accidents.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 9 months after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report containing the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a) that includes the following:
            (1) Recommendations for preventative measures, including 
        process changes and identification of available technologies, 
        to mitigate the risks of runway safety incidents and accidents 
        at or near airports in the United States.
            (2) Recommendations for additional airports in the United 
        States, based on a risk-based analysis, that would be viable 
        candidates for installation of runway safety technologies.
            (3) The FAA's timeline and action plan for replacing, 
        maintaining, or enhancing the operational capability provided 
        by the Airport Surface Detection System - Model X (ASDE-X) and 
        the Airport Surface Surveillance Capability (ASSC) legacy 
        surveillance systems, and implementing runway safety 
        technologies at airports currently without surface surveillance 
        systems, as needed to improve runway safety.
            (4) An explanation of the decision-making process used by 
        the FAA to determine whether to introduce runway safety 
        technologies, like ASDE-X, ASSC, or other appropriate surface 
        surveillance systems, at additional airports.
    (c) Briefings.--Following the submission of the report under 
subsection (b) and annually thereafter, the Administrator shall brief 
the appropriate committees of Congress on the progress of the action 
plan under subsection (b)(3), including on the--
            (1) status of implementing new surface surveillance systems 
        at additional airports; and
            (2) justification for delaying or not implementing 
        additional surface surveillance systems at airports identified 
        by the Administrator under subsection (b)(2).

SEC. 405. FLIGHT PROFILE OPTIMIZATION.

    (a) Pilot Program.--
            (1) Establishment.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish 
        a pilot program to award grants to air traffic flow management 
        technology providers to develop prototype capabilities to 
        incorporate flight profile optimization (in this section 
        referred to as ``FPO'') into the FAA's trajectory based-
        operations air traffic flow management system.
            (2) Considerations.--In establishing the pilot program 
        under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consider the 
        following:
                    (A) The extent to which developed FPO capabilities 
                may reduce strain on the national airspace system 
                infrastructure while facilitating safe and efficient 
                flow of future air traffic volumes and a diverse range 
                of aircraft and advanced aviation aircraft.
                    (B) The extent to which developed FPO capabilities 
                may achieve environmental benefits and time savings.
                    (C) The perspectives of FAA employees responsible 
                for air traffic flow management development projects, 
                bilateral civil aviation regulatory partners, and 
                industry applicants on the FAA's performance in 
                carrying out air traffic flow management system 
                development projects.
                    (D) Any other information the Administrator deems 
                appropriate.
            (3) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        the program, an air traffic flow management technology provider 
        shall submit an application to the Administrator at such time, 
        in such manner, and containing such information as the 
        Administrator may require.
            (4) Maximum amount.--A grant awarded under the program 
        shall not exceed $2,000,000 to a single air traffic flow 
        management technology provider.
    (b) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the 
establishment of the pilot program under subsection (a), and annually 
thereafter until the termination of the pilot program, the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
progress of the pilot program under this section, including any 
implementation challenges of the program, detailed metrics of the 
program, and any suggested action to achieve the adoption of FPO.
    (c) Definition of Trajectory-based Operations.--The term 
``trajectory-based operations'' means an air traffic flow management 
method for strategically planning, managing, and optimizing flights 
that uses time-based management, performance-based navigation, and 
other capabilities and processes to achieve air traffic flow management 
operational objectives and improvements.

SEC. 406. STARS REMOTE SURVEILLANCE DISPLAYS.

    (a) Certification.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall define 
        minimum performance and technical requirements in order to 
        provide a mechanism to certify a commercial radar display 
        capable of displaying primary and secondary radar targets for 
        use by controllers in FAA Contract Tower program towers.
            (2) STARS.--With respect to a Standard Terminal Automation 
        Replacement System or any equivalent system procured directly 
        from an original equipment manufacturer (in this section 
        referred to as an ``OEM''), the Administrator shall move 
        expeditiously to certify such systems for Federal contract 
        towers and identify such systems by issuing an advisory 
        circular regarding the certification of such systems.
            (3) Minimum equipment list.--The FAA may add Standard 
        Terminal Automation Replacement System equipment to the minimum 
        level of equipage necessary for Federal contract towers to 
        perform their function, as applicable.
    (b) Installation and Maintenance.--Not later than December 31, 
2025, the Administrator shall allow airports to--
            (1) procure, install, and maintain a Standard Terminal 
        Automation Replacement System or any equivalent system through 
        the FAA; or
            (2) purchase a Standard Terminal Automation Replacement 
        System or any equivalent system and installation and 
        maintenance services directly from an OEM.

SEC. 407. AUDIT OF LEGACY SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate an audit of 
all legacy systems to determine their level of operational risk, 
functionality, security, and compatibility with current and future 
technology.
    (b) Scope of Audit.--The audit required by subsection (a)--
            (1) shall be conducted by an independent third-party 
        contractor or a Federally funded research and development 
        center (FFRDC) selected by the Administrator;
            (2) shall include an assessment of whether a legacy system 
        is outdated, insufficient, unsafe, or unstable, as defined in 
        subsection (f); and
            (3) with respect to any legacy systems identified in the 
        audit as outdated, insufficient, unsafe, or unstable, shall 
        include--
                    (A) an analysis of the operational risks associated 
                with using such legacy systems;
                    (B) recommendations for replacement or enhancement 
                of such legacy systems; and
                    (C) an analysis of any potential impact on aviation 
                safety and efficiency.
    (c) Deadline.--Not later than December 31, 2025, the audit required 
by subsection (a) shall be completed.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the audit required by 
subsection (a) is completed, the Administrator shall provide a report 
to the appropriate committees of Congress on the audit's findings and 
recommendations, including--
            (1) an inventory of the legacy systems in use;
            (2) an assessment of the operational condition of the 
        legacy systems in use; and
            (3) the average age of in-service legacy systems and, for 
        each legacy system in use, the intended design life of the 
        system, by type.
    (e) Collaboration With Industry on Plan to Accelerate Drawdown, 
Replacement, or Enhancement of Legacy Systems.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 120 days after the date on 
        which the Administrator provides the report required by 
        subsection (d), the Administrator shall initiate a plan, in 
        coordination with industry, to accelerate drawdown, 
        replacement, or enhancement of any legacy systems that are 
        identified in the audit required by subsection (a) as outdated, 
        insufficient, unsafe, or unstable.
            (2) Priorities.--The Administrator shall prioritize the 
        drawdown, replacement, or enhancement of such legacy systems 
        based on the operational risks such legacy systems pose to air 
        safety and the costs associated with the replacement or 
        enhancement of such legacy systems.
            (3) Collaboration.--The Administrator shall work with 
        industry to develop a plan to replace or enhance the identified 
        legacy systems within a reasonable timeframe.
            (4) Progress updates.--The Administrator shall provide the 
        appropriate committees of Congress with semi-annual updates on 
        the progress made in replacing or enhancing the identified 
        legacy systems.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Industry.--The term ``industry'' means the aviation 
        industry, limited to organizations with expertise in aviation-
        dedicated network systems, systems engineering platforms, 
        aviation software services, air traffic management, flight 
        operations, and International Civil Aviation Organization 
        (ICAO) standards.
            (2) Legacy systems.--The term ``legacy systems'' means any 
        communication, navigation, surveillance, or automation or 
        network applications or ground-based aviation infrastructure 
        owned by the FAA that were deployed prior to the year 2000, 
        including the Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) system.
            (3) Outdated, insufficient, unsafe, or unstable.--The term 
        ``outdated, insufficient, unsafe, or unstable'' means a legacy 
        system for which the likelihood of failure creates a risk to 
        air safety or security due to the legacy system's age, ability 
        to be cost-effectively maintained, or any other factors that 
        may compromise the performance or security of the legacy 
        system. Such term includes a legacy system with a risk of a 
        single point of failure or that lacks sufficient back-up 
        capability in the event of a failure.

SEC. 408. AERONAUTICAL MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES.

    (a) Satellite Voice Communications Services.--The Administrator 
shall evaluate the addition of satellite voice communication services 
(referred to in this section as ``SatVoice'') to the Aeronautical 
Mobile Communications program (in this section referred to as the 
``AMCS program'') that provides for the delivery of air traffic control 
messages in oceanic and remote continental airspace.
    (b) Analysis and Implementation Procedures.--Not later than 120 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
begin to develop the safety case analysis and stated implementation 
procedures for SatVoice instructions over the FAA's controlled oceanic 
and remote continental airspace regions.
    (c) Requirements.--The analysis and implementation procedures 
required under subsection (b) shall include, at a minimum, the 
following:
            (1) Network and protocol testing and integration with 
        satellite service providers.
            (2) Operational testing with aircraft to identify and 
        resolve performance issues.
            (3) Collaboration with the International Civil Aviation 
        Organization in defining Satcom Standards and Recommended 
        Practices (SARPs), which shall include an RCP-130 performance 
        standard as well as SatVoice standards.
            (4) Training of radio operators on new operation procedures 
        and protocols.
            (5) A phased implementation plan for incorporating SatVoice 
        services into the AMCS program.
            (6) The estimated cost of the implementation procedures for 
        relevant stakeholders.
    (d) HF/VHF Minimum Equipage.--The addition of SatVoice capability 
as an added means of communication in oceanic and remote continental 
airspace shall in no way affect the current HF/VHF equipage requirement 
for communications in such airspace. The Administrator shall maintain 
existing HF/VHF services as minimum equipage under the AMCS program to 
provide for auxiliary communication and maintain safety in the event of 
a satellite outage.

SEC. 409. LOW-ALTITUDE ROUTES FOR VERTICAL FLIGHT.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that the 
national airspace system requires additional rotorcraft, including 
advanced air mobility aircraft, low-altitude instrument flight rules 
routes leveraging advances in performance based navigation to operate 
on direct, safe, and reliable routes that ensure sufficient separation 
from higher altitude fixed wing aircraft traffic.
    (b) Low-altitude Rotorcraft Instrument Flight Routes.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate a 
        rulemaking process to--
                    (A) incorporate instrument flight rules rotorcraft 
                operations into the low-altitude performance based 
                navigation procedure infrastructure; and
                    (B) prioritize the development of new helicopter 
                area navigation (RNAV) instrument flight rules routes, 
                acting through notice and comment rulemaking, as part 
                of the United States air traffic service route (ATS) 
                structure that utilize performance based navigation, 
                such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and Global 
                Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) equipment.
            (2) Consultation.--In carrying out the rulemaking process 
        under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consult with--
                    (A) stakeholders in the airport, heliport, 
                rotorcraft manufacturer, rotorcraft operator, general 
                aviation operator, commercial air carrier, and 
                performance based navigation technology manufacturer 
                sectors;
                    (B) the United States Helicopter Safety Team; and
                    (C) other stakeholders determined appropriate by 
                the Administrator.

SEC. 410. ADS-B OUT EQUIPAGE STUDY; VEHICLE-TO-VEHICLE LINK PROGRAM.

    (a) Study and Briefing on ADS-B Out Equipage.--
            (1) Study.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate a 
        study to determine--
                    (A) the number of aircraft registered in the United 
                States and other devices operating in the airspace of 
                the United States that are not equipped with Automatic 
                Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) out equipment;
                    (B) the requirements for and impact of expanding 
                the dual-link architecture that is used below an 
                altitude of FL180 to any altitude below the current 
                radar floor;
                    (C) the costs and benefits of equipage; and
                    (D) the cost and benefits of any accommodation made 
                for aircraft with inoperable ADS-B out equipment.
            (2) Annual briefings.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
        of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter through 
        2025, the Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees 
        of Congress on the results of the study conducted under 
        paragraph (1), including any updates thereof.
    (b) Vehicle-to-Vehicle Link Program.--Not later than 270 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in 
coordination with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration and the Chair of the Federal Communications 
Commission, shall establish an interagency coordination program to 
advance Vehicle-to-Vehicle link programs that--
            (1) enable the real-time digital exchange of key 
        information between nearby aircraft; and
            (2) are not reliant on ground infrastructure or air-to-
        ground communication links.

SEC. 411. EXTENSION OF ENHANCED AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES PILOT PROGRAM.

    Section 547 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40103 
note) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Definitions.--
            ``(1) Certain nextgen avionics.--The term `certain NextGen 
        avionics' means those avionics and baseline capabilities as 
        recommended in the Minimum Capabilities List (MCL) Ad Hoc Team, 
        NextGen Advisory Committee (NAC) Task 19-1 Report completed in 
        November 2020.
            ``(2) Preferential basis.--The term `preferential basis' 
        means prioritizing aircraft equipped with certain NextGen 
        avionics by providing them more efficient service, shorter 
        queuing, or priority clearances to the maximum extent possible 
        without reducing overall capacity or safety of the national 
        airspace system.''; and
            (2) in subsection (e), by striking ``March 8, 2024'' and 
        inserting ``September 30, 2028''.

SEC. 412. NEXTGEN EQUIPAGE PLAN.

    (a) Plan.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall develop a 2-year 
        implementation plan to further incentivize the acceleration of 
        the equipage rates of certain NextGen avionics in the active 
        commercial and regional fleet of the national airspace system.
            (2) Contents.--The plan required under paragraph (1) shall, 
        at a minimum, evaluate and consider recommendations to--
                    (A) provide for further implementation and 
                deployment of NextGen operational improvements to 
                incentivize universal equipage across the active fleet 
                for commercial and regional aircraft;
                    (B) identify any remaining barriers for operators 
                to properly equip with certain NextGen avionics, 
                including any methods to address such barriers;
                    (C) provide for the use of the best methods to 
                highlight and enhance the benefits realizable by 
                operators equipping with certain NextGen avionics; and
                    (D) include any equipage guidelines and regulations 
                the Administrator deems necessary and appropriate.
            (3) Consultation.--In developing the plan under paragraph 
        (1), the Administrator shall consult with representatives 
        from--
                    (A) trade associations representing air carriers;
                    (B) trade associations representing avionics 
                manufacturers;
                    (C) labor organizations representing air traffic 
                controllers; and
                    (D) any other representatives the Administrator 
                determines appropriate.
    (b) Submission of Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall consider the 
recommendations under subsection (a) and submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress the plan required under subsection (a).
    (c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which 
the plan required under subsection (a) is submitted to the appropriate 
committees of Congress under subsection (b), the Administrator shall, 
if the Administrator determines appropriate, initiate a rulemaking 
proceeding to address one or more of the recommendations contained in 
the plan.
    (d) Definition.--In this section the term ``certain NextGen 
avionics'' means those avionics and baseline capabilities as 
recommended in the Minimum Capabilities List (MCL) Ad Hoc Team, NextGen 
Advisory Committee (NAC) Task 19-1 Report completed in November 2020.

SEC. 413. PERFORMANCE BASED NAVIGATION REPORT AND UTILIZATION PLAN.

    (a) Report on Performance Based Navigation.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall publish on 
        the website of the FAA a progress report on the utilization, 
        implementation, and operational benefits of performance based 
        navigation (in this section referred to as ``PBN'') procedures 
        of the FAA within the national airspace system.
            (2) Contents.--The report shall include, at a minimum, a 
        detailed implementation plan with respect to the 
        recommendations made by--
                    (A) the PBN Clarification Ad Hoc Team, NextGen 
                Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the 
                ``NAC'') Task 19-4 Report completed in November 2020;
                    (B) the Final Report of the Major Air Carrier 
                Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Way Forward 
                Workgroup for the FAA's PBN Clarification Tasking to 
                the NAC dated June 2020;
                    (C) the NAC Subcommittee Update on Opportunities 
                dated June 2020;
                    (D) the Barriers to Established on Required 
                Navigation Performance Procedures dated November 2019; 
                and
                    (E) the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, Section 
                547 Enhanced Air Traffic Services, NAC Task 20-3 Report 
                dated March 2021.
    (b) Utilization Action Plan.--180 days after the completion of the 
report under subsection (a), the Administrator shall, in consultation 
with representatives of air traffic controllers, develop an action plan 
to utilize PBN as a primary means of navigation to further reduce the 
dependency on legacy systems within the national airspace system.
    (c) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the development of the 
action plan under subsection (b), and annually thereafter, the 
Administrator shall submit to appropriate committees of Congress a 
report on the implementation of the action plan, including the 
utilization rate of PBN as a primary means of navigation.

SEC. 414. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL FACILITY REALIGNMENT STUDY.

    (a) Examination.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment, the Administrator shall contract with a Federally 
        funded research and development center to conduct an Air 
        Traffic Control Facility Realignment report to examine 
        consolidating or otherwise reorganizing air traffic control 
        work facilities and locations and airspace structure 
        management.
            (2) Contents.--The examination shall:
                    (A) Evaluate the potential efficiencies that may 
                result from a reorganization.
                    (B) Identify whether certain areas prone to 
                congestion or staff shortages would benefit from 
                enhanced flexibilities.
                    (C) Recommend opportunities for integration of 
                separate facilities to create a more collaborative and 
                efficient traffic control environment.
            (3) Consultation.--In carrying out this section, the 
        Federally funded research and development center shall consult 
        with representatives of labor organizations representing air 
        traffic control system employees of the FAA.
    (b) Reports.--
            (1) To the administrator.--Not later than September 30, 
        2025, the Federally funded research and development center 
        shall submit to the Administrator a report regarding the 
        examination under subsection (a), along with recommendations 
        related to consolidation or reorganization of FAA-owned air 
        traffic control work facilities and locations.
            (2) To congress.--
                    (A) Briefing.--Not later than 60 days after 
                receiving the recommendations under paragraph (1), the 
                Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of 
                Congress.
                    (B) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
                of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
                submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
                report on the results of the study under subsection (a) 
                and any recommendations related to consolidation or 
                reorganization of FAA-owned air traffic control work 
                facilities and locations.

SEC. 415. UPDATE OF FAA STANDARDS TO ALLOW DISTRIBUTION AND USE OF 
              CERTAIN RESTRICTED ROUTES AND TERMINAL PROCEDURES.

    Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Administrator shall update FAA standards to allow 
distribution and use of the Capstone Restricted Routes and Terminal 
Procedures by modern Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) equipped 
navigation equipment. The updated FAA standards shall provide a means 
for allowing modifications and continued development of new routes and 
procedures proposed by air carriers operating such routes.

SEC. 416. PROTECTION OF SAFE AND EFFICIENT USE OF AIRSPACE AT AIRPORTS.

    (a) Airspace Review Process Requirements.--The Administrator shall 
consider the following additional factors in the evaluation of 
cumulative impacts when making a determination of hazard or no hazard, 
or objection or no objection, as applicable, under part 77 of title 14, 
Code of Federal Regulations, regarding proposed construction or 
alteration within 3 miles of the runway ends and runway centerlines (as 
depicted in the airport's FAA-approved Airport Layout Plan (ALP)) on 
any land not owned by any such airport:
            (1) The accumulation and spacing of structures or other 
        obstructions that might constrain radar or communication 
        capabilities, thereby reducing an airport's capacity, flight 
        procedure minimums or availability, or aircraft takeoff or 
        landing capabilities.
            (2) Safety risks of lasers, lights, or light sources 
        inclusive of lighted billboards and screens, affixed to 
        structures, that may pose hazards to air navigation.
            (3) Water features or hazardous wildlife attractants, as 
        defined by the FAA.
            (4) Impacts to visual flight rule (VFR) traffic patterns 
        for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft, inclusive of special 
        VFR procedures established by Letters of Agreement between air 
        traffic facilities, the airport, and flight operators.
            (5) Impacts to FAA-funded airport improvement projects, 
        improvements depicted on or described in FAA-approved Airport 
        Layout Plans and master plans, and preservation of the 
        navigable airspace necessary for achieving the objectives and 
        utilization of these projects and plans.
    (b) Required Information.--A notice submitted under part 77 of 
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall include the following:
            (1) Actual designs of an entire project and property, 
        without regard to whether a proposed construction or alteration 
        within 3 miles of the airport's runway ends and runway 
        centerlines as depicted in the FAA-approved Airport Layout Plan 
        is limited to a singular location on a property.
            (2) If there are any changes or addition of equipment, such 
        as cranes used to construct a building, to such designs after 
        submission of such a notice, all information included with the 
        notice submitted before such change or addition shall be 
        resubmitted, along with information regarding the change or 
        addition.
    (c) Expiration.--Unless extended, revised, or terminated, each 
determination of no hazard issued by the Administrator under part 77 of 
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, expires 18 months after the 
effective date of the determination, or on the date the proposed 
construction or alteration is abandoned, whichever is earlier. If 
expired, such determinations are no longer valid with regard to whether 
a proposed construction or alteration would be a hazard to air 
navigation.
    (d) Authority to Consolidate OEI Surface Criteria.--The 
Administrator may develop a single set of One Engine Inoperative (OEI) 
surface criteria that is specific to an airport. The Administrator 
shall consult with the airport operator and flight operators that use 
such airport, on the development of such surface criteria.
    (e) Development of Policies to Protect OEI Surfaces.--Not later 
than 6 months after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Administrator shall brief Congress regarding the status of the FAA's 
efforts to protect OEI surfaces from encroachment at United States 
certificated and Federally obligated airports, including the current 
status of efforts to incorporate such protections into FAA Obstruction 
Evaluation/Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA) processes.
    (f) Authority to Consult With Other Agencies.--The Administrator 
may consult with other Federal, State, or local agencies as necessary 
to carry out the requirements of this section.
    (g) Applicability.--This section shall only apply to an airport in 
a county adjacent to 2 States with converging intersecting cross runway 
operations within 12 nautical miles of an Air Force base.

SEC. 417. ASOS/AWOS SERVICE REPORT DASHBOARD.

    (a) In General.--The applicable Administrators shall work in 
collaboration to collect the real-time service status of all automated 
surface observation systems/automated weather observing systems (in 
this section referred to as ``ASOS/AWOS'').
    (b) Availability of Results.--
            (1) In general.--The applicable Administrators shall make 
        available on a publicly available internet website the 
        following:
                    (A) The service status of all ASOS/AWOS.
                    (B) Any actions to repair or replace ASOS/AWOS that 
                are out of service due to technical or weather-related 
                events, including an estimated timeline to return the 
                systems to service.
                    (C) A portal on such publicly available internet 
                website for the reporting of ASOS/AWOS outages to be 
                utilized by commercial aviation, airports, and other 
                industry interests as determined by the applicable 
                Administrators.
            (2) Data files.--The Administrators described in subsection 
        (a) shall make available the underlying data in paragraph (1) 
        for each ASOS/AWOS in a machine-readable format.
    (c) Applicable Administrators.--In this section, the term 
``applicable Administrators'' means--
            (1) the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration; and
            (2) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and 
        Atmospheric Administration.

SEC. 418. UPGRADING AND REPLACING AGING AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEMS.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--Pursuant to the authority of authorized 
        expenditures in section 48101(c)(1) of title 49, United States 
        Code, not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of 
        this Act, the Administrator shall enter into an agreement with 
        a qualified organization to conduct a study to assess the need 
        for upgrades to or replacement of existing automated surface 
        observation systems/automated weather observing systems (in 
        this section referred to as ``ASOS/AWOS'').
            (2) Contents.--The study conducted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include an analysis of--
                    (A) the age of each ASOS/AWOS;
                    (B) the number of days in the immediate preceding 
                calendar year that each ASOS/AWOS was not able to 
                accurately communicate or disseminate data for any 
                period of time;
                    (C) impacts of extreme severe weather on ASOS/AWOS 
                outages;
                    (D) the effective coverage of the existing ASOS/
                AWOS;
                    (E) detailed upgrade requirements for each existing 
                ASOS/AWOS, including an assessment of whether 
                replacement would be the most cost-effective 
                recommendation;
                    (F) prior maintenance expenditures for each 
                existing ASOS/AWOS;
                    (G) a description of all upgrades or replacements 
                made by the FAA to ASOS/AWOS prior to the date of 
                enactment of this Act;
                    (H) impacts of an outage or break in service in the 
                FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure; and
                    (I) any other area determined appropriate by the 
                Administrator.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report on the study conducted under subsection 
(a). Such report shall include--
            (1) a plan for executing upgrades to or replacements of 
        existing ASOS/AWOS;
            (2) a plan for converting and upgrading existing ASOS/AWOS 
        communications to the FAA Telecommunications Infrastructure;
            (3) an assessment of the use of unmonitored Navigational 
        Aids (NAVAIDs) to allow for alternate airport planning for 
        commercial and cargo aviation to limit ASOS/AWOS service 
        disruptions;
            (4) an evaluation of additional alternative methods of 
        compliance for obtaining weather elements that would be as 
        sufficient as current data received through ASOS/AWOS; and
            (5) any other item determined appropriate by the 
        Administrator.
    (c) Application.--The study under subsection (a) and the report 
under subsection (b) shall only address ASOS/AWOS located in non-
contiguous States.

SEC. 419. WASHINGTON, D.C. METROPOLITAN AREA SPECIAL FLIGHT RULES AREA.

    (a) Submission of Plan to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in consultation 
with the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Secretary of Defense, 
shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the 
Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the 
Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives a plan 
for the Special Flight Rules Area and the Flight Restricted Zone.
    (b) Contents of Plan.--The plan described in subsection (a) shall 
outline specific proposed changes to the Special Flight Rules Area and 
the Flight Restricted Zone that will decrease operational impacts and 
improve general aviation access to airports in the National Capital 
Region that are currently impacted by the Special Flight Rules Area and 
the Flight Restricted Zone.
    (c) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall provide to the committees of 
Congress described in subsection (a) a briefing on the feasibility 
(including any associated costs) of--
            (1) installing equipment that allows a pilot to communicate 
        with air traffic control using a VHF radio for the purposes of 
        receiving an instrument flight rules (``IFR'') clearance, 
        activating a DC FRZ flight plan, or activating a DC SFRA flight 
        plan (as applicable) at--
                    (A) non-towered airports in the Flight Restricted 
                Zone; and
                    (B) airports in the Special Flight Rules Area that 
                do not have the communications equipment described in 
                this paragraph;
            (2) allowing a pilot approved by the Transportation 
        Security Administration in accordance with section 1562.3 of 
        title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, to electronically file a 
        DC FRZ flight plan or IFR flight plan that departs from, or 
        arrives at, an airport in the Flight Restricted Zone; and
            (3) allowing a pilot to electronically file a standard VFR 
        flight plan that departs from, or arrives at, an airport in the 
        Special Flight Rules Area or Flight Restricted Zone.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) DC frz flight plan; dc sfra flight plan.--The terms 
        ``DC FRZ flight plan'' and ``DC SFRA flight plan'' have the 
        meanings given those terms in section 93.335 of title 14, Code 
        of Federal Regulations.
            (2) Standard vfr flight plan.--The term ``standard VFR 
        flight plan'' means a VFR flight plan (as such term is 
        described in section 91.153 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations) that includes search and rescue services.

                      TITLE V--AVIATION WORKFORCE

                  Subtitle A--Civil Aviation Workforce

SEC. 501. AVIATION WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 625 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 
(49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) a program to provide grants for eligible projects to 
        support the education and recruitment of aviation manufacturing 
        technical workers and the development of the aviation 
        manufacturing workforce.'';
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``2023'' each 
                place it appears and inserting ``2028'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (3);
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(2) Additional funding.--In addition to amounts available 
        for grants pursuant to paragraph (1), there is authorized to be 
        appropriated--
                    ``(A) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(1);
                    ``(B) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(2); and
                    ``(C) $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 
                through 2028 to provide grants under the program 
                established under subsection (a)(3).'';
                    (D) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (B), by inserting ``(or, in the case of 
                fiscal years 2024 through 2028, $1,000,000)'' after 
                ``$500,000''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Set aside for technical assistance.--The Secretary, 
        in consultation with the Secretary of Education, may set aside 
        up to 2 percent of the funds appropriated to carry out this 
        section for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to provide 
        technical assistance to accredited institutions of higher 
        education and post-secondary vocational institutions applying 
        for a project grant under this section.
            ``(5) Consideration for certain applicants.--In reviewing 
        and selecting applications for grants under the programs 
        established under subsection (a), the Secretary may give 
        consideration to applicants that--
                    ``(A) provide an assurance--
                            ``(i) to use grant funds to encourage the 
                        participation of populations that are 
                        underrepresented in the aviation industry, 
                        including women, minorities, and individuals in 
                        economically disadvantaged geographic areas and 
                        rural communities, including to address the 
                        workforce needs of rural and regional airports; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) to strengthen aviation programs at a 
                        minority-serving institution (as described in 
                        section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 
                        1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a))), a public 
                        institution of higher education, or a public 
                        postsecondary vocational institution.'';
            (3) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ``, a 
                postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in 
                section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1002)),'' after ``(20 U.S.C. 1001))'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``, a 
                postsecondary vocational institution (as defined in 
                section 102 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
                U.S.C. 1002),'' after ``(20 U.S.C. 1001))''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) An application for a grant under the program 
        established under subsection (a)(3) shall be submitted, in such 
        form as the Secretary may specify, by--
                    ``(A) a holder of a type or production certificate 
                or similar authorization issued under section 44704 of 
                title 49, United States Code, or a credible applicant 
                for such a certificate as determined by the Secretary;
                    ``(B) an accredited institution of higher education 
                (as defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act 
                of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), a postsecondary vocational 
                institution (as defined in section 102 of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1002)), or a high 
                school or secondary school (as defined in section 7801 
                of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 
                (20 U.S.C. 7801)); and
                    ``(C) a State or local governmental entity.'';
            (4) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Eligible Projects.--For purposes of a program established 
under subsection (a), an eligible project is a project--
            ``(1) to create and deliver a program designed to provide 
        high school students and students at institutions of higher 
        education (as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education 
        Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) with meaningful aviation 
        education that is designed to prepare the students to become 
        aircraft pilots, aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems 
        operators, aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a));
            ``(2) to support the professional development of teachers 
        and other educators implementing a program described in 
        paragraph (1);
            ``(3) to establish new educational programs that teach 
        technical skills used by aircraft pilots, aerospace engineers, 
        unmanned aircraft systems operators, aviation maintenance 
        technical workers, or aviation manufacturing technical workers 
        (as applicable to the relevant program described in subsection 
        (a)), including purchasing equipment, or to improve existing 
        such programs;
            ``(4) to establish scholarships or registered 
        apprenticeships for individuals pursuing employment as aircraft 
        pilots, aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems 
        operators, aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a));
            ``(5) to support outreach about careers as aircraft pilots, 
        aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems operators, 
        aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a)) to--
                    ``(A) students enrolled at a primary, secondary, or 
                post-secondary school or a minority-serving institution 
                (as described in section 371(a) of the Higher Education 
                Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1067q(a)); or
                    ``(B) communities underrepresented in the 
                applicable industry, including women, minorities, and 
                individuals in economically disadvantaged geographic 
                areas and rural communities;
            ``(6) to support educational opportunities in both urban 
        and rural areas;
            ``(7) to support transition to careers as aircraft pilots, 
        aerospace engineers, unmanned aircraft systems operators, 
        aviation maintenance technical workers, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical workers (as applicable to the relevant 
        program described in subsection (a)), including for veterans 
        and members of the Armed Forces; or
            ``(8) to otherwise enhance or expand the aircraft pilot, 
        aerospace engineer, unmanned aircraft system operator 
        workforces, aviation maintenance technical worker, or aviation 
        manufacturing technical worker workforces.'';
            (5) in subsection (e)
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by inserting ``aviation 
                        manufacturers,'' after ``repair stations,'' and
                            (ii) by striking ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(3) give priority to applicants who partner with, or 
        establish links between, secondary schools and post-secondary 
        schools and who work collaboratively or participate in industry 
        or sector partnerships.''; and
            (6) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(f) Consultation With the Secretary of Education.--The Secretary 
may consult with the Secretary of Education in--
            ``(1) developing the design of the grant application under 
        this section;
            ``(2) reviewing and selecting applications for grants for 
        eligible projects under this section; and
            ``(3) establishing considerations regarding program quality 
        and measurement of student outcomes.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 48105 of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``2023'' and inserting 
        ``2028''; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (5).
    (c) National Strategic Plan for Aviation Workforce Development.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall, to the 
        extent practicable and in consultation with other Federal 
        agencies and private individuals, establish a national 
        strategic plan for addressing projected shortages of aviation 
        workers in the aviation industry, including--
                    (A) any short-term, medium-term, and long-term 
                needs critical to the economy, national security, 
                workforce readiness, environmental concerns, and 
                priorities of the United States aviation sector, such 
                as emergency readiness and resilience; and
                    (B) any situation or condition that warrants 
                special attention by the Federal Government.
            (2) Requirements.--The national strategic plan established 
        under paragraph (1) shall--
                    (A) take into account the activities and 
                accomplishments of all agencies in the executive branch 
                of the Federal Government that are related to carrying 
                out such national strategic plan;
                    (B) include recommendations for how the Federal 
                Government can conduct outreach to historically 
                underserved communities in the development of the 
                aviation talent pipeline as part of the national 
                strategic plan; and
                    (C) include recommendations for legislation, 
                regulations, and budget proposals to carry out such 
                national strategic plan.

SEC. 502. WOMEN IN AVIATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--There is established within the Department of 
Transportation the Women in Aviation Advisory Committee (in this 
section referred to as the ``Committee'').
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Composition.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (C), the 
                Committee shall be composed of up to 16 members 
                appointed by the Secretary, including representatives 
                from the following:
                            (i) Passenger and cargo air carriers 
                        operating under part 121 of title 14, Code of 
                        Federal Regulations.
                            (ii) Aircraft manufacturers and aerospace 
                        companies.
                            (iii) Nonprofit organizations within the 
                        aviation industry, including at least 1 State 
                        aviation agency.
                            (iv) Airport operators and employees.
                            (v) Aviation business associations.
                            (vi) Engineering business associations.
                            (vii) United States Air Force Auxiliary, 
                        Civil Air Patrol.
                            (viii) Institutions of higher education and 
                        aviation trade schools.
                            (ix) The Department of Labor.
                            (x) The Department of Education.
                            (xi) Nonprofit labor organizations 
                        representing aviation workers, including 
                        organizations representing aviation maintenance 
                        workers and pilots for cargo and passenger air 
                        carriers operating under part 121 of title 14, 
                        Code of Federal Regulations.
                            (xii) The FAA.
                    (B) Date.--The appointments described in 
                subparagraph (A) shall be made not later than 9 months 
                after the date of enactment of this section.
                    (C) Ex officio members.--The Secretary shall 
                appoint 1 member from the Office of Civil Rights of the 
                FAA to serve in an ex officio capacity.
            (2) Subcommittees.--The Committee may establish 
        subcommittees as the Committee determines appropriate.
            (3) Chair; subcommittee chairs.--The Committee--
                    (A) shall select a Chair from among the members of 
                the Committee; and
                    (B) may select subcommittee chairs from among the 
                members of the Committee, as the Committee determines 
                appropriate.
            (4) Term of service.--
                    (A) In general.--Each member of the Committee shall 
                serve until the termination date described in 
                subsection (e).
                    (B) Successors.--
                            (i) Death or resignation.--If a member of 
                        the Committee dies or resigns during their term 
                        of service, the Secretary shall designate a 
                        successor for the unexpired term of such 
                        member.
                            (ii) Expired term.--Any member of the 
                        Committee whose term of office has expired 
                        shall continue to serve as a member until their 
                        successor is appointed by the Secretary.
            (5) Administrative support.--The Secretary shall furnish 
        the Committee logistical and administrative support to enable 
        the Committee to perform its duties.
            (6) Compensation.--Each member of the Committee shall serve 
        without compensation.
    (c) Duties.--
            (1) Advisory role.--The Committee--
                    (A) shall advise the Secretary and the 
                Administrator on matters related to promoting women in 
                the aviation industry, including education, training, 
                recruitment, retention, and career advancement;
                    (B) shall review and update the recommendations 
                directed to FAA and non-FAA entities produced by the 
                Advisory Board created under section 612 of the FAA 
                Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) and 
                recommend how to engage with those entities to improve 
                the implementation of such recommendations;
                    (C) shall coordinate with the Department of 
                Transportation Office of Civil Rights and the FAA's 
                Federal Women's Program to not duplicate the objectives 
                of such program; and
                    (D) shall not duplicate the objectives of the Air 
                Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking Committee.
            (2) Reports.--
                    (A) Annual report.--Not later than October 31 of 
                the first calendar year beginning after the date on 
                which the Committee is established under subsection 
                (a), and annually thereafter, the Committee shall 
                submit to Congress, the Secretary, and the 
                Administrator a report that contains a detailed 
                statement of the Committee's recommendations under 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph (1), together 
                with the recommendations of the Committee for such 
                legislation and administrative actions as the Committee 
                considers appropriate.
                    (B) Additional reports.--The Committee may submit 
                to Congress, the Secretary, and the Administrator 
                additional reports and recommendations related to 
                education, training, recruiting, retaining, and 
                advancing women in the aviation industry as the 
                Committee determines appropriate.
    (d) Review of Recommendations.--Not later than 60 days after the 
date on which the Secretary receives a report from the Committee under 
subsection (c)(2), the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that 
indicates--
            (1) which recommendations of the Committee that the 
        Secretary has determined the Department of Transportation is 
        able to address and provide an update regarding the 
        implementation of such recommendations on an annual basis; and
            (2) which such recommendations the Secretary is not able to 
        implement (including any recommendations for legislation) and a 
        rationale for that determination.
    (e) Sunset.--The Committee shall terminate on September 30, 2028.

SEC. 503. STUDY OF HIGH SCHOOL AVIATION MAINTENANCE TRAINING PROGRAMS.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall 
        initiate a study to assess the aviation maintenance technician 
        workforce pipeline in the United States, as well as any 
        barriers for students enrolled in high school aviation 
        maintenance programs with respect to--
                    (A) entering airframe and powerplant mechanic 
                programs; or
                    (B) accessing pathways to mechanic certification.
            (2) Contents.--The study required under paragraph (1) shall 
        assess the following:
                    (A) The number of high school aviation maintenance 
                programs in the United States and the typical career 
                outcomes for graduates of such programs.
                    (B) The extent to which high school aviation 
                maintenance programs offer curricula that align with 
                FAA mechanic airman certification standards.
                    (C) The opportunities afforded to students enrolled 
                in alternative or high school maintenance programs 
                partnered with aviation maintenance technician schools 
                (as described in section 147.15 of title 14, Code of 
                Federal Regulations).
                    (D) Alternate paths to a certificated aviation 
                maintenance technician school for the fulfillment of 
                the experience requirements described in section 
                65.75(c) of such title 14.
                    (E) Any barriers to entry associated with--
                            (i) developing and attaining the knowledge 
                        and experience requirements described in 
                        section 65.75 and section 147.31 of such title 
                        14; or
                            (ii) access to the mechanic certification 
                        process.
                    (F) The level of engagement between the FAA and 
                high school aviation maintenance programs with respect 
                to developing curricula that assist with building 
                foundational knowledge and skills necessary to attain 
                FAA mechanic certifications and associated ratings.
                    (G) Any barriers to accessing the general knowledge 
                test described in section 65.71(a)(3) of such title 14.
                    (H) Whether allowing mechanic certificate 
                applicants to take the general knowledge test prior to 
                such applicants meeting the relevant experience 
                requirements would present a safety risk.
                    (I) Whether regulatory changes could reduce any 
                barriers described in this paragraph.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Comptroller General shall provide to the 
Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress a report and 
briefing on the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a), 
together with recommendations for such legislative and administrative 
action as the Comptroller General deems appropriate.

SEC. 504. MILITARY AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIANS RULE.

    (a) Streamlined Certification for Eligible Military Maintenance 
Technicians.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall issue a final rule that revises 
part 65 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to--
            (1) create a military mechanic written competency test; and
            (2) develop, as necessary, a relevant Airman Certification 
        Standard to qualify eligible military maintenance technicians 
        for a mechanic certificate with airframe or powerplant ratings; 
        and
            (3) allow a certificate of eligibility from the Joint 
        Services Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Council 
        (in this section referred to as the ``JSAMTCC'') evidencing 
        completion of a training curriculum for any rating sought to 
        serve as a substitute to fulfill the requirement under such 
        part 65 for oral and practical tests administered by a 
        Designated Mechanic Examiner (in this section referred to as a 
        ``DME'') for eligible military maintenance technicians.
    (b) Aeronautical Knowledge Subject Areas.--
            (1) In general.--The military mechanic written competency 
        test and Airman Certification Standard described in subsection 
        (a) shall focus on the aeronautical knowledge subject areas 
        contained in the Aviation Mechanic General, Airframe, and 
        Powerplant Airman Certification Standards, as appropriate to 
        the rating sought.
            (2) Identification of subject areas.--The aeronautical 
        knowledge subject areas shall be identified and recommended to 
        the Administrator, in consultation with industry stakeholders, 
        through the FAA Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee Airman 
        Certification System Working Group.
    (c) Expansion of Testing Locations.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in 
consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, shall determine whether an expansion of the number 
of active testing locations operated within military installation 
testing centers would increase access to testing, as well as how to 
implement such expansion.
    (d) Outreach and Awareness.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator, in coordination with 
the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, and the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, shall develop a plan to increase 
outreach and awareness regarding--
            (1) the services made available by the JSAMTCC; and
            (2) the military mechanic written competency test 
        established under subsection (a).
    (e) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which the 
Administrator issues the final rule under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation and the Committee on Veterans' Affairs of the Senate and 
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs of the House of Representatives a report on the 
activities carried out under this section, together with 
recommendations for such legislative or administrative action as the 
Administrator determines appropriate.
    (f) Eligible Military Maintenance Technician Defined.--For purposes 
of this section, the term ``eligible military maintenance technician'' 
means an individual who is a current or former maintenance technician 
who was honorably discharged or has retired from the United States 
Armed Forces (as defined in section 101 of title 10, United States 
Code) and meets the following requirements:
            (1) The individual presents an official United States Armed 
        Forces record confirming that the individual is or was a 
        military aviation maintenance technician, holding an 
        appropriate Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Code, as 
        determined by the Administrator, in coordination with the 
        Secretary of Defense.
            (2) The individual presents documentary evidence of 
        experience in accordance with the requirements under section 
        65.77 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

SEC. 505. PROHIBITION OF REMOTE DISPATCHING.

    (a) Amendments to Prohibition.--
            (1) In general.--Section 44711(a) of title 49, United 
        States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (9), by striking ``or'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (10) as paragraph 
                (11); and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(10) work as an aircraft dispatcher outside of a physical 
        location designated as a dispatching center or flight following 
        center of an air carrier; or''.
            (2) Regulations.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall promulgate 
        regulations requiring persons and air carriers to comply with 
        paragraph (10) of section 44711(a) of title 49, United States 
        Code (as added by paragraph (1)).
            (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
        shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, without regard to whether the 
        regulations required by paragraph (2) have been promulgated as 
        of that date.
    (b) Aircraft Dispatching.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 447 of title 49, United States 
        Code, as amended by section 304(b), is amended by adding at the 
        end the following new section:
``Sec. 44747. Aircraft dispatching
    ``(a) In General.--Each air carrier shall establish and maintain 
sufficient dispatch centers and flight following centers to maintain 
operational control of each flight of the air carrier at all times.
    ``(b) Requirements.--An air carrier shall ensure that each dispatch 
center and flight following center of the air carrier--
            ``(1) has a sufficient number of aircraft dispatchers on 
        duty at the dispatch center or flight following center to 
        ensure proper operational control of each flight of the air 
        carrier at all times;
            ``(2) has the necessary equipment, in good repair, to 
        maintain proper operational control of each flight of the air 
        carrier at all times; and
            ``(3) includes the presence of physical security and 
        cybersecurity protections to prevent unauthorized access to the 
        dispatch center or flight following center or to the operations 
        of either such center.
    ``(c) Prohibition.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), an air carrier 
        may not dispatch aircraft from any location other than the 
        dispatch center or flight following center of the air carrier.
            ``(2) Emergency authority.--In the event of an emergency, 
        an air carrier may dispatch aircraft from a location other than 
        the dispatch center or flight following center of the air 
        carrier for a brief period of time, but not to exceed a period 
        of 24 consecutive hours per location.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for chapter 447 of 
        such title, as amended by section 304(b), is amended by 
        inserting after the item relating to section 44746 the 
        following:

``44747. Aircraft dispatching.''.

SEC. 506. EMPLOYEE ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PLAN STANDARDS AND 
              BEST PRACTICES.

    (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that:
            (1) Each air carrier operating under part 121 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations, shall submit to the Administrator 
        an Employee Assault Prevention and Response Plan pursuant to 
        section 551 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 
        44903 note).
            (2) Each such air carrier should have in place and deploy 
        an Employee Assault Prevention and Response Plan to facilitate 
        appropriate protocols, standards, and training to equip 
        employees with best practices and the experience necessary to 
        respond effectively to hostile situations and disruptive 
        behavior and maintain a safe traveling experience.
    (b) Required Briefing.--Section 551 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44903 note) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection:
    ``(f) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall provide to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a briefing on the Employee Assault Prevention and Response 
Plan submitted by each air carrier pursuant to this section.''.

SEC. 507. CREWMEMBER SELF-DEFENSE TRAINING.

    Section 44918(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``and unruly passenger 
        behavior'' before the period at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(A) Recognize suspicious behavior and activities 
                and determine the seriousness of any occurrence.'';
                    (B) in subparagraph (D), by inserting ``, including 
                training to defend against the use of edged or contact 
                weapons'' before the period at the end;
                    (C) by striking subparagraph (H) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(H) De-escalation training based on 
                recommendations issued by the Air Carrier Training 
                Aviation Rulemaking Committee.'';
                    (D) by redesignating subparagraphs (I) and (J) as 
                subparagraphs (J) and (K), respectively; and
                    (E) by inserting after subparagraph (H) the 
                following:
                    ``(I) Methods to subdue and restrain an active 
                attacker.'';
            (3) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
            ``(4) Minimum standards.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, the 
        Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in 
        consultation with the Federal Air Marshal Service and the 
        Aviation Security Advisory Committee, shall establish minimum 
        standards for--
                    ``(A) the training provided under this subsection 
                and for recurrent training; and
                    ``(B) the individuals or entities providing such 
                training.'';
            (4) in paragraph (6)--
                    (A) in the first sentence--
                            (i) by inserting ``and the Federal Air 
                        Marshal Service'' after ``consultation with the 
                        Administrator'';
                            (ii) by striking ``and periodically shall'' 
                        and inserting ``and shall periodically''; and
                            (iii) by inserting ``based on changes in 
                        the potential or actual threat conditions'' 
                        before the period at the end; and
                    (B) in the third sentence, by inserting ``, 
                including self-defense training expertise and 
                experience'' before the period at the end; and
            (5) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) Air carrier accommodation.--An air carrier with a 
        crew member participating in the training program under this 
        subsection shall provide a process through which each such crew 
        member may obtain reasonable accommodations.''.

SEC. 508. IMPROVING APRON SAFETY.

    (a) Study and Report on Engine Ingestion Zone and Jet Blast Zone 
Accidents.--
            (1) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study on ways 
        to minimize or eliminate engine ingestion zone and jet blast 
        zone accidents, including through--
                    (A) improving markings on the apron to clearly 
                define and graphically indicate the engine ingestion 
                zones and envelope of safety for the variety of 
                aircraft that may park at the same gate of the airport;
                    (B) incorporating markings on aircraft to indicate 
                the engine inlet danger zone, using hazard warning 
                stripes, decals, or other measures;
                    (C) limiting ground service personnel access to an 
                aircraft until the engines of the aircraft are no 
                longer running, the beacon on top of the aircraft has 
                been turned off, the individual blades of the engine 
                fan can be observed, and there is a notification from 
                the flight deck crew confirming the engines are off 
                (including the time for cool down, particularly for 
                engines with low ground clearance);
                    (D) improving aircraft engine design to prevent or 
                minimize engine ingestion, such as the use of 
                stationary inlet guide vanes or engine guarding;
                    (E) improving the use of or requirements for 
                Auxiliary Power Units (APUs) or electrical systems 
                maintenance or incorporating changes to other systems 
                or apron operation procedures to eliminate or minimize 
                the length of time an aircraft engine runs (or is 
                permitted to run) while the aircraft is at the gate or 
                stopped on the ground; and
                    (F) improving communication devices and 
                requirements for operable radios and headsets.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to 
        the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the study 
        conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations 
        for such legislative or administrative action as determined 
        appropriate by the Administrator.
    (b) Improved Training.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator may, as 
        appropriate, develop and publish training and related 
        educational materials about aircraft engine ingestion and jet 
        blast hazards for ground crews (including supervisory 
        employees) that includes information on--
                    (A) the specific dangers and consequences of 
                entering engine ingestion or jet blast zones;
                    (B) proper protocols to avoid entering an engine 
                ingestion or jet blast zone; and
                    (C) on-the-job, instructor-led training to 
                physically demonstrate the engine ingestion zone 
                boundaries and jet blast zones for each kind of 
                aircraft the ground crew may encounter.
            (2) Training regulations.--Not later than 180 days after 
        the publication of the training and related educational 
        materials described in paragraph (1), the Administrator may 
        promulgate regulations to require any new, transferred, or 
        current (as of the date of enactment of this section) employee 
        of the FAA to receive the relevant engine ingestion and jet 
        blast zone hazard training before such employee may perform 
        work on the apron.

SEC. 509. AVIATION MEDICAL INNOVATION AND MODERNIZATION WORKING GROUP.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish the 
Aviation Medical Innovation and Modernization Working Group (in this 
section referred to as the ``Working Group'') and appoint members of 
the Working Group in accordance with subsection (b).
    (b) Membership.--
            (1) Number.--The members of the Working Group shall not 
        exceed 20 individuals.
            (2) Composition.--
                    (A) Federal air surgeon.--The Federal Air Surgeon 
                shall be a member of the Working Group and shall be the 
                Chair of the Working Group.
                    (B) Senior aviation medical examiners.--In addition 
                to the Federal Air Surgeon, at least 8 members of the 
                Working Group shall be individuals who are Senior 
                Aviation Medical Examiners.
                    (C) Other members.--In addition to the Federal Air 
                Surgeon and the members appointed under subparagraph 
                (B), the remaining members shall be licensed medical 
                physicians with substantial expertise in--
                            (i) aerospace medicine;
                            (ii) psychological medicine;
                            (iii) neurological medicine;
                            (iv) cardiovascular medicine; or
                            (v) internal medicine.
                    (D) Preference in appointments.--The Administrator 
                shall give preference to appointing members of the 
                Working Group who are Aviation Medical Examiners or 
                licensed medical physicians who have demonstrated 
                research and expertise in aviation medical issues.
                    (E) Use of subgroups.--The Working Group 
                Administrator may use subgroups to develop the 
                recommendations under subsection (c).
    (c) Recommendations.--The Working Group shall develop a report that 
includes recommendations with respect to the following areas:
            (1) Evaluation of the conditions an Aviation Medical 
        Examiner can issue (CACI).
            (2) Improvements and reforms to the Special Issuance 
        process, including whether, after initial medical certification 
        by the FAA, renewals can be based on a medical evaluation and 
        treatment plan by a pilot's treating medical specialist with 
        concurrence from the pilot's Aviation Medical Examiner.
            (3) Development of an online medical portal administered by 
        the FAA that--
                    (A) adheres to cybersecurity protections and 
                protocols;
                    (B) authorizes Aviation Medical Examiners, pilots, 
                or their designee, to securely share medical records;
                    (C) provides timely updates for a pilot's medical 
                application and improves return to flying timelines;
                    (D) provides pilots with the ability to submit 
                additional information requested from the FAA;
                    (E) includes the method to contact the reviewing 
                office; and
                    (F) such other requirements as the Working Group 
                may recommend.
            (4) The use of technologies to address forms of red-green 
        color blindness for pilots.
            (5) Improvements to Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity 
        Disorder and Attention Deficit Disorder protocols.
            (6) Improvements to neurology protocols, specifically, 
        stroke, head injury, and known loss of consciousness.
            (7) Improvements to FAA mental health protocols, including, 
        but not limited to, mental health conditions such as depression 
        and anxiety, the use of medications for treating mental health 
        conditions, and neurocognitive testing rules and applicability.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which the 
Working Group is established--
            (1) the Working Group shall submit the report developed in 
        accordance with subsection (c) to the Administrator, along with 
        recommendations for such legislation and administrative action 
        as the Working Group determines appropriate; and
            (2) the Administrator shall submit such report and 
        recommendations to the appropriate committees of Congress.
    (e) Actions by the Administrator.--The Administrator may take such 
action as the Administrator determines appropriate to implement the 
recommendations in the report submitted under subsection (d).
    (f) Exemption From the Federal Advisory Committee Act.--Chapter 10 
of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the Working Group.
    (g) Sunset.--The Working Group shall terminate on the date on which 
the Working Group submits the report required by subsection (d).

SEC. 510. AIRMAN CERTIFICATION STANDARDS.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator shall use the Aviation 
Rulemaking Advisory Committee Airman Certification System Working Group 
(in this section referred to as the ``Working Group'') to obtain 
industry recommendations on maintaining and updating Airman 
Certification Standards.
    (b) Duties.--In carrying out its activities, the Working Group 
shall--
            (1) ensure that testing remains correlated and corresponds 
        to current regulations, procedures, equipment, aviation 
        infrastructure, and safety trends;
            (2) work with industry to solicit recommendations on airman 
        certification and testing, including new, and revisions to 
        existing, Airman Certification Standards guidance documents and 
        airman tests; and
            (3) ensure other tasks carried out by the Working Group are 
        addressed and completed in a timely and efficient manner.

SEC. 511. AIRPORT SERVICE WORKFORCE ANALYSIS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Comptroller General shall complete an analysis of the 
airport service workforce and its impact and importance to the aviation 
economy.

                       Subtitle B--FAA Workforce

SEC. 521. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL STAFFING STANDARDS.

    (a) FAA Air Traffic Control Staffing Standards.--The Administrator 
shall complete the requirements of subsection (b) and implement 
revisions to the FAA Certified Professional Controller (in this section 
referred to as ``CPC'') operational staffing targets, in consultation 
with appropriate stakeholders including the exclusive bargaining 
representative of air traffic control specialists of the FAA certified 
under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code, by September 30, 
2024.
    (b) National Academy of Sciences Study.--
            (1) Study.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall enter into 
        appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of 
        Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (in this subsection 
        referred to as the ``National Academies'') under which the 
        National Academies will conduct a study of the methodology used 
        by the Collaborative Resource Workgroup (in this subsection 
        referred to as ``CRWG'') to determine CPC operational staffing 
        targets needed to meet facility operational, statutory, and 
        contractual requirements, including resources to develop, 
        evaluate, and implement processes and initiatives affecting the 
        national airspace system.
            (2) Contents.--The study required by paragraph (1) shall 
        include the following elements:
                    (A) A review of similarities and discrepancies 
                between methodologies used to develop the CRWG CPC 
                operational staffing targets and the staffing targets 
                developed by the FAA as reflected by the staffing 
                standards used in the 2023 Controller Workforce Plan.
                    (B) An examination of the discrepancies between the 
                CRWG CPC staffing targets and the FAA-developed CPC 
                staffing standards used in the 2023 Controller 
                Workforce Plan that contribute to a significant 
                divergence in operational staffing headcounts 
                (including with respect to CPCs, CPCs-in-training at 
                new facilities, and trainees), CPC staffing targets, 
                and staffing needs for air traffic controllers between 
                fiscal year 2027 and fiscal year 2032 to ensure the 
                safe and efficient operation of the national airspace 
                system.
                    (C) An evaluation of--
                            (i) air traffic in the airspace of each air 
                        traffic control facility operated by the FAA;
                            (ii) air traffic controller position 
                        utilization;
                            (iii) attrition rates at each air traffic 
                        control facility operated by the FAA; and
                            (iv) the time needed to meet facility 
                        operational, statutory, and contractual 
                        requirements, including resources to develop, 
                        evaluate, and implement processes and 
                        initiatives affecting the national airspace 
                        system.
                    (D) For each air traffic control facility operated 
                by the FAA, a description of--
                            (i) the current CPC staffing levels;
                            (ii) the operational staffing targets for 
                        CPCs;
                            (iii) the anticipated CPC attrition for 
                        each of the next 3 years; and
                            (iv) the number of CPC trainees.
                    (E) An examination of the FAA's current and 
                estimated budgets and funding needed to implement the 
                CRWG CPC operational staffing targets and needs in 
                comparison to such funding needed to implement the 
                staffing standards developed by the FAA as reflected in 
                the 2023 Controller Workforce Plan.
                    (F) An analysis of the recommendations included in 
                Transportation Research Board Special Report 314, 
                titled ``The Federal Aviation Administration's Approach 
                for Determining Future Air Traffic Controller Staffing 
                Needs'' that have not yet been addressed or implemented 
                by the Administrator.
                    (G) Recommendations for further action by the 
                Administrator, as appropriate, to--
                            (i) address operational staffing 
                        requirements to meet facility operational, 
                        statutory, and contractual requirements; and
                            (ii) provide fulsome air traffic controller 
                        staffing to ensure the safe and efficient 
                        operation of the national airspace system, 
                        including the integration of new users, 
                        technologies, and procedures.
            (3) Consultation.--In conducting the study required by 
        paragraph (1), the National Academies shall consult with--
                    (A) Federal Government and industry 
                representatives;
                    (B) the exclusive bargaining representative of air 
                traffic control specialists of the FAA certified under 
                section 7111 of title 5, United States Code; and
                    (C) other parties determined appropriate by the 
                National Academies.
            (4) Reports.--
                    (A) To the administrator.--Not later than 180 days 
                after the date of enactment of this section, the 
                National Academies shall submit to the Administrator a 
                report on the results of the study required by 
                paragraph (1), together with recommendations determined 
                appropriate by the National Academies.
                    (B) To congress.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date on which the National Academies submits the report 
                under subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall submit 
                to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
                describing--
                            (i) the results of the study required by 
                        paragraph (1);
                            (ii) the report submitted by the National 
                        Academies, including the recommendations of the 
                        National Academies; and
                            (iii) the Administrator's implementation 
                        action required by subsection (a).
    (c) Revisions to the Controller Workforce Plan.--Section 44506(e) 
of title 49, United States Code is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by inserting ``Collaborative Resource Workgroup 
                (CRWG)'' before ``staffing standards''; and
                    (B) by striking ``the number of air traffic 
                controllers needed'' and inserting ``the number of 
                fully certified air traffic controllers needed'';
            (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as paragraphs 
        (3) and (4), respectively; and
            (3) by adding after paragraph (1) the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(2) for each air traffic control facility operated by the 
        Federal Aviation Administration--
                    ``(A) the current certified professional controller 
                staffing levels;
                    ``(B) the Collaborative Resource Workgroup (CRWG) 
                operational staffing targets for certified professional 
                controllers;
                    ``(C) the anticipated certified professional 
                controller attrition for each of the next 3 years; and
                    ``(D) the number of certified professional 
                controller trainees;''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (c) shall 
take effect and apply to any reports submitted pursuant to section 
44506(e) of title 49, United States Code, for each Controller Workforce 
Plan submitted after September 30, 2024.

SEC. 522. FAA WORKFORCE REVIEW AUDIT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Inspector General of the Department of 
Transportation shall initiate an audit of any FAA workforce plans 
related to aviation safety completed during the past 5 fiscal years.
    (b) Contents.--In conducting the audit under subsection (a), the 
Inspector General shall--
            (1) identify whether any safety-critical positions have not 
        been reviewed within the timeframe specified in subsection (a);
            (2) review FAA workforce gaps in safety-critical and senior 
        positions, including the average vacancy period of such 
        positions during the latest fiscal year;
            (3) review whether existing FAA workforce development 
        programs are producing intended results, such as increased 
        recruitment and retention of agency personnel; and
            (4) evaluate the extent to which the FAA leverages its 
        direct hire authority to recruit subject matter experts and 
        other technical personnel to fill key senior and technical 
        positions.
    (c) Report and Recommendations.--
            (1) Inspector general report.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of this section, the Inspector General 
        shall submit to the Administrator and the appropriate 
        committees of Congress a report on the results of the audit 
        conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations 
        for such legislative and administrative action as the Inspector 
        General determines appropriate.
            (2) Congressional briefing.--Not later than 90 days after 
        receiving the report under paragraph (1), the Administrator 
        shall provide a briefing to appropriate committees of Congress 
        on--
                    (A) the Administrator's response to the 
                recommendations of the Inspector General contained in 
                such report; and
                    (B) any plans of the Administrator for the 
                implementation of such recommendations.

SEC. 523. DIRECT HIRE AUTHORITY UTILIZATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 40122 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(k) Direct Hire Authority.--The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall utilize existing direct hire authority to 
expedite the hiring process and hire individuals on a non-competitive 
basis for safety critical and safety technical positions related to 
aircraft certification and aviation safety more broadly to maintain the 
gold standard of aviation safety and, as necessary, fulfill any gaps 
identified in workforce reviews at the Federal Aviation 
Administration.''.
    (b) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter through 2028, the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
status of--
            (1) utilization of the direct hire authority described in 
        subsection (k) of such section 40122, as added by subsection 
        (a); and
            (2) the number of employees hired under such authority, the 
        relevant line of business to which such employees were hired, 
        and the occupation type of the positions filled.

SEC. 524. STAFFING MODEL FOR AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTORS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than October 1, 2024, the Administrator 
shall review and revise as necessary the staffing model for aviation 
safety inspectors.
    (b) Requirements.--
            (1) Consideration of prior studies and reports.--In 
        revising the model, the Administrator shall take into 
        consideration the recommendations outlined in the following:
                    (A) The 2006 report released by the National 
                Research Council entitled ``Staffing Standards for 
                Aviation Safety Inspectors''.
                    (B) The 2007 study released by the National Academy 
                of Sciences entitled ``Staffing Standards for Aviation 
                Safety Inspectors''.
                    (C) The 2013 report released by Grant Thornton LLP, 
                entitled ``ASTARS Gap Analysis Study: Comparison of the 
                AVS Staffing Model for Aviation Safety Inspectors to 
                the National Academy of Sciences' Recommendations Final 
                Report''.
                    (D) The 2021 report released by the Inspector 
                General of the Department of Transportation entitled 
                ``FAA Can Increase Its Inspector Staffing Model's 
                Effectiveness by Implementing System Improvements and 
                Maximizing Its Capabilities''.
                    (E) The FAA Fiscal Year 2023 Aviation Safety 
                Workforce Plan conducted to satisfy the requirements of 
                section 104 of the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and 
                Accountability Act, as enacted in the Consolidated 
                Appropriations Act, 2021 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note).
            (2) Service and office staffing level.--The model will 
        project staffing at the service and office level and require 
        managers to use the model as part of the resource assessment 
        for aviation safety inspector resources.
            (3) Attrition.--The aviation safety inspector staffing 
        model will take into consideration forecasted attrition.
            (4) Consultation.--In revising the model, the Administrator 
        shall consult with interested persons, including the exclusive 
        collective bargaining representative for aviation safety 
        inspectors certified under section 7111 of title 5, United 
        States Code.

SEC. 525. SAFETY CRITICAL STAFFING.

    (a) Implementation of Staffing Standards for Safety Inspectors.--
Upon completion of the revised staffing model for aviation safety 
inspectors under section 524, and validation of the model by the 
Administrator, the Administrator shall take all appropriate actions in 
response to the number of aviation safety inspectors, aviation safety 
technicians, and operation support positions that such model determines 
are required to meet the responsibilities of the Flight Standards 
Service and Aircraft Certification Service, including increasing the 
number of safety critical positions in the Flight Standards Service and 
Aircraft Certification Service per fiscal year as appropriate, provided 
that such staffing increases shall be measured relative to the number 
of persons serving in safety critical positions as of September 30, 
2023. Any increase in safety critical staffing pursuant to this 
subsection shall be subject to the availability of appropriations.
    (b) Safety Critical Positions Defined.--In this section, the term 
``safety critical positions'' means--
            (1) aviation safety inspectors, aviation safety specialists 
        (1801 series), aviation safety technicians, and operations 
        support positions in the Flight Standards Service; and
            (2) manufacturing safety inspectors, pilots, engineers, 
        Chief Scientist Technical Advisors, aviation safety specialists 
        (1801 series), safety technical specialists, and operational 
        support positions in the Aircraft Certification Service.

SEC. 526. INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM INSTALLATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 44502(a)(4) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) Installation.--The Administrator shall 
                expedite the installation of at a minimum 15 instrument 
                landing systems (referred to in this subparagraph as 
                `ILS') in the national airspace system by January 1, 
                2025, by utilizing the existing ILS contract vehicle 
                and the Federal Aviation Administration workforce.''.
    (b) Expedited Installation of ILS Equipment.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate 
        action to utilize the existing instrument landing systems 
        (referred to in this subsection as ``ILS'') contract vehicle 
        and FAA employees in facilitating the expedited installation of 
        ILS equipment into the national airspace system. In carrying 
        out this subsection, the Administrator shall--
                    (A) incorporate lessons learned from the 
                installations under section 44502(a)(4) of title 49, 
                United States Code;
                    (B) record metrics of cost and time savings of 
                expedited installations; and
                    (C) consider opportunities to further develop ILS 
                technical expertise among the FAA workforce.
            (2) Considerations.--During the implementation planning to 
        carry out this subsection and subparagraph (C) of section 
        44502(a)(4) of title 49, United States Code, as added by 
        subsection (a), the Administrator shall consider the cost-
        benefit analysis of utilizing the existing ILS contract 
        vehicle, the FAA workforce, or both, to accelerate the 
        installation and deployment of procured equipment.
            (3) Report to congress.--Not later than June 30, 2025, the 
        Administrator shall report to the appropriate committees of 
        Congress on the ILS installation results, near-term ILS 
        installations planned, and shall outline the FAA's approach to 
        accelerate future procurement and installation of ILS 
        throughout the national airspace system in a manner consistent 
        with the requirements of title VIII of division J of the 
        Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58).

SEC. 527. CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER TRAINING 
              PROGRAMS.

    Section 47124 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection (f);
            (2) by inserting after subsection (d) the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(e) Air Traffic Controller Training Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall coordinate 
        with air traffic control contractors to create air traffic 
        controller training programs and shall incorporate the use of 
        such programs into new contracts or the exercise of future 
        options entered into under the Contract Tower Program and the 
        Cost-share Program. Such programs shall allow air traffic 
        control contractors to--
                    ``(A) provide initial training to candidates who do 
                not have a Control Tower Operator certificate or 
                Federal Aviation Administration tower credential; and
                    ``(B) provide training to controllers who have 
                completed an approved Air Traffic Collegiate Training 
                Initiative (AT-CTI) program from an accredited school 
                that has a demonstrated successful curriculum.
            ``(2) Authority.--An air traffic control contractor shall 
        be permitted to train controllers under programs established 
        under paragraph (1) notwithstanding section 65.39(a) of title 
        14, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of 
        enactment of this subsection).
            ``(3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this subsection 
        shall be construed as a delegation of authority by the 
        Administrator to air traffic control contractors for the 
        purposes of conducting initial testing of, and issuing initial 
        certifications to, air traffic controllers.
            ``(4) Program review.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the 
                incorporation of training programs operated by air 
                traffic control contractors under the Contract Tower 
                Program and the Cost-share Program, the Secretary shall 
                conduct a review of such training programs and issue 
                relevant findings. In conducting the review, the 
                Secretary shall identify the degree to which such 
                programs improve workforce development at air traffic 
                control tower facilities staffed through the Contract 
                Tower Program or the Cost-share Program, air traffic 
                control towers staffed by the Federal Aviation 
                Administration, and any related impact such training 
                may have on air traffic controller staffing more 
                broadly.
                    ``(B) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
                on which the Secretary initiates the review required by 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall submit a report 
                to the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
                results of the review, along with such recommendations 
                as the Secretary determines appropriate.
            ``(5) Definitions.--In this subsection, the term 
        `demonstrated successful curriculum' means an AT-CTI program 
        curriculum with a demonstrated record of graduated students 
        that have enrolled at the FAA Academy and subsequently 
        completed Certified Tower Operator certificates at an 80 
        percent success rate for a consecutive period of 5 years.
            ``(6) Sunset.--The provisions of this subsection shall 
        terminate on September 30, 2028.''; and
            (3) in subsection (f) (as redesignated by paragraph (1)), 
        by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) 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.''.

SEC. 528. REVIEW OF FAA AND INDUSTRY COOPERATIVE FAMILIARIZATION 
              PROGRAMS.

    (a) Review.--Not later than 270 days after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall complete a review of options for 
employees of the FAA whose responsibilities directly relate to 
certification, to gain or enhance technical expertise, knowledge, 
skills, and abilities, including subject matter relating to innovative 
and complex aviation technologies, through cooperative training and 
visitation with aerospace companies.
    (b) Conflicts of Interest.--In conducting the review in subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall ensure that such options for FAA employees 
would occur on a short-term basis and avoid both conflicts of interest 
and the appearance of such conflicts pursuant to chapter 131 of title 
5, United States Code, chapter 11 of title 18, United States Code, 
subchapter B of chapter XVI of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, 
sections 2635.101 and 2635.502 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations, 
and any other regulations as deemed appropriate by the Administrator. 
The Administrator shall also identify any conflicts with FAA policies 
relating to FAA employee interactions with industry and determine 
appropriate obligations of such employees upon returning to the FAA 
after engaging in relevant cooperative training and visitation.
    (c) Considerations.--As part of the review required by subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall consider the following, provided that such 
actions satisfy conflicts of interest requirements referred to in 
subsection (b):
            (1) Expanding existing familiarization programs.
            (2) Leveraging cooperative training programs to support 
        credentialing and recurrent training activities for FAA 
        employees.
            (3) Evaluating the options described in subsection (a) 
        based on the level of experience of participating FAA employees 
        and intended benefits related to such participation.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 90 days after completing the review 
required by subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit a report to 
the appropriate committees of Congress on the results of the review and 
relevant recommendations.

SEC. 529. IMPROVED ACCESS TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SIMULATION TRAINING.

    (a) Access.--The Administrator shall make tower simulator systems 
(in this section referred to as ``TSS'') more accessible to all air 
traffic controller specialists assigned to an air traffic control tower 
of the FAA (in this section referred to as an ``ATCT''), regardless of 
facility assignment, by carrying out the following:
            (1) Cloud-based visual database and software system.--Not 
        later than 30 months after the date of enactment of this 
        section, the Administrator shall develop and implement a cloud-
        based visual database and software system that is compatible 
        with existing and future TSS that includes, at a minimum--
                    (A) every ATCT's unique runway layout, approach 
                paths, and lines of sight; and
                    (B) specifications that meet all applicable data 
                security requirements.
            (2) Upgrading tss.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall upgrade 
        existing, permanent TSS so that the TSS is capable of, at a 
        minimum--
                    (A) securely and quickly downloading data from the 
                cloud-based visual database and software system 
                implemented under paragraph (1);
                    (B) running scenarios for each ATCT involving 
                differing levels of air traffic volume; and
                    (C) running scenarios for each ATCT involving 
                varying complexities of air traffic (including, but not 
                limited to, aircraft emergencies, rapidly changing 
                weather, issuance of safety alerts, and recovering from 
                unforeseen events or losses of separation).
            (3) Mobile tss.--Not later than 4 years after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall acquire and 
        implement mobile TSS at each ATCT that is without an existing, 
        permanent TSS so that the mobile TSS is capable of, at a 
        minimum, the functions described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and 
        (C) of paragraph (2).
    (b) Collaboration.--In carrying out the activities under subsection 
(a), the Administrator may collaborate with the exclusive bargaining 
representative of air traffic controllers certified under section 7111 
of title 5, United States Code.

SEC. 530. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER INSTRUCTOR PIPELINE.

    (a) In General.--No later than 270 days after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall initiate a study examining the 
pipeline of air traffic controller instructors and the projected number 
of instructors needed to maintain the safety of the national airspace 
system over the 5-fiscal year period beginning with fiscal year 2024.
    (b) Contents.--The study required by subsection (a) shall include 
the following:
            (1) An examination of projected instructor staffing 
        targets, including the number of on-the-job instructors needed 
        for the instruction and training of Certified Professional 
        Controllers in Training (CPC-Its).
            (2) Whether involving further retired Certified 
        Professional Controllers (CPCs) as instructors, including for 
        classroom training, would produce improvements in air traffic 
        controller instruction and training.
            (3) Recommendations on how and where to utilize retired 
        certified professional controllers.
            (4) The effect on the ability of active Certified 
        Professional Controllers (CPCs) to carry out on-the-job duties, 
        other than instruction, and any related efficiencies if more 
        retired Certified Professional Controllers (CPCs) were 
        instructors.
            (5) The known vulnerabilities, as categorized by FAA Air 
        Traffic Organization regions, where requiring Certified 
        Professional Controllers (CPCs) to provide instruction and 
        training to Certified Professional Controllers in Training 
        (CPC-Its) is a significant burden on FAA air traffic controller 
        staffing levels.
    (c) Deadline.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which the 
Administrator initiates the study required by subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
results on the study and any actions that may be taken based on such 
results.

SEC. 531. ENSURING HIRING OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SPECIALISTS IS BASED 
              ON ASSESSMENT OF JOB-RELEVANT APTITUDES.

    (a) Review of the Air Traffic Skills Assessment.--Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall review and revise, if necessary, the Air Traffic Skills 
Assessment (in this section referred to as the ``AT-SA'') administered 
to air traffic controller applicants described in clauses (ii) and 
(iii) of section 44506(f)(1)(B) of title 49, United States Code, in 
accordance with the following requirements:
            (1) The Administrator shall evaluate all questions on the 
        AT-SA and determine whether a peer-reviewed job analysis that 
        ensures all questions test job-relevant aptitudes would result 
        in improvements in the air traffic control specialist workforce 
        pipeline.
            (2) The Administrator shall assess the assumptions and 
        methodologies used to develop the AT-SA, the job-relevant 
        aptitudes measured, and the scoring process for the assessment.
            (3) The Administrator shall assess whether any other 
        revisions to the AT-SA are necessary to enhance the air traffic 
        control specialist workforce pipeline.
    (b) DOT Inspector General Report.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date on which the Administrator completes the review and any 
necessary revision of the AT-SA required under subsection (a), the 
Inspector General of the Department of Transportation shall submit to 
the Administrator, the appropriate committees of Congress, and, upon 
request, to any member of Congress, a report that assesses the reviewed 
AT-SA and any applicable revisions, a description of any associated 
actions taken by the Administrator, and any recommended actions to be 
taken to address the results of the report.

SEC. 532. FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ACADEMY AND FACILITY 
              EXPANSION PLAN.

    (a) Plan.--
            (1) In general.--No later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate the 
        development of a plan to--
                    (A) expand overall FAA capacity relating to 
                facilities, instruction, equipment, and training 
                resources to grow the number of developmental air 
                traffic controllers enrolled per fiscal year and 
                support increases in FAA air controller staffing to 
                advance the safety of the national airspace system; and
                    (B) establish a second FAA Academy in an area 
                described in paragraph (2).
            (2) Area described.--An area described in this paragraph is 
        a metropolitan statistical area in which each of the following 
        is located:
                    (A) At least 2 large hub airports.
                    (B) An FAA Flight Standards District Office.
                    (C) An FAA Certificate Management Office.
                    (D) An FAA regional headquarters.
            (3) Considerations.--In developing the plan under paragraph 
        (1), the Administrator shall consider--
                    (A) the resources needed to support an increase in 
                the total number of developmental air traffic 
                controllers enrolled at the FAA Academies;
                    (B) the resources needed to lessen FAA Academy 
                attrition per fiscal year;
                    (C) how to modernize the education and training of 
                developmental air traffic controllers, including 
                through the use of new techniques and technologies to 
                support instruction, and whether field training can be 
                administered more flexibly, such as at other FAA 
                locations across the country;
                    (D) the equipment needed to support expanded 
                instruction, including air traffic control simulation 
                systems, virtual reality, and other virtual training 
                platforms;
                    (E) projected staffing needs associated with FAA 
                Academy expansion and the operation of virtual 
                education platforms, including the number of on-the-job 
                instructors needed to educate and train additional 
                developmental air traffic controllers;
                    (F) the use of existing FAA-owned facilities and 
                classroom space and identifying potential opportunities 
                for new construction;
                    (G) the costs of--
                            (i) expanding FAA capacity (as described in 
                        paragraph (1)(A)); and
                            (ii) establishing a second FAA Academy (as 
                        described in paragraph (1)(B));
                    (H) soliciting input from, and coordinating with, 
                relevant stakeholders as appropriate, including the 
                exclusive bargaining representative of air traffic 
                control specialists of the FAA certified under section 
                7111 of title 5, United States Code; and
                    (I) other logistical and financial considerations 
                as determined appropriate by the Administrator.
    (b) Report.--Not later than one year after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress the plan developed under subsection (a).
    (c) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the submission of the 
plan under subsection (b), the Administrator shall brief the 
appropriate committees of Congress on the plan, including the 
implementation of the plan.

SEC. 533. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS WITH PILOT TRAINING 
              SERVICES.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, 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 141 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 Secretary 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 with airplane single-
                engine or multi-engine ratings.
                    (B) Instrument rating.
                    (C) Commercial pilot certificate with airplane 
                single-engine or multi-engine ratings.
                    (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 Secretary 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) Appropriations.--To carry out this section, there is authorized 
to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2024 through 
2028.

SEC. 534. BIENNIAL REPORTS TO CONGRESS ON DESIGNATED PILOT EXAMINERS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
section, and biennially thereafter, the Administrator shall submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a report that evaluates the use 
of designated pilot examiners appointed under section 183.23 of title 
14, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor regulation) for 
testing, including both written and practical tests. Such report shall 
include an analysis of--
            (1) the methodology and rationale by which designated pilot 
        examiners are deployed;
            (2) with respect to the previous fiscal year, the average 
        time an individual in each region must wait to schedule an 
        appointment with a designated pilot examiner;
            (3) with respect to the previous fiscal year, the estimated 
        total time individuals in each region were forced to wait to 
        schedule an appointment with a designated pilot examiner;
            (4) the primary reasons and best ways to reduce such wait 
        times;
            (5) the number of tests conducted by designated pilot 
        examiners;
            (6) the number and percentage of available designated pilot 
        examiners that perform such tests; and
            (7) the average rate of retests, including of both written 
        and practical tests.

SEC. 535. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON THE EXTENT AND EFFECTS OF THE 
              COMMERCIAL AVIATION PILOT SHORTAGE ON REGIONAL/COMMUTER 
              CARRIERS.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a study to 
identify the extent and effects of the commercial aviation pilot 
shortage on regional/commuter carriers (as such term is defined in 
section 41719(d) of title 49, United States Code).
    (b) Report.--Not later than 12 months after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report containing the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations for such 
legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller General 
determines appropriate.

SEC. 536. MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS (MSI) INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subject to the availability of appropriations, the 
Administrator shall continue operation of the FAA Minority Serving 
Institutions (MSI) program (in this section referred to as the 
``Program'') during the period that begins on the date of enactment of 
this section and ends on September 30, 2028. In carrying out the 
Program, the Administrator shall continue to provide internship 
opportunities to eligible students.
    (b) Outreach.--The Administrator shall establish and conduct 
outreach to minority-serving institutions to recruit students for the 
Program.
    (c) Requirements.--The following requirements shall apply to the 
Program:
            (1) Minority-serving institution.--The FAA shall consider 
        an institution described in any of paragraphs (1) through (7) 
        of section 371(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1067q(a)) as a ``minority-serving institution'' for 
        purposes of the Program.
            (2) Eligibility requirements.--The FAA shall not limit 
        eligibility--
                    (A) of a student for the Program on the basis of 
                the student's academic major but may allocate 
                internship slots to mission-critical positions if there 
                are demonstrated human capital needs in that area; and
                    (B) to only students currently attending a 
                minority-serving institution if they are deemed 
                otherwise eligible.
            (3) Year-round.--The FAA shall make internship placements 
        under the Program available during academic sessions throughout 
        the year and may extend an internship placement for a student 
        beyond a single academic session.
            (4) Direct hiring authority.--The Administrator shall 
        utilize existing direct hiring authority to accelerate the 
        hiring of students who have participated in and completed the 
        Program and have graduated with an undergraduate or post-
        graduate degree.
            (5) Pay.--All internships under the Program shall be paid 
        and the FAA may increase pay for a placement based on the 
        location of the internship, the field of study of the intern, 
        or whether the student is an undergraduate versus a graduate 
        student.
    (d) Annual Reports.--The FAA shall submit an annual report to the 
appropriate committees of Congress on the Program. Each annual report 
shall include the following with respect to the reporting period:
            (1) The total number of applicants.
            (2) The total number of applicants offered an internship 
        and the total number of applicants who accept an internship.
            (3) The de-identified data on the race, national origin, 
        gender, and State of residence of Program applicants.
            (4) Detailed information on the FAA outreach plan for the 
        upcoming year.
            (5) The schools of applicants, of applicants offered an 
        internship, and of applicants who accept an internship.
            (6) The location and line of business where each intern is 
        placed.
            (7) The conversion rate of interns in the Program who are 
        hired as full-time FAA employees.

SEC. 537. FAA EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE.

    Beginning on and after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Administrator shall continue to operate the Educational Partnership 
Initiative of the FAA through fiscal year 2028.

                  Subtitle C--Flight Education Access

SEC. 541. SHORT TITLE.

    This subtitle may be cited as the ``Flight Education Access Act''.

SEC. 542. INCREASE IN FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN LIMITS FOR STUDENTS IN 
              FLIGHT EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS.

    Section 455 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e) 
is amended--
            (1) in subsection (p)--
                    (A) by striking ``Each institution'' and inserting 
                the following:
            ``(1) In general.--Each institution'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1) (as designated by subparagraph 
                (A)), by inserting before the period at the end the 
                following: ``and, shall, with respect to Federal Direct 
                Unsubsidized Stafford Loans made after the date of 
                enactment of the Flight Education Access Act to an 
                eligible student (as defined in subsection (r)), comply 
                with the requirements of paragraph (2)''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(2) Additional disclosures.--At or prior to the 
        disbursement of a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan 
        after the date of enactment of the Flight Education Access Act 
        to an eligible student (as defined in subsection (r)), the 
        following shall be disclosed:
                    ``(A) The principal amount of the loan, the stated 
                interest rate on the loan, the number of required 
                monthly payments to be made on the loan (which shall be 
                based on a standard repayment plan), and the estimated 
                number of months before the start of the repayment 
                period for the loan (based on the expected date on 
                which the repayment period is to begin or the deferment 
                period is to end, as applicable).
                    ``(B) The estimated balance to be owed by the 
                borrower on such loan (including, if applicable, the 
                estimated amount of interest to be capitalized) as of 
                the scheduled date on which the repayment period is to 
                begin or the deferment period is to end, as applicable, 
                and an estimate of the projected monthly payment.
                    ``(C) An estimate of the aggregate amount the 
                borrower will pay for the loan, including the total 
                amount of monthly payments made over the life of the 
                loan plus the amount of any charges for the loan, such 
                as an origination fee.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(r) Increase in Loan Limits for Students in Flight Education and 
Training Programs.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        this Act, the loan limits for Federal Direct Unsubsidized 
        Stafford Loans made after the date of enactment of the Flight 
        Education Access Act with respect to eligible students shall be 
        subject to this subsection.
            ``(2) Definitions.--In this section:
                    ``(A) Eligible student.--The term `eligible 
                student' means a student who is enrolled in an eligible 
                undergraduate flight education and training program.
                    ``(B) Eligible undergraduate flight education and 
                training program.--The term `eligible undergraduate 
                flight education and training program' means an 
                undergraduate flight education and training program 
                that offers training for applicants seeking a 
                commercial pilot certificate and--
                            ``(i) during the period beginning on the 
                        date of enactment of the Flight Education 
                        Access Act and ending on the date on which 3 
                        years of data has been collected pursuant to 
                        paragraph (3)(C), that meets all the applicable 
                        requirements of this Act; and
                            ``(ii) beginning on the date on which 3 
                        years of data has been collected pursuant to 
                        paragraph (3)(C), that meets all the applicable 
                        requirements of this Act and has a completion 
                        rate averaged over a 3-year period, as 
                        calculated under paragraph (3)(C), that is 
                        equal to or greater than 70 percent.
                    ``(C) Undergraduate flight education and training 
                program.--The term `undergraduate flight education and 
                training program'--
                            ``(i) has the meaning given the term by the 
                        Secretary, in consultation with the 
                        Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
                        Administration;
                            ``(ii) shall include a flight education and 
                        training program offered by an eligible 
                        institution that is accredited by an 
                        accrediting agency recognized by the Secretary, 
                        that--
                                    ``(I) awards undergraduate 
                                certificates or associate or bachelor 
                                degrees; and
                                    ``(II) provides pilot training in 
                                accordance with part 141 of title 14, 
                                Code of Federal Regulations, or any 
                                successor regulation; and
                            ``(iii) shall not include a flight 
                        education and training program certified under 
                        part 61 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                        Regulations, or any successor regulation.
            ``(3) Loan limits for eligible undergraduate flight 
        education and training programs.--
                    ``(A) Limits for eligible students who are 
                dependent students.--
                            ``(i) Annual limits.--The maximum annual 
                        amount of Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford 
                        Loans an eligible student who is a dependent 
                        student may borrow in any academic year (as 
                        defined in section 481(a)(2)) or its equivalent 
                        shall be--
                                    ``(I) in the case of an eligible 
                                student at an eligible institution who 
                                has not successfully completed the 
                                first year of an eligible undergraduate 
                                flight education and training program--
                                            ``(aa) $13,500, if such 
                                        student is enrolled in such a 
                                        program whose length is at 
                                        least one academic year in 
                                        length; or
                                            ``(bb) if such student is 
                                        enrolled in such a program that 
                                        is less than one academic year, 
                                        the maximum annual loan amount 
                                        that such student may receive 
                                        may not exceed the amount that 
                                        bears the same ratio to the 
                                        amount specified in item (aa) 
                                        as the length of such program 
                                        measured in semester, 
                                        trimester, quarter, or clock 
                                        hours bears to one academic 
                                        year;
                                    ``(II) in the case of an eligible 
                                student at an eligible institution who 
                                has successfully completed the first 
                                year of an eligible undergraduate 
                                flight education and training program 
                                but has not yet successfully completed 
                                the remainder of such program--
                                            ``(aa) $15,500; or
                                            ``(bb) if such student is 
                                        enrolled in such a program that 
                                        is less than one academic year, 
                                        the maximum annual loan amount 
                                        that such student may receive 
                                        may not exceed the amount that 
                                        bears the same ratio to the 
                                        amount specified in item (aa) 
                                        as the length of such program 
                                        measured in semester, 
                                        trimester, quarter, or clock 
                                        hours bears to one academic 
                                        year;
                                    ``(III) in the case of a student at 
                                an eligible institution who has 
                                successfully completed the first year 
                                and second years of an eligible 
                                undergraduate flight education and 
                                training program but has not yet 
                                successfully completed the remainder of 
                                such program--
                                            ``(aa) $16,500; or
                                            ``(bb) if such student is 
                                        enrolled in such a program that 
                                        is less than one academic year, 
                                        the maximum annual loan amount 
                                        that such student may receive 
                                        may not exceed the amount that 
                                        bears the same ratio to the 
                                        amount specified in item (aa) 
                                        as the length of such program 
                                        measured in semester, 
                                        trimester, quarter, or clock 
                                        hours bears to one academic 
                                        year; and
                                    ``(IV) in the case of a student at 
                                an eligible institution who has 
                                successfully completed the first, 
                                second, and third years of an eligible 
                                undergraduate flight education and 
                                training program but has not yet 
                                successfully completed the remainder of 
                                such program--
                                            ``(aa) $15,500; or
                                            ``(bb) if such student is 
                                        enrolled in such a program that 
                                        is less than one academic year, 
                                        the maximum annual loan amount 
                                        that such student may receive 
                                        may not exceed the amount that 
                                        bears the same ratio to the 
                                        amount specified in item (aa) 
                                        as the length of such program 
                                        measured in semester, 
                                        trimester, quarter, or clock 
                                        hours bears to one academic 
                                        year.
                            ``(ii) Aggregate limits.--The maximum 
                        aggregate amount of Federal Direct Unsubsidized 
                        Stafford Loans an eligible student who is a 
                        dependent student may borrow shall be $65,000.
                    ``(B) Limits for eligible students who are 
                independent students.--
                            ``(i) Annual limits.--The maximum annual 
                        amount of Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford 
                        Loans an eligible student who is an independent 
                        student may borrow in any academic year (as 
                        defined in section 481(a)(2)) or its equivalent 
                        shall be--
                                    ``(I) in the case of an eligible 
                                student at an eligible institution who 
                                has not successfully completed the 
                                first year of an eligible undergraduate 
                                flight education and training program--
                                            ``(aa) $21,500, if such 
                                        student is enrolled in such a 
                                        program whose length is at 
                                        least one academic year in 
                                        length; or
                                            ``(bb) if such student is 
                                        enrolled in such a program that 
                                        is less than one academic year, 
                                        the maximum annual loan amount 
                                        that such student may receive 
                                        may not exceed the amount that 
                                        bears the same ratio to the 
                                        amount specified in item (aa) 
                                        as the length of such program 
                                        measured in semester, 
                                        trimester, quarter, or clock 
                                        hours bears to one academic 
                                        year;
                                    ``(II) in the case of an eligible 
                                student at an eligible institution who 
                                has successfully completed the first 
                                year of an eligible undergraduate 
                                flight education and training program 
                                but has not yet successfully completed 
                                the remainder of such program--
                                            ``(aa) $25,500; or
                                            ``(bb) if such student is 
                                        enrolled in such a program that 
                                        is less than one academic year, 
                                        the maximum annual loan amount 
                                        that such student may receive 
                                        may not exceed the amount that 
                                        bears the same ratio to the 
                                        amount specified in item (aa) 
                                        as the length of such program 
                                        measured in semester, 
                                        trimester, quarter, or clock 
                                        hours bears to one academic 
                                        year;
                                    ``(III) in the case of a student at 
                                an eligible institution who has 
                                successfully completed the first year 
                                and second years of an eligible 
                                undergraduate flight education and 
                                training program but has not yet 
                                successfully completed the remainder of 
                                such program--
                                            ``(aa) $25,500; or
                                            ``(bb) if such student is 
                                        enrolled in such a program that 
                                        is less than one academic year, 
                                        the maximum annual loan amount 
                                        that such student may receive 
                                        may not exceed the amount that 
                                        bears the same ratio to the 
                                        amount specified in item (aa) 
                                        as the length of such program 
                                        measured in semester, 
                                        trimester, quarter, or clock 
                                        hours bears to one academic 
                                        year; and
                                    ``(IV) in the case of a student at 
                                an eligible institution who has 
                                successfully completed the first, 
                                second, and third years of an eligible 
                                undergraduate flight education and 
                                training program but has not yet 
                                successfully completed the remainder of 
                                such program--
                                            ``(aa) $22,500; or
                                            ``(bb) if such student is 
                                        enrolled in such a program that 
                                        is less than one academic year, 
                                        the maximum annual loan amount 
                                        that such student may receive 
                                        may not exceed the amount that 
                                        bears the same ratio to the 
                                        amount specified in item (aa) 
                                        as the length of such program 
                                        measured in semester, 
                                        trimester, quarter, or clock 
                                        hours bears to one academic 
                                        year.
                            ``(ii) Aggregate limits.--The maximum 
                        aggregate amount of Federal Direct Unsubsidized 
                        Stafford Loans an eligible student who is an 
                        independent student may borrow shall be 
                        $107,500.
                    ``(C) Data collection on, and calculation of, 
                completion rates.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                        annually calculate the completion rate of each 
                        undergraduate flight education and training 
                        program at each eligible institution based on 
                        the information collected under clause (ii).
                            ``(ii) Collection of information.--The 
                        Secretary shall annually collect information, 
                        for each academic year, on--
                                    ``(I) the total number of students 
                                enrolled in an undergraduate flight 
                                education and training program at an 
                                eligible institution; and
                                    ``(II) those students who complete 
                                such program--
                                            ``(aa) who earn a private 
                                        pilot's certificate for an 
                                        airplane category rating with a 
                                        single-engine class rating 
                                        while enrolled in such program; 
                                        or
                                            ``(bb) who at the time of 
                                        enrollment, possess such a 
                                        certificate.
                            ``(iii) Calculation of completion rate.--To 
                        calculate the completion rate described in 
                        clause (i), the Secretary shall--
                                    ``(I) consider as having completed, 
                                those students who earn a private 
                                pilot's certificate for an airplane 
                                category rating with a single-engine 
                                class rating, or who at the time of 
                                enrollment possess such a certificate, 
                                and complete the undergraduate flight 
                                education and training program at an 
                                eligible institution--
                                            ``(aa) that predominantly 
                                        awards associate degrees, 
                                        within 200 percent of the 
                                        normal time for completion;
                                            ``(bb) that predominantly 
                                        awards bachelor degrees, within 
                                        150 percent of the normal time 
                                        for completion; and
                                            ``(cc) that predominantly 
                                        awards undergraduate 
                                        certificates, within 200 
                                        percent of the normal time for 
                                        completion;
                                    ``(II) consider as not having 
                                completed, those students who earn a 
                                private pilot's certificate for an 
                                airplane category rating with a single-
                                engine class rating, or who at the time 
                                of enrollment possess such a 
                                certificate, and who transfer out of 
                                the undergraduate flight education and 
                                training program to another program at 
                                the eligible institution that is not an 
                                undergraduate flight education and 
                                training program or to a program that 
                                is not an undergraduate flight 
                                education and training program at 
                                another eligible institution; and
                                    ``(III) not include in the 
                                calculation, any student who--
                                            ``(aa) is a foreign 
                                        national;
                                            ``(bb) earns a private 
                                        pilot's certificate for an 
                                        airplane category rating with a 
                                        single-engine class rating and 
                                        transfers out of the 
                                        undergraduate flight education 
                                        and training program to another 
                                        undergraduate flight education 
                                        and training program at a 
                                        different eligible institution; 
                                        or
                                            ``(cc) is enrolled in an 
                                        undergraduate flight education 
                                        and training program and never 
                                        earns a private pilot's 
                                        certificate for an airplane 
                                        category rating with a single-
                                        engine class rating.
                    ``(D) Reporting requirements.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                        require each undergraduate flight education and 
                        training program that enrolls students who 
                        receive assistance under this part to provide 
                        the data described in this subparagraph that is 
                        necessary for the completion of the reporting 
                        requirements described in this subparagraph.
                            ``(ii) Form of data collection.--The 
                        Secretary shall prescribe the form and format 
                        of the data required to be provided under this 
                        subparagraph and include, at a minimum, the 
                        following data elements:
                                    ``(I) Student data elements 
                                necessary to calculate student 
                                enrollment, persistence, retention, 
                                transfer, and completion rates.
                                    ``(II) Information disaggregated by 
                                gender, race, ethnicity, and 
                                socioeconomic status.
                            ``(iii) Report to congress.--Not later than 
                        9 months after the date of enactment of the 
                        Flight Education Access Act and biennially 
                        thereafter, the Secretary shall submit a report 
                        to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, 
                        and Pensions of the Senate, the Committee on 
                        Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
                        Senate, the Committee on Education and the 
                        Workforce of the House of Representatives, and 
                        the Committee on Transportation and 
                        Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, 
                        analyzing and assessing the data collected 
                        pursuant to this subparagraph and conforming to 
                        the requirements of this subparagraph that 
                        shall include the following:
                                    ``(I) An assessment of the 
                                effectiveness of the requirements under 
                                this subsection.
                                    ``(II) Information on enrollment, 
                                persistence, retention, transfer, 
                                completion, utilization of Federal 
                                financial aid, and unmet financial 
                                need, including information on 
                                applicable institutions.
                                    ``(III) Information on the gender, 
                                race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic 
                                status of students enrolled in an 
                                undergraduate flight education and 
                                training program.
            ``(4) Prohibition on mass cancellation of eligible 
        undergraduate flight education and training program loans.--The 
        Secretary, the Secretary of the Treasury, or the Attorney 
        General may not take any action to cancel or forgive the 
        outstanding balances, or portion of balances, on any Federal 
        Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, or otherwise modify the 
        terms or conditions of a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford 
        Loan, made to an eligible student, except as authorized by an 
        Act of Congress.''.

SEC. 543. GAO REPORT.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
Comptroller General shall--
            (1) examine and review the implementation of this subtitle 
        and the amendments made by this subtitle, which review shall 
        include--
                    (A) the number of participating institutions 
                offering undergraduate flight education and training 
                programs (as defined in section 455(r) of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087e(r)), as amended 
                by this subtitle);
                    (B) the number of students enrolled in such 
                undergraduate flight education and training programs, 
                and demographic data regarding such students;
                    (C) the level of such students' participation in 
                the loan program under part D of title IV of the Higher 
                Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087a et seq.), 
                including demographic data as appropriate; and
                    (D) feedback from participating institutions 
                regarding the implementation of this subtitle and the 
                amendments made by this subtitle;
            (2) develop recommendations to the Department of Education 
        on any changes that should be made to improve the 
        implementation of this subtitle and the amendments made by this 
        subtitle; and
            (3) prepare and submit a report on the findings and 
        recommendations under paragraphs (1) and (2) to--
                    (A) the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                Pensions and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Education and the Workforce 
                and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
                of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 544. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.

    Nothing in this subtitle, or an amendment made by this subtitle, 
shall be construed to repeal, amend, supersede, or affect any pilot 
training or qualification provision under existing law.

SEC. 545. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of 
Education, in addition to any amounts otherwise available, to carry out 
the amendments made by this subtitle $3,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2023 through 2033. Such funds shall be available until expended.

                 TITLE VI--MODERNIZING AIRPORT SYSTEMS

SEC. 601. AIP ELIGIBILITY AMENDMENTS.

    Section 47102(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)--
                    (A) in clause (ix), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (B) in clause (x), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(xi) a medium intensity approach lighting 
                        system with runway alignment indicator 
                        lights.'';
            (2) by redesignating subparagraphs (Q) and (R) as 
        subparagraphs (S) and (T), respectively;
            (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (M) through (P) as 
        subparagraphs (N) through (Q), respectively;
            (4) by inserting after subparagraph (L) the following:
                    ``(M) constructing or acquiring airport-owned 
                infrastructure or equipment, notwithstanding revenue 
                producing capability, as defined in subsection (24), 
                required for the on-airport distribution or storage of 
                unleaded aviation gas for use by piston-driven 
                aircraft, including on-airport construction or 
                expansion of pipelines, storage tanks, low-emission 
                fuel systems, and airport-owned and operated fuel 
                trucks providing exclusively unleaded aviation fuels, 
                unless the Secretary determines that an alternative 
                fuel may be safely used for a limited time.'';
            (5) by inserting after subparagraph (Q) (as redesignated by 
        paragraph (3)), the following:
                    ``(R) acquiring or installing new renewable energy 
                generation infrastructure (such as solar, geothermal, 
                or wind) that provide power for on-airport uses and 
                energy storage systems, and necessary substation 
                upgrades to support such infrastructure.''; and
            (6) by inserting after subparagraph (T) (as redesignated by 
        paragraph (2)), the following:
                    ``(U) initial acquisition (and excluding subsequent 
                upgrades) of an advanced digital construction 
                management system (meaning a computer platform that 
                uses digital technology throughout the life cycle of a 
                capital infrastructure project, including through 
                project phases such as design and construction, when 
                that system is acquired to carry out a project approved 
                by the Secretary under this subchapter.
                    ``(V) reconstructing or rehabilitating an existing 
                crosswind runway provided the sponsor includes 
                reconstruction or rehabilitation of the runway in the 
                sponsor's most recent approved airport layout plan.''.

SEC. 602. REVISED MINIMUM APPORTIONMENTS.

    Section 47114(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
                    ``(K) Minimum apportionment for commercial service 
                airports with more than 4,000 passenger boardings in a 
                calendar year.--Not less than $400,000 may be 
                apportioned under subparagraph (A) for each fiscal year 
                to each sponsor of a commercial service airport that 
                had fewer than 8,000 passenger boardings, but at least 
                4,000 passenger boardings, during the prior calendar 
                year.''.

SEC. 603. APPORTIONMENTS FOR TRANSITIONING AIRPORTS.

    Section 47114(f)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``Beginning with the 
        fiscal year'' and inserting ``For 5 fiscal years''; and
            (2) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``fiscal year 2004'' 
        and inserting ``fiscal years beginning with fiscal year 2024, 
        and shall apply to apportionments determined for that fiscal 
        year and for fiscal years thereafter''.

SEC. 604. UPDATING UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT'S SHARE OF PROJECT COSTS.

    (a) In General.--Section 47109 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Increased Government Share.--In any State containing 
unappropriated and unreserved public lands and nontaxable Indian lands 
(individual and tribal) of more than 5 percent of the total area of all 
lands in the State, the Government's share of allowable project costs 
provided in subsection (a) shall be--
            ``(1) unchanged for a project at a large hub airport in the 
        State; or
            ``(2) 95 percent for a project at any other airport in the 
        State.'';
            (2) by striking subsection (c) and redesignating 
        subsections (d) through (f) as subsections (c) through (e), 
        respectively;
            (3) in subsection (e), as so redesignated, by striking 
        paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) is not a medium or large hub airport; and''; and
            (4) by inserting after subsection (e), as so redesignated, 
        the following:
    ``(f) Special Rule for Fiscal Years 2024 Through 2026.--
Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Government's share of allowable 
project costs for a grant made to a nonhub or nonprimary airport in 
each of fiscal years 2024 through 2026 is 95 percent.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on October 1, 2023.

SEC. 605. PRIMARY AIRPORT DESIGNATION.

    Section 47114(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, as amended by 
section 602, is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(L) Public airports with military use.--
                Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a public 
                airport shall be considered a nonhub primary airport in 
                each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 for purposes of 
                this chapter if such airport was--
                            ``(i) designated as a primary airport in 
                        fiscal year 2017; and
                            ``(ii) in use by an air reserve station in 
                        the calendar year used to calculate 
                        apportionments to airport sponsors in a fiscal 
                        year.''.

SEC. 606. DISCRETIONARY FUND FOR TERMINAL DEVELOPMENT COSTS.

    (a) Terminal Projects at Transitioning Airports.--Section 47119(c) 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4), by striking ``or'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (2) in paragraph (5), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; or''; and
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (5), the following:
            ``(6) not more than $20,00,000 of the amount that may be 
        distributed for the fiscal year from the discretionary fund 
        established under section 47115 of this title, to the sponsor 
        of a nonprimary airport to pay costs allowable under subsection 
        (a) for terminal development projects, if the Secretary 
        determines (which may be based on actual and projected 
        enplanement trends, as well as completion of an air service 
        development study, demonstrated commitment by airlines to 
        provide commercial service accommodating at least 10,000 annual 
        enplanements, the sponsor's documented commitment to providing 
        the remaining funding to complete the proposed project, and a 
        favorable environmental finding (including all required 
        permits) in support of the proposed project) that the status of 
        the nonprimary airport is reasonably expected to change to 
        primary status in the next published report under section 
        47103.''.
    (b) Limitation.--Section 47119(f) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ``$20,000,000'' and inserting ``$30,000,000''.

SEC. 607. ALTERNATIVE-DELIVERY AND ADVANCE-CONSTRUCTION METHODS PILOT 
              PROGRAM.

    Section 47142 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Pilot Program.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall 
        establish a pilot program under which not less than 5 airport 
        sponsors shall be authorized through the application process 
        under subsection (a) to award a design-build contract for a 
        project that uses alternative-delivery and advance-construction 
        methods, for purposes of evaluating the extent to which such 
        methods expedite project delivery and reduce construction 
        costs.
            ``(2) Report.--Not later than 90 days after the date on 
        which the pilot program ends, the Administrator shall submit to 
        Congress a report on the results of the pilot program, together 
        with recommendations for such legislative or administrative 
        action as the Administrator determines appropriate.''.

SEC. 608. INTEGRATED PROJECT DELIVERY.

    (a) Pilot Program.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish a pilot 
program under which the Administrator may award grants for integrated 
project delivery contracts to carry out up to 5 building construction 
projects at airports in the United States with a grant awarded under 
section 47104 of title 49, United States Code.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) Eligibility.--A sponsor of an airport may submit to the 
        Secretary an application, in such time and manner and 
        containing such information as the Secretary may require, to 
        carry out a building construction project under the pilot 
        program that would otherwise be eligible for assistance under 
        chapter 471 of such title 49.
            (2) Approval.--The Secretary may approve the application of 
        a sponsor of an airport submitted under paragraph (1) to 
        authorize such sponsor to award an integrated project delivery 
        contract using a selection process permitted under applicable 
        State or local law if--
                    (A) the Secretary approves the application using 
                criteria established by the Secretary;
                    (B) the integrated project delivery contract is in 
                a form that is approved by the Secretary;
                    (C) the Secretary is satisfied that the contract 
                will be executed pursuant to competitive procedures and 
                contains a schematic design and any other material that 
                the Secretary determines sufficient to approve the 
                grant;
                    (D) the Secretary is satisfied that the use of an 
                integrated project delivery contract will be cost 
                effective and expedite the project;
                    (E) the Secretary is satisfied that there will be 
                no conflict of interest; and
                    (F) the Secretary is satisfied that the contract 
                selection process will be open, fair, and objective and 
                that not less than 2 sets of proposals will be 
                submitted for each team entity under the selection 
                process.
    (c) Reimbursement of Costs.--Reimbursement of costs shall be based 
on transparent cost accounting, also known as open book cost 
accounting. The Secretary may reimburse a sponsor of an airport for any 
design or construction costs incurred before a grant is made pursuant 
to this section if--
            (1) the project funding is approved by the Secretary in 
        advance;
            (2) the project is carried out in accordance with all 
        administrative and statutory requirements under chapter 471 of 
        such title 49; and
            (3) the project is carried out under such chapter after a 
        grant agreement has been executed.
    (d) Integrated Project Delivery Contract Defined.--In this section, 
the term ``integrated project delivery contract'' means a single 
contract for the delivery of a whole project that--
            (1) includes, at a minimum, the owner, builder, and 
        architect-engineer as parties that are subject to the terms of 
        the contract;
            (2) aligns the interests of all the parties to the contract 
        with respect to the project costs and project outcomes; and
            (3) includes processes to ensure transparency and 
        collaboration among all parties to the contract relating to 
        project costs and project outcomes.
    (e) Expiration of Authority.--The authority of the Secretary to 
award grants under the pilot program under this section shall expire on 
September 30, 2028.

SEC. 609. AIRPORT INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

    Section 47134(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Benefit-cost analysis.--Prior to approving an 
        application submitted under subsection (a), the Secretary may 
        require a benefit-cost analysis. To facilitate the approval 
        process, if a benefit-cost analysis is required, the Secretary 
        shall issue a preliminary and conditional finding, which 
        shall--
                    ``(A) be issued within 60 days of the sponsor's 
                submission of all information required by the 
                Secretary;
                    ``(B) be based upon a collaborative review process 
                that includes the sponsor or sponsor's representative;
                    ``(C) not constitute the issuance of a Federal 
                grant or obligation to issue a grant under this chapter 
                or other authority; and
                    ``(D) not constitute any other obligation on the 
                part of the Federal Government until the conditions 
                specified in the final benefit-cost analysis are 
                met.''.

SEC. 610. AIRPORT ACCESSIBILITY.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by inserting after section 47144 the following:
``Sec. 47145. Pilot program for airport accessibility
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
and carry out a pilot program to award grants to sponsors to carry out 
capital projects to upgrade the accessibility of commercial service 
airports for individuals with disabilities by increasing the number of 
commercial service airports, airport terminals, or airport facilities 
that meet or exceed the standards and regulations under the Americans 
with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12131 et seq.) and the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 note).
    ``(b) Use of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), a sponsor 
        shall use a grant awarded under this section--
                    ``(A) for a project to repair, improve, or relocate 
                the infrastructure of an airport, airport terminal, or 
                airport facility to increase accessibility for 
                individuals with disabilities, or as part of a plan to 
                increase accessibility for individuals with 
                disabilities;
                    ``(B) to develop or modify a plan (as described in 
                subsection (e)) for a project that increases 
                accessibility for individuals with disabilities, 
                including--
                            ``(i) assessments of accessibility or 
                        assessments of planned modifications to an 
                        airport, airport terminal, or airport facility 
                        for passenger use, performed by the recipient 
                        airport's disability advisory committee (if 
                        applicable), the protection and advocacy system 
                        for individuals with disabilities in the 
                        applicable State, a center for independent 
                        living, or a similar nonprofit organization 
                        focused on ensuring individuals with 
                        disabilities are able to live and participate 
                        in their communities; or
                            ``(ii) coordination by the recipient's 
                        disability advisory committee with a protection 
                        and advocacy system, center for independent 
                        living, or similar nonprofit organization; or
                    ``(C) to carry out any other project that meets or 
                exceeds the standards and regulations described in 
                subsection (a).
            ``(2) Limitation.--Eligible costs for a project funded with 
        a grant awarded under this section shall be limited to the 
        costs associated with carrying out the purpose authorized under 
        subsection (a).
    ``(c) Eligibility.--A sponsor--
            ``(1) may use a grant under this section to upgrade a 
        commercial service airport that is accessible to and usable by 
        individuals with disabilities consistent with the current (as 
        of the date of the upgrade) standards and regulations described 
        in subsection (a); and
            ``(2) may use the grant to upgrade a commercial service 
        airport that is not accessible and usable as described in 
        paragraph (1), even if the related service, program, or 
        activity, when viewed in its entirely, is readily accessible 
        and usable as so described.
    ``(d) Selection Criteria.--In making grants to sponsors under this 
section, the Secretary shall give priority to sponsors that are 
proposing--
            ``(1) a capital project to upgrade the accessibility of a 
        commercial service airport that is not accessible to and usable 
        by individuals with disabilities consistent with standards and 
        regulations described in subsection (a); or
            ``(2) to meet or exceed the Airports Council International 
        accreditation under the Accessibility Enhancement 
        Accreditation, through the incorporation of universal design 
        principles.
    ``(e) Accessibility Commitment.--A sponsor that receives a grant 
under this section shall adopt a plan under which the sponsor commits 
to pursuing airport accessibility projects that--
            ``(1) enhance the customer experience and maximize 
        accessibility of commercial service airports, airport 
        terminals, or airport facilities for individuals with 
        disabilities, including by--
                    ``(A) upgrading bathrooms, counters, or pumping 
                rooms;
                    ``(B) increasing audio and visual accessibility on 
                information boards, security gates, or paging systems;
                    ``(C) updating airport terminals to increase the 
                availability of accessible seating and power outlets 
                for durable medical equipment (such as powered 
                wheelchairs);
                    ``(D) updating airport websites and other 
                information communication technology to be accessible 
                for individuals with disabilities; or
                    ``(E) increasing the number of elevators, including 
                elevators that move power wheelchairs to an aircraft;
            ``(2) improve the operations of, provide efficiencies of 
        service to, and enhance the use of commercial service airports 
        for individuals with disabilities;
            ``(3) establish a disability advisory committee, as defined 
        in subsection (h);
            ``(4) make improvements in personnel, infrastructure, and 
        technology that can assist passenger self-identification 
        regarding disability and needing assistance; and
            ``(5) address equity of service to all passengers 
        regardless of income, age, race, or ability, taking into 
        account historical and current service gaps for low-income 
        passengers, older individuals, passengers from communities of 
        color, and passengers with disabilities.
    ``(f) Coordination With Disability Advocacy Entities.--In 
administering grants under this section, the Secretary shall 
encourage--
            ``(1) engagement with disability advocacy entities (such as 
        the sponsor's disability advisory committee) and a protection 
        and advocacy system for individuals with disabilities in the 
        applicable State, a center for independent living, or a similar 
        nonprofit organization focused on ensuring individuals with 
        disabilities are able to live and participate in their 
        communities; and
            ``(2) assessments of accessibility or assessments of 
        planned modifications to commercial service airports to the 
        extent merited by the scope of the capital project of the 
        sponsor proposed to be assisted under this section, taking into 
        account any such assessment already conducted by the Federal 
        Aviation Administration.
    ``(g) Federal Share of Costs.--The Government's share of allowable 
project costs for a project carried out with a grant under this section 
shall be the Government's share of allowable project costs specified 
under section 47109.
    ``(h) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Center for independent living.--The term `center for 
        independent living' has the meaning given the term in section 
        702 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 796a).
            ``(2) Disability advisory committee.--The term `disability 
        advisory committee' means a body of stakeholders (including 
        airport staff, airline representatives, and individuals with 
        disabilities) that provide to airports and appropriate 
        transportation authorities input from individuals with 
        disabilities, including identifying opportunities for removing 
        barriers, expanding accessibility features, and improving 
        accessibility for individuals with disabilities at airports.
            ``(3) Protection and advocacy system.--The term `protection 
        and advocacy system' means such a system established in 
        accordance with section 143 of the Developmental Disabilities 
        Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (42 U.S.C. 15043).
    ``(i) Funding.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
chapter, for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, $20,000,000 of the 
amounts that would otherwise be used to make grants from the 
discretionary fund under section 47115 for each such fiscal year shall 
be used by the Secretary to carry out this section for each such fiscal 
year.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for subchapter I of chapter 
471 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 47144 the following:

``47145. Pilot program for airport accessibility.''.

SEC. 611. GENERAL AVIATION PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, United 
States Code, as amended by section 610(a), is amended by inserting 
after section 47145, the following:
``Sec. 47146. General aviation public-private partnership program
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
a program that meets the requirements under this section for improving 
facilities at--
            ``(1) general aviation airports; and
            ``(2) privately owned airports used or intended to be used 
        for public purposes that do not have scheduled air service.
    ``(b) Application Required.--The operator or sponsor of an airport, 
or the community in which an airport is located, seeking, on behalf of 
the airport, to participate in the program established under subsection 
(a), shall submit an application to the Secretary in such form, at such 
time, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
including--
            ``(1) an assessment of the needs of the airport for 
        additional or improved hangars, airport businesses, or other 
        facilities;
            ``(2) the ability of the airport to leverage private sector 
        investments on the airport or develop public-private 
        partnerships to build or improve facilities at the airport; and
            ``(3) if the application is submitted by a community, 
        evidence that the airport supports the application.
    ``(c) Limitation.--
            ``(1) State limit.--Not more than 4 airports in the same 
        State may be selected in any fiscal year to participate in the 
        program established under subsection (a).
            ``(2) Dollar amount limit.--Not more than $500,000 shall be 
        made available for any airport in any fiscal year under the 
        program established under subsection (a).
            ``(3) Cost share requirement.--The Federal cost share for 
        this program shall be no more than 50 percent.
    ``(d) Priorities.--In selecting airports for participation in the 
program established under subsection (a), the Secretary shall give 
priority to airports at which--
            ``(1) the operator or sponsor of the airport, or the 
        community in which the airport is located--
                    ``(A) will provide a portion of the cost of the 
                project for which assistance is sought under the 
                program from local sources;
                    ``(B) will employ best business practices in 
                developing or implementing a public-private 
                partnership; or
                    ``(C) has established, or will establish, a public-
                private partnership to build or improve facilities at 
                the airport; or
            ``(2) the assistance will be used in a timely fashion.
    ``(e) Types of Assistance.--The Secretary may use amounts made 
available under this section--
            ``(1) to provide assistance to market an airport to private 
        entities or individuals in order to leverage private sector 
        investments or develop public-private partnerships for the 
        purposes of building, rehabilitating, or improving hangars, 
        businesses, or other facilities at the airport;
            ``(2) to fund studies that consider what measures an 
        airport should take to attract private sector investment at the 
        airport; or
            ``(3) to participate in a partnership described in 
        paragraph (1) or an investment described in paragraph (2).
    ``(f) Authority to Make Agreements.--The Secretary may enter into 
agreements with airports and entities entering into partnerships with 
airports under this section to provide assistance under this section.
    ``(g) Funding.--Notwithstanding any other provision of this 
chapter, for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, $5,000,000 of the 
amounts that would otherwise be used to make grants from the 
discretionary fund under section 47115 for each such fiscal year shall 
be used by the Secretary to carry out this section for each such fiscal 
year.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 471 of such 
title, as amended by section 610(b), is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 47145 the following:

``47146. General aviation public-private partnership program.''.

SEC. 612. RUNWAY REHABILITATION.

    The Administrator shall--
            (1) not restrict funding to resurface the full length of an 
        existing runway within the State of Alaska based solely on 
        reduced current or forecasted aeronautical activity levels or 
        critical design type standards;
            (2) within 60 days review requests for runway 
        rehabilitation or reconstruction projects at airports on a 
        case-by-case basis; and
            (3) not reject requests for projects with critical 
        community needs, such as projects in rural communities and 
        villages off the road system, or economic development projects 
        to expand a runway to meet new demands.

SEC. 613. EXTENSION OF PROVISION RELATING TO AIRPORT ACCESS ROADS IN 
              REMOTE LOCATIONS.

    Section 162 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 47102 
note) is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking 
``2018'' and all that follows through ``March 8, 2024'' and inserting 
``2024 through 2028''.

SEC. 614. PROCUREMENT REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO FAA MULTIMODAL 
              PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--Any multimodal airport development project that 
uses grant funding from funds made available to the FAA to carry out 
subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, United States Code, or airport 
infrastructure projects under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
Act (Public Law 117-58) shall abide by the procurement regulations 
applicable to--
            (1) the FAA; and
            (2) subject to subsection (b), the component of the project 
        relating to transit, highway, or rail, respectively.
    (b) Multiple Component Projects.--In the case of a multimodal 
airport development project described in subsection (a) that involves 
more than 1 component described in paragraph (2) of that subsection, 
such project shall only be required to apply the procurement 
regulations applicable to the component where the greatest amount of 
Federal financial assistance will be expended.

SEC. 615. SOLAR POWERED TAXIWAY EDGE LIGHTING SYSTEMS.

    Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Administrator shall issue an engineering brief describing the 
acceptable use of durable long-term solar powered taxiway edge lighting 
systems at basic nonprimary airports (as defined in appendix C of the 
2023-2027 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems published by the 
FAA on September 30, 2022).

SEC. 616. ADDITIONAL GROUND BASED TRANSMITTERS.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Administrator is 
authorized to and shall waive any positive benefit-cost ratio 
requirement for providing additional ground based transmitters for 
Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcasts (ADS-B) to provide a 
minimum operational network in Alaska along major flight routes.

SEC. 617. AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE IMPROVEMENTS.

    Section 533 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44720 
note) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections 
        (f) and (g), respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c), the following:
    ``(d) Maintenance Improvements.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
        of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall 
        identify and implement reasonable alternative mitigations to 
        improve maintenance of FAA-owned weather observing systems that 
        experience frequent service outages, including associated 
        surface communication outages.
            ``(2) Spare parts availability.--The mitigations identified 
        by the Administrator shall improve spare parts availability, 
        including consideration of storage of more spare parts in the 
        region of the equipment.
            ``(3) Application.--This subsection shall apply only to 
        airports located in non-contiguous States.
    ``(e) Notice of Outages.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
        of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall update 
        FAA Order 7930.2 Notices to Air Missions, or any successive 
        order, to incorporate weather system outages for Automated 
        Weather Observing Systems and Automated Surface Observing 
        Systems associated with Service A Outages.
            ``(2) Application.--This subsection shall apply only to 
        airports located in non-contiguous States.''.

SEC. 618. CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM.

    Section 47124 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by 
section 527, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(3), by adding at the end the 
        following:
                    ``(H) Period for completion of an operational 
                readiness inspection.--The Federal Aviation 
                Administration shall provide airport sponsors that show 
                good faith efforts to join the Contract Tower Program 7 
                years to complete an Operational Readiness Inspection 
                after receiving a benefit-to-cost ratio.'';
            (2) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (h);
            (3) by inserting after subsection (e), the following:
    ``(f) Improving Situational Awareness.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration shall allow air traffic controllers at 
        Federal Contract Towers to use technology to improve 
        situational awareness including, but not limited to, using 
        Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) radar 
        displays, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), 
        Flight Data Input/Output (FDIOs), and Automatic Terminal 
        Information System (ATIS).
            ``(2) Requirements.--To help facilitate the integration of 
        the equipment described in paragraph (1), the Administrator 
        shall--
                    ``(A) establish a set of standards that ensures 
                safety for use of the equipment described in paragraph 
                (1) for the purpose of increased situational awareness;
                    ``(B) identify multiple approved vendors for such 
                equipment if practicable; and
                    ``(C) partner with contract tower providers to 
                define an appropriate initial training program to 
                ensure that any tower radar displays, ADS-B displays, 
                or other equipment is correctly integrated into Federal 
                Contract Tower operations.
    ``(g) Liability Insurance.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall consult with 
        industry experts, including air traffic control contractors and 
        aviation insurance professionals, to determine adequate limits 
        of liability for the Contract Tower Program, including during 
        the period described in paragraph (2) with respect to the 
        determination of adequate excess liability insurance under 
        paragraph (2)(B).
            ``(2) Interim steps.--During the period that begins on the 
        date of enactment of this subsection and ends on the date the 
        Secretary submits the report required by paragraph (3), the 
        Secretary shall require air traffic control contractors to have 
        adequate excess liability insurance (as determined by the 
        Secretary in consultation with industry experts under paragraph 
        (1)) to ensure resilience should a major accident occur.
            ``(3) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit a 
        report to the appropriate committees of Congress on the 
        findings, conclusions, and actions taken and planned to be 
        taken to carry out this subsection.
            ``(4) Appropriate committees of congress.--For purpose of 
        this subsection, the term `appropriate committees of Congress' 
        (as defined in subsection (f)(3)) includes the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Appropriations of the House of Representatives.''.

SEC. 618A. CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS.

    (a) Pilot Program for Transitioning to FAA Towers.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish a 
        pilot program to convert high-activity air traffic control 
        towers operating under the Contract Tower Program described in 
        section 47124 of title 49, United States Code, to FAA-staffed 
        Visual Flight Rules towers (in this section referred to as the 
        ``Contract Tower Program'').
            (2) Conversion to faa-staffed vfr towers.--In selecting 
        facilities to participate in the pilot program established 
        under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall give priority to 
        air traffic control towers operating under the Contract Tower 
        Program that--
                    (A) either--
                            (i) had over 200,000 annual tower 
                        operations in calendar year 2022; or
                            (ii) served a small hub airport with more 
                        than 900,000 passenger enplanements in calendar 
                        year 2021;
                    (B) are either currently owned by the FAA or are 
                constructed to FAA standards; and
                    (C) operate within complex air space that serves 
                air carrier, general aviation, and military aircraft.
            (3) Tower selection.--The number of facilities selected to 
        participate in the pilot program established under paragraph 
        (1) shall be determined based on the availability of funds for 
        the pilot program.
            (4) Controller retention.--The Administrator shall appoint 
        to the position of air traffic controller all air traffic 
        controllers currently employed by the Federal contract tower 
        operator and assigned to the pilot program air traffic control 
        tower, provided such controller--
                    (A) meets the qualifications contained in section 
                44506(f)(1)(A) of title 49, United States Code; and
                    (B) has all other pre-employment qualifications 
                required by law.
            (5) Safety analysis.--
                    (A) In general.--The Administrator shall conduct a 
                safety analysis to determine whether the conversions 
                described in paragraph (1) had any negative impact on 
                the aviation safety of any air traffic control tower.
                    (B) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date 
                of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall 
                submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
                report describing the results of the safety analysis 
                under subparagraph (A).
            (6) Funding.--For purposes of carrying out this subsection, 
        there is authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator 
        $30,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, to remain available until 
        fiscal year 2029.
    (b) Air Traffic Controller Staffing Levels at Small and Medium Hub 
Airports.--
            (1) In general.--Section 47124(b)(2) of title 49, United 
        States Code, is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``The Secretary may'' and inserting 
                the following:
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Small or medium hub airports.--In the case of 
                a contract to operate an airport traffic control tower 
                at a small or medium hub airport, the contract shall 
                require the Secretary, after coordination with the 
                airport sponsor and the entity, State, or subdivision, 
                to provide funding sufficient for the cost of wages and 
                benefits of at least two air traffic controllers for 
                each tower operating shift.''.
            (2) Application.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 
        shall apply to contracts entered into or renewed by the 
        Secretary under the Contract Tower Program on or after the date 
        of enactment of this section.
    (c) Air Traffic Controller Compensation.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary and the Secretary of Labor 
        shall review and update the wage determinations for controllers 
        who work in air traffic control towers that are staffed through 
        the Contract Tower Program and shall reassess the basis for air 
        traffic controller occupation codes and the need for additional 
        occupation codes.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Secretary and the Secretary of 
        Labor shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of 
        Congress that--
                    (A) describes the findings and conclusions of the 
                review and reassessment made under paragraph (1);
                    (B) explains the basis for the wage determination 
                and the justification for the basis; and
                    (C) describes the steps the Department of 
                Transportation and the Department of Labor are taking 
                to ensure air traffic controller wages are keeping up 
                with inflation and are assigned the appropriate 
                occupation codes.
    (d) Priorities for Facility Selection.--Section 47124(b)(3)(C) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in clause (vi), by striking ``or mix of aircraft'' and 
        inserting ``lack of an existing air traffic control tower, or 
        mix of aircraft, including a mix of commercial and significant 
        military flight operations''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(viii) Air traffic control towers located 
                        at airports with projected increases in 
                        commercial and military aircraft or flight 
                        operations.''.

SEC. 619. REMOTE TOWERS.

    (a) In General.--Section 47124 of title 49, United States Code, as 
amended by sections 528 and 618, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (h) as subsection (i); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (g) (as added by section 
        725), the following:
    ``(h) Milestones for Design Approval of Remote Towers.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator of the 
        Federal Aviation Administration shall create a structured 
        program and publish milestones to achieve system design 
        approval for a remote tower system.
            ``(2) Requirements.--In carrying out subparagraph (A), the 
        Administrator shall--
                    ``(A) rely on support from the Airports Office of 
                the Federal Aviation Administration and the Air Traffic 
                Organization of the Federal Aviation Administration, 
                including the Air Traffic Services Service Unit and the 
                Technical Operations Service Unit; and
                    ``(B) not later than September 30, 2024, expand 
                validation and certification of system design approval 
                for a digital or remote tower system to three locations 
                outside of the William J. Hughes Technical Center, as 
                specified in section 161 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
                of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 47104 note).''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 47124(b) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), by inserting ``or a remote 
        airport traffic control tower that has received System Design 
        Approval (SDA) from the Federal Aviation Administration'' after 
        `` an operating air traffic control tower''; and
            (2) in each of clauses (i)(III) and (ii)(III) of paragraph 
        (4)(A), by inserting ``or remote air traffic control tower 
        equipment that has received System Design Approval (SDA) from 
        the Federal Aviation Administration'' after ``certified by the 
        Federal Aviation Administration''.

SEC. 620. GRANT ASSURANCES.

    Section 47107(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (7), by striking the semicolon and 
        inserting ``, such that there are no unsafe practices or 
        conditions as determined by the Secretary;'';
            (2) in paragraph (20), by striking ``and'' after the 
        semicolon;
            (3) in paragraph (21), by striking the period at the end 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (21), the following:
            ``(22) the airport owner or operator may not restrict or 
        prohibit the sale or self-fueling of any 100-octane low lead 
        aviation gasoline for purchase or use by operators of general 
        aviation aircraft if such aviation gasoline was available at 
        that airport at any time during calendar year 2022, until the 
        earlier of--
                    ``(A) December 31, 2030; or
                    ``(B) the date on which the airport or any retail 
                fuel seller at such airport can make available an 
                unleaded aviation gas that--
                            ``(i) has been authorized for use by the 
                        Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
                        Administration as a replacement for 100-octane 
                        low lead aviation gas for use in nearly all 
                        spark ignition aircraft and engine models; and
                            ``(ii) meets either an industry consensus 
                        standard or other standard that facilitates the 
                        safe use, production, and distribution of such 
                        unleaded aviation gasoline.''.

SEC. 620A. GAO STUDY ON FEE TRANSPARENCY BY FIXED BASED OPERATORS.

    (a) In General.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a study 
reviewing the efforts of fixed based operators (in this section 
referred to as ``FBOs'') to meet their commitments to improve the 
online transparency of prices and fees for all aircraft and enhancing 
the customer experience for general and business aviation users.
    (b) Contents.--In conducting the study described in subsection (a), 
the Comptroller General, at a minimum, should evaluate the FBO industry 
commitment to ``Know Before You Go'' best business practices 
including--
            (1) FBO provisions for all general aviation and business 
        aircraft types regarding a description of available services 
        and a listing of applicable retail fuel prices, fees, and 
        charges;
            (2) the accessibility of these fees and charges to aircraft 
        operators on-line and in a user-friendly manner and with 
        sufficient clarity that a pilot operating a particular aircraft 
        type can determine what will be charged;
            (3) efforts by FBOs to invite and encourage customers to 
        contact them so that operators can ask questions, know their 
        options, and make informed decisions; and
            (4) any practices imposed by an airport operator that 
        prevent an FBO from fully disclosing fees and charges.
    (c) Report Required.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Comptroller shall submit a report to the 
appropriate committees of Congress containing the results of the review 
required by this section.

SEC. 620B. AVIATION FUEL IN ALASKA.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator and the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency shall not restrict the continued use 
and availability of 100-octane low lead aviation gas in the State of 
Alaska through December 31, 2034.
    (b) GAO Report on Transitioning to Unleaded Aviation Gas in the 
State of Alaska.--
            (1) Evaluation.--The Comptroller General of the United 
        States shall conduct an evaluation of the following:
                    (A) The aircraft, routes, and supply chains in the 
                State of Alaska utilizing leaded aviation gasoline, 
                including identification of remote and rural 
                communities that rely upon leaded aviation gasoline.
                    (B) The estimated costs and benefits of 
                transitioning aircraft and the supply chain in the 
                State of Alaska to aviation fuel that meets the 
                requirements described in clauses (i) and (ii) of 
                section 47107(a)(22)(B) of title 49, United States 
                Code, as added by section 620, including direct costs 
                of new aircraft and equipment and indirect costs, 
                including transportation from refineries to markets, 
                foreign imports, and changes in leaded aviation 
                gasoline prices as a result of reduced supply.
                    (C) The programs of the Environmental Protection 
                Agency, the FAA, and other government agencies that can 
                be utilized to assist individuals, communities, 
                industries, and the State of Alaska with the costs 
                described in subparagraph (B).
                    (D) A reasonable timeframe to permit any limitation 
                on 100-octane low-lead aviation gasoline in the State 
                of Alaska.
                    (E) Other logistical considerations associated with 
                the transition described in subparagraph (B).
            (2) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit 
        a report containing the results of the evaluation conducted 
        under paragraph (1) to--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate;
                    (B) the Committee on Environment and Public Works 
                of the Senate;
                    (C) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and
                    (D) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the 
                House of Representatives.

SEC. 621. CIVIL PENALTIES FOR GRANT ASSURANCES VIOLATIONS.

    Section 46301(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ``section 47107(a)(7) 
        (including any assurance made under such section), section 
        47107(a)(22) (including any assurance made under such 
        section),'' after ``chapter 451,''; and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (7), the following:
            ``(8) Failure to operate and maintain airports and 
        facilities suitably.--
                    ``(A) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the maximum 
                civil penalty for a violation of section 47107(a)(7) 
                (including any assurance made under such section) 
                committed by a person, including if the person is an 
                individual or small business concern, shall be $25,000.
                    ``(B) In determining the amount of a civil penalty 
                under paragraph (1) related to a violation of section 
                47107(a)(7) (including any assurance made under such 
                section), the Secretary of Transportation shall take 
                into account any mitigating circumstances at the 
                airport and facilities on or connected with the 
                airport.
            ``(9) Failure to continue offering aviation fuel.--
        Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the maximum civil penalty for a 
        violation of section 47107(a)(22) (including any assurance made 
        under such section) committed by a person, including if the 
        person is an individual or a small business concern, shall be 
        $5,000 for each day that the person is in violation of that 
        section.''.

SEC. 622. COMMUNITY USE OF AIRPORT LAND.

    Section 47107(v) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by striking ``subsection (a)(13)'' and 
                inserting ``subsections (a)(13), (b), and (c)'';
                    (B) by striking ``the sponsor has entered'' and 
                inserting ``the sponsor has--
                    ``(A) entered'';
                    (C) by striking ``market value.'' and inserting 
                ``market value; or''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) permanently restricted the use of airport 
                property to compatible recreational and public park use 
                without paying or otherwise obtaining payment of fair 
                market value for the property.'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (H) 
                as clauses (i) through (viii), respectively, and moving 
                the left margins of each such clause 2 ems to the 
                right;
                    (B) by striking ``This subsection shall apply 
                only--'' and inserting the following:
                    ``(A) Agreements.--Paragraph (1)(A) shall apply 
                only--''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Restrictions.--Paragraph (1)(B) shall apply 
                only--
                            ``(i) to airport property that was 
                        purchased using funds from a Federal grant for 
                        acquiring land issued prior to December 30, 
                        1987;
                            ``(ii) to airport property that has been 
                        continuously used for recreational or public 
                        park uses since January 1, 1995;
                            ``(iii) if the airport sponsor has provided 
                        a written statement to the Administrator that 
                        the property to be permanently restricted for 
                        recreational and public park use is not needed 
                        for any aeronautical use at the time the 
                        written statement is provided and is not 
                        expected to be needed for any aeronautical use 
                        at any time in the future;
                            ``(iv) if the recreational and public park 
                        use will not impact the aeronautical use of the 
                        airport;
                            ``(v) if the airport sponsor provides a 
                        certification that the sponsor is not 
                        responsible for operations, maintenance, or any 
                        other costs associated with the recreational or 
                        public park use;
                            ``(vi) if the recreational purpose is 
                        consistent with Federal land use compatibility 
                        criteria under section 47502;
                            ``(vii) if the airport sponsor has 
                        continuously leased the property since January 
                        1, 1995, to a local government entity to 
                        operate and maintain the property at no cost to 
                        the airport sponsor; and
                            ``(viii) if the airport sponsor will--
                                    ``(I) continue to lease the 
                                property to a local government entity 
                                to operate and maintain the property at 
                                no cost to the airport sponsor; or
                                    ``(II) transfer title to the 
                                property to a local government entity 
                                subject to a permanent deed restriction 
                                ensuring compatible airport use under 
                                the criteria of section 47502.''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Aeronautical use; aeronautical purpose defined.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In this subsection, the terms 
                `aeronautical use' and `aeronautical purpose' mean all 
                activities that involve or are directly related to the 
                operation of aircraft, including activities that make 
                the operation of aircraft possible and safe.
                    ``(B) Inclusion of services located on an 
                airport.--Such terms include services located on an 
                airport that are directly and substantially related to 
                the movement of passengers, baggage, mail, and cargo.
                    ``(C) Exclusions.--Such terms shall not include any 
                uses of an airport that are not described in 
                subparagraph (A) or (B), including any aviation-related 
                uses that do not need to be located on an airport, such 
                as flight kitchens and airline reservation centers.''.

SEC. 623. BUCKEYE 940 RELEASE OF DEED RESTRICTIONS.

    (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to authorize the 
Secretary to issue a Deed of Release from all terms, conditions, 
reservations, restrictions, and obligations contained in the Quitclaim 
Deed and to permit the State of Arizona to deposit all proceeds of the 
disposition of Buckeye 940 in the appropriate fund for the benefit of 
the beneficiaries of the Arizona State Land Trust.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Buckeye 940.--The term ``Buckeye 940'' means all of 
        section 12, T.1 N., R.3 W. and all of adjoining fractional 
        section 7, T.1 N., R.2 W., Gila and Salt River Meridian, 
        Arizona, which property was the subject of the Quitclaim Deed 
        between the United States and the State of Arizona, dated July 
        11, 1949, and which is currently owned by the State of Arizona 
        and held in trust for the beneficiaries of the Arizona State 
        Land Trust.
            (2) Quitclaim deed.--The term ``Quitclaim Deed'' means the 
        Quitclaim Deed between the United States and the State of 
        Arizona, dated July 11, 1949.
    (c) Release of Any and All Interest in Buckeye 940.--
            (1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
        law, the United States, acting through the Secretary, shall 
        issue to the State of Arizona a Deed of Release to release all 
        terms, conditions, reservations, restrictions, and obligations 
        contained in the Quitclaim Deed, including any and all 
        reversionary interest of the United States in Buckeye 940.
            (2) Terms and conditions.--The Deed of Release described in 
        paragraph (1) shall be subject to such additional terms and 
        conditions, consistent with such paragraph, as the Secretary 
        considers appropriate to protect the interests of the United 
        States.
            (3) No restriction on use of proceeds.--Notwithstanding any 
        other provision of law, the State of Arizona may dispose of 
        Buckeye 940 and any proceeds thereof, including proceeds 
        already collected by the State and held in a suspense account, 
        without regard to any restriction imposed by the Quitclaim Deed 
        or by section 155.7 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (4) Mineral reservation.--The Deed of Release described in 
        paragraph (1) shall include the release of all interests of the 
        United States to the mineral rights on Buckeye 940 included in 
        the Quitclaim Deed.

SEC. 624. CLARIFYING AIRPORT REVENUE USE OF LOCAL GENERAL SALES TAXES.

    (a) Written Assurances on Revenue Use.--Section 47107(b) of title 
49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) This subsection does not apply to local general sales 
        taxes as provided in section 47133(b)(4).''.
    (b) Restriction on Use of Revenues.--Section 47133(b) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) Local general sales taxes.--Subsection (a) shall not 
        apply to revenues from generally applicable sales taxes imposed 
        by a local government, provided--
                    ``(A) the local government had a generally 
                applicable sales tax that did not exclude aviation fuel 
                in effect prior to December 9, 2014;
                    ``(B) the local government is not a sponsor of a 
                public airport; and
                    ``(C) a large hub airport, which had more than 
                35,000,000 enplanements in calendar year 2021, is 
                located within the jurisdiction of the local 
                government.''.

SEC. 625. AIP HANDBOOK REVIEW.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Associate Administrator for Airports of 
the FAA, in consultation with the Governor of Alaska, shall identify 
reasonable exceptions to the AIP Handbook to be implemented by the FAA 
to meet unique regional circumstances and advance the safety needs of 
airports in Alaska, including with respect to the following:
            (1) Snow Removal Equipment Building (SREB) size and 
        configuration.
            (2) Expansion of lease areas.
            (3) Shared governmental use of airport equipment in remote 
        locations.
            (4) Ensuring the resurfacing or reconstruction of legacy 
        runways to support--
                    (A) aircraft necessary to support critical health 
                needs of a community;
                    (B) remote fuel deliveries; and
                    (C) firefighting response.
            (5) The use of runway end identifier lights at locations 
        throughout the State.
    (b) Updates to AIP Handbook.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the date on 
        which the Associate Administrator for Airports of the FAA 
        identifies reasonable exceptions under subsection (a), the 
        Administrator shall update the AIP Handbook to incorporate such 
        exceptions to meet the unique circumstances and safety needs of 
        airports in Alaska.
            (2) Consultation.--The Administrator shall consult with the 
        Regional Administrator of the FAA Alaskan Region prior to 
        issuing the update to the AIP Handbook required by this 
        section.
            (3) Energy efficient light emitting diode system.--In 
        updating the AIP Handbook under this subsection, the 
        Administrator shall include updates to reflect the energy 
        efficient light emitting diode system as a replacement for any 
        existing halogen system.

SEC. 626. PFAS-RELATED RESOURCES FOR AIRPORTS.

    (a) PFAS Replacement Program for Airports.--Not later than 90 days 
after the date on which the Department of Defense approves a fluorine-
free firefighting agent to the Qualified Products' List for products 
meeting Military Specification MIL-PRE-32725, dated January 12, 2023, 
the Secretary shall establish a PFAS replacement program, in 
consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency, and subject to terms, conditions, and assurances acceptable to 
the Secretary, to reimburse eligible airports for the reasonable and 
appropriate costs associated with any of the following:
            (1) The one-time initial acquisition by an eligible airport 
        of fluorine-free firefighting alternatives for--
                    (A) the capacity of all required aircraft rescue 
                and firefighting (ARFF) equipment listed in the most 
                recent FAA-approved Airport Certification Manual, 
                regardless of how the equipment was initially acquired; 
                and
                    (B) twice the quantity carried onboard each 
                required truck available in the fire station for the 
                eligible airport.
            (2) The disposal of per- or polyfluoroalkyl products, 
        including fluorinated aqueous film-forming agents, to the 
        extent such disposal is necessary to facilitate the transition 
        to an acceptable fluorine-free agent, including, but not 
        limited to, aqueous film-forming agents currently in fire-
        fighting equipment, vehicles, and wastewater generated during 
        the cleaning of fire-fighting equipment and vehicles.
            (3) Cleaning or disposal of existing equipment or 
        components thereof, to the extent such cleaning or disposal is 
        necessary to facilitate the transition to an acceptable 
        fluorine-free agent.
            (4) Any equipment or components thereof necessary to 
        facilitate the transition to an acceptable fluorine-free agent.
            (5) Replacement of aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) 
        equipment as determined by the Secretary as necessary to be 
        replaced.
    (b) Distribution of Funds.--
            (1) Grants to replace arff vehicles.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary shall reserve up to 
                $30,000,000 of the amounts appropriated to carry out 
                the PFAS replacement program to make grants to each 
                eligible airport that is designated under part 139 as 
                an Index A airport and does not have existing 
                capabilities to produce fluorine-free foam, to replace 
                aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicles.
                    (B) Amount.--No grant made to an eligible airport 
                under subparagraph (A) shall exceed $2,000,000.
            (2) Remainder.--
                    (A) Determination of need.--With respect to the 
                amount of firefighting foam concentrate required for 
                foam production commensurate with applicable aircraft 
                rescue and firefighting (ARFF) equipment required in 
                accordance with the most recent FAA-approved Airport 
                Certification Manual, the Secretary shall determine--
                            (i) the total amount of such concentrate 
                        required for all of the Federally required 
                        aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) 
                        vehicles that meet index requirements under 
                        part 139 of each eligible airport, in gallons; 
                        and
                            (ii) the total amount of nationwide 
                        firefighting foam concentrate, in gallons.
                    (B) Determination of grant amounts.--From the 
                amounts appropriated to carry out the PFAS replacement 
                program that remain after the application of paragraph 
                (1), the Secretary shall make a grant to each eligible 
                airport of the amount equal to the product of--
                            (i) the amount of such remaining funds; and
                            (ii) the ratio of the amount determined 
                        under subparagraph (A)(i) for such eligible 
                        airport to the amount determined under 
                        subparagraph (A)(ii).
    (c) Program Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall determine the 
        eligibility of costs payable under the PFAS replacement program 
        by taking into account all engineering, technical, and 
        environmental protocols and generally accepted industry 
        standards that are developed or established for fluorine-free 
        foams.
            (2) Compliance with applicable law.--All actions related to 
        the acquisition, disposal, and transition to fluorine-free 
        foams, including the cleaning and disposal of equipment, shall 
        be conducted in full compliance with all applicable Federal 
        laws in effect at the time of obligation in order to be 
        eligible for reimbursement under the PFAS replacement program.
            (3) Government share.--The Government's share of allowable 
        costs under the PFAS replacement program shall be 100 percent.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--
            (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated not 
        more than $350,000,000 to carry out the PFAS replacement 
        program.
            (2) Requirements.--Amounts appropriated to carry out the 
        PFAS replacement program shall--
                    (A) remain available for expenditure for a period 
                of 5 fiscal years; and
                    (B) be available in addition to any other funding 
                available for similar purposes under any other Federal, 
                State, local, or Tribal program.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Eligible airport.--The term ``eligible airport'' means 
        an airport holding an Airport Operating Certificate issued 
        under part 139.
            (2) Part 139.--The term ``part 139'' means part 139 of 
        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (3) PFAS replacement program.--The term ``PFAS replacement 
        program'' means the program established under subsection (a).

SEC. 627. PROGRESS REPORTS ON THE NATIONAL TRANSITION PLAN RELATED TO A 
              FLUORINE-FREE FIREFIGHTING FOAM.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, and every 180 days thereafter until the 
progress report termination date described in subsection (c), the 
Administrator, in consultation with the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Defense, shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a progress report on 
the development and implementation of a national transition plan 
related to a fluorine-free firefighting foam that meets the performance 
standards referenced in chapter 6 of AC No: 150/5210-6D and is 
acceptable under section 139.319(l) of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, for use at part 139 airports.
    (b) Required Information.--Each progress report required by 
subsection (a) shall include the following:
            (1) An assessment of the progress made by the FAA with 
        respect to providing part 139 airports with--
                    (A) guidance from the Environmental Protection 
                Agency on acceptable environmental limits relating to 
                such fluorine-free firefighting foam;
                    (B) guidance from the Department of Defense on that 
                department's transition to a fluorine-free firefighting 
                foam;
                    (C) best practices for the decontamination of 
                existing aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles, 
                systems, and other equipment used to deploy 
                firefighting foam at part 139 airports; and
                    (D) timelines for the release of policy and 
                guidance relating to part 139 airport implementation 
                plans for obtaining approved military specification 
                products and firefighting personnel training.
            (2) A comprehensive list of the amount of rolling stock of 
        firefighting foam at each part 139 airport as of the date of 
        the submission of the progress report and the number of gallons 
        regularly kept in reserve at each such airport.
            (3) An assessment of the progress made by the FAA with 
        respect to providing airports that are not part 139 airports 
        and local authorities with responsibility for inspection and 
        oversight with guidance described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
        of paragraph (1) as it relates to the use of fluorine-free 
        firefighting foam at such airports.
            (4) Such other information as the Administrator determines 
        appropriate.
    (c) Progress Report Termination Date.--For purposes of subsection 
(a), the progress report termination date described in this subsection 
is the date on which the Administrator notifies the appropriate 
committees of Congress that development and implementation of the 
national transition plan described in subsection (a) is complete.
    (d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``part 139 airport'' 
means an airport certified under part 139 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations.

SEC. 628. REVIEW OF AIRPORT LAYOUT PLANS.

    (a) In General.--Section 163 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 
(49 U.S.C. 47107 note) is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) [Reserved].''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) [Reserved].''.
    (b) Airport Layout Plan Approval Authority.--Section 47107 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(16)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(B) subject to subsection (x), the Secretary will 
                review and approve or disapprove the plan and any 
                revision or modification of the plan before the plan, 
                revision, or modification takes effect;''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking 
                ``subparagraph (B)'' and inserting ``subsection (x)''; 
                and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(x) Scope of the Secretary's Airport Layout Plan Review and 
Approval Authority.--
            ``(1) Authority over projects on land acquired without 
        federal assistance.--For purposes of subsection (a)(16)(B), 
        with respect to any project proposed on land acquired by an 
        airport owner or operator without Federal assistance, the 
        Secretary may only review and approve or disapprove those 
        portions of the plan (or any subsequent revision to the plan) 
        that--
                    ``(A) materially impact the safe and efficient 
                operation of aircraft at, to, or from the airport;
                    ``(B) adversely affect the safety of people or 
                property on the ground as a result of aircraft 
                operations; or
                    ``(C) adversely affect the value of prior Federal 
                investments to a significant extent.
            ``(2) Limitation on non-aeronautical review.--If only a 
        portion of a project proposed by an airport owner or operator 
        is subject to the Secretary's review and approval under 
        subsection (a)(16)(B), the Secretary shall not extend review 
        and approval authority to other non-aeronautical portions of 
        the project.
            ``(3) Notice.--
                    ``(A) In general.--An airport owner or operator 
                shall submit to the Secretary a notice of intent to 
                proceed with a proposed project (or a portion thereof) 
                that is outside of the Secretary's review and approval 
                authority, as described in this subsection.
                    ``(B) Failure to object.--If not later than 45 days 
                after receiving the notice of intent described in 
                subparagraph (A), the Secretary fails to object to such 
                notice, the proposed project (or portion thereof) shall 
                be deemed as being outside the scope of the Secretary's 
                review and approval authority under subsection 
                (a)(16)(B).''.

SEC. 629. NEPA PURPOSE AND NEED STATEMENTS.

    (a) In General.--To the extent that the FAA is the lead Federal 
agency for preparation of an environmental impact statement or an 
environmental assessment under provisions of the National Environmental 
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) where an action or approval 
from more than one Federal agency is required, the FAA shall develop 
its draft purpose and need statement for the project not later than 45 
days after--
            (1) the submission of the airport sponsor's appropriately 
        completed proposed purpose and need description; and
            (2) any appropriately completed proposed revision to a 
        development project that affects the purpose and need 
        description previously prepared or accepted by the FAA.
    (b) Assistance.--The Administrator shall provide all airport 
sponsors with technical assistance in drafting purpose and need 
statements and necessary supporting documentation for projects 
involving Federal approvals from more than one Federal agency.

SEC. 630. PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE STREAMLINING.

    (a) In General.--Section 40117 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``The Secretary'' and 
                        inserting ``Except as set forth in the 
                        streamlining process described in subsection 
                        (l), the Secretary''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``$1, $2, or $3'' and 
                        inserting ``$1, $2, $3, $4, or $4.50'';
                    (B) by striking paragraph (4);
                    (C) by redesignating paragraphs (5) through (7) as 
                paragraphs (4) through (6), respectively;
                    (D) in paragraph (5), as so redesignated--
                            (i) by striking ``paragraphs (1) and (4)'' 
                        and inserting ``paragraph (1)''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``paragraph (1) or (4)'' 
                        and inserting ``paragraph (1)''; and
                    (E) in paragraph (6)(A), as so redesignated--
                            (i) by striking ``paragraphs (1), (4), and 
                        (6)'' and inserting ``paragraphs (1) and (5)''; 
                        and
                            (ii) by striking ``paragraph (1) or (4)'' 
                        and inserting ``paragraph (1)'';
            (2) in subsection (e)(1)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``, or a 
                passenger facility charge imposition is authorized 
                under subsection (l)'' after ``of this section''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                ``reasonable'' after ``subject to''; and
            (3) in subsection (l)--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``Pilot 
                Program for Passenger Facility Charge Authorizations'' 
                and inserting ``Passenger Facility Charge 
                Streamlining'';
                    (B) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall prescribe 
        regulations to streamline the process for authorizing eligible 
        agencies for airports to impose passenger facility charges. An 
        eligible agency may impose a passenger facility charge of $1, 
        $2, $3, $4, or $4.50 in accordance with the provisions of this 
        subsection instead of using the procedures otherwise provided 
        in this section.'';
                    (C) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(4) Acknowledgment of receipt and indication of 
        objection.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall acknowledge 
                receipt of the notice and indicate any objection to the 
                imposition of a passenger facility charge under this 
                subsection for any project identified in the notice 
                within 30 days after receipt of the eligible agency's 
                notice.
                    ``(B) Prohibited objection.--The Secretary may not 
                object to an eligible airport-related project that 
                received Federal financial assistance for airport 
                development, terminal development, airport planning, or 
                for the purposes of noise compatibility, provided that 
                the Federal financial assistance and passenger facility 
                charge collection (including interest and other returns 
                on the revenue) does not exceed the total cost of the 
                project.
                    ``(C) Allowed objection.--The Secretary may only 
                object to the imposition of a passenger facility charge 
                under this subsection for a project that--
                            ``(i) establishes significant policy 
                        precedent;
                            ``(ii) raises significant legal issues;
                            ``(iii) garners significant controversy, as 
                        evidenced by significant opposition to the 
                        proposed action by the applicant or other 
                        airport authorities, airport users, 
                        governmental agencies, elected officials, or 
                        communities;
                            ``(iv) raises significant revenue 
                        diversion, airport noise, or access issues, 
                        including compliance with section 47111(e) or 
                        subchapter II of chapter 475 of title 49, 
                        United States Code; or
                            ``(v) includes multimodal components.'';
                    (D) by striking paragraph (6); and
                    (E) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph 
                (6).
    (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall commence a 
rulemaking to implement the amendments made by subsection (a).
    (c) Interim Guidance.--The interim guidance established in FAA 
Memorandum ``PFC 73-20. Streamlined Procedures for Passenger Facility 
Charge (PFC) Authorizations at Small-, Medium-, and Large-Hub 
Airports'' (issued January 22, 2020), as modified by subsection (a), 
shall remain in effect until the effective date of the final rule 
promulgated under subsection (b).

SEC. 631. USE OF PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGES FOR NOISE BARRIERS.

    Section 40117(a)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following:
                    ``(H) A project at a small hub airport for a noise 
                barrier where the day-night average sound level from 
                commercial, general aviation, or cargo operations is 
                expected to exceed 55 decibels as a result of new 
                airport development.''.

SEC. 632. AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEMS POLICY.

    Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Administrator shall establish a process to collaborate with the 
Director of the National Weather Service to expedite the Automated 
Surface Observing Systems (ASOS) and the Service Life Extension Program 
(SLEP) and ensure adequate spare parts and personnel are available for 
timely response to outages.

SEC. 633. INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT IMPLEMENTATION.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall distribute 
administrative funding to assist States participating in the State 
block grant program in accordance with section 47128 of title 49, 
United States Code, with program implementation of airport 
infrastructure projects under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
Act (Public Law 117-58).
    (b) Funding Source.--Administrative funds to States under this 
section shall be distributed from the funds made available in the 
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for personnel, contracting, and 
other costs to administer and oversee grants of the Airport 
Infrastructure Grants, Contract Tower Competitive Grant Program, and 
Airport Terminal Program.
    (c) Administrative Funds.--With respect to administrative funds 
made available for fiscal years 2022 through 2026--
            (1) the amount of administrative funds available for 
        distribution under subsection (b) shall be an amount equal to a 
        percentage determined by the Secretary, but not less than 2 
        percent, of the annual allocations provided under the heading 
        ``airport infrastructure grants'' under the heading ``Federal 
        Aviation Administration'' in title VIII of division J of the 
        Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58; 135 
        Stat. 1416) to non-primary airports participating in the 
        State's block grant program each fiscal year of the Airport 
        Infrastructure Grant program;
            (2) administrative funds distributed under subsection (b) 
        shall be used by such States to--
                    (A) administer and oversee, as outlined in the 
                Memorandum of Agreement or current agreements between 
                the FAA and the State, all airport grant program funds 
                provided under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs 
                Act to non-primary airports participating in the 
                State's block grant program, whether through direct 
                allocation or through competitive selection; and
                    (B) carry out the public purposes of supporting 
                eligible and justified airport development and 
                infrastructure projects as provided in the 
                Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act; and
            (3) except as provided in subsection (d), such 
        administrative funds shall be distributed to such States 
        through a cooperative agreement executed between the State and 
        the FAA not later than December 1 of each fiscal year in which 
        the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act provides airport 
        grant program funds.
    (d) Initial Distribution.--With respect to administrative funds 
made available for fiscal years 2022 and 2023, funds available as of 
the date of enactment of this section shall be distributed to such 
States through a cooperative agreement executed between the State and 
the FAA not later than 30 days after such date of enactment.
    (e) State Block Grant Program Amendment.--Section 47128 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(e) Roles and Responsibilities of Participating States.--
            ``(1) Airports.--Unless a State participating in the 
        program expressly agrees in a memorandum of agreement, the 
        Secretary shall not require the State to manage functions and 
        responsibilities for airport actions or projects that do not 
        relate to the program.
            ``(2) Program documentation.--Any grant agreement providing 
        funds to be administered under the program shall be consistent 
        with the most recently executed memorandum of agreement, as may 
        be amended, between the State and the Federal Aviation 
        Administration. The Federal Aviation Administration shall 
        provide parity to participating States and shall only require 
        the same type of information and level of detail for any 
        program agreements and documentation that the Federal Aviation 
        Administration itself would perform with respect to such action 
        if the State did not participate in the program.
            ``(3) Responsibilities.--The Federal Aviation 
        Administration shall retain responsibility for the following, 
        unless expressly agreed to by the State:
                    ``(A) Grant compliance investigations, 
                determinations, and enforcement.
                    ``(B) Obstruction evaluation and airport airspace 
                analysis, determinations, and enforcement off airport 
                property.
                    ``(C) Non-rulemaking analysis, determinations, and 
                enforcement for proposed improvements on airport 
                properties not associated with this subchapter, or off 
                airport property.
                    ``(D) Land use determinations under section 163 of 
                the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-
                254; 132 Stat. 3224), compatibility planning, and 
                airport layout plan review and approval for projects 
                not funded by amounts available under this subchapter.
                    ``(E) Non-aeronautical and special event 
                recommendations and approval.
                    ``(F) Instrument approach procedure evaluations and 
                determinations.
                    ``(G) Environmental review for projects not funded 
                by amounts available under this subchapter.
                    ``(H) Review and approval of land leases, land 
                releases, changes in on-airport land-use designation, 
                and through-the-fence agreements.''.

SEC. 634. REPORT ON AIRPORT NOTIFICATIONS.

    Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this section, 
the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the FAA's progress with respect to--
            (1) collecting more accurate data in notices of 
        construction, alteration, activation, and deactivation of 
        airports as required under part 157 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations; and
            (2) making the database under part 157 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations, more accurate and useful for aircraft 
        operators, particularly for helicopter and rotary wing type 
        aircraft operators.

SEC. 635. COASTAL AIRPORTS RESILIENCY STUDY.

    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall work with the Administrator of 
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the United 
States Army Corps of Engineers to identify best practices for, and 
study the feasibility of, improving resiliency of airports in coastal 
or flood-prone areas.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report 
describing the results of the study conducted under subsection (a), 
together with such recommendations for legislation or administrative 
action as the Administrator determines appropriate.

SEC. 636. ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT INFRASTRUCTURE.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 47102 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)(Q), as amended by section 601, by 
        striking ``improve the reliability and efficiency of the 
        airport's power supply'' and inserting ``increase energy 
        efficiency of the airport's power supply or meet current and 
        future power demand''; and
            (2) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking ``and'' after 
                the semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by inserting after subparagraph (C), the 
                following:
                    ``(D) assessing current and future electrical power 
                demand.''.
    (b) Meeting Current and Future Electrical Power Demand.--
            (1) In general.--Section 47140 of title 49, United States 
        Code, is amended to read as follows:
``Sec. 47140. Meeting current and future electrical power demand
    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall establish 
a program under which the Secretary shall do the following:
            ``(1) Encourage the sponsor of each public-use airport to--
                    ``(A) conduct airport planning that assesses the 
                airport's--
                            ``(i) current and future electrical power 
                        demand, including but not limited to--
                                    ``(I) heating and cooling;
                                    ``(II) on-road airport vehicles, 
                                including ground support equipment;
                                    ``(III) gate electrification; and
                                    ``(IV) electric aircraft charging; 
                                and
                            ``(ii) existing electrical infrastructure 
                        condition, location, and capacity to meet the 
                        current and future electrical power demand as 
                        identified in clause (i); and
                    ``(B) conduct on-airport development to increase 
                energy efficiency or meet future electrical power 
                demands as identified in subparagraph (A)(i).
            ``(2) Reimburse the sponsor of each public-use airport that 
        conducts an assessment under paragraph (1)(A) for the costs 
        incurred in conducting the assessment to the extent those costs 
        are not otherwise covered under this subtitle.
    ``(b) Grants.--The Secretary may make grants from amounts made 
available under section 48103 to assist sponsors of public-use airports 
with respect to conducting--
            ``(1) an assessment described in subsection (a)(1)(A); and
            ``(2) an airport development project described in 
        subsection (a)(1)(B) following the completion of an assessment 
        described in subsection (a)(1)(A) or another assessment 
        acceptable to the Secretary.''.
            (2) Conforming amendment.--The analysis for subchapter I of 
        chapter 471 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
        striking the item relating to section 47140 and inserting the 
        following:

``47140. Meeting current and future electrical power demand.''.

SEC. 637. STUDY ON COMPETITION AND AIRPORT ACCESS.

    Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Secretary shall report to the appropriate committees of 
Congress--
            (1) specific actions the Secretary and the Administrator, 
        using existing legal authority, can take to expand access for 
        lower cost passenger air carriers to capacity constrained 
        airports in the United States, including, but not limited to, 
        New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and New 
        York/Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR); and
            (2) any additional legal authority the Secretary and the 
        Administrator require in order to make additional slots at JFK 
        and runway timings at EWR available to lower cost passenger air 
        carriers.

SEC. 638. REGIONAL AIRPORT CAPACITY STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall initiate a study on the 
following:
            (1) Existing FAA policy and guidance that govern the siting 
        of new airports or the transition of general aviation airports 
        to commercial service.
            (2) Ways that existing regulations and policies could be 
        streamlined to facilitate the development of new airport 
        capacity, particularly in high-demand air travel regions 
        looking to invest in new airport capacity.
            (3) Whether Federal funding sources (existing as of the 
        date of enactment of this section) that are authorized by the 
        Secretary could be used for such purposes.
            (4) Whether such Federal funding sources meet the needs of 
        the national airspace system for adding new airport capacity 
        outside of the commercial service airports in operation as of 
        the date of enactment of this section.
            (5) If such Federal funding sources are determined by the 
        Administrator to be insufficient for the purposes described in 
        this subsection, an estimate of the funding gap.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report on the results of the study conducted 
under subsection (a), together with recommendations for such 
legislative or administrative action as the Administrator determines 
appropriate.
    (c) Guidance.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall revise FAA guidance to 
incorporate the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a) to 
assist airports and State and local departments of transportation in 
increasing airport capacity to meet regional air travel demand.

SEC. 639. STUDY ON AUTONOMOUS AND ELECTRIC-POWERED TRACK SYSTEMS.

    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study to develop a 
standard for autonomous and electric-powered track systems that--
            (1) are located underneath the pavement at an airport; and
            (2) allow a transport category aircraft to taxi without the 
        use of the main engines of the aircraft.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report detailing the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations for such 
legislation and administrative action as the Administrator determines 
appropriate.

SEC. 640. SPECIAL RULE FOR RECLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN UNCLASSIFIED 
              AIRPORTS.

    (a) Request for Reclassification.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than September 30, 2024, a 
        privately owned reliever airport (as defined in section 47102 
        of title 49, United States Code) that is identified as 
        unclassified in the National Plan of Integrated Airport 
        Systems, 2023-2027 (as published under section 47103 of title 
        49, United States Code) may submit to the Secretary a request 
        to reclassify the airport according to the criteria used to 
        classify a public airport.
            (2) Required information.--In submitting a request under 
        paragraph (1), the privately owned reliever airport shall 
        include the following information:
                    (A) A sworn statement and accompanying 
                documentation that demonstrates how the airport would 
                satisfy the requirements of FAA Order 5090.5, titled 
                ``Formulation of the NPIAS and ACIP'', (or any 
                successor guidance) to be classified as ``Local'' or 
                ``Basic'' if the airport was publicly owned.
                    (B) A report that--
                            (i) identifies the role of the airport to 
                        the aviation system; and
                            (ii) describes the long-term fiscal 
                        viability of the airport based on demonstrated 
                        aeronautical activity and associated revenues 
                        relative to ongoing operating and maintenance 
                        costs.
    (b) Eligibility Review.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after receiving a 
        request from a privately owned reliever airport under 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall perform an eligibility 
        review with respect to the airport, including an assessment of 
        the airport's safety, security, capacity, access, compliance 
        with Federal grant assurances, and protection of natural 
        resources and the quality of the environment, as prescribed by 
        the Secretary.
            (2) Public sponsor.--In performing the eligibility review 
        under paragraph (1), the Secretary--
                    (A) may require the airport requesting 
                reclassification to provide information regarding the 
                outlook (whether positive or negative) for transferring 
                the airport to a public sponsor; and
                    (B) may not require the airport to obtain a public 
                sponsor.
    (c) Reclassification by the Secretary.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 60 days after receiving a 
        request from a privately owned reliever airport under 
        subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall grant such request if 
        the following criteria are met:
                    (A) The request includes the required information 
                under subsection (a)(2).
                    (B) The privately owned reliever airport, to the 
                satisfaction of the Secretary, passes the eligibility 
                review performed under subsection (b).
            (2) Corrective action plan.--
                    (A) In general.--With respect to a privately owned 
                reliever airport that does not, to the satisfaction of 
                the Secretary, pass the eligibility review performed 
                under subsection (b), the Secretary shall provide 
                notice of disapproval to such airport not later than 60 
                days after receiving the request under subsection 
                (a)(1), and such airport may resubmit to the Secretary 
                a reclassification request along with a corrective 
                action plan that--
                            (i) resolves any shortcomings identified in 
                        such eligibility review; and
                            (ii) proves that any necessary corrective 
                        action has been completed by the airport.
                    (B) Evaluation.--Not later than 60 days after 
                receiving a corrective action plan under subparagraph 
                (A), the Secretary shall grant the reclassification 
                request of any privately owned reliever airport if such 
                airport submits such corrective action plan to the 
                satisfaction of the Secretary.
    (d) Effective Date.--The reclassification of any privately owned 
reliever airport under this section shall take effect not later than--
            (1) fiscal year 2025 for any request granted under 
        subsection (c)(1); and
            (2) fiscal year 2026 for any request granted after the 
        submission of a corrective action plan under subsection (c)(2).

SEC. 641. GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORT RUNWAY EXTENSION PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, United 
States Code, as amended by section 611(a), is amended by adding at the 
end the following new section:
``Sec. 47147. General aviation program runway extension pilot program.
    ``(a) Establishment.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
establish a pilot program to provide grants to general aviation 
airports to increase the usable runway length capability at such 
airports in order to--
            ``(1) expand access to such airports for larger aircraft; 
        and
            ``(2) support the development and economic viability of 
        such airports.
    ``(b) Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--For the purpose of carrying out the 
        pilot program established in subsection (a), the Secretary 
        shall make grants to not more than 2 sponsors of general 
        aviation airports per fiscal year.
            ``(2) Use of funds.--A sponsor of a general aviation 
        airport shall use a grant awarded under this section to plan, 
        design, or construct a project to extend an existing primary 
        runway by not greater than 1,000 feet to a sufficient length to 
        accommodate large turboprop or turbojet aircraft that cannot be 
        accommodated with the existing runway length.
            ``(3) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this section, a sponsor of a general aviation airport shall 
        submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such 
        form, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require.
            ``(4) Selection.--In selecting an applicant for a grant 
        under this section, the Secretary shall prioritize projects 
        that demonstrate that the existing runway length at the airport 
        is--
                    ``(A) inadequate to support the near-term 
                operations of 1 or more business entities operating at 
                the airport as of the date of submission of such 
                application;
                    ``(B) a direct aircraft operational impediment to 
                airport economic viability, job creation or retention, 
                or local economic development; and
                    ``(C) not located within 20 miles of another 
                National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems airport 
                with comparable runway length.
    ``(c) Project Justification.--A project that demonstrates the 
criteria described in subsection (b) shall be considered a justified 
cost with respect to the pilot program, notwithstanding--
            ``(1) any benefit-cost analysis required under section 
        47115(d) of title 49, United States Code; or
            ``(2) a project justification determination described in 
        section 3 of chapter 3 of FAA Order 5100.38D, Airport 
        Improvement Program Handbook (dated September 30, 2014).
    ``(d) Federal Share.--The Government's share of allowable project 
costs for a project carried out with a grant under this section shall 
be the Government's share of allowable project costs specified under 
section 47109.
    ``(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 5 years after the 
establishment of the pilot program under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation 
of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of 
the House of Representatives a report that evaluates the pilot program, 
including--
            ``(1) information regarding the level of applicant interest 
        in grants for increasing runway length;
            ``(2) the number of large aircraft that accessed each 
        general aviation airport that received a grant under the pilot 
        program in comparison to the number of such aircraft that 
        accessed the airport prior to the date of enactment of this 
        Act, based on data provided by the airport sponsor to the 
        Secretary not later than 6 months prior to the due date of such 
        report to Congress; and
            ``(3) a description, provided by the airport sponsor to the 
        Secretary not later than 6 months prior to the due date of such 
        report to Congress, of the economic development opportunities 
        supported by increasing the runway length at general aviation 
        airports.
    ``(f) Funding.--For each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028, the 
Secretary may use funds made available under section 48103 to carry out 
this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for subchapter I of chapter 
471 of such title, as amended by section 611(b), is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 47146 the following:

``47147. General aviation airport runway extension pilot program.''.

SEC. 642. APPLICABILITY OF SCREENING REQUIREMENTS.

    Section 44901 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(m) Applicability of Screening Requirements.--
            ``(1) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Administration.--The term `Administration' 
                means the Transportation Security Administration.
                    ``(B) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' 
                means the Administrator of the Transportation Security 
                Administration.
                    ``(C) Applicable federal protective agency.--The 
                term `applicable Federal protective agency' means--
                            ``(i) in the case of a Cabinet Member, the 
                        executive agency assigned to provide protection 
                        to the Cabinet Member;
                            ``(ii) in the case of a Member of Congress, 
                        the United States Capitol Police; and
                            ``(iii) in the case of a Federal judge, the 
                        United States Marshals Service.
                    ``(D) Cabinet member.--The term `Cabinet Member' 
                means an individual who is the head (including an 
                acting head) of the Department of Agriculture, 
                Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, 
                Department of Education, Department of Energy, 
                Department of Health and Human Services, Department of 
                Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban 
                Development, Department of the Interior, Department of 
                Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State, 
                Department of Transportation, Department of the 
                Treasury, Department of Veterans Affairs, or any other 
                individual who occupies a position designated by the 
                President as a Cabinet-level position.
                    ``(E) Commercial service airport.--The term 
                `commercial service airport'--
                            ``(i) has the meaning given that term in 
                        section 47102; and
                            ``(ii) includes any airport at which the 
                        Administration provides or contracts to provide 
                        screening.
                    ``(F) Covered person.--The term `covered person' 
                means a Federal judge, a Member of Congress, or a 
                Cabinet Member who, as determined by an applicable 
                Federal protective agency, currently is or previously 
                has been the subject of a threat, as determined by such 
                applicable Federal protective agency.
                    ``(G) Family members.--The term `family members' 
                means a covered person's spouse and children.
                    ``(H) Federal judge.--The term `Federal judge' 
                means a justice of the United States or a judge of the 
                United States, as those terms are defined in section 
                451 of title 28.
                    ``(I) Member of congress.--The term `Member of 
                Congress' means a member of the Senate or the House of 
                Representatives, a Delegate to Congress, or the 
                Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
                    ``(J) Prohibited item.--The term `prohibited item' 
                means an item prohibited under section 1540.111 of 
                title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.
                    ``(K) Staff members.--The term `staff members' 
                means up to 2 individuals who work for a covered 
                person.
                    ``(L) Sterile area.--The term `sterile area' has 
                the meaning given that term in section 1540.5 of title 
                49, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
                regulation.
            ``(2) Application of passenger and baggage screening 
        requirements.--Except as provided in paragraph (3), Members of 
        Congress, including the congressional leadership, the heads of 
        Federal agencies and commissions, including the Secretary of 
        Homeland Security, the Deputy Secretary, the Under Secretaries, 
        and the Assistant Secretaries of the Department of Homeland 
        Security, the Attorney General, the Deputy Attorney General, 
        the Assistant Attorneys General, and the United States 
        Attorneys, and senior members of the Executive Office of the 
        President, including the Director of the Office of Management 
        and Budget, shall not be exempt from Federal passenger and 
        baggage screening requirements at airports.
            ``(3) Safe airport travel specialized screening process.--
                    ``(A) Request.--A covered person who is or will be 
                traveling through a commercial service airport, or the 
                covered person's designee, may request that the 
                applicable Federal protective agency make the 
                notification described in subparagraph (B). If a 
                covered person or the covered person's designee makes a 
                request described in this paragraph, the applicable 
                Federal protective agency shall make the notification 
                described in subparagraph (B) within 48 hours prior to 
                travel or as soon as practicable after the covered 
                person or the covered person's designee makes the 
                request, provided that the requirements of this 
                subsection shall apply regardless of the timing of such 
                notification.
                    ``(B) Notification.--The notification described in 
                this paragraph is a notice to the Administrator that a 
                covered person is or will be traveling through a 
                commercial service airport. If a covered person's 
                family members, staff members, or both will be 
                traveling with the covered person, the notice shall 
                include that information. The Administrator shall 
                notify the appropriate personnel at the commercial 
                service airport. If necessary, the applicable Federal 
                protective agency shall notify personnel at the 
                appropriate air carrier.
                    ``(C) Security escort.--Except as provided in 
                subparagraph (D)(ii), when the Administrator receives a 
                notification described in subparagraph (B), the 
                Administrator shall provide, or shall arrange for the 
                provision of, a security escort at a commercial service 
                airport for a covered person, and if applicable, any 
                family members and staff members of the covered person 
                traveling with the covered person, for the entirety of 
                the time that the covered person and any such family 
                members and staff members are at a commercial service 
                airport. The covered person and any family members and 
                staff traveling with the covered person shall be 
                required to possess acceptable forms of identification 
                for identity verification, and shall refrain from 
                possessing prohibited items in carry-on luggage or in 
                the sterile areas of the airport. The Administrator may 
                require the commercial service airport to provide the 
                security escort required by this paragraph. The escort 
                required by this paragraph shall be an individual 
                authorized by the Administrator to escort an individual 
                eligible for the specialized screening procedures under 
                this subsection.
                    ``(D) Requirements.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The security escort 
                        required by subparagraph (C) shall escort the 
                        covered person and, if applicable, any family 
                        members and staff members of the covered person 
                        traveling with the covered person, through a 
                        commercial service airport without the 
                        imposition of costs or other fees on the 
                        covered person, or on any family members and 
                        staff members traveling with the covered 
                        person. The covered person and, if applicable, 
                        any family members and staff members of the 
                        covered person traveling with the covered 
                        person, shall travel through the commercial 
                        service airport with the security escort in 
                        accordance with the specialized screening 
                        procedures for an individual under protective 
                        escort, in effect as of January, 1, 2024, in 
                        lieu of the screening procedures described in 
                        this section, and the airport security program 
                        described under part 1542 of title 49, Code of 
                        Federal Regulations.
                            ``(ii) Limited exception.--If a covered 
                        person has a security escort that is authorized 
                        by the Administrator to escort the covered 
                        person and, if applicable, any family members 
                        and staff members of the covered person 
                        traveling with the covered person, through the 
                        commercial service airport with the security 
                        escort in accordance with the specialized 
                        screening procedures for an individual under 
                        protective escort, in effect as of January 1, 
                        2024, in lieu of the screening procedures 
                        described in this section, and the airport 
                        security program described under part 1542 of 
                        title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, the 
                        Administrator shall not be required to provide, 
                        or arrange for the provision of, a security 
                        escort under subparagraph (C) for the covered 
                        person and, if applicable, any family members 
                        and staff members of the covered person 
                        traveling with the covered person, through the 
                        commercial service airport.
                    ``(E) Implementation.--Not later than 60 days after 
                the date of enactment of this subsection, the 
                Administrator shall conduct an assessment on the 
                impacts to the transportation security system, 
                including the staffing and resource needs, and update 
                or issue such guidance or advisory circulars as are 
                necessary to carry out this subsection.
            ``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
        authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year such sums as 
        may be necessary to carry out the provisions of paragraph (3), 
        including for reimbursements to owners or operators of 
        commercial service airports, local law enforcement, or other 
        law enforcement officers for the provision of security escorts.
            ``(5) Briefings.--The Administrator, in coordination with 
        the head of each applicable Federal protective agency and the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall 
        provide to the appropriate committees of Congress a briefing on 
        the implementation and ongoing use of the provisions of 
        paragraph (3), including staffing and resource needs, and the 
        procedures of the Administration for processing individuals 
        under protective escort upon the request of any such committee.
            ``(6) Coordination.--The Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration shall coordinate with the Administrator 
        and the heads of the applicable Federal protective agencies to 
        implement the requirements of this subsection, as appropriate.
            ``(7) Exemption revocation.--If prohibited items are 
        discovered on the property of, or on a covered person, or the 
        covered person's family members or staff members traveling with 
        the covered person, the Administrator may deny the covered 
        person and any family members and staff members of the covered 
        person traveling with the covered person specialized screening 
        under subsection (c).
            ``(8) Additional screening.--A covered person, and the 
        covered person's family members and staff members traveling 
        with the covered person, may be subject to a random screening 
        protocol or be required to undergo screening at a commercial 
        service airport if the Federal Security Director designated for 
        that airport under section 44933 believes that there is a risk 
        to the aviation system associated with the screening exemption 
        of such individual.
            ``(9) Certification from covered persons.--A covered person 
        shall certify to the Administration or the applicable Federal 
        protective agency that the covered person and the family 
        members and staff members traveling with the covered person do 
        not possess any prohibited items.''.

SEC. 643. ADDITIONAL PERMITTED USES OF PASSENGER FACILITY CHARGE 
              REVENUE.

    Section 40117(a)(3) of title 49, United States Code, as amended by 
section 631, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraph:
                    ``(I) A project for costs incurred in connection 
                with the relocation of a Federal agency on airport 
                grounds due to a terminal development or renovation 
                project at such airport, but such costs shall be 
                limited to the replacement of existing work space 
                elements (including any associated in-kind facility or 
                equipment within or immediately adjacent to such 
                terminal development or renovation project at such 
                airport) for which development costs are eligible costs 
                under this section.''.

SEC. 644. AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE RESILIENCE PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--
            (1) Establishment.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
                establish a pilot program to provide competitive grants 
                to eligible airport sponsors for the planning, design, 
                and construction of projects that meet the requirements 
                described in subparagraph (B).
                    (B) Project requirements described.--The 
                requirements described in this subparagraph, with 
                respect to a project, are the following:
                            (i) The project is on airport property or 
                        other property owned exclusively by the 
                        eligible airport sponsor with good title and 
                        without encumbrance, as described on an Airport 
                        Layout Plan or included in the airport land 
                        inventory in the case of properties remote from 
                        the airport.
                            (ii) The project is for the exclusive 
                        benefit of and use by the airport.
                            (iii) The project will reduce the 
                        vulnerability of airport infrastructure to any 
                        of the following:
                                    (I) Long-term risks to the land 
                                surface, subsurface, and atmosphere due 
                                to changing conditions, such as 
                                inundation caused by--
                                            (aa) sea level rise;
                                            (bb) permafrost thaw;
                                            (cc) aridification; or
                                            (dd) higher air 
                                        temperatures.
                                    (II) Weather events and natural 
                                disasters, such as severe storms, 
                                flooding, high winds, drought, 
                                wildfire, rockslides, mudslides, and 
                                other slope instabilities, sinkholes, 
                                tsunami, earthquakes, and extreme 
                                weather, including extreme temperature 
                                and precipitation.
                    (C) Eligible airport sponsor.--In this section, the 
                term ``eligible airport sponsor'' means a sponsor of an 
                airport that is included in the national plan of 
                integrated airport systems described in section 47103 
                of title 49, United States Code.
                    (D) Clarification.--Projects funded under the pilot 
                program under this section may be for new projects as 
                well as for making improvements to existing 
                infrastructure and may include the purchasing of 
                monitoring equipment or monitoring services.
            (2) Consultation.--In establishing the pilot program under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall--
                    (A) engage in a public comment period; and
                    (B) consult with--
                            (i) the Administrator;
                            (ii) the Administrator of the Federal 
                        Emergency Management Agency;
                            (iii) The Administrator of the National 
                        Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
                            (iv) the Administrator of the National 
                        Aeronautics and Space Administration.
            (3) Requirements.--In awarding grants to eligible airport 
        sponsors under the pilot program under this section, the 
        Secretary shall only award a grant for a project that meets 
        each of the following requirements, as determined by the 
        Secretary:
                    (A) The project will reduce airport vulnerability 
                to changing conditions and extreme weather events.
                    (B) The project meets applicable engineering 
                standards, as defined by the Secretary.
                    (C) The anticipated benefits of the project are 
                supported by the best available scientific research and 
                analysis.
                    (D) The project meets other requirements determined 
                appropriate by the Secretary.
            (4) Considerations.--In awarding grants to eligible airport 
        sponsors under the pilot program under this section, the 
        Secretary shall consider--
                    (A) whether the project includes natural 
                infrastructure, as defined in section 101 of title 23, 
                United States Code; and
                    (B) the potential for the project to mitigate the 
                airport's impact on the environment.
            (5) Application.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        the pilot program under this section, an eligible airport 
        sponsor shall submit an application to the Secretary at such 
        time, in such form, and containing such information as the 
        Secretary may require. Such information shall include a 
        preliminary description of how the proposed project is 
        projected to benefit and potentially impact both the airport 
        and the surrounding communities with regard to changing 
        conditions, weather events, and natural disasters.
            (6) Reports to secretary.--An eligible airport sponsor that 
        is awarded a grant under the pilot program under this section 
        shall submit to the Secretary periodic reports on the use of 
        the funds. Such reports shall be submitted at such time, in 
        such form, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
        require.
    (b) Distribution to Smaller Airports.--In conducting the pilot 
program under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that not less 
than 25 percent of the funds made available under subsection (f) are 
used to award grants to eligible airport sponsors of small hub 
airports, nonhub airports, airports that are not a primary airport, and 
reliever airports, as such terms are defined in section 47102 of title 
49, United States Code.
    (c) Federal Share.--The United States Government's share of 
allowable project costs for a project carried out with a grant under 
the pilot program shall be the United States Government's share of 
allowable project costs specified under section 47109 of title 49, 
United States Code.
    (d) Requirements.--Projects carried out, in whole or in part, with 
grants under the pilot program under this section shall be subject to 
the requirements under section 47112 of title 49, United States Code.
    (e) Report to Congress.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the 
        Secretary first awards a grant under the pilot program under 
        this section, and annually thereafter for as long as the 
        Secretary is conducting the pilot program under this section, 
        the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, 
        Science, and Transportation and the Committee on Environment 
        and Public Works of the Senate and the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives a report that evaluates the pilot program 
        established under this section. Each such report shall 
        include--
                    (A) a description of each project funded under the 
                pilot program, including the vulnerabilities it 
                addresses;
                    (B) a description of the applications under the 
                pilot program;
                    (C) recommendations to improve the administration 
                of the pilot program, including whether consultation 
                with additional or fewer agencies to carry out the 
                pilot program is appropriate and whether additional 
                appropriation levels are appropriate;
                    (D) a description of the period required to 
                disburse grant funds to eligible airport sponsors, 
                including the time needed for Federal coordination; and
                    (E) other items determined appropriate by the 
                Secretary.
            (2) Public availability.--The Secretary shall post each 
        report submitted under paragraph (1) on the public internet 
        website of the Department of Transportation.
    (f) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
Secretary $300,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to 
carry out this section. Such sums shall remain available until 
expended.

SEC. 645. PROHIBITION ON PROVISION OF AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT GRANT FUNDS 
              TO CERTAIN ENTITIES THAT HAVE VIOLATED INTELLECTUAL 
              PROPERTY RIGHTS OF UNITED STATES ENTITIES.

    (a) In General.--During the period beginning on the date that is 30 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, amounts provided as 
project grants under subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, United 
States Code, may not be used to enter into a contract described in 
subsection (b) with any entity on the list required by subsection (c).
    (b) Contract Described.--A contract described in this subsection is 
a contract or other agreement for the procurement of infrastructure or 
equipment for a passenger boarding bridge at an airport.
    (c) List Required.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this Act, and thereafter as required by paragraph 
        (2), the United States Trade Representative, the Attorney 
        General, and the Administrator shall make available to the 
        Administrator a publicly-available list of entities 
        manufacturing airport passenger boarding infrastructure or 
        equipment that--
                    (A) are owned, directed by, or subsidized in whole 
                or in part by the People's Republic of China;
                    (B) have been determined by a Federal court to have 
                misappropriated intellectual property or trade secrets 
                from an entity organized under the laws of the United 
                States or any jurisdiction within the United States;
                    (C) own or control, are owned or controlled by, are 
                under common ownership or control with, or are 
                successors to, an entity described in subparagraph (A);
                    (D) own or control, are under common ownership or 
                control with, or are successors to, an entity described 
                in subparagraph (A); or
                    (E) have entered into an agreement with or accepted 
                funding from, whether in the form of minority 
                investment interest or debt, have entered into a 
                partnership with, or have entered into another 
                contractual or other written arrangement with, an 
                entity described in subparagraph (A).
            (2) Updates to list.--The United States Trade 
        Representative shall update the list required by paragraph (1), 
        based on information provided by the Attorney General and the 
        Administrator--
                    (A) not less frequently than every 90 days during 
                the 180-day period following the initial publication of 
                the list under paragraph (1); and
                    (B) not less frequently than annually thereafter.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section, the definitions in section 47102 
of title 49, United States Code, shall apply.

SEC. 646. ENSURING THAT CERTAIN PROJECTS RELATED TO NATURAL HAZARDS AND 
              EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ARE ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING UNDER THE 
              FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION'S AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Intermodal Planning.--Section 47101(g) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), in the second sentence, by inserting 
        ``(including long-term resilience from the impact of natural 
        hazards and severe weather events)'' after ``environmental''; 
        and
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(E) consider the impact of hazardous weather 
                events on long-term operational resilience.''.
    (b) Definition of Airport Development.--Section 47102(3) of title 
49, United States Code, as amended by section 601, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subparagraphs:
                    ``(W) improvements, supported by planning or 
                resiliency studies, or planning for improvements, of 
                primary runways, taxiways, and aprons necessary at an 
                airport to increase operational resilience to prepare 
                the airport for resuming or maintaining flight 
                operations in the event of an earthquake, flooding, 
                high water, sea level rise, a hurricane, a tropical 
                storm, a cyclone, storm surge, a tidal wave, a tornado, 
                a tsunami, wind driven water, wildfire, land 
                instability, or a winter storm.
                    ``(X)(i) in the case of an airport that meets each 
                of the requirements described in clause (ii)--
                            ``(I) planning for disaster preparedness 
                        associated with maintaining airport operations 
                        during a natural disaster;
                            ``(II) acquiring airport communication 
                        equipment and fixed emergency generators that 
                        are not eligible for funding under programs 
                        funded under the Department of Homeland 
                        Security; and
                            ``(III) constructing, expanding, or 
                        improving airfield infrastructure to include 
                        aprons and terminal buildings the Secretary of 
                        Transportation determines will facilitate 
                        disaster response at the airport.
                    ``(ii) The requirements described in this clause 
                are the following:
                            ``(I) The airport and the facilities and 
                        fixed-based operators on, or connected with, 
                        the airport are operated and maintained in a 
                        manner the Secretary of Transportation 
                        considers suitable for disaster relief. An 
                        airport shall not be considered as failing to 
                        meet the requirement under the preceding 
                        sentence if a runway is unusable because the 
                        runway is under scheduled maintenance or is in 
                        need of necessary repairs.
                            ``(II) The airport has developed an 
                        emergency natural disaster management plan in 
                        coordination with State and local officials.''.

SEC. 647. VISUAL WEATHER OBSERVATION SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall finalize research of VWOS and 
develop standard operation specifications for operator use.
    (b) Deployment.--Not later than 180 days after completing the tasks 
required by subsection (a), the Administrator shall begin deployment of 
VWOS at locations in the non-contiguous States with instrument flight 
rules operations where AWOS or ASOS do not exist.
    (c) Modifications.--Upon the request of an aircraft operator, the 
Administrator shall issue or modify the standard operation 
specifications for VWOS developed under subsection (a) to allow VWOS to 
be used to satisfy the requirements for supplemental noncertified local 
weather observations under section 322 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44720 note).
    (d) Report.--Not later than September 30, 2028, the Administrator 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the 
implementation of this section.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) ASOS.--The term ``ASOS'' means an Automated Surface 
        Observing System.
            (2) AWOS.--The term ``AWOS'' means an Automated Weather 
        Observation System.
            (3) VWOS.--The term ``VWOS'' means a Visual Weather 
        Observation System.

SEC. 648. TRANSFERS OF AIR TRAFFIC SYSTEMS ACQUIRED WITH AIP FUNDING.

    Section 44502(e) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``An airport'' and 
        inserting ``Subject to paragraph (4), an airport in a non-
        contiguous State'';
            (2) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (B) by striking ``or'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (C) by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; or''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                subparagraph:
                    ``(D) a Medium Intensity Approach Lighting System 
                with Runway Alignment Indicator Lights.''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Exception.--The requirement under paragraph (1) that 
        an eligible air traffic system or equipment be purchased in 
        part using a Government airport aid program, airport 
        development aid program, or airport improvement project grant 
        shall not apply if the air traffic system or equipment is 
        installed at an airport that is categorized as a basic or local 
        general aviation airport under the most recently published 
        national plan of integrated airport systems under section 
        47103.''.

SEC. 649. CONSIDERATION OF SMALL HUB CONTROL TOWERS.

    In selecting projects for the replacement of Federally-owned air 
traffic control towers from funds made available pursuant to title VIII 
of division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 
117-58) under the heading ``Federal Aviation Administration--Facilities 
and Equipment'', the Administrator shall consider selecting projects at 
small hub commercial service airports with control towers that are at 
least 50 years old.

SEC. 650. CODIFICATION OF FAA NOTICE OF POLICY RELATING TO ADDRESSING 
              DISPUTED CHANGES OF SPONSORSHIP AT FEDERALLY OBLIGATED, 
              PUBLICLY OWNED AIRPORTS.

    The notice of policy of the FAA entitled ``Notice of Policy on 
Evaluating Disputed Changes of Sponsorship at Federally Obligated 
Airports'' (81 Fed. Reg. 36144 (June 6, 2016)) is enacted into law.

SEC. 651. ELIGIBLE REVENUE-PRODUCING FACILITIES AT RURAL PUBLIC-USE 
              GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS.

    The Administrator shall not restrict funding for eligible revenue-
producing facilities at rural public use general aviation airports. Any 
such facilities shall be identified in the airport's master plan.

SEC. 652. INCREASING THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF AIRPORT POWER SOURCES.

    (a) In General.--Section 47140 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by inserting after the first 
        sentence the following new sentence: ``To the maximum extent 
        practicable, the Secretary shall provide technical assistance 
        to the sponsor of each public-use airport to consider the 
        ability of electrochromic glass to maximize energy efficiency 
        and peak load savings.''; and
            (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``that will increase 
        energy efficiency at the airport'' and inserting ``that will 
        maximize increases in energy efficiency and peak load savings 
        at the airport''.
    (b) Airport Development Definition.--Section 47102(3)(P) of title 
49, United States Code, is amended by inserting ``, electrochromic 
glass (as defined in section 1009 of the Energy Policy Act of 2020 
(Public Law 116-260; 134 Stat. 2438)),'' after ``electrical 
generators''.

                  TITLE VII--AIR SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS

                   Subtitle A--Consumer Enhancements

SEC. 701. ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AVIATION CONSUMER PROTECTION.

    (a) Extension.--Section 411(h) of the FAA Modernization and Reform 
Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 42301 prec. note) is amended by striking ``March 
8, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2028''.
    (b) Additional Members.--Section 411(b) of the FAA Modernization 
and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 42301 prec. note) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting a semicolon; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) foreign air carriers;
            ``(6) nonprofit public interest groups with expertise in 
        disability and accessibility matters; and
            ``(7) ticket agents.''.

SEC. 702. REFUNDS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 423 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 42304 the following:
``Sec. 42305. Refunds for cancelled or significantly delayed or changed 
              flights
    ``(a) In General.--In the case of a passenger that holds a 
nonrefundable ticket on a scheduled flight to, from, or within the 
United States, an air carrier or a foreign air carrier shall, upon 
request of the passenger, promptly provide a full refund, including any 
taxes and ancillary fees, for the fare such carrier collected for any 
cancelled flight or significantly delayed or changed flight where the 
passenger chooses not to--
            ``(1) fly on the significantly delayed or changed flight or 
        accept rebooking on an alternative flight; or
            ``(2) accept any voucher, credit, or other form of 
        compensation offered by the air carrier or foreign air carrier 
        pursuant to subsection (c).
    ``(b) Timing of Refund.--Any refund required under subsection (a) 
shall be issued by the air carrier or foreign air carrier--
            ``(1) in the case of a ticket purchased with a credit card, 
        not later than 7 business days after the request for the 
        refund; or
            ``(2) in the case of a ticket purchased with cash or 
        another form of payment, not later than 20 days after the 
        request for the refund.
    ``(c) Alternative to Refund.--An air carrier and a foreign air 
carrier may offer a voucher, credit, or other form of compensation as 
an alternative to providing a refund required by subsection (a) but 
only if--
            ``(1) the offer includes a clear and conspicuous notice 
        of--
                    ``(A) the terms of the offer; and
                    ``(B) the passenger's right to a full refund under 
                this section; and
            ``(2) the voucher, credit, or other form of compensation 
        remains valid and redeemable by the consumer for a period of at 
        least 5 years from the date on which the voucher, credit, or 
        other form of compensation is issued.
    ``(d) Significantly Delayed or Changed Flight.--In defining 
`significantly delayed or changed flight' for purposes of this section, 
the Secretary shall ensure that such term includes, at a minimum, a 
flight where the passenger arrives at a destination airport--
            ``(1) in the case of a domestic flight, 3 or more hours 
        after the original scheduled arrival time; and
            ``(2) in the case of an international flight, 6 or more 
        hours after the original scheduled arrival time.
    ``(e) Application to Ticket Agents.--Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation 
shall issue a final rule to apply refund requirements to ticket agents 
in the case of cancelled flights and significantly delayed or changed 
flights.
``Sec. 42306. Refund portal
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than the date that is 270 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Transportation 
shall require covered entities to prominently display at the top of the 
homepage of the covered entity's public internet website a link that 
passengers eligible for a refund may use to request a refund.
    ``(b) Covered Entity Defined.--In this subsection, the term 
`covered entity' means--
            ``(1) an air carrier or foreign air carrier that provides 
        scheduled passenger air transportation by operating an aircraft 
        that as originally designed has a passenger capacity of 30 or 
        more seats; and
            ``(2) a ticket agent that sells scheduled passenger service 
        on an aircraft that as originally designed has a passenger 
        capacity of 30 or more seats.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 423 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 42304 the following:

``42305. Refunds for cancelled or significantly delayed or changed 
                            flights.
``42306. Refund Portal.''.

SEC. 703. AIRLINE PASSENGER RIGHTS TRANSPARENCY ACT.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) Air travel is an essential part of modern life, and 
        passengers have certain rights and protections under the law.
            (2) Passengers are often not aware of such rights and 
        protections under the law.
            (3) To address this problem, airports, air carriers, and 
        foreign air carriers must provide clear and concise information 
        regarding passenger rights in a manner that is easily 
        accessible and understandable to all passengers.
    (b) Transparency Requirements.--
            (1) Consumer complaints.--Section 42302 of title 49, United 
        States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
        subsection:
    ``(f) Notice to Passengers on Electronic Flight Itinerary Ticket 
Confirmation.--Each air carrier and foreign air carrier shall provide 
on any electronic flight itinerary ticket confirmation issued by the 
carrier a link to the Aviation Consumer Protection website and the Air 
Travel Service Complaint or Comment Form website of the Department of 
Transportation.''.
            (2) Know your rights posters.--
                    (A) In general.--Chapter 423 of title 49, United 
                States Code, as amended by section 703(a), is amended 
                by inserting after section 42306 the following:
``Sec. 42307. Know your rights posters
    ``(a) In General.--Each large hub airport, medium hub airport, and 
small hub airport (as such terms are defined in section 40102) with 
scheduled passenger service shall prominently display posters that 
clearly and concisely outline the rights of airline passengers under 
Federal law with respect to, at a minimum--
            ``(1) flight delays and cancellations;
            ``(2) refunds;
            ``(3) bumping of passengers from flights and the oversale 
        of flights; and
            ``(4) lost, delayed, or damaged baggage.
    ``(b) Location.--Such posters shall be displayed in conspicuous 
locations throughout the airport, including ticket counters, security 
checkpoints, and boarding gates.
    ``(c) Accessibility Assistance.--Each large hub airport, medium hub 
airport, and small hub airport (as such terms are defined in section 
40102) with scheduled passenger service shall ensure that passengers 
with a disability (as defined in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of 
Federal Regulations) who identify themselves as such are notified of 
the availability of accessibility assistance and shall assist such 
passengers in connecting to the appropriate entities to obtain the same 
information required in this section that is provided to other 
passengers.''.
                    (B) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for chapter 
                423 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by 
                section 703(b), is amended by inserting after the item 
                relating to section 42306 the following:

``42307. Know your rights posters.''.
            (3) Effective date.--The amendments made by this subsection 
        shall take effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section.

SEC. 704. DISCLOSURE OF ANCILLARY FEES.

    (a) Flexibility.--
            (1) In general.--In determining whether a practice is an 
        unfair or deceptive practice under section 41712 of title 49, 
        United States Code, with respect to the disclosure of ancillary 
        fees, the Secretary, shall provide air carriers, foreign air 
        carriers, and ticket agents with the flexibility to develop the 
        manner in which such information is transmitted to consumers as 
        long as such information (consistent with the objective of 
        assuring that consumers are provided with usable, current, and 
        accurate information on critical ancillary fees in a format 
        that the consumer can easily compare multiple flight options) 
        is--
                    (A) presented to the consumer in a reasonable and 
                transparent manner prior to booking; and
                    (B) displayed in a format that assists the consumer 
                in making more informed decisions.
            (2) Critical ancillary fees defined.--For purposes of 
        paragraph (1), the term ``critical ancillary fees'' means--
                    (A) fees for--
                            (i) the first and second checked bag of an 
                        airline passenger;
                            (ii) one carry-on bag of an airline 
                        passenger;
                            (iii) changing or canceling a reservation; 
                        and
                            (iv) adjacent seating when traveling with a 
                        child that is 13 years of age or younger; and
                    (B) any other fees for ancillary services that are 
                identified by the Secretary in the rule finalizing the 
                proposed rule published by the Secretary on March 3, 
                2023, and titled ``Enhancing Transparency of Airline 
                Ancillary Service Fees'' (88 Fed. Reg. 13389) as being 
                critical to consumers in choosing among air 
                transportation options.
    (b) Ticket Agents.--The Secretary shall not find that a ticket 
agent is out of compliance with a requirement in the final rule 
described in subsection (a)(2)(B) with respect to the disclosure of 
critical ancillary fees if the Secretary determines that such 
noncompliance is due to the failure of an air carrier or foreign air 
carrier to provide the ticket agent with the information required to 
comply with such requirement.

SEC. 705. ACCESS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE ASSISTANCE FOR ALL TRAVELERS.

    (a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
            (1) In the event of a cancelled or delayed flight, it is 
        important for customers to be able to easily access information 
        about the status of their flight and any alternative flight 
        options.
            (2) During a period of mass cancellations, customers may be 
        unable to easily connect, either in-person or through a toll-
        free customer service phone number, with a customer service 
        representative of an air carrier.
            (3) While many air carriers have robust online and smart 
        phone application chat resources, many customers may not have 
        access to those resources, and customers often have time-
        sensitive questions that cannot be answered through an 
        automated service or website.
            (4) Not all customers of air carriers are able to easily 
        use online and chat resources.
            (5) Customers should be able to access real-time assistance 
        from customer service agents of air carriers without an 
        excessive wait time, particularly during times of mass 
        disruptions.
    (b) Transparency Requirements.--
            (1) Requirement to maintain a live customer chat or 
        monitored text messaging number.--Chapter 423 of title 49, 
        United States Code, as amended by section 704(b), is amended by 
        inserting after section 42307 the following:
``Sec. 42308. Requirement to maintain a live customer chat or monitored 
              text messaging number
    ``(a) Requirement.--
            ``(1) In general.--A covered air carrier that operates a 
        domestic or international flight to, from, or within the United 
        States shall, in addition to maintaining a toll-free customer 
        service telephone line, maintain a live customer chat or 
        monitored text messaging number that enables customers to speak 
        to a live agent directly.
            ``(2) Provision of services.--The services required under 
        subsection (a) shall be provided to customers without charge 
        for the use of such services, and shall be available in real 
        time and on a 24 hour/7 days a week basis.
    ``(b) Rulemaking Authority.--The Secretary shall promulgate such 
rules as may be necessary to carry out this section.
    ``(c) Covered Air Carrier Defined.--In this section, the term 
`covered air carrier' means an air carrier that provides scheduled 
passenger air transportation by operating an aircraft that as 
originally designed has a passenger capacity of 30 or more seats.
    ``(d) Effective Date.--Beginning on the date that is 120 days after 
the date of enactment of this section, a covered air carrier shall 
comply with the requirement specified in subsection (b) without regard 
to whether the Secretary has promulgated any rules to carry out this 
section as of the date that is 120 days after such date of 
enactment.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for chapter 423 of 
        title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 704(b), is 
        amended by inserting after the item relating to section 42307 
        the following:

``42308. Requirement to maintain a live customer chat or monitored text 
                            messaging number.''.

SEC. 706. FREQUENT FLYER PROGRAMS AND VOUCHERS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 423 of title 49, United States Code, as 
amended by section 706(b), is amended by inserting after section 42308 
the following new section:
``Sec. 42309. Frequent flyer programs
    ``(a) Reduction in Benefits.--An air carrier may not reduce or 
devalue the benefits, rewards, points, or other accrued value of an 
existing account holder of a frequent flyer program unless the air 
carrier provides such account holder not less than 90 days notice of 
such reduction or devaluation.
    ``(b) Expiration of Benefits.--
            ``(1) Initial notification.--Upon the issuance of any 
        flight voucher or flight credit, an air carrier or ticket 
        agent, where applicable, shall notify the recipient of such 
        voucher or credit of the expiration date of the voucher or 
        credit. The air carrier or ticket agent, where applicable and 
        upon request by an individual who self-identifies as having a 
        disability (as defined in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations), shall provide such notification in an 
        electronic format that is accessible to the recipient.
            ``(2) Subsequent notification.--Not less than 30 days 
        before the expiration date of any flight voucher or flight 
        credit issued by an air carrier or ticket agent, the air 
        carrier or ticket agent shall make a reasonable attempt to 
        notify the recipient of such voucher or credit of the 
        expiration date of the voucher or credit.
    ``(c) Definition of Frequent Flyer Program.--In this section, the 
term `frequent flyer program' means a program in which an air carrier 
promises or offers benefits, rewards, points, or other accrued value 
for tickets purchased from the air carrier.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 423 of such 
title, as amended by section 706(b), is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 42308 the following:

``42309. Frequent flyer programs.''.

SEC. 707. AIRLINE CUSTOMER SERVICE DASHBOARDS.

    (a) Dashboards.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 423 of title 49, United States 
        Code, as amended by section 707(a), is amended by inserting 
        after section 42309 the following:
``Sec. 42310. DOT airline customer service dashboards
    ``(a) Requirement to Establish and Maintain Publicly Available 
Dashboards.--The Secretary of Transportation (in this section referred 
to as the `Secretary') shall establish, maintain, and make publicly 
available, the following online dashboards for purposes of keeping 
aviation consumers informed with respect to certain policies of, and 
services provided by, large air carriers (as defined by the Secretary) 
to the extent that such policies or services exceed what is required by 
Federal law:
            ``(1) Delay and cancellation dashboard.--A dashboard that 
        displays information regarding the services and compensation 
        provided by each large air carrier to mitigate any passenger 
        inconvenience caused by a delay or cancellation due to 
        circumstances in the control of such carrier. The website on 
        which such dashboard is displayed shall explain the 
        circumstances under which a delay or cancellation is not due to 
        circumstances in the control of the large air carrier (such as 
        a delay or cancellation due to a weather event or an 
        instruction from the Federal Aviation Administration Air 
        Traffic Control System Command Center).
            ``(2) Family seating dashboard.--A dashboard that displays 
        information regarding which large air carriers guarantee that 
        each child shall be seated adjacent to an adult accompanying 
        the child without charging any additional fees.
            ``(3) Seat size dashboard.--A dashboard that displays 
        information regarding aircraft seat size for each large air 
        carrier, including the pitch, width, and length of a seat in 
        economy class for the aircraft models and configurations most 
        commonly flown by such carrier.
    ``(b) Accessibility Requirement.--In developing the dashboards 
required in subsection (a), the Secretary shall, in order to ensure the 
dashboards are accessible and contain pertinent information for 
passengers with disabilities, consult with the Air Carrier Access Act 
Advisory Committee, the Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board, and any other relevant department or agency to 
determine appropriate accessibility standards, as well as with 
disability advocacy entities, including nonprofit organizations focused 
on ensuring that individuals with disabilities (as defined in section 
382.3, title 14, Code of Federal Regulations) are able to live and 
participate in their communities.
    ``(c) Bureau of Transportation Statistics.--
            ``(1) ATCSCC delays.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Director of the Bureau of 
        Transportation Statistics shall update the reporting framework 
        of the Bureau to create a new `cause of delay' category that 
        identifies and tracks information on delays and cancellations 
        of air carriers (as defined in section 40102) that are due to 
        instructions from the Federal Aviation Administration Air 
        Traffic Control System Command Center.
            ``(2) Family seating complaints.--Not later than 30 days 
        after the date of enactment of this section, the Director of 
        the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shall update the 
        reporting framework of the Bureau to create a new category to 
        identify and track information on complaints related to family 
        seating.
    ``(d) Air Travel Consumer Report.--
            ``(1) ATCSCC delays.--Not later than 30 days after the date 
        on which the Director of the Bureau of Transportation 
        Statistics updates the reporting framework under subsection 
        (c)(1), the Secretary shall include information on delays and 
        cancellations that are due to instructions from the Federal 
        Aviation Administration Air Traffic Control System Command 
        Center in the Air Travel Consumer Report issued by the Office 
        of Aviation Consumer Protection of the Department of 
        Transportation.
            ``(2) Family seating complaints.--Not later than 30 days 
        after the date on which the Director of the Bureau of 
        Transportation Statistics updates the reporting framework under 
        subsection (c)(2), the Secretary shall include information on 
        complaints related to family seating in the Air Travel Consumer 
        Report issued by the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection of 
        the Department of Transportation and on the family seating 
        dashboard required by subsection (a)(2).
    ``(e) Provision of Information.--Each large air carrier shall 
provide to the Secretary such information as the Secretary requires to 
carry out this section.''.
            (2) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish each of 
        the online dashboards required by section 42310(a) of title 49, 
        United States Code, not later than 30 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 423 of title 49, 
United States Code, as amended by section 707(b), is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 42309 the following:

``42310. DOT airline customer service dashboards.''.

SEC. 708. ANNUAL BRIEFINGS ON DISRUPTIONS OF PASSENGER AIR 
              TRANSPORTATION AND PERIODS OF MASS CANCELLATIONS OF 
              SCHEDULED FLIGHTS.

    Section 106(g) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(3) Annually, (and more frequently as needed) brief the 
        Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate on the following:
                    ``(A) The efforts, activities, objectives, and 
                plans of the Administration in continuing to address 
                ongoing concerns about passenger protections during 
                operational meltdowns of air carriers and foreign air 
                carriers.
                    ``(B) The efforts of the Administration to engage 
                with Congress and the public on issues related to 
                operational meltdowns of air carriers and foreign air 
                carriers.''.

SEC. 709. ENHANCING CHILD SAFETY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall issue new or revised guidance 
that provides testing standards to allow for the use of a child 
restraint system on a covered aircraft that meets such testing 
standards, without regard to whether such child restraint system also 
meets the standards set forth in section 571.213 of title 49, Code of 
Federal Regulations.
    (b) Covered Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the term ``covered 
aircraft'' means an aircraft that, as originally designed, has a 
passenger capacity of 30 or more seats.

SEC. 710. CODIFICATION OF CONSUMER PROTECTION PROVISIONS.

    (a) Section 429 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.--
            (1) In general.--Section 429 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
        of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 42301 note prec.) is amended--
                    (A) by transferring such section to appear after 
                section 41726 of title 49, United States Code;
                    (B) by redesignating such section as section 41727 
                of such title 49; and
                    (C) by amending the section heading of such section 
                to read as follows:
``Sec. 41727. Passenger Rights''.
            (2) Technical amendment.--Section 41727 of title 49, United 
        States Code, as transferred and redesignated by paragraph (1), 
        is amended, in subsection (a), by striking ``Not later than 90 
        days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary'' 
        and inserting ``The Secretary''.
    (b) Section 434 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018.--
            (1) In general.--Section 434 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
        of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 41705 note) is amended--
                    (A) by transferring such section to appear after 
                section 41727 of title 49, United States Code, as 
                transferred and redesignated by subsection (a)(1);
                    (B) by redesignating such section 434 as section 
                41728 of such title 49; and
                    (C) by amending the section heading of such section 
                41728 to read as follows:
``Sec. 41728. Airline passengers with disabilities bill of rights''.
            (2) Technical amendment.--Section 41728 of title 49, United 
        States Code, as transferred and redesignated by paragraph (1), 
        is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking ``the section 
                41705'' and inserting ``section 41705'';
                    (B) in subsection (c), by striking ``the date of 
                enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``the date of 
                enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018''; and
                    (C) in subsection (f), by striking ``ensure 
                employees'' and inserting ``ensure that employees''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 417 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

``41727. Passenger rights.
``41728. Airline passengers with disabilities bill of rights.''.

SEC. 711. GAO STUDY ON COMPETITION AND CONSOLIDATION IN THE AIR CARRIER 
              INDUSTRY.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a study assessing 
competition and consolidation in the United States air carrier 
industry. Such study shall include an assessment of--
            (1) the history of mergers in the United States air carrier 
        industry, including whether any claimed efficiencies have been 
        realized;
            (2) the effect of consolidation in the United States air 
        carrier industry, if any, on consumers;
            (3) the effect of consolidation in the United States air 
        carrier industry, if any, on air transportation service in 
        small and rural markets; and
            (4) the current state of competition in the United States 
        air carrier industry as of the date of enactment of this 
        section.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Comptroller General shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report containing the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations for such 
legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller General 
determines appropriate.

SEC. 712. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON THE OPERATIONAL PREPAREDNESS OF AIR 
              CARRIERS FOR PREPARING FOR CHANGING WEATHER AND OTHER 
              EVENTS RELATED TO CHANGING CONDITIONS AND NATURAL 
              HAZARDS.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Comptroller General shall study and 
        assess the operational preparedness of air carriers for 
        preparing for changing weather and other events related to 
        changing conditions and natural hazards, including flooding, 
        extreme heat, changes in precipitation, storms, including 
        winter storms, coastal storms, tropical storms, and hurricanes, 
        and fire conditions.
            (2) Requirements.--As part of the study required by 
        paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall assess the 
        following:
                    (A) The extent to which air carriers are preparing 
                for weather events and natural disasters, as well as 
                changing conditions and natural hazards, that may 
                impact air carriers' operational investments, staffing 
                levels and safety policies, mitigation strategies, and 
                other resiliency planning.
                    (B) How the FAA oversees air carriers' operational 
                resilience to storms and natural disasters, as well as 
                changing conditions.
                    (C) Steps the Federal Government and air carriers 
                can take to improve their operational resilience to 
                storms and natural disasters, as well as changing 
                conditions.
    (b) Briefing and Report.--
            (1) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall brief 
        the appropriate committees of Congress on the study required by 
        subsection (a), together with recommendations for such 
        legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller 
        General determines appropriate.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the briefing 
        required by paragraph (1) is provided, the Comptroller General 
        shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress 
        on the study required by subsection (a), together with 
        recommendations for such legislation and administrative action 
        as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.
    (c) Definition of Air Carrier.--In this section, the term ``air 
carrier'' has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, 
United States Code.

SEC. 713. INCREASE IN CIVIL PENALTIES.

    (a) In General.--Section 46301(a)(1) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended, in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
``$25,000'' and inserting ``$75,000''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
apply to violations occurring on or after the date of enactment.
    (c) Conforming Regulations.--The Secretary shall revise such 
regulations as necessary to conform to the amendment made by subsection 
(a).

SEC. 714. FAMILY SEATING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a notice of 
proposed rulemaking to establish a policy directing air carriers that 
assign seats, or allow individuals to select seats in advance of the 
date of departure of a flight, to seat each young child adjacent to an 
accompanying adult, to the greatest extent practicable, if adjacent 
seat assignments are available at any time after the ticket is issued 
for each young child and before the first passenger boards the flight.
    (b) Prohibition on Fees.--The notice of proposed rulemaking 
described in subsection (a) shall include a provision that prohibits an 
air carrier from charging a fee, or imposing an additional cost beyond 
the ticket price of the additional seat, to seat each young child 
adjacent to an accompanying adult within the same class of service.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Notwithstanding the requirement in 
subsection (a), nothing in this section may be construed to allow the 
Secretary to impose a change in the overall seating or boarding policy 
of an air carrier that has an open or flexible seating policy in place 
that generally allows adjacent family seating as described under this 
section.
    (d) Young Child.--In this section, the term ``young child'' means 
an individual who has not attained 14 years of age.

SEC. 715. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE OF AVIATION CONSUMER PROTECTION.

    Section 102 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (e)(1)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                striking ``7'' and inserting ``8''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``and an 
                Assistant Secretary for Transportation Policy'' and 
                inserting ``an Assistant Secretary for Transportation 
                Policy, and an Assistant Secretary for Aviation 
                Consumer Protection''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(j) Office of Aviation Consumer Protection.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There is established in the 
        Department an Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (referred 
        to in this subsection as the `Office') to administer and 
        enforce the aviation consumer protection and civil rights 
        authorities provided to the Department by statute, including 
        those under section 41712--
                    ``(A) to assist, educate, and protect passengers; 
                and
                    ``(B) to monitor compliance with, conduct 
                investigations relating to, and enforce, including by 
                taking appropriate action to address violations of, 
                aviation consumer protection, civil rights, and 
                aviation economic requirements.
            ``(2) Leadership.--The Office shall be headed by the 
        Assistant Secretary for Aviation Consumer Protection (referred 
        to in this subsection as the `Assistant Secretary').
            ``(3) Transition.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
        of enactment of this subsection, the Office of Aviation 
        Consumer Protection that is a unit within the Office of the 
        General Counsel of the Department which is headed by the 
        Assistant General Counsel for Aviation Consumer Protection, 
        shall cease to exist. The Department shall determine which 
        employees are necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the 
        new Office of Aviation Consumer Protection and those employees 
        shall be transferred from the Office of the General Counsel as 
        appropriate to the newly established Office of Aviation 
        Consumer Protection. To the extent the Office of the General 
        Counsel retains any attorney or hires any new attorney to 
        advise the newly established Office of Aviation Consumer 
        Protection, those attorneys will be located in the remaining 
        offices within the Office of the General Counsel.
            ``(4) Coordination.--The Assistant Secretary shall 
        coordinate with the General Counsel appointed under subsection 
        (e)(1)(E), in accordance with section 1.26 of title 49, Code of 
        Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation), on all legal 
        matters relating to--
                    ``(A) aviation consumer protection; and
                    ``(B) the duties and activities of the Office 
                described in subparagraphs (A) through (C) of paragraph 
                (1).
            ``(5) Annual report.--The Assistant Secretary shall submit 
        to the Secretary, who shall submit to Congress and make 
        publicly available on the website of the Department, an annual 
        report that, with respect to matters under the jurisdiction of 
        the Department, or otherwise within the statutory authority of 
        the Department--
                    ``(A) analyzes trends in aviation consumer 
                protection, civil rights, and licensing;
                    ``(B) identifies major challenges facing 
                passengers; and
                    ``(C) addresses any other relevant issues, as the 
                Assistant Secretary determines to be appropriate.
            ``(6) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated 
        $12,000,000 for fiscal year 2024, $13,000,000 for fiscal year 
        2025, $14,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, $15,000,000 for fiscal 
        year 2027, and $16,000,000 for fiscal year 2028.''.

SEC. 716. EXTENSION OF AVIATION CONSUMER ADVOCATE REPORTING 
              REQUIREMENT.

    Section 424(e) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 
42302 note) is amended by striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2028''.

SEC. 717. ADDITIONAL WITHIN AND BEYOND PERIMETER SLOT EXEMPTIONS AT 
              RONALD REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT.

    (a) Increase in Number of Slot Exemptions.--Section 41718 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection:
    ``(i) Additional Slot Exemptions.--
            ``(1) Increase in slot exemptions.--Not later than 60 days 
        after the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
        2024, the Secretary shall grant, by order, 10 exemptions from--
                    ``(A) the application of sections 49104(a)(5), 
                49109, and 41714 to air carriers to operate limited 
                frequencies and aircraft on routes between Ronald 
                Reagan Washington National Airport and domestic 
                airports located within or beyond the perimeter 
                described in section 49109; and
                    ``(B) the requirements of subparts K, S, and T of 
                part 93, of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            ``(2) Non-limited incumbents.--Of the slot exemptions made 
        available under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make 8 
        available to incumbent air carriers qualifying for status as a 
        non-limited incumbent carrier at Ronald Reagan Washington 
        National Airport as of the date of enactment of the FAA 
        Reauthorization Act of 2024.
            ``(3) Limited incumbents.--Of the slot exemptions made 
        available under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall make 2 
        available to incumbent air carriers qualifying for status as a 
        limited incumbent carrier at Ronald Reagan Washington National 
        Airport as of the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization 
        Act of 2024.
            ``(4) Allocation procedures.--The Secretary shall allocate 
        the 10 slot exemptions provided under paragraph (1) pursuant to 
        the application process established by the Secretary under 
        subsection (d), subject to the following:
                    ``(A) Limitations.--Each air carrier that is 
                eligible under paragraph (2) and paragraph (3) shall be 
                eligible to operate no more and no less than 2 of the 
                newly authorized slot exemptions.
                    ``(B) Criteria.--The Secretary shall consider the 
                extent to which the exemptions will--
                            ``(i) enhance options for nonstop travel to 
                        beyond-perimeter airports that do not have 
                        nonstop service from Ronald Reagan Washington 
                        National Airport as of the date of enactment of 
                        the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024; or
                            ``(ii) have a positive impact on the 
                        overall level of competition in the markets 
                        that will be served as a result of those 
                        exemptions.
            ``(5) Prohibition.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Metropolitan Washington 
                Airports Authority may not assess any penalty or 
                similar levy against an individual air carrier solely 
                for obtaining and operating a slot exemption authorized 
                under this subsection.
                    ``(B) Rule of construction.--Subparagraph (A) shall 
                not be construed as prohibiting the Metropolitan 
                Washington Airports Authority from assessing and 
                collecting any penalty, fine, or other levy, such as a 
                handling fee or landing fee, that is--
                            ``(i) authorized by the Metropolitan 
                        Washington Airports Regulations;
                            ``(ii) agreed to in writing by the air 
                        carrier; or
                            ``(iii) charged in the ordinary course of 
                        business to an air carrier operating at Ronald 
                        Reagan Washington National Airport regardless 
                        of whether or not the air carrier obtained a 
                        slot exemption authorized under this 
                        subsection.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 41718(c)(2)(A) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in clause (i), by striking ``and (b)'' and inserting 
        ``, (b), and (i)''; and
            (2) in clause (ii), by striking ``and (g)'' and inserting 
        ``(g), and (i)''.
    (c) Preservation of Existing Within Perimeter Service.--Nothing in 
this section, or the amendments made by this section, shall be 
construed as authorizing the conversion of a within-perimeter exemption 
or slot at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that is in effect 
on the date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 to 
serve an airport located beyond the perimeter described in section 
49109 of title 49, United States Code.

                       Subtitle B--Accessibility

SEC. 731. EXTENSION OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE AIR TRAVEL NEEDS 
              OF PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES.

    Section 439(g) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 
41705 note) is amended by striking ``March 8, 2024'' and inserting 
``September 30, 2028''.

SEC. 732. MODERNIZATION AND IMPROVEMENTS TO AIRCRAFT EVACUATION.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall conduct a 
        study on improvements to the safety and efficiency of 
        evacuation standards for manufacturers and carriers of 
        transport category airplanes, as described in parts 25 and 121 
        of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (2) Contents.--
                    (A) Requirements.--The study required by paragraph 
                (1) shall include--
                            (i) a prospective risk analysis, as well as 
                        an evaluation of relevant past incidents with 
                        respect to evacuation safety and evacuation 
                        standards;
                            (ii) an assessment of the evacuation 
                        testing procedures described in section 25.803 
                        of such title 14, as well as recommendations 
                        for how to revise such testing procedures to 
                        ensure that the testing procedures assess, in a 
                        safe manner, the ability of passengers with 
                        disabilities, including those who use 
                        wheelchairs or other mobility assistive 
                        devices, to safely and efficiently evacuate an 
                        aircraft;
                            (iii) an assessment of the evacuation 
                        demonstration procedures described in such part 
                        121, as well as recommendations for how to 
                        improve such demonstration procedures to ensure 
                        that the demonstration procedures assess, in a 
                        safe manner, the ability of passengers with 
                        disabilities, including those who use 
                        wheelchairs or other mobility assistive 
                        devices, to safely and efficiently evacuate an 
                        aircraft;
                            (iv) the research proposed in National 
                        Transportation Safety Board Safety 
                        Recommendation A-18-009; and
                            (v) any other analysis determined 
                        appropriate by the Administrator.
                    (B) Considerations.--In conducting the study under 
                paragraph (1), the Administrator shall assess the 
                following:
                            (i) The ability of passengers of different 
                        ages (including infants, children, and senior 
                        citizens) to safely and efficiently evacuate a 
                        transport category airplane.
                            (ii) The ability of passengers of different 
                        heights and weights to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category airplane.
                            (iii) The ability of passengers with 
                        disabilities to safety and efficiently evacuate 
                        a transport category airplane.
                            (iv) The ability of passengers who cannot 
                        speak, have difficulty speaking, use synthetic 
                        speech, or are non-vocal or non-verbal to 
                        safely and efficiently evacuate a transport 
                        category airplane.
                            (v) The ability of passengers who do not 
                        speak English to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category airplane.
                            (vi) The impact of the presence of carry-on 
                        luggage and personal items (such as a purse, 
                        briefcase, laptop, or backpack) on the ability 
                        of passengers to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category airplane.
                            (vii) The impact of seat size and passenger 
                        seating space and pitch on the ability of 
                        passengers to safely and efficiently evacuate a 
                        transport category airplane.
                            (viii) The impact of seats and other 
                        obstacles in the pathway to the exit opening 
                        from the nearest aisle on the ability of 
                        passengers to safely and efficiently evacuate a 
                        transport category airplane.
                            (ix) With respect to aircraft with parallel 
                        longitudinal aisles, the impact of seat pods or 
                        other seating configurations that block access 
                        between such aisles within a cabin on the 
                        ability of passengers to safely and efficiently 
                        evacuate a transport category airplane.
                            (x) The impact of passenger load (the 
                        number of passengers relative to the number of 
                        seats onboard the aircraft) on the ability of 
                        passengers to safely and efficiently evacuate a 
                        transport category airplane.
                            (xi) The impact of service animals on the 
                        ability of passengers (including such service 
                        animals and their handlers) to safely and 
                        efficiently evacuate a transport category 
                        airplane.
                            (xii) Whether an applicant for a type 
                        certificate (as defined in section 44704(e)(7) 
                        of title 49, United States Code) should be 
                        required to demonstrate compliance with FAA 
                        emergency evacuation regulations (as described 
                        in section 25.803 and Appendix J of part 25 of 
                        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations) through 
                        live testing when the Administrator determines 
                        that the new aircraft design is significant.
                            (xiii) Any other factor determined 
                        appropriate by the Administrator.
                    (C) Passengers with disabilities defined.--For 
                purposes of this paragraph, the term ``passengers with 
                disabilities'' means any qualified individual with a 
                disability, as defined in section 382.3 of title 14, 
                Code of Federal Regulations.
    (b) Aviation Rulemaking Committee for Evacuation Standards.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        completion of the study under subsection (a), the Administrator 
        shall establish an Aviation Rulemaking Committee (in this 
        section referred to as the ``Committee'') to review the 
        findings of the study and develop and submit to the 
        Administrator recommendations regarding improvements to the 
        evacuation standards described in parts 25 and 121 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations.
            (2) Composition.--The Committee shall consist of members 
        appointed by the Administrator, including the following:
                    (A) Representatives of industry.
                    (B) Representatives of aviation labor 
                organizations.
                    (C) Aviation safety experts with specific knowledge 
                of the evacuation standards and requirements under such 
                parts 25 and 121.
                    (D) Representatives of the disability community 
                with specific knowledge of accessibility standards 
                regarding evacuations in emergency circumstances.
                    (E) Representatives of the senior citizen 
                community.
                    (F) Representatives of pediatricians.
            (3) Considerations.--In reviewing the findings of the study 
        under subsection (a) and developing recommendations regarding 
        the improvement of the evacuation standards, the Committee 
        shall consider the following:
                    (A) The recommendations made by any prior Aviation 
                Rulemaking Committee regarding the evacuation standards 
                described in such parts 25 and 121.
                    (B) Scientific data derived from the study under 
                subsection (a).
                    (C) Any data gathered from aviation safety 
                reporting programs.
                    (D) The cost-benefit analysis and risk analysis of 
                any recommended standards.
                    (E) Any other item determined appropriate by the 
                Committee.
    (c) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the date on 
which the Committee submits recommendations under subsection (b), the 
Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
report on--
            (1) the findings of the study conducted under subsection 
        (a);
            (2) the recommendations of the Committee under subsection 
        (b); and
            (3) the Administrator's plan, if any, to implement such 
        recommendations.
    (d) Rulemaking.--Not later than 90 days after submitting the report 
to Congress under subsection (c), the Administrator shall issue a 
notice of proposed rulemaking to implement the recommendations of the 
Committee that the Administrator deems appropriate.

SEC. 733. IMPROVED TRAINING STANDARDS FOR ASSISTING PASSENGERS WHO USE 
              WHEELCHAIRS.

    (a) Rulemaking.--The Secretary shall conduct a rulemaking to 
develop requirements for minimum training standards for airline 
personnel or contractors who assist wheelchair users who must board or 
deplane using an aisle chair or other boarding device.
    (b) Requirements.--The training standards developed under 
subsection (a) shall require, at a minimum, that airline personnel or 
contractors--
            (1) complete refresher training every 6 months and be 
        recertified yearly on the job by a superior in order to remain 
        qualified for providing aisle chair assistance; and
            (2) be able to successfully demonstrate each of the 
        following skills in hands-on training sessions before being 
        allowed to board or deplane a passenger using an aisle chair or 
        other boarding device:
                    (A) How to safely use the aisle chair, or other 
                boarding device, including the use of all straps, 
                brakes, and other safety features.
                    (B) How to assist in the transfer of passengers to 
                and from their wheelchair, the aisle chair, and the 
                aircraft's passenger seat, either by physically lifting 
                the passenger or deploying a mechanical device for the 
                lift or transfer.
                    (C) How to effectively communicate with, and take 
                instruction from, the passenger.
    (c) Considerations.--In conducting the rulemaking under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum--
            (1) whether to require air carriers and foreign air 
        carriers to partner with national disability organizations and 
        disabled veterans organizations representing individuals with 
        disabilities who use wheelchairs and scooters in administering 
        and auditing training;
            (2) whether to require air carriers and foreign air 
        carriers to use a lift device, instead of an aisle chair, to 
        board and deplane passengers with mobility disabilities;
            (3) whether air carriers and foreign air carriers should be 
        required to use their own personnel instead of contractors for 
        boarding passengers with limited or no mobility; and
            (4) whether individuals able to provide boarding and 
        deplaning assistance for passengers with limited or no mobility 
        should receive training from medical professionals on how to 
        properly lift these passengers.
    (d) Final Rule.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a final rule 
pursuant to the rulemaking conducted under this section.
    (e) Penalties.--The Secretary may assess a civil penalty in 
accordance with section 46301 of title 49, United States Code, to any 
air carrier or foreign air carrier who fails to meet the requirements 
established under the final rule under subsection (d).

SEC. 734. TRAINING STANDARDS FOR STOWAGE OF WHEELCHAIRS AND SCOOTERS.

    (a) Rulemaking.--The Secretary shall conduct a rulemaking to 
develop minimum training standards related to stowage of wheelchairs 
and scooters on aircraft.
    (b) Requirements.--The training standards developed under 
subsection (a) shall require, at a minimum, that airline personnel or 
contractors--
            (1) complete refresher training every 6 months and be 
        recertified yearly on the job by a superior in order to remain 
        qualified for handling and stowing wheelchairs and scooters; 
        and
            (2) be able to successfully demonstrate each of the 
        following skills in hands-on training sessions before being 
        allowed to handle or stow a wheelchair or scooter:
                    (A) How to properly handle and configure, at a 
                minimum, the most commonly used power and manual 
                wheelchairs and scooters for stowage on each aircraft 
                type operated by the air carrier or foreign air 
                carrier.
                    (B) How to properly review any wheelchair or 
                scooter information provided by the passenger or the 
                assistive device manufacturer.
                    (C) How to properly load, secure, and unload 
                wheelchairs and scooters, including how to use any 
                specialized equipment for loading or unloading, on each 
                aircraft type operated by the air carrier or foreign 
                air carrier.
    (c) Considerations.--In conducting the rulemaking under subsection 
(a), the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum--
            (1) whether to require air carriers and foreign air 
        carriers to partner with wheelchair manufacturers, national 
        disability and disabled veterans organizations representing 
        individuals who use wheelchairs and scooters, and aircraft 
        manufacturers, in administering and auditing training; and
            (2) whether air carriers and foreign air carriers should 
        require personnel or contractors to use specialized equipment 
        in loading and unloading wheelchairs and scooters.
    (d) Final Rule.--Not later than 12 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a final rule 
pursuant to the rulemaking conducted under this section.
    (e) Penalties.--The Secretary may assess a civil penalty in 
accordance with section 46301 of title 49, United States Code, to any 
air carrier or foreign air carrier who fails to meet the requirements 
established under the final rule under subsection (d).

SEC. 735. MOBILITY AIDS ON BOARD IMPROVE LIVES AND EMPOWER ALL.

    (a) Publication of Information Related to Powered Wheelchairs.--
            (1) Advisory circular.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue an 
        advisory circular that provides guidance to air carriers and 
        foreign air carriers (as defined in section 40102 of title 49, 
        United States Code) on publishing information related to 
        powered wheelchairs on the website of such carrier, including--
                    (A) information describing the dimensions of the 
                cargo holds of all aircraft types in the air carrier's 
                fleet, including the dimensions of the cargo hold 
                entry; and
                    (B) in the case of a qualified individual with a 
                disability (as defined in section 382.3 of title 14, 
                Code of Federal Regulations) traveling with a 
                wheelchair (including a power wheelchair, manual 
                wheelchair, or scooter) who has purchased a ticket for 
                a flight from the air carrier but who cannot fly on the 
                existing aircraft because the wheelchair of such 
                qualified individual cannot fit in the cargo hold, 
                information regarding the process for such qualified 
                individual to get a refund of any previously paid 
                fares, fees, and taxes applicable to such flight.
            (2) Requirement.--Not later than 18 months after the date 
        of enactment of this section, each air carrier and foreign air 
        carrier shall be required to publish, in a prominent and easily 
        accessible place on the website of the carrier, the information 
        described in the advisory circular issued under paragraph (1).
    (b) Evaluation of Data Regarding Mishandled Wheelchairs.--Not later 
than 6 months after the date of enactment of this section, and annually 
thereafter, the Secretary shall--
            (1) evaluate data (which shall be delineated by type of 
        wheelchair being mishandled, such as power wheelchairs, manual 
        wheelchairs, and scooters, and by type of mishandling, such as 
        damage (including the type of damage, such as broken drive 
        wheels or casters, bent or broken frames, damage to electrical 
        connectors or wires, control input devices, joysticks, 
        upholstery, or other components, and any other type of damage 
        deemed appropriate by the Secretary), delay, or loss) regarding 
        the frequency of mishandling of wheelchairs (as defined in 
        section 37.3 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations) 
        occurring on aircraft;
            (2) determine whether there are issues with respect to such 
        frequency and type of mishandling; and
            (3) review and report any claims for which an air carrier 
        has conclusive evidence of fraud.
    (c) Report on Mishandled Wheelchairs.--Not later than 6 months 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report (which shall be made 
publicly available on the website of the Department of Transportation) 
regarding the results of each such evaluation and determination under 
subsection (b), including how the Secretary plans to address such 
results through consultation with air carriers, wheelchair 
manufacturers, national disability and disabled veterans organizations, 
and other relevant stakeholders.
    (d) Feasibility of In-cabin Wheelchair Restraint Systems.--
            (1) Roadmap.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a publicly available 
        strategic roadmap that describes how the Department of 
        Transportation and the United States Access Board, 
        respectively, shall, in accordance with the recommendations 
        from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and 
        Mathematics Transportation Research Board Special Report 341--
                    (A) establish a program of research, in 
                collaboration with the Rehabilitation Engineering and 
                Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA), 
                the assistive technology industry, air carriers, 
                original equipment manufacturers, national disability 
                and disabled veterans organizations, and any other 
                relevant stakeholders, to test and evaluate an 
                appropriate selection of WC19-compliant wheelchairs and 
                accessories in accordance with applicable FAA 
                crashworthiness and safety performance criteria, 
                including the issues and considerations set forth in 
                Special Report 341; and
                    (B) sponsor studies that assess issues and 
                considerations, including those set forth in Special 
                Report 341, such as--
                            (i) the likely demand for air travel by 
                        individuals who are nonambulatory if such 
                        individuals could remain seated in their 
                        personal wheelchairs in flight; and
                            (ii) the feasibility of implementing 
                        seating arrangements that would accommodate 
                        passengers in wheelchairs in the main cabin in 
                        flight.
            (2) Study.--If determined to be technically feasible by the 
        Secretary, not later than 2 years after making such 
        determination, the Secretary shall commence a study to assess 
        the economic and financial feasibility of air carriers and 
        foreign air carriers implementing seating arrangements that 
        accommodate passengers with wheelchairs (including power 
        wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, and scooters) in the main 
        cabin during flight. Such study shall include an assessment 
        of--
                    (A) the cost of such seating arrangements, 
                equipment, and installation;
                    (B) the demand for such seating arrangements;
                    (C) the impact of such seating arrangements on 
                passenger seating and safety on aircraft;
                    (D) the impact of such seating arrangements on the 
                cost of operations and airfare; and
                    (E) any other information determined appropriate by 
                the Secretary.
            (3) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which 
        the study under paragraph (2) is completed, the Secretary shall 
        submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a publicly 
        available report describing the results of the study conducted 
        under paragraph (2), together with any recommendations the 
        Secretary determines appropriate.

SEC. 736. PRIORITIZING ACCOUNTABILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY FOR AVIATION 
              CONSUMERS.

    (a) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit a report on aviation consumer complaints related to passengers 
with a disability filed with the Department of Transportation to the 
appropriate committees of Congress, and shall make each annual report 
publicly available.
    (b) Report.--Each annual report submitted under subsection (a) 
shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
            (1) The number of aviation consumer complaints reported to 
        the Secretary related to passengers with a disability filed 
        with the Department of Transportation during the 5 most recent 
        calendar years.
            (2) The nature of such complaints, such as reported issues 
        with--
                    (A) an air carrier, including an air carrier's 
                staff training or lack thereof;
                    (B) mishandling of passengers with a disability or 
                their accessibility equipment;
                    (C) the condition or lack of accessibility 
                equipment or materials;
                    (D) the accessibility of in-flight services, 
                including accessing and utilizing on-board lavatories, 
                for passengers with a disability;
                    (E) difficulties experienced by passengers with a 
                disability in communicating with an air carrier or 
                staff of an air carrier;
                    (F) difficulties experienced by passengers with a 
                disability in being moved, handled, or having their 
                schedule changed without consent;
                    (G) issues experienced by passengers with a 
                disability traveling with a service animal; and
                    (H) such other issues as the Secretary deems 
                appropriate.
            (3) An overview of the review process for such complaints 
        received during such period.
            (4) The median length of time for how quickly review of 
        such complaints were initiated.
            (5) The median length of time for how quickly such 
        complaints were resolved or otherwise addressed.
            (6) Of the complaints that were found to violate section 
        41705 of title 49, United States Code, (commonly known as the 
        ``Air Carrier Access Act of 1986'')--
                    (A) the number of such complaints for which a 
                formal enforcement order was issued; and
                    (B) the number of such complaints for which a 
                formal enforcement order was not issued.
            (7) How many aviation consumer complaints related to 
        passengers with a disability were referred to the Department of 
        Justice for an enforcement action under--
                    (A) section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
                (29 U.S.C. 794);
                    (B) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 
                U.S.C. 12101 et seq.); or
                    (C) any other provision of law.
            (8) How many aviation consumer complaints related to 
        passengers with a disability filed with the Department of 
        Transportation that involved airport staff, or other matters 
        under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration, 
        were referred to the Federal Aviation Administration.
    (c) Definitions.--
            (1) In general.--The definitions set forth in section 40102 
        of title 49, United States Code, and section 382.3 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations, apply to any term defined in such 
        sections that is used in this section.
            (2) Passengers with a disability defined.--In this section, 
        the term ``passengers with a disability'' has the meaning given 
        the term ``qualified individual with a disability'' in section 
        382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.

SEC. 737. ACCESS AND DIGNITY FOR ALL PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL.

    (a) Short Title.--This section may be cited as the ``Access and 
Dignity for All People Who Travel Act of 2023''.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Air carrier.--The term ``air carrier'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Foreign air carrier.--The term ``foreign air carrier'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, 
        United States Code.
            (3) Qualified individual with a disability.--The term 
        ``qualified individual with a disability'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations.
            (4) Service animal.--The term ``service animal'' has the 
        meaning given that term in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations.
    (c) Seating Accommodations for Qualified Individuals With 
Disabilities.--
            (1) In general.--
                    (A) Advanced notice of proposed rulemaking.--Not 
                later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this 
                section, the Secretary shall issue an advanced notice 
                of proposed rulemaking regarding seating accommodations 
                for any qualified individual with a disability.
                    (B) Notice of proposed rulemaking.--Not later than 
                1 year after the date on which the advanced notice of 
                proposed rulemaking under subparagraph (A) is 
                completed, the Secretary shall issue a notice of 
                proposed rulemaking regarding seating accommodations 
                for any qualified individual with a disability.
                    (C) Final rule.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date on which the notice of proposed rulemaking under 
                subparagraph (B) is completed, the Secretary shall 
                issue a final rule regarding seating accommodations for 
                any qualified individual with a disability.
            (2) Requirements.--In carrying out any rulemaking under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall consider the following:
                    (A) The scope and anticipated number of qualified 
                individuals with a disability who--
                            (i) may need to be seated with a companion 
                        to receive assistance during a flight; or
                            (ii) should be afforded bulkhead seats or 
                        other seating considerations.
                    (B) The types of disabilities that may need seating 
                accommodations.
                    (C) Whether such qualified individuals with a 
                disability are unable to obtain, or have difficulty 
                obtaining, such a seat.
                    (D) The scope and anticipated number of individuals 
                assisting a qualified individual with a disability who 
                should be afforded an adjoining seat pursuant to 
                section 382.81 of title 14, Code of Federal 
                Regulations.
                    (E) Any notification given to qualified individuals 
                with a disability regarding available seating 
                accommodations.
                    (F) Any method that is adequate to identify 
                fraudulent claims for seating accommodations.
                    (G) Any other information determined appropriate by 
                the Secretary.
    (d) Known Service Animal User Travel Pilot Program.--
            (1) Pilot program.--
                    (A) Establishment.--
                            (i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
                        establish a pilot program to allow approved 
                        program participants as known service animal 
                        users for the purpose of exemption from the 
                        documentation requirements under part 382 of 
                        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, with 
                        respect to air travel with a service animal.
                            (ii) Requirements.--The pilot program 
                        established under clause (i) shall--
                                    (I) be optional;
                                    (II) provide to applicants 
                                assistance, including over-the-phone 
                                assistance, throughout the application 
                                process for the program;
                                    (III) with respect to any web-based 
                                components of the pilot program, meet 
                                or exceed the standards described in 
                                section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act 
                                of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) and the 
                                regulations implementing that Act as 
                                set forth in part 1194 of title 36, 
                                Code of Federal Regulations; and
                                    (IV) exempt participants of the 
                                pilot program from any documentation 
                                requirements under part 382 of title 
                                14, Code of Federal Regulations.
                    (B) Consultation.--In establishing the pilot 
                program under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 
                consult with--
                            (i) disability advocacy entities, including 
                        nonprofit organizations focused on ensuring 
                        that individuals with disabilities are able to 
                        live and participate in their communities;
                            (ii) air carriers and foreign air carriers;
                            (iii) accredited service animal training 
                        programs and authorized registrars, such as the 
                        International Guide Dog Federation, Assistance 
                        Dogs International, and other similar 
                        organizations and foreign and domestic 
                        governmental registrars of service animals;
                            (iv) other relevant departments or agencies 
                        of the Federal Government; and
                            (v) other entities determined to be 
                        appropriate by the Secretary.
                    (C) Eligibility.--To be eligible to participate in 
                the pilot program under this paragraph, an individual 
                shall--
                            (i) be a qualified individual with a 
                        disability;
                            (ii) require the use of a service animal 
                        because of a disability; and
                            (iii) submit an application to the 
                        Secretary at such time, in such manner, and 
                        containing such information as the Secretary 
                        may require.
                    (D) Clarification.--The Secretary may award a grant 
                or enter into a contract or cooperative agreement in 
                order to carry out this paragraph.
                    (E) Nominal fee.--The Secretary may require an 
                applicant to pay a nominal fee (not to exceed $25) to 
                participate in the pilot program.
                    (F) Reports to congress.--
                            (i) Planning report.--Not later than 1 year 
                        after the date of enactment of this section, 
                        the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
                        committees of Congress a publicly available 
                        report describing the implementation plan for 
                        the pilot program under this paragraph.
                            (ii) Annual report.--Not later than 1 year 
                        after the establishment of the pilot program 
                        under this paragraph, and annually thereafter 
                        until the date described in subparagraph (G), 
                        the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
                        committees of Congress a publicly available 
                        report on the progress of the pilot program.
                            (iii) Final report.--Not later than 5 years 
                        after the date of enactment of this section, 
                        the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
                        committees of Congress a publicly available 
                        final report that includes recommendations for 
                        the establishment and implementation of a 
                        permanent known service animal user travel 
                        program for the Federal Government.
                    (G) Sunset.--The pilot program shall terminate on 
                the date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of 
                this section.
            (2) Accredited service animal training programs and 
        authorized registrars.--Not later than 6 months after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall publish on 
        the website of the Department of Transportation and maintain a 
        list of--
                    (A) accredited programs that train service animals; 
                and
                    (B) authorized registrars that evaluate service 
                animals.
            (3) Report to congress on service animal requests.--Not 
        later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, 
        and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report on requests for air 
        travel with service animals, including--
                    (A) during the reporting period, how many requests 
                to board an aircraft with a service animal were made; 
                and
                    (B) the number and percentage of such requests, 
                categorized by type of request, that were reported by 
                air carriers or foreign air carriers as--
                            (i) granted;
                            (ii) denied; or
                            (iii) fraudulent.
            (4) Training.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the 
                date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall, 
                in consultation with the Air Carrier Access Act 
                Advisory Committee, issue guidance regarding 
                improvements to training for airline personnel 
                (including contractors) in recognizing when a qualified 
                individual with a disability is traveling with a 
                service animal.
                    (B) Requirements.--The guidance issued under 
                paragraph (1) shall--
                            (i) take into account respectful engagement 
                        with and assistance for individuals with a wide 
                        range of visible and non-visible disabilities;
                            (ii) provide information on--
                                    (I) service animal behavior and 
                                whether the service animal is 
                                appropriately harnessed, leashed, or 
                                otherwise tethered; and
                                    (II) the various types of service 
                                animals, such as guide dogs, hearing or 
                                signal dogs, psychiatric service dogs, 
                                sensory or social signal dogs, and 
                                seizure response dogs; and
                            (iii) outline the rights and 
                        responsibilities of the handler of the service 
                        animal.

SEC. 738. EQUAL ACCESSIBILITY TO PASSENGER PORTALS.

    (a) Applications and Information Communication Technologies.--
            (1) Rulemaking.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue a notice 
        of proposed rulemaking to ensure that customer-focused 
        websites, applications, and information communication 
        technologies (including those used to notify any individual 
        with a disability of changes to flight information (such as 
        delays, gate changes, or boarding announcements), passenger 
        safety information, or in-flight services and updates) of an 
        air carrier, foreign air carrier, or airport are accessible.
            (2) Final rule.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Secretary shall promulgate a 
        final rule for the purposes described in paragraph (1).
            (3) Considerations.--In any rulemaking under this 
        subsection, the Secretary--
                    (A) shall consider--
                            (i) the standards described in section 508 
                        of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 
                        794d); and
                            (ii) the regulations implementing that Act 
                        as set forth in part 1194 of title 36, Code of 
                        Federal Regulations; and
                    (B) may consider--
                            (i) additional standards, including those 
                        provided in the Web Content Accessibility 
                        Guidelines 2.1 Level AA of the Web 
                        Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web 
                        Consortium (or subsequent versions); and
                            (ii) the technical capabilities of the 
                        information communication technology.
            (4) Consultation.--For purposes of this section, the 
        Secretary may consult with the Architectural and Transportation 
        Barriers Compliance Board and any other relevant department or 
        agency to determine appropriate accessibility standards.
            (5) Review.--Not later than 5 years after promulgating the 
        final rule under paragraph (2), and every 5 years thereafter, 
        the Secretary shall review the rules issued under this 
        subsection and update such rules as necessary.
    (b) Audit.--
            (1) Initial audit.--
                    (A) Requirement.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date on which the Secretary promulgates the final rule 
                under subsection (a)(2), and subsequently thereafter as 
                described in paragraph (3), the Secretary shall 
                commence an audit of each customer-focused website, 
                application, or information communication technology of 
                an air carrier, foreign air carrier, or airport for the 
                purpose of informing improvements that ensure any 
                individual with a disability has equal access to 
                travel, in accordance with such final rule. Such audit 
                shall be limited to a review of the following:
                            (i) The accessibility of any customer-
                        focused website or application of an air 
                        carrier, foreign air carrier, or airport.
                            (ii) The accessibility of the information 
                        communication technology an air carrier, 
                        foreign air carrier, or airport uses to--
                                    (I) notify any individual with a 
                                disability of changes to flight 
                                information (such as delays, gate 
                                changes, or boarding announcements); or
                                    (II) provide services to such 
                                individual, such as checking in, 
                                printing a boarding pass, or printing a 
                                luggage tag.
                            (iii) Other relevant information, as 
                        determined by the Secretary in consultation 
                        with stakeholders from the disability 
                        community, air carriers, foreign air carriers, 
                        airports, and other relevant stakeholders.
                    (B) Notice.--Not later than 9 months before 
                commencing any audit under subparagraph (A), the 
                Secretary shall notify any entity being audited and 
                publish in a prominent place on the website of the 
                Department of Transportation and in an accessible 
                manner, information regarding such audit, including--
                            (i) a notice of the audit;
                            (ii) the standards that the customer-
                        focused website, application, or information 
                        communication technology of an air carrier, 
                        foreign air carrier, or airport must meet; and
                            (iii) the potential civil penalties that 
                        may be assessed for noncompliance with such 
                        standards.
            (2) Clarification.--The Secretary may--
                    (A) award a grant or enter into a contract or 
                cooperative agreement in order to carry out the audits 
                required under paragraph (1); and
                    (B) require any air carrier, foreign air carrier, 
                or airport audited under this section to provide to the 
                Secretary such information as the Secretary requires to 
                carry out any such audit.
            (3) Subsequent audits.--
                    (A) Large air carriers, large hub airports, and 
                medium hub airports.--For purposes of paragraph (1), 
                after the initial audit described in such paragraph, 
                the Secretary shall conduct subsequent audits every 3 
                years thereafter with respect to large air carriers, 
                large hub airports, and medium hub airports.
                    (B) Small air carriers.--For purposes of paragraph 
                (1), after the initial audit described in such 
                paragraph, the Secretary shall conduct subsequent 
                audits every 5 years thereafter with respect to small 
                air carriers.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 1 year after commencing any audit under 
subsection (b), the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a publicly-available report containing the 
following:
            (1) The number of air carriers, foreign air carriers, and 
        airports audited during the reporting period.
            (2) The number of violations per type of operator (air 
        carrier, foreign air carrier, and airport) during the reporting 
        period.
            (3) An analysis of the number and type of violations (such 
        as lack of captions, audio descriptions, image descriptions), 
        with such types being at the discretion of the Secretary.
            (4) Recommendations for such legislation and administrative 
        action as the Secretary determines appropriate.
    (d) Penalties.--Upon completing an audit conducted under subsection 
(b), the Secretary may assess a civil penalty in accordance with 
section 46301 of title 49, United States Code, to any air carrier, 
foreign air carrier, or airport that utilizes a customer-focused 
website, application, or information communication technology that is 
not accessible, as determined by the Secretary.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Air carrier.--The term ``air carrier'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States 
        Code.
            (2) Airport.--The term ``airport'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States Code.
            (3) Application.--The term ``application'' means software 
        that is designed to run on a device, including a smartphone, 
        tablet, self-service kiosk, wearable technology item, or laptop 
        or desktop computer, or another device, including a device 
        developed after the date of enactment of this section, and that 
        is designed to perform, or to help the user perform, a specific 
        task.
            (4) Foreign air carrier.--The term ``foreign air carrier'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, 
        United States Code.
            (5) Individual with a disability.--The term ``individual 
        with a disability'' has the meaning given that term in section 
        382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (6) Information communication technology.--The term 
        ``information communication technology''--
                    (A) means any equipment, system, technology, or 
                process for which the principal function is the 
                creation, manipulation, storage, display, receipt, or 
                transmission of relevant electronic data and 
                information, as well as any associated content; and
                    (B) includes a computer and peripheral equipment, 
                an information kiosk or transaction machine, 
                telecommunications equipment, customer premises 
                equipment, a multifunction office machine, software, a 
                video, or an electronic document.
            (7) Large air carrier.--The term ``large air carrier'' 
        means an air carrier or foreign air carrier operating under 
        part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that 
        operates an aircraft with 125 passenger seats or more.
            (8) Large hub airport.--The term ``large hub airport'' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, 
        United States Code.
            (9) Medium hub airport.--The term ``medium hub airport'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, 
        United States Code.
            (10) Small air carrier.--The term ``small air carrier'' 
        means an air carrier or foreign air carrier operating under 
        part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that 
        operates an aircraft with less than 125 passenger seats.

SEC. 739. STORE ON-BOARD WHEELCHAIRS IN CABIN.

    (a) Requirements.--
            (1) In general.--In the case of an aircraft that is 
        required to be equipped with an on-board wheelchair in 
        accordance with section 382.65 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, an air carrier and a foreign air carrier shall 
        provide in a prominent place on a publicly available internet 
        website of the carrier, and in any place where a passenger can 
        make a reservation, information regarding the rights and 
        responsibilities of both passengers on such aircraft and the 
        air carrier or foreign air carrier, including--
                    (A) that an air carrier or foreign air carrier is 
                required to equip aircraft that have more than 60 
                passenger seats and that have an accessible lavatory 
                (whether or not having such a lavatory is required by 
                section 382.63 of such title 14) with an on-board 
                wheelchair unless an exception described in such 
                section 382.65 applies;
                    (B) that a qualified individual with a disability 
                may request an on-board wheelchair on aircraft with 
                more than 60 passenger seats even if the lavatory is 
                not accessible and that the basis of such request must 
                be that the individual can use an inaccessible lavatory 
                but cannot reach it from a seat without using an on-
                board wheelchair;
                    (C) that the air carrier or foreign air carrier may 
                require the qualified individual with a disability to 
                provide the advance notice specified in section 382.27 
                of such title 14 in order for the individual to be 
                provided with the on-board wheelchair; and
                    (D) if the air carrier or foreign air carrier 
                requires the advance notice described in subparagraph 
                (C), information on how a qualified individual with a 
                disability can make such a request.
            (2) Annual training.--An air carrier and a foreign air 
        carrier shall require that all personnel who regularly interact 
        with the traveling public, including contractors, complete 
        annual training regarding assisting a qualified individual with 
        a disability, including regarding the availability of 
        accessible lavatories and on-board wheelchairs and such 
        individual's right to request an on-board wheelchair.
            (3) Public awareness campaign.--The Secretary shall conduct 
        a public awareness campaign on the rights of qualified 
        individuals with a disability, including with respect to 
        accessible lavatories and such individual's right to request an 
        on-board wheelchair in accordance with section 382.65 of title 
        14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (4) Qualified individual with a disability defined.--In 
        this subsection, the term ``qualified individual with a 
        disability'' has the meaning given such term in section 382.3 
        of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (5) Penalties.--The Secretary may assess a civil penalty in 
        accordance with section 46301 of title 49, United States Code, 
        to any air carrier or foreign air carrier that fails to meet 
        the requirements under paragraph (1) or (2).
    (b) Increased Civil Penalties.--
            (1) In general.--Section 46301(a)(7) of title 49, United 
        States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``to 
                harm''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (A)--
                            (i) in the heading, by striking ``bodily 
                        harm or damage to wheelchair or other mobility 
                        aid'' and inserting ``damage to wheelchair or 
                        other mobility aid, bodily harm, or failure to 
                        equip aircraft with a wheelchair''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``or injury to a passenger 
                        with a disability'' and inserting ``, injury to 
                        a passenger with a disability, or a failure to 
                        equip an aircraft with an on-board wheelchair 
                        pursuant to section 382.65 of title 14, Code of 
                        Federal Regulations (or a successor 
                        regulation)''.
            (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 
        shall apply to flights occurring on or after the effective date 
        of the revision described in subsection (a).

SEC. 740. STANDARDS.

    (a) Aircraft Access Standards.--
            (1) Standards.--
                    (A) Advance notice of proposed rulemaking.--Not 
                later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
                this section, the Secretary shall issue an advanced 
                notice of proposed rulemaking regarding standards to 
                ensure that the aircraft boarding and deplaning process 
                is accessible, in terms of design for and 
                transportation of, and communication with, individuals 
                with disabilities, including individuals who use 
                wheelchairs.
                    (B) Notice of proposed rulemaking.--Not later than 
                1 year after the date on which the advanced notice of 
                proposed rulemaking under subparagraph (A) is 
                completed, the Secretary shall issue a notice of 
                proposed rulemaking regarding standards addressed in 
                subparagraph (A).
                    (C) Final rule.--Not later than 1 year after the 
                date on which the notice of proposed rulemaking under 
                subparagraph (B) is completed, the Secretary shall 
                issue a final rule.
            (2) Covered aircraft, equipment, and features.--The 
        standards prescribed under paragraph (1)(A) shall address, at a 
        minimum--
                    (A) boarding and deplaning equipment;
                    (B) improved procedures to ensure priority cabin 
                stowage for manual assistive devices pursuant to 
                section 382.67 of title 14 of the Code of Federal 
                Regulations; and
                    (C) improved cargo hold storage to prevent damage 
                to assistive devices.
            (3) Consultation.--For purposes of the rulemaking in 
        subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with the Access 
        Board and any other relevant department or agency to determine 
        appropriate accessibility standards.
    (b) In-flight Entertainment Rulemaking.--Not later than 1 year 
after the date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
issue a notice of proposed rulemaking in accordance with the November 
22, 2016 Resolution of the U.S. Department of Transportation ACCESS 
Committee's and the consensus recommendation set forth in Term Sheet 
Reflecting Agreement of the Access Committee Regarding In-Flight 
Entertainment.
    (c) Negotiated Rulemaking on In-cabin Wheelchair Restraint Systems 
and Enplaning and Deplaning Standards.--
            (1) Timing.--
                    (A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after 
                completion of the report required by section 735(d)(3), 
                and if that report finds economic and financial 
                feasibility of air carriers and foreign air carriers 
                implementing seating arrangements that accommodate 
                passengers with wheelchairs (including power 
                wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, and scooters) in the 
                main cabin during flight, the Secretary shall conduct a 
                negotiated rulemaking on new type certificated aircraft 
                standards for seating arrangements that accommodate 
                passengers with wheelchairs (including power 
                wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, and scooters) in the 
                main cabin during flight or an accessible route to a 
                minimum of 2 aircraft passenger seats for passengers to 
                access from their personal assistive devices.
                    (B) Requirement.--The negotiated rulemaking shall 
                include participation of representatives of--
                            (i) air carriers;
                            (ii) aircraft manufacturers;
                            (iii) national disability organizations;
                            (iv) aviation safety experts; and
                            (v) mobility aid manufacturers.
            (2) Notice of proposed rulemaking.--Not later than 1 year 
        after the completion of the negotiated rulemaking required by 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall issue a notice of proposed 
        rulemaking regarding the standards in paragraph (1).
            (3) Final rule.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
        which the notice of proposed rulemaking under paragraph (2) is 
        completed, the Secretary shall issue a final rule regarding the 
        standards in paragraph (1).
            (4) Considerations.--In the negotiated rulemaking and 
        rulemaking required under this subsection, the Secretary shall 
        consider--
                    (A) a reasonable period for the design, 
                certification, and construction of aircraft that meet 
                the requirements;
                    (B) the safety of all persons on-board the 
                aircraft, including necessary wheelchair standards and 
                wheelchair compliance with FAA crashworthiness and 
                safety performance criteria; and
                    (C) the costs of design, installation, equipage, 
                and aircraft capacity impacts, including partial fleet 
                equipage and fare impacts.
    (d) Visual and Tactilely Accessible Announcements.--The Advisory 
Committee established under section 439(g) of the FAA Reauthorization 
Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 41705 note) (as amended by section 731) shall 
examine technical solutions and the feasibility of visually and 
tactilely accessible announcements on-board aircraft.
    (e) Airport Facilities.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall, in direct consultation with 
the Access Board, prescribe regulations setting forth minimum standards 
under section 41705 of title 49, United States Code (commonly known as 
the ``Air Carrier Access Act''), that ensure all gates (including 
counters), ticketing areas, and customer service desks covered under 
such section at airports are accessible to and usable by all 
individuals with disabilities, including through the provision of 
visually and tactilely accessible announcements and full and equal 
access to aural communications.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Access board.--The term ``Access Board'' means the 
        Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.
            (2) Air carrier.--The term ``air carrier'' has the meaning 
        given that term in section 40102 of title 49, United States 
        Code.
            (3) Individual with a disability.--The term ``individual 
        with a disability'' has the meaning given that term in section 
        382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (4) Foreign air carrier.--The term ``foreign air carrier'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 40102 of title 49, 
        United States Code.

SEC. 741. INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS.

    Section 41705(c) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
striking paragraph (1), and inserting the following:
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall--
                    ``(A) not later than 120 days after the receipt of 
                any complaint of a violation of this section or a 
                regulation prescribed under this section, investigate 
                such complaint; and
                    ``(B) provide, in writing, to the individual that 
                filed the complaint and the air carrier or foreign air 
                carrier alleged to have violated this section or a 
                regulation prescribed under this section, the 
                determination of the Secretary with respect to--
                            ``(i) the facts underlying the complaint; 
                        and
                            ``(ii) any action the Secretary is taking 
                        in response to the complaint.''.

                  Subtitle C--Air Service Development

SEC. 751. ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 41731 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Eligible Place Defined.--In this subchapter, the term 
`eligible place' means a place in the United States that--
            ``(1) is at least 75 miles from the nearest medium or large 
        hub airport, if within the 48 contiguous states, which shall 
        not be waived;
            ``(2) had an average of 10 enplanements per service day or 
        more, as determined by the Secretary, during the most recent 
        fiscal year;
            ``(3) during the most recent fiscal year had an average 
        subsidy per passenger, as determined by the Secretary, of--
                    ``(A) less than $500 for locations that are less 
                than 175 driving miles from the nearest large or medium 
                hub airport; and
                    ``(B) less than $1,000 for all locations, 
                regardless of driving distance to a hub; and
            ``(4) is a community that, at any time during the period 
        between September 30, 2010, and September 30, 2011, inclusive--
                    ``(A) received essential air service for which 
                compensation was provided to an air carrier under this 
                subchapter; or
                    ``(B) received notice of intent to terminate 
                essential air service and the Secretary required the 
                air carrier to continue to provide such service to the 
                community.'';
            (2) in subsection (b), by striking ``subsection (a)(1) of 
        this section'' and inserting ``subsection (a)'';
            (3) in subsection (c), by striking ``Subparagraphs (B), 
        (C), and (D) of subsection (a)(1)'' and inserting ``Paragraphs 
        (2), (3), and (4) of subsection (a)'';
            (4) in subsection (d), by striking ``Subsection (a)(1)(B)'' 
        and inserting ``Subsection (a)(2)'';
            (5) by striking subsection (e) and inserting the following:
    ``(e) Waivers.--The Secretary may waive, on an annual basis, 
subsection (a)(2) or subsection (a)(3)(A) with respect to a location if 
the location demonstrates to the Secretary's satisfaction that the 
reason the location averages fewer than 10 enplanements per day or has 
a subsidy higher than $500 per passenger is due to a temporary decline 
in demand; provided, that the Secretary may not provide more than 2 
consecutive waivers of subsection (a)(2) or subsection (a)(3)(A) to any 
location.''; and
            (6) in subsection (f), by striking ``subsection (a)(1)(B)'' 
        and inserting ``subsection (a)(2)''.
    (b) Improvements to Basic Essential Air Service.--
            (1) In general.--Section 41732 of title 49, United States 
        Code, is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``hub 
                        airport'' and all that follows through ``beyond 
                        that airport'' and inserting ``medium or large 
                        hub airport''; and
                            (ii) in paragraph (2), by inserting 
                        ``medium or large'' after ``nearest''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and at 
                        prices'' and all that follows through the 
                        period; and
                            (ii) by striking paragraphs (3) through 
                        (6).
    (c) Level of Basic Essential Air Service.--Section 41733 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)(1)--
                    (A) by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
                following:
                    ``(B) the contractual, marketing, code-share, or 
                interline arrangements the applicant has made with a 
                larger air carrier serving the hub airport;'';
                    (B) by striking subparagraph (C) and redesignating 
                subparagraphs (D) through (F) as subparagraphs (C) 
                through (E), respectively;
                    (C) in subparagraph (D), as so redesignated, by 
                striking ``and'' after the semicolon;
                    (D) in subparagraph (E), as so redesignated, by 
                striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; 
                and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(F) service provided in aircraft with at least 2 
                engines and using 2 pilots.''; and
            (2) in subsection (h), by striking ``by section 332 of the 
        Department of Transportation and Related Agencies 
        Appropriations Act, 2000 (Public Law 106-69; 113 Stat. 1022)'' 
        and inserting ``under section 41731(a)(3)''.
    (d) Ending, Suspending, and Reducing Basic Essential Air Service.--
Section 41734 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``An air carrier'' and inserting 
                ``Subject to subsection (d), an air carrier''; and
                    (B) by striking ``90'' and inserting ``180'';
            (2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the following:
    ``(d) Continuation of Compensation After Notice Period.--
            ``(1) In general.--If an air carrier receiving compensation 
        under section 41733 of this title for providing basic essential 
        air service to an eligible place is required to continue to 
        provide service to the place under this section after the 180-
        day notice period under subsection (a) of this section, the 
        Secretary--
                    ``(A) shall provide the carrier with compensation 
                sufficient to pay to the carrier the amount required by 
                the then existing contract for performing the basic 
                essential air service that was being provided when the 
                180-day notice was given under subsection (a) of this 
                section;
                    ``(B) may pay an additional amount that represents 
                a reasonable return on investment; and
                    ``(C) may pay an additional return that recognizes 
                the demonstrated additional lost profits from 
                opportunities foregone and the likelihood that those 
                lost profits increase as the period during which the 
                carrier or provider is required to provide the service 
                continues.
            ``(2) Authority.--The Secretary may impose contract 
        termination penalties or conditions on compensation that take 
        effect in the event an air carrier provides notice that it is 
        ending, suspending, or reducing basic essential air service.'';
            (3) in subsection (e), by striking ``providing that service 
        after the 90-day notice period'' and all that follows through 
        the period at the end of paragraph (2) and inserting 
        ``providing that service after the 180-day notice period 
        required by subsection (a), the Secretary may provide the air 
        carrier with compensation after the end of the 180-day notice 
        period to pay for the fully allocated actual cost to the air 
        carrier of performing the basic essential air service that was 
        being provided when the 180-day notice was given under 
        subsection (a) plus a reasonable return on investment that is 
        at least 5 percent of operating costs.''; and
            (4) in subsection (f), by inserting ``air'' after ``find 
        another''.
    (e) Enhanced Essential Air Service.--Section 41735 of title 49, 
United States Code, and the item relating to such section in the 
analysis for subchapter II of chapter 417 of such title, are repealed.
    (f) Air Transportation to Noneligible Places.--Section 41736 of 
title 49, United States Code, and the item relating to such section in 
the analysis for subchapter II of chapter 417 of such title, are 
repealed.
    (g) Compensation Guidelines, Limitations, and Claims.--Section 
41737(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``(1)'' before ``The Secretary may''; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (2).
    (h) Joint Proposals.--Section 41740 of title 49, United States 
Code, and the item relating to such section in the analysis for 
subchapter II of chapter 417 of such title, are repealed.
    (i) Essential Air Service Authorization.--
            (1) In general.--Section 41742(a) of title 49, United 
        States Code, is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ``$50,000,000'' 
                and inserting ``$154,400,000'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$155,000,000 
                for fiscal year 2018,'' and all that follows through 
                ``March 8, 2024'' and inserting ``$335,000,000 for 
                fiscal year 2024, $340,000,000 for fiscal year 2025, 
                $342,000,000 for fiscal year 2026, $342,000,000 for 
                fiscal year 2027, and $350,000,000 for fiscal year 
                2028''; and
                    (C) by striking paragraph (3).
            (2) Effective date.--The amendments made by paragraph (1) 
        shall take effect on October 1, 2023.
    (j) Preservation of Basic Essential Air Service at Single Carrier 
Dominated Hub Airports.--Section 41744 of title 49, United States Code, 
and the item relating to such section in the analysis for subchapter II 
of chapter 417 of such title, are repealed.
    (k) Community and Regional Choice Programs.--Section 41745 of title 
49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking subparagraph (E) and 
        redesignating subparagraph (F) as subparagraph (E);
            (2) by striking subsections (b) and (c); and
            (3) by redesignating subsections (d) through (g) as 
        subsections (b) through (e), respectively.
    (l) Marketing Program.--Section 41748 of title 49, United States 
Code, and the item relating to such section in the analysis for 
subchapter II of chapter 417 of such title, are repealed.

SEC. 752. SMALL COMMUNITY AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.

    Section 41743 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (4)(B), by striking ``10-year'' 
                and inserting ``5-year''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (5)(E), by inserting ``or 
                substantially reduced (as measured by enplanements, 
                capacity (seats), schedule, connections, or routes)'' 
                after ``terminated'';
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, which shall 
                begin with each new grant, including same-project new 
                grants, and which shall be calculated on a non-
                consecutive basis for air carriers that provide air 
                service that is seasonal'' after ``3 years'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) to provide assistance to an airport where air service 
        has been terminated or substantially reduced.'';
            (3) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``or the 
                community's current air service needs'' after ``the 
                project'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by striking ``$10,000,000 for 
                each of fiscal years 2018 through 2023'' and all that 
                follows through ``March 8, 2024'' and inserting 
                ``$20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 
                2028'';
            (4) in subsection (g)(4), by striking ``and the creation of 
        aviation development zones''; and
            (5) by striking subsections (f) and (h) and redesignating 
        subsection (g) (as amended by paragraph (4)) as subsection (f).

SEC. 753. GAO STUDY AND REPORT ON THE ALTERNATE ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Study.--The Comptroller General shall study the effectiveness 
of the Alternate Essential Air Service program (in this section 
referred to as the ``Alternate EAS program''), including challenges if 
any that have impeded robust community participation in the Alternate 
EAS program. The study shall include an assessment of potential changes 
to the Alternate EAS program and the basic Essential Air Service 
programs under section 41731 of title 49, United States Code, wherein 
Governors of Essential Air Service eligible States and Puerto Rico are 
given block grants to distribute Essential Air Service funds to 
Essential Air Service eligible communities in their States and Puerto 
Rico.
    (b) Briefing.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Comptroller General shall brief the appropriate 
committees of Congress on the study required by subsection (a), 
together with recommendations for such legislation and administrative 
action as the Comptroller General determines appropriate.

SEC. 754. ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE IN PARTS OF ALASKA.

    Not later than September 1, 2024, the Secretary, in consultation 
with the appropriate State authority of Alaska, shall review all 
domestic points in the State of Alaska that were deleted from carrier 
certificates between July 1, 1968, and October 24, 1978, and that were 
not subsequently determined to be an eligible place prior to January 1, 
1982, as a result of being unpopulated at that time due to destruction 
during the 1964 earthquake and its resultant tidal wave, to determine 
whether such points have been resettled or relocated and should be 
designated as an eligible place entitled to receive a determination of 
the level of essential air service supported, if necessary, with 
Federal funds.

SEC. 755. ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE COMMUNITY PETITION FOR REVIEW.

    (a) In General.--Section 41733 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(i) Community Petition for Review.--
            ``(1) Petition.--An appropriate representative of the 
        community in which an eligible place is located may submit to 
        the Secretary a petition expressing no confidence in the air 
        carrier providing basic essential air service under this 
        section and requesting a review by the Secretary. A petition 
        submitted under this subsection shall demonstrate that the air 
        carrier--
                    ``(A) is unwilling or unable to meet the 
                operational specifications outlined in the order issued 
                by the Secretary specifying the terms of basic 
                essential air service to the community;
                    ``(B) is experiencing reliability challenges with 
                the potential to adversely affect air service to the 
                community; or
                    ``(C) is no longer able to provide service to the 
                community at the rate of compensation specified by the 
                Secretary.
            ``(2) Review.--Not later than 2 months after the date on 
        which the Secretary receives a petition under paragraph (1), 
        the Secretary shall review the operational performance of the 
        air carrier providing basic essential air service to the 
        community that submitted the petition and determine whether the 
        air carrier is fully complying with the obligations specified 
        in the order issued by the Secretary specifying the terms of 
        basic essential air service to the community.
            ``(3) Termination.--If based on a review under paragraph 
        (2), the Secretary determines noncompliance by an air carrier 
        with an order specifying the terms for basic essential air 
        service to the community, the Secretary may--
                    ``(A) terminate the order issued to that air 
                carrier; and
                    ``(B) issue a notice under subsection (c) that an 
                air carrier may apply to provide basic essential air 
                service to the community for compensation under this 
                section and select an applicant under that subsection.
            ``(4) Continuation of service.--If the Secretary makes a 
        determination under paragraph (3) to terminate an order issued 
        to an air carrier under this section, the Secretary shall 
        ensure continuity in air service to the affected community.''.

                        TITLE VIII--NEW ENTRANTS

                 Subtitle A--Unmanned Aircraft Systems

SEC. 801. OFFICE OF ADVANCED AVIATION TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.

    Section 106 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(u) Office of the Associate Administrator for Advanced Aviation 
Technology and Innovation.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Federal 
        Aviation Administration the Office of Advanced Aviation 
        Technology and Innovation (in this subsection referred to as 
        the `Office').
            ``(2) Associate administrator.--The Office shall be headed 
        by an Associate Administrator, who shall--
                    ``(A) be appointed by the Administrator; and
                    ``(B) report directly to the Administrator.
            ``(3) Purposes.--The purposes of the Office are to--
                    ``(A) serve as an entry point for stakeholders to 
                share information with the Federal Aviation 
                Administration on advanced aviation technologies;
                    ``(B) examine the potential impact of advanced 
                aviation technologies on the national airspace system, 
                and methods to safely integrate such technologies into 
                the national airspace system;
                    ``(C) work collaboratively with subject matter 
                experts from all lines of business and staff offices to 
                examine advanced aviation technologies and concepts for 
                integration into the national airspace system in an 
                expeditious manner that takes into account acceptable 
                levels of risk;
                    ``(D) lead cross-U.S. Government collaborative 
                efforts to develop integrated approaches for the 
                acceleration and deployment of Advanced Technologies;
                    ``(E) provide leadership with regard to internal 
                collaboration, industry engagement, and collaboration 
                with international partners;
                    ``(F) lead cross-FAA integration, planning, 
                coordination, and collaboration in support of the 
                integration of advanced aviation technologies;
                    ``(G) support the development of safety cases for 
                advanced aviation technologies in coordination with the 
                operational approval office; and
                    ``(H) coordinate and review approval of advanced 
                aviation technologies, including support to and 
                approval of any required rulemakings, exemptions, 
                waivers, or other types of authorizations, as 
                appropriate.
            ``(4) Duties.--The Associate Administrator shall--
                    ``(A) establish, manage, and oversee the Office of 
                Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation;
                    ``(B) develop and maintain a comprehensive strategy 
                and action plan for fully integrating advanced aviation 
                technologies into the national aviation ecosystem and 
                providing full authorization for operations at scale 
                for each of these technologies;
                    ``(C) collaborate with Federal Aviation 
                Administration organizations to identify and develop 
                specific recommendations to address skills gaps in the 
                existing engineer and inspector workforce involved in 
                the certification and operational approval of safety 
                technology;
                    ``(D) coordinate and review, as appropriate, 
                rulemaking activities related to advanced aviation 
                technologies, including by scoping complex regulatory 
                issues, evaluating internal processes, and positioning 
                the Federal Aviation Administration to support 
                aerospace innovation;
                    ``(E) coordinate and review, as appropriate, 
                applications for type, production, or airworthiness 
                certificates, or alternatives to airworthiness 
                certificates, operating and pilot certification, and 
                airspace authorizations, among others, related to 
                advanced aviation technologies;
                    ``(F) coordinate and review, as appropriate, 
                applications for waivers, exemptions and other 
                operational authorizations;
                    ``(G) coordinate and review the implementation of 
                the process required by section 2209 of the FAA 
                Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (as 
                amended) (49 U.S.C. 40101 note);
                    ``(H) coordinate with the Chief Operating Officer 
                of the Air Traffic Organization and other agency 
                leaders to develop policies to address airspace 
                integration issues at all levels of uncontrolled and 
                controlled airspace;
                    ``(I) implement the BEYOND program and the UAS Test 
                Site Program, among others, and develop other pilot 
                programs in partnership with industry stakeholders and 
                State, local, and Tribal Governments to enable highly 
                automated and autonomous operations of Advanced 
                Technologies unmanned aircraft systems, AAM, and other 
                innovative aviation technologies at scale by providing 
                the data necessary to support rulemakings and other 
                approval processes;
                    ``(J) serve as the designated Federal officer to 
                the Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation 
                Steering Committee;
                    ``(K) serve as the Federal Aviation Administration 
                lead for the Drone Safety Team; and
                    ``(L) use the Federal Aviation Administration's 
                clearinghouse website for publicly available data 
                (commonly referred to as `Data.FAA.gov') to ensure the 
                establishment and implementation of a secure, single-
                sign on for all FAA-related services (including pending 
                certifications, applications, IACRA, CAPS, DroneZone, 
                MedXpress, CARES, and any other service deemed 
                appropriate by the Administrator) with multifactor 
                authentication-protected online capability that allows 
                stakeholders with a new or pending certification or 
                approval application to review the status of such 
                application, receive notice of deadlines and major 
                certification milestones, identify the Administration 
                office that is reviewing such application, and submit 
                inquiries or requests for guidance.
            ``(5) Congressional briefings.--Not later than 60 days 
        after establishing the position in paragraph (1), and on a 
        quarterly basis thereafter, the Administrator shall brief the 
        appropriate committees of Congress on the status of--
                    ``(A) implementing the comprehensive strategy and 
                action plan for fully integrating advanced aviation 
                technologies into the national aviation ecosystem and 
                providing full authorization for operations at scale 
                for each of these technologies;
                    ``(B) rulemakings, major guidance documents, and 
                other agency pilot programs or initiatives supporting 
                the comprehensive strategy and action plan;
                    ``(C) implementing recommendations from the 
                Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation Steering 
                Committee; and
                    ``(D) engagement with international aviation 
                regulators to develop global standards for advanced 
                aviation technologies.
            ``(6) UAS integration office.--Not later than 90 days after 
        the date of enactment of this subsection, the functions, duties 
        and responsibilities of the UAS Integration Office shall be 
        incorporated into the Office.
            ``(7) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) AAM.--The term `AAM' has the meaning given 
                the term `advanced air mobility' in section 2(i)(1) of 
                the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership 
                Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note).
                    ``(B) Advanced aviation technologies.--The term 
                `advanced aviation technologies' means technologies for 
                which introduction has potential safety implications 
                and shall include unmanned aircraft systems, powered-
                lift aircraft, electric propulsion, and super- and 
                hypersonic aircraft.''.

SEC. 802. ADVANCED AVIATION TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION STEERING 
              COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 30 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish an 
Advanced Aviation Technology and Innovation Steering Committee (in this 
section referred to as the ``Steering Committee'') to ensure the FAA's 
comprehensive strategy and action plan for fully integrating unmanned 
aircraft systems, AAM, and other innovative aviation technologies into 
the national aviation ecosystem and providing full authorization for 
operations at scale for each of these technologies as reflects the 
equities and interests of all stakeholders within the agency.
    (b) Chair.--The Associate Administrator for Advanced Aviation 
Technology and Innovation shall serve as the Chair of the Steering 
Committee.
    (c) Composition.--In addition to the Chair, the Steering Committee 
shall consist of at least 1 senior leader of each of the following FAA 
offices:
            (1) Aircraft Certification Service.
            (2) Flight Standards Service.
            (3) Air Traffic Organization.
            (4) Office of Accident Investigation and Prevention.
            (5) Office of Aerospace Medicine.
            (6) Office of Airports.
            (7) Office of Commercial Space.
            (8) Office of Finance and Management.
            (9) Office of NextGen or any successor office.
            (10) Office of the Chief Counsel.
            (11) Office of Rulemaking.
            (12) Office of Policy, International Affairs, and 
        Environment.

SEC. 803. BEYOND VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT OPERATIONS FOR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT 
              SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 44811. Beyond visual line of sight operations for unmanned 
              aircraft systems
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 4 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration (in this section referred to as the `Administrator') 
shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking establishing a regulatory 
pathway for certification or approval of unmanned aircraft systems to 
enable commercial beyond visual line of sight (in this section referred 
to as `BVLOS') operations.
    ``(b) Consultation.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), in 
        promulgating the rule under subsection (a), the Administrator 
        shall implement the final report and recommendations of the 
        Beyond Visual Line of Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee which 
        were submitted to the Administrator on March 10, 2022.
            ``(2) Exception.--If the Administrator determines not to 
        implement 1 or more of the recommendations described in 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator shall provide to the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a statement of explanation 
        for such determination.
    ``(c) Final Rule.--
            ``(1) In general.--Not later than 16 months after the date 
        of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall issue a 
        final rule establishing a regulatory pathway for certification 
        or approval of unmanned aircraft systems to enable commercial 
        BVLOS operations.
            ``(2) Requirements.--The final rule described in paragraph 
        (1) shall, at a minimum, do the following:
                    ``(A) Establish an applicable risk assessment 
                methodology for the authorization of BVLOS unmanned 
                aircraft system operations that includes quantified 
                measures of acceptability that sufficiently account for 
                the total air and ground risks associated with such 
                operations and the means for mitigating such risks, 
                taking into account an aircraft's size, weight, speed, 
                kinetic energy, operational capability, proximity to 
                airports and populated areas, operation over people, 
                and operation beyond the visual line of sight, or 
                operation during the day or night, including 
                consideration of unmanned aircraft using an approved or 
                accepted detect and avoid system appropriate for the 
                class and type of airspace in which the operation is 
                being conducted.
                    ``(B) Establish remote pilot certification 
                standards for remote pilots for BVLOS operations, 
                taking into account varying levels of automated control 
                and management of unmanned aircraft system flights.
                    ``(C) Establish an airworthiness process for small 
                unmanned aircraft systems that requires a 
                manufacturer's declaration of compliance to a Federal 
                Aviation Administration accepted means of compliance, 
                which shall not require type or production 
                certification or the issuance of a special 
                airworthiness certificate.
                    ``(D) Establish a special airworthiness certificate 
                to be issued upon a manufacturer's declaration of 
                compliance to a Federal Aviation Administration 
                accepted means of compliance, which--
                            ``(i) shall not require type or production 
                        certification;
                            ``(ii) shall, at least, govern 
                        airworthiness of any unmanned aircraft system 
                        that--
                                    ``(I) is not--
                                            ``(aa) a small unmanned 
                                        aircraft system; and
                                            ``(bb) appropriate for the 
                                        process described in 
                                        subparagraph (C), as determined 
                                        by the Administrator;
                                    ``(II) has a maximum gross weight 
                                of not more than 1,320 lbs; and
                                    ``(III) has a maximum speed of 100 
                                miles per hour; and
                            ``(iii) may require unmanned aircraft 
                        systems subject to the certificate to operate 
                        in the national airspace system at altitudes 
                        below at least--
                                    ``(I) 400 feet above ground level; 
                                or
                                    ``(II) with respect to an unmanned 
                                aircraft system flown within a 400-foot 
                                radius of a structure, 400 feet above 
                                the structure's immediate uppermost 
                                limit.
                    ``(E) Amend the Code of Federal Regulations to 
                establish generally applicable standards for the type 
                certification of unmanned aircraft systems that the 
                Administrator determines pose higher air or ground 
                risks such that those unmanned aircraft systems are not 
                appropriate for approvals under the processes described 
                in subparagraph (C) or (D).
                    ``(F) Establish operating rules for--
                            ``(i) the operation of the unmanned 
                        aircraft systems described in subparagraphs 
                        (C), (D), or (E); and
                            ``(ii) certain unmanned aircraft systems to 
                        enable lower-risk BVLOS operations without 
                        airworthiness requirements in a manner 
                        consistent with the final report and 
                        recommendations of the Beyond Visual Line of 
                        Sight Aviation Rulemaking Committee described 
                        in subsection (b)(1).
            ``(3) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
        prohibit the use of the manufacturer declarations of compliance 
        required under paragraph (2)(C) for other unmanned aircraft 
        systems.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 44810 the following:

``44811. Beyond visual line of sight operations for unmanned aircraft 
                            systems.''.
    (c) Additional Consideration.--In developing the regulations under 
section 44811 of title 49, United States Code, as added by subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall consider any maneuverability or technology 
limitations of certain aircraft, including hot air balloons.

SEC. 804. EXTENDING SPECIAL AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT 
              SYSTEMS.

    (a) Extension.--Section 44807(d) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by striking ``March 8, 2024'' and inserting ``on the date 
the rules described in section 44811 take effect''.
    (b) Clarification.--Section 44807(a) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by inserting ``or chapter 447'' after 
``Notwithstanding any other requirement of this chapter''.
    (c) Expedited Exemptions.--In exercising authority under section 
44807 of title 49, United States Code (as amended by subsection (a)), 
the Administrator shall, taking into account the statutory mandate to 
ensure safe and efficient use of the national airspace system and 
without requiring a rulemaking or imposing the requirements of part 11 
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, grant exemptions--
            (1) to enable--
                    (A) low-risk beyond visual line of sight 
                operations, such as certain package delivery operations 
                or shielded operations within 100 feet of the ground or 
                a structure; or
                    (B) extended visual line of sight operations that 
                rely on visual observers to keep the aircraft or 
                airspace within view; or
            (2) that are aligned with FAA exemptions that enable beyond 
        visual line of sight operations with the use of acoustics, 
        ground based radar, and other technological solutions.
    (d) Clarification of Status of Previously Issued Rulemakings and 
Exemptions.--
            (1) Rulemakings.--Any rulemaking published prior to the 
        date of enactment of this section under the authority described 
        in section 44807 of title 49, United States Code, shall 
        continue to be in effect following the expiration of such 
        authority.
            (2) Exemptions.--Any exemption granted under the authority 
        described in section 44807 of title 49, United States Code, and 
        in effect as of September 30, 2023, shall continue to be in 
        effect until the date that is 3 years after the date of 
        termination described in such exemption.
            (3) Delegation.--The authority granted to the Secretary in 
        such section 44807 may continue to be delegated to the 
        Administrator in whole or in part.
            (4) Rules of construction.--Nothing in this section shall 
        be construed to interfere with the Secretary's--
                    (A) authority to rescind or amend the granting of 
                an exemption for reasons such as unsafe conditions or 
                operator oversight; or
                    (B) ability to grant an exemption based on a 
                determination made pursuant to such section 44807 prior 
                to the date described in subsection (d) of such 
                section.

SEC. 805. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND NOISE CERTIFICATION.

    (a) National Environmental Policy Act Guidance.--Not later than 90 
days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall publish drone-specific environmental review guidance and 
implementation procedures and thereafter revise such guidance as 
appropriate to carry out the requirements of this section.
    (b) Programmatic Level Approach to NEPA Review.--Not later than 90 
days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator 
shall examine and integrate programmatic-level approaches to the 
requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (including regulations promulgated to carry out 
that Act) for the commercial drone industry to create an efficient 
process for preparing environmental reviews of reasonably foreseeable 
drone operations across a geographic region, for an individual 
operator's network of drone operations within a defined geographic 
region, and for operations within and over commercial and industrial 
sites closed or restricted to the public.
    (c) Developing One or More Categorical Exclusions.--The 
Administrator shall engage in ongoing consultations with the Council on 
Environmental Quality to identify actions that are appropriate for a 
categorical exclusion and shall incorporate such actions in FAA Order 
1050.1F, as amended or revised, from time to time, as, and when, deemed 
appropriate.
    (d) Suspension of Noise Certification Requirement Pending Standards 
Development.--
            (1) In general.--Upon the date of enactment of this 
        section, and notwithstanding the requirements of section 44715 
        of title 49, United States Code, the Administrator shall waive 
        the determination of compliance with part 36 of title 14, Code 
        of Federal Regulations, for drone models seeking type and 
        airworthiness certification, and shall not deny, withhold, or 
        delay such certification due to the absence of a noise 
        certification basis under such part, provided the FAA has 
        developed appropriate noise measurement procedures for such 
        drone models and the FAA has received the noise measurement 
        results based on those procedures from the applicant.
            (2) Duration.--The suspension provided in this subsection 
        shall continue until such time as the Administrator publishes 
        final noise certification standards for drones as amendments to 
        part 36 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, or to another 
        part of title 14 of such Code.
            (3) Deadline for noise certification standards.--Based on 
        drone noise data the Administrator has received in the process 
        of reviewing applications for type and airworthiness 
        certification, in conducting environmental assessments of 
        proposed drone operations under section 44807 of title 49, 
        United States Code, and part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
        Regulations, and from other sources, including standards 
        organizations, the Administrator shall propose generally 
        applicable drone noise certification standards, not later than 
        the date that is 36 months after the date of enactment of this 
        section, and following notice and comment rulemaking 
        procedures, and shall publish final noise certification 
        standards not later than 24 months after the date on which the 
        period for public comment on such proposed generally applicable 
        noise certification standards ends.
    (e) Drone Defined.-- In this section, the term ``drone'' has the 
meaning given the term ``unmanned aircraft'' in section 44801 of title 
49, United States Code.

SEC. 806. THIRD PARTY SERVICE APPROVALS.

    (a) Approval Process.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish 
procedures, which may include a rulemaking, to establish a standard 
approval process for third party service suppliers, including third 
party service suppliers of UTM, in order to fulfill safety functions 
for Beyond Visual Line of Sight.
    (b) Acceptance of Standards.--In establishing the standard approval 
process required by subsection (a), the Administrator shall ensure 
that, to the maximum extent practicable, industry consensus standards, 
such as ASTM International Standard F3548-21, entitled ``UAS Traffic 
Management (UTM) UAS Service Supplier (USS) Interoperability'', are 
included as an acceptable means of compliance for third party services.
    (c) UTM Approval.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall initiate a 
        process, which may include a rulemaking, to define and 
        implement criteria and conditions for the approval and 
        oversight of third party service suppliers of UTM that could 
        have a direct or indirect impact on air traffic services in the 
        national airspace system and require FAA oversight.
            (2) Considerations.--In carrying out the approval process 
        described in paragraph (1) the Administrator shall consider the 
        facilitation and streamlining of processes for global 
        recognition and applicability, including through bilateral 
        aviation safety agreements, implementation procedures, and 
        other associated bilateral arrangements.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Third party service supplier.--The term ``third party 
        service supplier'' means an entity other than the UAS operator 
        or the FAA that provides a distributed service that affects the 
        safety or efficiency of the national airspace system, including 
        UAS Service Suppliers (USS), Supplemental Data Service 
        Providers (SDSPs), and infrastructure providers such as ground-
        based surveillance, command-and-control, and information 
        exchange to another party.
            (2) UTM.--The term ``UTM'' has the meaning given that term 
        in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code.
            (3) UAS.--The term ``UAS'' has the meaning given the term 
        ``unmanned aircraft system'' in section 44801 of title 49, 
        United States Code.

SEC. 807. OPERATIONS OVER THE HIGH SEAS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, and to the extent permitted by treaty 
obligations of the United States, including the Convention on 
International Civil Aviation, the Administrator shall establish and 
implement an operational approval process to permit small unmanned 
aircraft systems (as defined in section 44801 of title 49, United 
States Code), and unmanned aircraft systems (as so defined) with a 
special airworthiness certificate, to operate over the high seas within 
flight information regions for which the United States is responsible 
for operational control.
    (b) Consultation.--In establishing and implementing the approval 
process under subsection (a), the Administrator shall consult with 
appropriate stakeholders outside of the FAA, including industry 
stakeholders.

SEC. 808. EXTENSION OF THE BEYOND PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, as 
amended by section 803(a), is amended by adding at the end the 
following new section:

``SEC. 44812. BEYOND PROGRAM.

    ``During the period beginning on the date of enactment of this 
section and ending on September 30, 2028, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall continue to operate the Federal 
Aviation Administration's BEYOND program (as established on October 26, 
2020) under the same terms and conditions applicable under such program 
as of such date of enactment. A waiver or authority granted under the 
Unmanned Aircraft System Integration Pilot Program established under 
section 351 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 shall continue to 
apply during such period to an entity participating in the BEYOND 
program under such waiver or authority on such date of enactment for so 
long as the entity continues to participate in the BEYOND program.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of title 49, 
United States Code, as amended by section 803(b), is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 44811 the following:

``44812. BEYOND program.''.

SEC. 809. EXTENSION OF THE KNOW BEFORE YOU FLY CAMPAIGN.

    Section 356 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-
254; 132 Stat. 3305) is amended by striking ``2019 through 2023'' and 
inserting ``2024 through 2028''.

SEC. 810. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM DATA EXCHANGE.

    (a) Data Exchange Plan.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall develop and submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a plan to make available data 
that is prudent to ensure the safe integration of unmanned aircraft 
systems into the national airspace system. Such plan shall include the 
following:
            (1) A description of technical efforts to digitize and 
        automate aeronautical information (including through the 
        development and use of an unmanned aircraft systems geospatial 
        information management system) to provide an authoritative 
        source of geospatial information to support the operation of 
        unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace system.
            (2) Suggested refinements to standard sets of aeronautical 
        information for current and upcoming unmanned aircraft systems 
        integration efforts to facilitate the exchange of unmanned 
        aircraft systems data that is relevant to the unmanned aircraft 
        systems community.
            (3) An identification of sensitive flight data that may 
        require information security controls or protection to 
        safeguard the operational security of such flight activity with 
        respect to air navigation services that contain information 
        about sensitive national security or law enforcement flights.
            (4) Means and service fees for the data to be shared 
        consistent with industry standard geospatial formats.
    (b) Coordination.--In developing the plan under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall--
            (1) solicit from the Secretary of the Interior and other 
        departments or agencies, as deemed necessary by the 
        Administrator, information relevant to the safe operation of 
        unmanned aircraft systems in the national airspace system; and
            (2) coordinate with unmanned aircraft systems industry and 
        technical groups to identify an efficient and effective format, 
        method, and cadence for providing the required data.

SEC. 811. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM DETECTION AND MITIGATION ENFORCEMENT 
              AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, as 
amended by sections 803(a) and 808(a), is amended by adding at the end 
the following:
``Sec. 44813. Unmanned aircraft system detection and mitigation 
              enforcement
    ``(a) Prohibition.--
            ``(1) In general.--No person may operate a system or 
        technology to detect, identify, monitor, track, or mitigate an 
        unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system in a manner that 
        adversely impacts or interferes with safe airport operations, 
        navigation, or air traffic services, or the safe and efficient 
        operation of the national airspace system.
            ``(2) Actions by the administrator.--The Administrator of 
        the Federal Aviation Administration may take such action as may 
        be necessary to address the adverse impacts or interference of 
        operations that violate paragraph (1).
            ``(3) Termination.--The prohibition under paragraph (1) 
        shall not apply on or after September 30, 2028.
    ``(b) Penalties.--A person who operates a system or technology in 
violation of subsection (a)(1) is liable to the Federal Government for 
a civil penalty of not more than $25,000 per violation.
    ``(c) Rule of Construction.--The term `person' as used in this 
section does not include--
            ``(1) the Federal Government or any bureau, department, 
        instrumentality, or other agency of the Federal Government; or
            ``(2) an officer, employee, or contractor of the Federal 
        Government or any bureau, department, instrumentality, or other 
        agency of the Federal Government if the officer, employee, or 
        contractor is authorized by the Federal Government or any 
        bureau, department, instrumentality, or other agency of the 
        Federal Government to operate a system or technology referred 
        to in subsection (a)(1).
    ``(d) Briefing to Congress.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the 
Administrator shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress on any 
enforcement actions taken (including any civil penalties imposed) using 
the authority under this section.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of title 49, 
United States Code, as amended by sections 803(b) and 808(b), is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 44812 the 
following:

``44813. Unmanned aircraft system detection and mitigation 
                            enforcement.''.

SEC. 812. RECREATIONAL OPERATIONS OF DRONE SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--Section 44809 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a) by striking paragraph (6) and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(6) In Class G airspace, aircraft flying within the 
        safety programming of a recognized community-based organization 
        can fly from the surface up to controlled airspace. Operators 
        shall maintain visual line of sight of the aircraft and comply 
        with all airspace restrictions and prohibitions. Flights into 
        controlled airspace require specific authorization from the 
        Administrator.'';
            (2) in subsection (c)--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``organization conducting a 
                        sanctioned event'' and inserting ``organization 
                        sponsoring operations''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``The Administrator shall 
                        designate recognized community-based 
                        organizations to self-declare FAA-recognized 
                        identification areas to sponsored sites that 
                        meet criteria developed by the Administrator in 
                        coordination with the community-based 
                        organization.'' after ``facility.'';
                    (B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph 
                (3);
                    (C) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated)--
                            (i) in the paragraph heading by striking 
                        ``weighing more than 55 pounds'' and inserting 
                        ``weighing 55 pounds or greater'';
                            (ii) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
                        (A), by striking ``weighing more than 55 
                        pounds'' and inserting ``weighing 55 pounds or 
                        greater''; and
                            (iii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 
                        ``or (2)'' after ``paragraph (1)''; and
                    (D) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) Operations in class g airspace.--Subject to 
        compliance with all airspace and flight restrictions and 
        prohibitions established under this chapter, such as special 
        use airspace designations and temporary flight restrictions--
                    ``(A) persons operating drones under subsection (a) 
                from a fixed site at which the operations are sponsored 
                by a community-based organization may operate within 
                Class G airspace--
                            ``(i) from the surface up to controlled 
                        airspace without prior authorization from the 
                        Administrator; and
                            ``(ii) into controlled airspace with prior 
                        authorization from the Administrator.
                    ``(B) persons operating drones under paragraph (3) 
                from a fixed site at which the operations are sponsored 
                by a community-based organization may operate within 
                Class G airspace with prior authorization from the 
                Administrator.'';
            (3) in subsection (d) by striking the subsection heading 
        and all that follows through ``Nothing in this subsection'' and 
        inserting the following:
    ``(d) Savings Clause.--Nothing in this subsection'';
            (4) in subsection (f)(1) by striking ``updates to the 
        operational parameters'' and inserting ``the operational 
        limitations''; and
            (5) in subsection (h)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) as 
                paragraphs (2) through (7), respectively;
                    (B) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so 
                redesignated) the following:
            ``(1) is recognized by the Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration;'';
                    (C) in paragraph (6), as redesignated by 
                subparagraph (A), by striking ``and'' after the 
                semicolon;
                    (D) in paragraph (7), as so redesignated, by 
                striking the period and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (E) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) is a designated Federal Aviation Administration Trust 
        Administrator.''.
    (b) Use of UAS at Institutions of Higher Education.--Section 350 of 
the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 44809 note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
                paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
            ``(2) operated by an elementary school or secondary school 
        for educational or research purposes;''; and
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding 
                subparagraph (A), by inserting ``an elementary school, 
                or a secondary school,'' after ``institution of higher 
                education,''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Elementary school.--The term `elementary school' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 8101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).
            ``(4) Secondary school.--The term `secondary school' has 
        the meaning given that term in section 8101 of the Elementary 
        and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801).''.

SEC. 813. UAS TEST RANGES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by striking section 44803 and inserting the following:
``Sec. 44803. Unmanned aircraft test ranges
    ``(a) Test Ranges.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration shall carry out and update, as 
        appropriate, a program for the use of unmanned aircraft system 
        test ranges to--
                    ``(A) enable a broad variety of research, 
                development, testing, and evaluation activities at the 
                test ranges; and
                    ``(B) not later than 5 years after the date of 
                enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, 
                expand the number of test ranges, to the extent 
                consistent with aviation safety and efficiency, for 
                purposes of the safe integration of unmanned aircraft 
                systems into the national airspace system.
            ``(2) Designations.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the 
                designations of test ranges under this section may 
                include the following:
                            ``(i) The 7 test ranges established by the 
                        Administrator under section 332(c) of the FAA 
                        Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 
                        40101 note), as in effect on the day before the 
                        date of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization 
                        Act of 2018, and pursuant to section 2201(b) of 
                        the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 
                        2016 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note), which, except for 
                        the eligibility factors as provided in 
                        paragraph (3) of this section, shall each be 
                        subject to the requirements of this section.
                            ``(ii) Two additional test ranges subject 
                        to the requirements of this section, which may 
                        be established by the Administrator through a 
                        competitive selection process after successful 
                        conversion of test ranges established prior to 
                        the date of enactment of the FAA 
                        Reauthorization Act of 2024 and at least 6 
                        months of data sharing demonstrating safe 
                        operations and improved use of the test range 
                        consistent with any standard established by the 
                        Administrator through the selection process.
                    ``(B) Limitation.--Not more than 9 test ranges 
                shall be designated under this section at any given 
                time.
            ``(3) Eligibility.--An applicant shall be considered 
        eligible for designation as a test range sponsor under 
        paragraph (2)(A)(ii) based on the following criteria:
                    ``(A) The applicant shall be an instrumentality of 
                a State, a local, tribal, or territorial government, or 
                other public entity.
                    ``(B) The applicant shall be approved by the chief 
                executive officer of the State, local, territorial, or 
                tribal government for the applicant's principal place 
                of business, prior to seeking designation by the 
                Administrator.
                    ``(C) The applicant shall not have been selected 
                previously by the Administrator to sponsor or host a 
                test range covered by this section.
                    ``(D) The applicant shall undertake and ensure 
                testing in innovative concepts, technologies, and 
                operations that will offer new safety benefits, 
                including expanding advanced research and developing 
                and retaining an advanced aviation industrial base 
                within the United States.
                    ``(E) The applicant shall meet any other 
                requirements established by the Administrator in a 
                competitive selection process.
    ``(b) Airspace Requirements.--
            ``(1) In general.--In carrying out the program under 
        subsection (a), the Administrator may establish, upon the 
        request of a test range sponsor designated by the Administrator 
        under subsection (a), a restricted area, pursuant to part 73 of 
        title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, for purposes of--
                    ``(A) accommodating hazardous research, 
                development, testing, and evaluation activities to 
                inform the safe integration of unmanned aircraft 
                systems into the national airspace system; or
                    ``(B) other activities authorized by the 
                Administrator pursuant to subsection (f).
            ``(2) NEPA review.--The Administrator may require that each 
        test range sponsor designated by the Administrator under 
        subsection (a) provide a draft environmental review consistent 
        with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
        4321 et seq.), subject to the supervision of and adoption by 
        the Federal Aviation Administration, with respect to any 
        request for the establishment of a restricted area under this 
        subsection.
            ``(3) Inactive restricted area.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the event a restricted area 
                established under paragraph (1) is not needed to meet 
                the requirements of the using agency (as described in 
                subparagraph (B)), the restricted area shall be 
                inactive and revert to the controlling agency.
                    ``(B) Using agency.--For purposes of this 
                subsection, a test range sponsor designated by the 
                Administrator under subsection (a) shall be considered 
                the using agency with respect to a restricted area 
                established by the Administrator under this subsection.
            ``(4) Approval authority.--The Administrator shall have the 
        authority to approve access by a participating or 
        nonparticipating operator to a test range or restricted area 
        established by the Administrator under this subsection.
    ``(c) Program Requirements.--In carrying out the program under 
subsection (a), the Administrator--
            ``(1) may develop operational standards and air traffic 
        requirements for flight operations at test ranges;
            ``(2) shall coordinate with, and leverage the resources of, 
        the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the 
        Department of Defense, as appropriate;
            ``(3) shall address both civil and public aircraft 
        operations;
            ``(4) shall provide for verification of the safety of 
        flight systems and related navigation procedures as it relates 
        to the continued development of standards for integration of 
        unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace system;
            ``(5) shall engage test range sponsors, as necessary and 
        with available resources, in projects for research, 
        development, testing, and evaluation of flight systems to 
        facilitate the Federal Aviation Administration's development of 
        standards for the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems 
        into the national airspace system, which may include solutions 
        for--
                    ``(A) developing and enforcing geographic and 
                altitude limitations;
                    ``(B) providing for alerts by the manufacturer 
                regarding any hazards or limitations on flight, 
                including prohibition on flight as necessary;
                    ``(C) developing sense and avoid capabilities;
                    ``(D) developing technology to support 
                communications, navigation, and surveillance;
                    ``(E) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) 
                operations, nighttime operations, operations over 
                people, operations involving multiple small unmanned 
                aircraft systems, unmanned aircraft systems traffic 
                management, or other critical research priorities;
                    ``(F) improving privacy protections through the use 
                of advances in unmanned aircraft systems; and
                    ``(G) conducting counter-UAS testing;
            ``(6) shall coordinate periodically with all test range 
        sponsors to ensure the test range sponsors know which data 
        should be collected, how data can be de-identified to flow more 
        readily to the Federal Aviation Administration, what procedures 
        should be followed, and what research would advance efforts to 
        safely integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the national 
        airspace system; and
            ``(7) shall allow test range sponsors to receive Federal 
        funding (including in-kind contributions), other than from the 
        Federal Aviation Administration, from test range participants 
        in furtherance of research, development, and testing 
        objectives.
    ``(d) Exemption.--Except as provided in subsection (f), the 
requirements of section 44711 (including any related implementing 
regulations) shall not apply to persons approved by the test range 
sponsor for operation at a test range designated by the Administrator 
under this section.
    ``(e) Responsibilities of Test Range Sponsors.--The sponsor of each 
test range designated by the Administrator under subsection (a) shall 
do the following:
            ``(1) Provide access to all interested private and public 
        entities seeking to carry out research at the test range, to 
        the greatest extent practicable, consistent with safety and any 
        operating procedures established by the test range sponsor, 
        including access by small business concerns (as defined in 
        section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)).
            ``(2) Maintain operational control for all testing 
        activities conducted at its respective test range.
            ``(3) Ensure all activities remain within the geographical 
        boundaries and altitude limitations established for any 
        restricted area covering the test range.
            ``(4) Ensure any activity conducted at the designated test 
        range is not conducted in a careless or reckless manner.
            ``(5) Establish safe operating procedures for all operators 
        approved for testing activities at the test range, including 
        provisions for maintaining operational control and ensuring 
        protection of persons and property on the ground, subject to 
        approval by the Administrator.
            ``(6) Exercise direct oversight of all operations conducted 
        at the test range.
            ``(7) Consult with the Administrator on the nature of 
        planned activity at the test range and whether segregation of 
        the airspace is required to contain the activity consistent 
        with aviation safety.
            ``(8) Protect proprietary technology, sensitive data, or 
        sensitive research of any civil or private entity when using 
        the test range.
            ``(9) Maintain detailed records of all ongoing and 
        completed research activities conducted at the test range and 
        all operators conducting such activities, for inspection by, 
        and reporting to, the Administrator, as required by agreement 
        between the Administrator and the test range sponsor.
            ``(10) Make all original records available for inspection 
        upon request by the Administrator.
            ``(11) Provide recommendations, on a quarterly basis until 
        the program terminates, to the Administrator to further enable 
        public and private research and development operations at the 
        test ranges that contribute to the Federal Aviation 
        Administration's safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems 
        into the national airspace system.
    ``(f) Testing.--The Administrator may authorize a sponsor of a test 
range designated under subsection (a) to host research, development, 
testing, and evaluation activities other than those directly related to 
the integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace 
system, provided that--
            ``(1) the activity is necessary to inform the development 
        of standards or policy for integrating new types of flight 
        systems into the national airspace system; and
            ``(2) the Administrator waives the requirements of section 
        44711 (including any related implementing regulations) to the 
        extent the Administrator determines such waiver is consistent 
        with aviation safety.
    ``(g) Collaborative Research and Development Agreements.--The 
Administrator may use the transaction authority under section 
106(l)(6), in coordination with the Center of Excellence for Unmanned 
Aircraft Systems, to enter into collaborative research and development 
agreements or to direct research related to unmanned aircraft systems, 
including at any test range designated under subsection (a).
    ``(h) Use of Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.--
The Administrator, in carrying out research necessary to implement the 
consensus safety standards accepted under section 44805, shall, to the 
maximum extent practicable, leverage the research and testing capacity 
and capabilities of the Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems and the test ranges designated under subsection (a).
    ``(i) Clarification.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
authorizing the research, development, testing, evaluation, or any 
other use of a system or technology for the detection or mitigation of 
unmanned aircraft systems (commonly referred to as `counter-UAS') at 
any test range designated under subsection (a).
    ``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section, $14,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028.
    ``(k) Termination.--The program under this section shall terminate 
on September 30, 2028.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 44801(10) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``any of the 6 test ranges 
established by the Administrator under section 332(c) of the FAA 
Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note), as in 
effect on the day before the date of enactment of the FAA 
Reauthorization Act of 2018, and any public entity authorized by the 
Federal Aviation Administration as an unmanned aircraft system flight 
test center before January 1, 2009'' and inserting ``the test ranges 
designated by the Administrator under section 44803''.

SEC. 814. AUTHORITY REGARDING PROTECTION OF CERTAIN FACILITIES AND 
              ASSETS FROM UNMANNED AIRCRAFT.

    Section 547 of title V of division F of the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328) is amended by striking 
``March 8, 2024'' and inserting ``September 30, 2026''.

SEC. 815. AIRPORT SAFETY AND AIRSPACE HAZARD MITIGATION AND 
              ENFORCEMENT.

    Section 44810(h) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
striking ``September 30, 2023'' and inserting ``September 30, 2028''.

SEC. 816. SPECIAL AUTHORITY FOR TRANSPORT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS BY 
              COMMERCIAL PACKAGE DELIVERY UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other Federal requirement or 
restriction related to the transportation of hazardous materials on 
aircraft, the Secretary shall, beginning not later than 180 days after 
enactment of this section, use a risk-based approach to establish the 
operational requirements, standards, or special permits necessary to 
approve or authorize an air carrier to transport hazardous materials by 
unmanned aircraft systems providing common carriage under part 135 of 
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, or under other authorities, as 
applicable.
    (b) Requirement.--In implementing the authority in subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall consider, at a minimum--
            (1) the safety of the public and users of the national 
        airspace system;
            (2) efficiencies of allowing the safe transportation of 
        hazardous materials by unmanned aircraft systems and that the 
        carriage of hazardous materials complies with Hazardous 
        Materials Regulations, including any changes to the Hazardous 
        Materials Regulations adopted pursuant to this section;
            (3) the risk profile of the transportation of hazardous 
        materials by unmanned aircraft systems, taking into 
        consideration the risk associated with differing weights, 
        quantities, and Packing Group classifications of hazardous 
        materials; and
            (4) mitigations to the risk of the hazardous materials 
        transported, including operational mitigations and aircraft-
        based mitigations.
    (c) Safety Risk Assessments.--The Secretary shall require unmanned 
aircraft operators to submit a safety risk assessment (SRA) acceptable 
by the Administrator.
    (d) Conformity of Hazardous Materials Regulations.--The Secretary 
shall make such changes as necessary to conform the hazardous materials 
regulations under parts 173 and 175 of title 49, Code of Federal 
Regulations, to this section. Such changes shall be made concurrently 
with the authority in subsection (a).
    (e) Stakeholder Input on Changes to the Hazardous Materials 
Regulations.--Within 180 days of the date of enactment of this section, 
the Secretary shall hold a public meeting to obtain input on changes 
necessary to implement this section within the Hazardous Materials 
Regulations and to address any identified changes in risk.
    (f) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Hazardous materials.--The term ``hazardous materials'' 
        has the meaning given that term in section 5102 of title 49, 
        United States Code.
            (2) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term ``unmanned aircraft 
        system'' has the meaning given such term in section 44801 of 
        title 49, United States Code.

SEC. 817. STOP ILLICIT DRONES.

    (a) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered foreign country.--The term ``covered foreign 
        country'' means any of the following:
                    (A) The People's Republic of China.
                    (B) The Russian Federation.
                    (C) The Islamic Republic of Iran.
                    (D) The Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
                    (E) The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
                    (F) The Republic of Cuba.
                    (G) Any other country the Administrator deems 
                necessary.
            (2) Covered foreign entity.--The term ``covered foreign 
        entity'' means an entity that is--
                    (A) included on the Consolidated Screening List 
                maintained by the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
                International Trade;
                    (B) domiciled in a covered foreign country;
                    (C) subject to influence or control by the 
                government of a covered foreign country; or
                    (D) owned by an entity that is described in 
                subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).
            (3) Unmanned aircraft system; uas.--The terms ``unmanned 
        aircraft system'' and ``UAS'' have the meaning given the term 
        ``unmanned aircraft system'' in section 44801 of title 49, 
        United States Code.
    (b) Prohibition on Funding for Entities From Covered Foreign 
Countries for Projects Related to Unmanned Aircraft Systems.--
            (1) Aviation research grants program.--Not later than 180 
        days after the date of enactment of this section, the 
        Administrator shall amend FAA Order 9550.7B, Aviation Research 
        Grants Program (dated November 25, 2014), as well as any 
        corresponding policy or guidance material, to prohibit--
                    (A) any covered foreign entity from receiving 
                aviation research and development grants for any 
                project related to unmanned aircraft systems; and
                    (B) any entity from using such grants to partner 
                with or otherwise transact business relating to covered 
                unmanned aircraft systems with covered foreign 
                entities.
            (2) Aviation workforce development programs.--Section 
        625(c) of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 
        note), as amended by section 501 of this Act, is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1), in the matter preceding 
                subparagraph (A), by striking ``An application for a 
                grant'' and inserting ``Subject to paragraph (4), an 
                application for a grant'';
                    (B) in paragraph (2), in the matter preceding 
                subparagraph (A), by striking ``An application for a 
                grant'' and inserting ``Subject to paragraph (4), an 
                application for a grant''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following new 
                paragraph:
            ``(4) Applications from covered foreign entities.--
                    ``(A) Prohibition.--Beginning on the date of 
                enactment of this paragraph, an application for a grant 
                under the program established under subsection (a)(1) 
                or (a)(2) may not be submitted for an eligible project 
                related to unmanned aircraft systems (as defined in 
                section 44801 of title 49, United States Code) by--
                            ``(i) a covered foreign entity; or
                            ``(ii) an entity that uses or intends to 
                        use such grant to benefit a covered foreign 
                        entity.
                    ``(B) Definitions.--For purposes of this paragraph:
                            ``(i) Covered foreign country.--The term 
                        `covered foreign country' means any of the 
                        following:
                                    ``(I) The People's Republic of 
                                China.
                                    ``(II) The Russian Federation.
                                    ``(III) The Islamic Republic of 
                                Iran.
                                    ``(IV) The Democratic People's 
                                Republic of Korea.
                                    ``(V) The Bolivarian Republic of 
                                Venezuela.
                                    ``(VI) The Republic of Cuba.
                                    ``(VII) Any other country the 
                                Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
                                Administration deems necessary.
                            ``(ii) Covered foreign entity.--The term 
                        `covered foreign entity' means an entity that 
                        is--
                                    ``(I) included on the Consolidated 
                                Screening List maintained by the Under 
                                Secretary of Commerce for International 
                                Trade;
                                    ``(II) domiciled in a covered 
                                foreign country;
                                    ``(III) subject to influence or 
                                control by the government of a covered 
                                foreign country; or
                                    ``(IV) owned by an entity that is 
                                described in subclause (I), (II), or 
                                (III).''.
            (3) Centers of excellence.--
                    (A) Community and technical college centers of 
                excellence in small unmanned aircraft system technology 
                training.--Section 631 of the FAA Reauthorization Act 
                of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--
                            (i) in subsection (a), by striking ``Not 
                        later than 180 days'' and inserting ``Subject 
                        to subsection (f), not later than 180 days''; 
                        and
                            (ii) by adding at the end the following new 
                        subsection:
    ``(f) Prohibition.--
            ``(1) In general.--Beginning on the date of enactment of 
        this subsection, the Secretary of Transportation may not 
        designate any covered foreign entity as a Center of Excellence 
        under subsection (a).
            ``(2) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection:
                    ``(A) Covered foreign country.--The term `covered 
                foreign country' means any of the following:
                            ``(i) The People's Republic of China.
                            ``(ii) The Russian Federation.
                            ``(iii) The Islamic Republic of Iran.
                            ``(iv) The Democratic People's Republic of 
                        Korea.
                            ``(v) The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
                            ``(vi) The Republic of Cuba.
                            ``(vii) Any other country the Administrator 
                        of the Federal Aviation Administration deems 
                        necessary.
                    ``(B) Covered foreign entity.--The term `covered 
                foreign entity' means an entity that is--
                            ``(i) included on the Consolidated 
                        Screening List maintained by the Under 
                        Secretary of Commerce for International Trade;
                            ``(ii) domiciled in a covered foreign 
                        country;
                            ``(iii) subject to influence or control by 
                        the government of a covered foreign country; or
                            ``(iv) owned by an entity that is described 
                        in clause (i), (ii), or (iii).''.
                    (B) Regional centers of air transportation 
                excellence.--Section 44513 of title 49, United States 
                Code, is amended--
                            (i) in subsection (a), by striking ``The 
                        Administrator'' and inserting ``Subject to 
                        subsection (i), the Administrator''; and
                            (ii) by adding at the end the following new 
                        subsection:
    ``(i) Prohibition.--
            ``(1) In general.--Beginning on the date of enactment of 
        this subsection, the Administrator may not issue a grant under 
        subsection (a) to a covered foreign entity to establish or 
        operate a regional center of air transportation excellence 
        related to unmanned aircraft systems (as defined in section 
        44801).
            ``(2) Definitions.--For purposes of this subsection:
                    ``(A) Covered foreign country.--The term `covered 
                foreign country' means any of the following:
                            ``(i) The People's Republic of China.
                            ``(ii) The Russian Federation.
                            ``(iii) The Islamic Republic of Iran.
                            ``(iv) The Democratic People's Republic of 
                        Korea.
                            ``(v) The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
                            ``(vi) The Republic of Cuba.
                            ``(vii) Any other country the Administrator 
                        deems necessary.
                    ``(B) Covered foreign entity.--The term `covered 
                foreign entity' means an entity that is--
                            ``(i) included on the Consolidated 
                        Screening List maintained by the Under 
                        Secretary of Commerce for International Trade;
                            ``(ii) domiciled in a covered foreign 
                        country;
                            ``(iii) subject to influence or control by 
                        the government of a covered foreign country; or
                            ``(iv) owned by an entity that is described 
                        in clause (i), (ii), or (iii).''.
            (4) Other faa funding.--
                    (A) Facilities, personnel, and research.--
                            (i) In general.--Chapter 445 of title 49, 
                        United States Code, is amended by adding at the 
                        end the following new section:
``Sec. 44520. Prohibition on drone-related funding to covered foreign 
              entities
    ``(a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration may not issue a grant under this chapter to a covered 
foreign entity for any project related to unmanned aircraft systems.
    ``(b) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            ``(1) Covered foreign country.--The term `covered foreign 
        country' means any of the following:
                    ``(A) The People's Republic of China.
                    ``(B) The Russian Federation.
                    ``(C) The Islamic Republic of Iran.
                    ``(D) The Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
                    ``(E) The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
                    ``(F) The Republic of Cuba.
                    ``(G) Any other country the Administrator of the 
                Federal Aviation Administration deems necessary.
            ``(2) Covered foreign entity.--The term `covered foreign 
        entity' means an entity that is--
                    ``(A) included on the Consolidated Screening List 
                maintained by the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
                International Trade;
                    ``(B) domiciled in a covered foreign country;
                    ``(C) subject to influence or control by the 
                government of a covered foreign country; or
                    ``(D) owned by an entity that is described in 
                subparagraph (A), (B), or (C).
            ``(3) Unmanned aircraft system.--The term `unmanned 
        aircraft system' has the meaning given that term in section 
        44801.
    ``(c) Effective Date.--The prohibition under subsection (a) shall 
apply to any grant awarded by the Administrator on or after the date of 
enactment of this section.''.
                            (ii) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for 
                        chapter 445 of such title 49, is amended by 
                        inserting after the item relating to section 
                        44519 the following:

``44520. Prohibition on drone-related funding to covered foreign 
                            entities.''.
                    (B) Airport improvement project grant 
                applications.--Section 47105(a) of title 49, United 
                States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
                following new paragraph:
            ``(4) Prohibition.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation 
                may not award a grant under this subchapter to a 
                covered foreign entity for any project related to 
                unmanned aircraft systems (as defined in section 
                44801).
                    ``(B) Effective date.--The prohibition under 
                subparagraph (A) shall apply to any grant awarded by 
                the Secretary on or after the date of enactment of this 
                paragraph.
                    ``(C) Definitions.--For purposes of this paragraph:
                            ``(i) Covered foreign country.--The term 
                        `covered foreign country' means any of the 
                        following:
                                    ``(I) The People's Republic of 
                                China.
                                    ``(II) The Russian Federation.
                                    ``(III) The Islamic Republic of 
                                Iran.
                                    ``(IV) The Democratic People's 
                                Republic of Korea.
                                    ``(V) The Bolivarian Republic of 
                                Venezuela.
                                    ``(VI) The Republic of Cuba.
                                    ``(VII) Any other country the 
                                Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
                                Administration deems necessary.
                            ``(ii) Covered foreign entity.--The term 
                        `covered foreign entity' means an entity that 
                        is--
                                    ``(I) included on the Consolidated 
                                Screening List maintained by the Under 
                                Secretary of Commerce for International 
                                Trade;
                                    ``(II) domiciled in a covered 
                                foreign country;
                                    ``(III) subject to influence or 
                                control by the government of a covered 
                                foreign country; or
                                    ``(IV) owned by an entity that is 
                                described in subclause (I), (II), or 
                                (III).''.
                    (C) AIP funding eligibility.--Section 44810(e) of 
                title 49, United States Code, is amended--
                            (i) by striking ``Eligibility.--Upon the 
                        certification'' and inserting ``Eligibility.--
            ``(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), upon the 
        certification''; and
                            (ii) by adding at the end the following new 
                        paragraph:
            ``(2) Prohibition.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Administrator may not award 
                a grant under paragraph (1) to a covered foreign entity 
                for any project related to unmanned aircraft systems.
                    ``(B) Effective date.--The prohibition under 
                subparagraph (A) shall apply to any grant awarded under 
                paragraph (1) on or after the date of enactment of the 
                Stemming The Operation of Pernicious and Illicit Drones 
                Act.
                    ``(C) Definitions.--For purposes of this 
                subsection:
                            ``(i) Covered foreign country.--The term 
                        `covered foreign country' means any of the 
                        following:
                                    ``(I) The People's Republic of 
                                China.
                                    ``(II) The Russian Federation.
                                    ``(III) The Islamic Republic of 
                                Iran.
                                    ``(IV) The Democratic People's 
                                Republic of Korea.
                                    ``(V) The Bolivarian Republic of 
                                Venezuela.
                                    ``(VI) The Republic of Cuba.
                                    ``(VII) Any other country the 
                                Administrator deems necessary.
                            ``(ii) Covered foreign entity.--The term 
                        `covered foreign entity' means an entity that 
                        is--
                                    ``(I) included on the Consolidated 
                                Screening List or Entity List 
                                maintained by the Under Secretary of 
                                Commerce for International Trade;
                                    ``(II) domiciled in a covered 
                                foreign country;
                                    ``(III) subject to influence or 
                                control by the government of a covered 
                                foreign country; or
                                    ``(IV) owned by an entity that is 
                                described in subclause (I), (II), or 
                                (III).''.
    (c) Prohibition on FAA Operation, Procurement, or Contracting 
Action With Respect to Covered Unmanned Aircraft Systems.--
            (1) In general.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States 
        Code, as amended by this Act, is amended by adding at the end 
        the following new section:
``Sec. 44816. Prohibition on operation, procurement, or contracting 
              action with respect to covered unmanned aircraft systems
    ``(a) In General.--Subject to subsection (b), the Administrator 
shall not--
            ``(1) operate a covered unmanned aircraft system; or
            ``(2) enter into, extend, or renew a contract--
                    ``(A) for the procurement of a covered unmanned 
                aircraft system; or
                    ``(B) with an entity that operates (as determined 
                by the Administrator) a covered unmanned aircraft 
                system in the performance of any Federal Aviation 
                Administration contract.
    ``(b) Exemption.--The restrictions under subsection (a) shall not 
apply if the operation, procurement, or contracting action is for the 
purpose of--
            ``(1) detection or counter-UAS system surrogate testing and 
        training (including at Federal Aviation Administration-approved 
        testing sites);
            ``(2) intelligence, electronic warfare, and information 
        warfare operations, testing (including at Federal Aviation 
        Administration-approved testing sites), analysis, and training; 
        or
            ``(3) research to inform unmanned aircraft system data-
        driven policy decisions, safety assessments, procedures, 
        rulemaking, and standards to safely integrate emerging entrants 
        into the national airspace system (including at Federal 
        Aviation Administration-approved testing sites).
    ``(c) Waiver.--The Administrator may waive the restrictions under 
subsection (a) on a case by case basis by certifying, in writing, to 
the Secretary of Homeland Security and the appropriate committees of 
Congress that the operation, procurement, or contracting action is 
required in the public interest.
    ``(d) Replacement of Covered Unmanned Aircraft Systems.--Not later 
than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Administrator shall replace any covered unmanned aircraft system that 
is owned or operated by the Federal Aviation Administration as of the 
date of enactment of this section with an unmanned aircraft system 
manufactured in the United States or an allied country (as that term is 
defined in section 2350f(d)(1) of title 10, United States Code).
    ``(e) Report to Congress.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report that includes--
            ``(1) a description of the changes the Federal Aviation 
        Administration has made to its operation, procurement, and 
        contracting processes to ensure that the Administration does 
        not acquire any covered unmanned aircraft system;
            ``(2) the number of covered unmanned aircraft systems that 
        needed to be replaced in accordance with subsection (d), 
        including--
                    ``(A) an explanation of the purposes for which such 
                covered unmanned aircraft systems were used;
                    ``(B) a description of the unmanned aircraft 
                systems that the Administrator will purchase to replace 
                such covered unmanned aircraft systems; and
                    ``(C) the cost to replace the identified unmanned 
                aircraft systems; and
            ``(3) any other information determined appropriate by the 
        Administrator.
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Administrator.--The term `Administrator' means the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
            ``(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 Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
                and Urban Development, and Related Agencies of the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
                    ``(C) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure of the House of Representatives; and
                    ``(D) the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing 
                and Urban Development, and Related Agencies of the 
                Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
                Representatives.
            ``(3) Covered foreign country.--The term `covered foreign 
        country' means any of the following:
                    ``(A) The People's Republic of China.
                    ``(B) The Russian Federation.
                    ``(C) The Islamic Republic of Iran.
                    ``(D) The Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
                    ``(E) The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
                    ``(F) The Republic of Cuba.
                    ``(G) Any other country the Administrator deems 
                necessary.
            ``(4) Covered unmanned aircraft system.--The term `covered 
        unmanned aircraft system' means an unmanned aircraft system 
        that is--
                    ``(A) included on the Consolidated Screening List 
                maintained by the Under Secretary of Commerce for 
                International Trade;
                    ``(B) produced by an entity domiciled in a covered 
                foreign country; or
                    ``(C) produced by an entity subject to influence or 
                control by the government of a covered foreign 
                country.''.
            (2) Clerical amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of 
        such title is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
        section 44815 the following:

``44816. Prohibition on operation, procurement, or contracting action 
                            with respect to covered unmanned aircraft 
                            systems.''.

SEC. 818. DRONE INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION GRANTS.

    (a) Drone Infrastructure Inspection Grant Program.--
            (1) Authority.--The Secretary shall establish a drone 
        infrastructure inspection grant program to make grants to 
        governmental entities to facilitate the use of eligible small 
        unmanned aircraft systems to increase efficiency, reduce costs, 
        improve worker and community safety, reduce carbon emissions, 
        or meet other priorities (as determined by the Secretary) 
        related to critical infrastructure projects.
            (2) Use of grant amounts.--A governmental entity may use a 
        grant provided under this subsection to--
                    (A) purchase or lease eligible small unmanned 
                aircraft systems;
                    (B) support operational capabilities of eligible 
                small unmanned aircraft systems by the governmental 
                entity;
                    (C) contract for services performed with an 
                eligible small unmanned aircraft system in 
                circumstances in which the governmental entity does not 
                have the resources or expertise to safely carry out or 
                assist in carrying out the activities described under 
                paragraph (1); and
                    (D) support the program management capability of 
                the governmental entity to use an eligible small 
                unmanned aircraft system.
            (3) Eligibility.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
        this subsection, a governmental entity shall submit an 
        application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and 
        containing such information as the Secretary may require, 
        including an assurance that the governmental entity or its 
        contractor will comply with relevant Federal regulations.
            (4) Selection of applicants.--In selecting an applicant for 
        a grant under this subsection, the Secretary shall prioritize 
        projects that propose to--
                    (A) carry out a critical infrastructure project in 
                a historically disadvantaged community; or
                    (B) address a safety risk in the inspection, 
                operation, maintenance, repair, modernization, or 
                construction of an element of critical infrastructure.
            (5) Limitation.--Nothing in this subsection shall be 
        construed to interfere with an agreement between a governmental 
        entity and a labor union.
            (6) Report to congress.--Not later than 1 year after the 
        first grant is provided under this subsection, the Secretary 
        shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
        that evaluates the program carried out under this subsection, 
        including--
                    (A) a description of the number of grants awarded;
                    (B) the amount of each grant;
                    (C) the activities funded under this section; and
                    (D) the effectiveness of such funded activities in 
                meeting the objectives described in paragraph (1).
            (7) Funding.--
                    (A) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost 
                of a project carried out using a grant under this 
                subsection shall not be less than 80 percent of the 
                total project cost.
                    (B) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
                authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
                subsection--
                            (i) $2,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; and
                            (ii) $12,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
                        2025 through 2028.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Covered foreign entity.--The term ``covered foreign 
        entity'' means an entity--
                    (A) included on the Consolidated Screening List or 
                Entity List as designated by the Secretary of Commerce;
                    (B) domiciled in the People's Republic of China or 
                the Russian Federation;
                    (C) subject to influence or control by the 
                government of the People's Republic of China or by the 
                Russian Federation; or
                    (D) is a subsidiary or affiliate of an entity 
                described in subparagraphs (A) through (C).
            (2) Critical infrastructure.--The term ``critical 
        infrastructure'' has the meaning given such term in section 
        1016(e) of the Critical Infrastructures Protection Act of 2001 
        (42 U.S.C. 5195c(e)).
            (3) Critical infrastructure project.--The term ``critical 
        infrastructure project'' means a project for the inspection, 
        operation, maintenance, repair, modernization, or construction 
        of an element of critical infrastructure, including mitigating 
        environmental hazards to such infrastructure.
            (4) Educational institution.--The term ``educational 
        institution'' means an institution of higher education (as 
        defined in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 
        U.S.C. 1001)) that participates in a program authorized under 
        sections 631 and 632 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 
        U.S.C. 40101 note).
            (5) Element of critical infrastructure.--The term ``element 
        of critical infrastructure'' means a critical infrastructure 
        facility or asset, including public bridges, tunnels, roads, 
        highways, dams, electric grid, water infrastructure, 
        communication systems, pipelines, or other related facilities 
        or assets, as defined by the Secretary.
            (6) Eligible small unmanned aircraft system.--The term 
        ``eligible small unmanned aircraft system'' means a small 
        unmanned aircraft system manufactured or assembled by a company 
        that is domiciled in the United States and is not a covered 
        foreign entity.
            (7) Governmental entity.--The term ``governmental entity'' 
        means--
                    (A) a State, the District of Columbia, the 
                Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a territory of the United 
                States, or a political subdivision thereof;
                    (B) a unit of local government;
                    (C) a Tribal Government;
                    (D) a metropolitan planning organization; or
                    (E) a combination of the entities described in 
                subparagraphs (A) through (D).
            (8) Small unmanned aircraft; unmanned aircraft; unmanned 
        aircraft system.--The terms ``small unmanned aircraft'', 
        ``unmanned aircraft'', and ``unmanned aircraft system'' have 
        the meanings given such terms in section 44801 of title 49, 
        United States Code.

SEC. 819. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT IN THE ARCTIC.

    (a) In General.--Section 44804 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended--
            (1) in the section heading, by striking ``Small unmanned'' 
        and inserting ``Unmanned''; and
            (2) by striking ``small'' each place it appears.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of such 
title is amended by striking the item relating to section 44804 and 
inserting the following:

``44804. Unmanned aircraft in the Arctic.''.

SEC. 820. REMOTE IDENTIFICATION ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF COMPLIANCE.

    (a) Study.--The Administrator shall review and evaluate the final 
rule titled ``Remote Identification of Unmanned Aircraft'', issued on 
January 15, 2021, to determine the feasibility and advisability of 
whether unmanned aircraft manufacturers and operators can meet the 
intent of such final rule through alternative means of compliance, 
including through network-based remote identification.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report on the results of the study under 
subsection (a).

SEC. 821. PROHIBITION ON OPERATION, PROCUREMENT, OR CONTRACTING ACTION 
              OF FOREIGN-MADE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary 
is prohibited from entering into a contract or awarding a grant for the 
operation, procurement, or contracting action with respect to any small 
unmanned aircraft system that is manufactured or assembled by a covered 
foreign entity.
    (b) Exemption.--The restrictions under subsection (a) shall not 
apply if the operation, procurement, or contracting action is for the 
purpose of--
            (1) counter-UAS testing, analysis, or training; or
            (2) aviation safety testing.
    (c) Waiver.--The Secretary (or the Secretary's designee) may waive 
any restrictions under subsection (a) on a case by case basis by 
certifying, in writing, not later than 15 days after exercising such 
waiver, to the appropriate committees of Congress that the operation, 
procurement, or contracting action is required in the national interest 
of the United States.
    (d) Replacement of Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Secretary shall replace any 
        unmanned aircraft system that was manufactured or assembled by 
        a covered foreign entity and that is owned or operated by the 
        Department of Transportation as of the date of enactment of 
        this section with an unmanned aircraft system manufactured in 
        the United States or an allied country (as that term is defined 
        in section 2350f(d)(1) of title 10, United States Code).
            (2) Funding.--There is authorized to be appropriated to the 
        Secretary $5,000,000 to carry out this subsection.
    (e) Definitions.--In this Section:
            (1) Covered foreign entity.--The term ``covered foreign 
        entity'' means an entity that is--
                    (A) included on the Consolidated Screening List or 
                Entity List as designated by the Secretary of Commerce;
                    (B) doing business as Da Jiang Innovations (also 
                known as ``DJI'') or any successor company;
                    (C) domiciled in the People's Republic of China or 
                the Russian Federation;
                    (D) subject to influence or control by the 
                government of the People's Republic of China or the 
                Russian Federation; or
                    (E) is a subsidiary or affiliate of an entity 
                described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (D).
            (2) Small unmanned aircraft; unmanned aircraft system.--The 
        terms ``small unmanned aircraft'' and ``unmanned aircraft 
        system'' have the meaning given such terms in section 44801 of 
        title 49, United States Code.

SEC. 822. FAA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ON UAS AUTOMATION.

    (a) Comprehensive Plan.--The Administrator shall establish a 
comprehensive plan for unmanned aircraft systems automation.
    (b) Comprehensive Plan Contents.--The comprehensive plan 
established under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) identify such FAA processes and regulations that must 
        change to accommodate the increasingly automated role of the 
        remote pilot of unmanned aircraft systems; and
            (2) include a plan for how the FAA intends to authorize low 
        risk automated operations, such as low altitude operations of 
        small unmanned aircraft systems in close proximity to the 
        ground or structures, to increasingly complex automated 
        operations.
    (c) Coordination.--In establishing the comprehensive plan under 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall consult with--
            (1) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
            (2) the Department of Defense;
            (3) manufacturers of autonomous unmanned aircraft systems;
            (4) operators of autonomous unmanned aircraft systems; and
            (5) other stakeholders at the discretion of the 
        Administrator that have studied automation in aviation, the 
        human-computer interface, and safety mitigations.
    (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
this section, the Administrator shall submit to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Subcommittee on 
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies of 
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure and the Subcommittee on 
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies of 
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a 
report on the plan established under subsection (a).
    (e) Small Unmanned Aircraft; Unmanned Aircraft; Unmanned Aircraft 
System.--In this section, the terms ``small unmanned aircraft'', 
``unmanned aircraft'', and ``unmanned aircraft system'' have the 
meanings given such terms in section 44801 of title 49, United States 
Code.

SEC. 823. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that it is important that the United 
States maintain global leadership in advanced aviation to maintain and 
improve national security, safety, sustainability, and economic 
strength domestically and globally.

SEC. 824. COMPREHENSIVE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM INTEGRATION STRATEGY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report on its national airspace 
system (NAS) integration strategy for unmanned aircraft systems (as 
defined in section 44801 of title 49, United States Code), including 
civil unmanned aircraft systems operating in controlled airspace, that 
includes the following:
            (1) The status of the following:
                    (A) Implementation of statutory provisions related 
                to unmanned aircraft system integration in subtitle B 
                of title III of division B of the FAA Reauthorization 
                Act of 2018 (Public Law 115-254).
                    (B) Implementation of statutory provisions related 
                to unmanned aircraft system integration in subtitle A 
                of title VIII of this Act.
                    (C) Actions taken by the FAA to implement 
                recommendations related to NAS integration of unmanned 
                aircraft systems, including civil unmanned aircraft 
                systems operating in controlled airspace, included in 
                aviation rulemaking committee reports published since 
                the enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 
                (Public Law 115-254).
                    (D) Any other objectives determined appropriate by 
                the Administrator as part of a NAS integration 
                strategy.
            (2) A description of steps to achieve the strategy as 
        outlined in subsection (a), including milestones and 
        performance metrics to gauge results.
            (3) The costs of executing the strategy, any resources or 
        investments required to execute the strategy, and any 
        regulatory or policy changes required to execute the strategy.
            (4) The process for ensuring coordination within the FAA 
        and with relevant interagency stakeholders, as well as for 
        receiving input from private and public sector unmanned 
        aircraft systems stakeholders in the execution of the strategy.
            (5) A description of steps to achieve strategy objectives, 
        including milestones and performance metrics to gauge results.
    (b) Congressional Briefings.--Beginning 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, and not less than every 12 months 
thereafter, the Administrator shall provide a briefing for the 
appropriate Committees of Congress on--
            (1) the status of implementation of each element specified 
        in subsection (a); and
            (2) any additional actions taken by the Administrator to 
        integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the NAS.
    (c) Sunset.--Subsection (b) shall not apply after September 30, 
2028.

SEC. 825. ESTABLISHMENT OF ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR OF UAS INTEGRATION.

    Section 106 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by section 
801, is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(v) Office of the Associate Administrator of UAS Integration.--
            ``(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Federal 
        Aviation Administration the Office of Associate Administrator 
        of UAS Integration (in this subsection referred to as the 
        `Office').
            ``(2) Associate administrator.--The Office shall be headed 
        by an Associate Administrator, who shall--
                    ``(A) be appointed by the Administrator, in 
                consultation with the Secretary of Transportation; and
                    ``(B) report directly to the Administrator.
            ``(3) Purposes.--The purposes of the Office are to--
                    ``(A) ensure and oversee the safe integration of 
                UASs into the national airspace system;
                    ``(B) encourage and facilitate a commercially 
                viable UAS industry and the leadership of the United 
                States in UAS;
                    ``(C) increase overall safety of the transportation 
                system on a mode-neutral basis;
                    ``(D) promote the global leadership of the United 
                States in advanced aviation;
                    ``(E) manage the UAS Integration Office; and
                    ``(F) ensure the safe coexistence of UASs with 
                manned aircraft operating in the national airspace 
                system.
            ``(4) Duties.--The Associate Administrator shall--
                    ``(A) conduct rulemaking proceedings with respect 
                to UASs;
                    ``(B) review submissions under the processes 
                established in subparagraphs (C) through (E) of section 
                44811(c)(2) and, as appropriate, grant certifications 
                and other operational approvals;
                    ``(C) review, modify, accept, or approve industry-
                developed standards, means of compliance, and 
                declarations of compliance;
                    ``(D) consult and coordinate with subject matter 
                experts from all relevant lines of business and staff 
                offices in carrying out the duties described in this 
                paragraph in a timely and efficient manner;
                    ``(E) hire full time equivalent employees, as 
                appropriate, to build expertise within the Office in 
                assessing new technologies and novel risk mitigations; 
                and
                    ``(F) engage in any other activities deemed 
                necessary by the Associate Administrator to carry out 
                the purposes described in paragraph (3).
            ``(5) Definitions.--In this subsection:
                    ``(A) Beyond visual line of sight; bvlos.--The 
                terms `beyond visual line of sight' or `BVLOS' mean the 
                operation of a UAS beyond the capability of the 
                flightcrew members to see the UAS with vision unaided 
                by any device other than corrective lenses (such as 
                spectacles or contact lenses).
                    ``(B) UAS.--The term `UAS' has the meaning given 
                the term `unmanned aircraft system' in section 
                44801.''.

SEC. 826. USE OF MODELING AND SIMULATION TOOLS IN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT 
              TEST RANGES; PROGRAM EXTENSION.

    Section 44803(c) of title 49, United States Code, as amended by 
section 813, is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and 
        inserting ``; and''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(8) use modeling and simulation tools to assist in the 
        testing, evaluation, verification, and validation of unmanned 
        aircraft systems.''.

                   Subtitle B--Advanced Air Mobility

SEC. 831. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON FAA LEADERSHIP.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United States should take actions to position 
        itself as a global leader in advanced air mobility; and
            (2) as such a global leader, the FAA should--
                    (A) prioritize its work on the type certification 
                of aircraft;
                    (B) publish in line with its stated deadlines 
                rulemakings and policy necessary to enable commercial 
                operations, such as the powered-lift Special Federal 
                Aviation Regulation (SFAR);
                    (C) work with global partners to promote acceptance 
                of advanced air mobility products; and
                    (D) leverage the existing aviation system to the 
                greatest extent possible to support advanced air 
                mobility operations.

SEC. 832. AVIATION RULEMAKING COMMITTEE ON CERTIFICATION OF POWERED-
              LIFT AIRCRAFT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which 
the first special class type certificate for powered-lift aircraft is 
issued, the Administrator shall establish an Aviation Rulemaking 
Committee (in this section referred to as the ``Committee'') to provide 
the Administrator with specific findings and recommendations for the 
creation of a standard certification pathway for the certification of 
powered-lift aircraft.
    (b) Report.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date on 
        which the Committee is established under subsection (a), the 
        Committee shall submit to the Administrator a report detailing 
        the findings and recommendations of the Committee.
            (2) Considerations.--In submitting the report under 
        paragraph (1), the Committee shall consider the following:
                    (A) Broad, outcome-driven safety objectives that 
                will spur innovation and technology adoption and 
                promote the development of performance-based 
                regulations.
                    (B) Lessons and insights learned from previously 
                published FAA special conditions and other Federal 
                Register notices of airworthiness certification 
                criteria for powered-lift aircraft.
    (c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 90 days after the date on which the 
Committee submits the report to the Administrator under subsection (b), 
the Administrator shall initiate a rulemaking to implement the findings 
and recommendations of the Committee, as determined appropriate by the 
Administrator.

SEC. 833. APPLICATION OF NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ACT (NEPA) 
              CATEGORICAL EXCLUSIONS FOR VERTIPORT PROJECTS.

    (a) In General.--In considering the environmental impacts of a 
proposed vertiport project on an existing airport, the Administrator 
shall--
            (1) apply an applicable categorical exclusion in accordance 
        with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 
        4321 et seq.) and subchapter A of chapter V of title 40, Code 
        of Federal Regulations; and
            (2) after consultation with the Council on Environmental 
        Quality, take steps to establish categorical exclusions for 
        vertiports on an existing airport, in accordance with the 
        National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
        seq.) and subchapter A of chapter V of title 40, Code of 
        Federal Regulations.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (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) Vertiport.--The term ``vertiport'' means a designated 
        location used or intended to be used to support advanced air 
        mobility (AAM) operations, including the landing, take-off, 
        loading, taxiing, parking, and storage of aircraft developed 
        for advanced air mobility (AAM) operations.

SEC. 834. ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY WORKING GROUP AMENDMENTS.

    Section 2(f) of the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and 
Leadership Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);
            (3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(2) recommendations for sharing expertise and data on 
        critical items, including long-term electrification 
        requirements and the needs of cities (from a macro-
        electrification standpoint) to enable the deployment of AAM; 
        and''; and
            (4) in paragraph (3), as redesignated by paragraph (2) of 
        this section, by striking ``paragraph (1)'' and inserting 
        ``paragraphs (1) and (2)''.

SEC. 835. RULES FOR OPERATION OF POWERED-LIFT AIRCRAFT.

    (a) Powered-lift Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the term 
``powered-lift aircraft'' means a heavier-than-air aircraft capable of 
vertical take-off, vertical landing, and low speed flight that depends 
principally on engine-driven lift devices or engine thrust for lift 
during these flight regimes and on 1 or more nonrotating airfoils for 
lift during horizontal flight.
    (b) Rulemaking.--Not later than December 31, 2024, the 
Administrator shall finalize a Powered-Lift Special Federal Aviation 
Regulation (SFAR) establishing a procedure for certifying pilots and 
the operation of powered-lift aircraft capable of transporting 
passengers and cargo.
    (c) Requirements.--With respect to any aircraft type certificated 
by the Administrator, the procedure established under subsection (b) 
shall provide a practical pathway for pilot qualification and 
operations.

SEC. 836. INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION ON POWERED-LIFT AIRCRAFT.

    (a) Powered-lift Aircraft Plan.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 90 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall develop a 
        plan to facilitate the ability of the aerospace industry of the 
        United States to efficiently operate powered-lift aircraft and 
        export powered-lift products and articles in key markets 
        globally.
            (2) Requirements.--The plan developed under paragraph (1) 
        shall include the following:
                    (A) An assessment of existing bilateral aviation 
                safety agreements, implementation procedures, and other 
                associated bilateral arrangements so that current and 
                future powered-lift products and articles can utilize 
                the most appropriate validation mechanisms and 
                procedures for powered-lift aircraft, products, and 
                articles.
                    (B) A description of methods to facilitate the 
                efficient global acceptance of the FAA approach to 
                certification of powered-lift aircraft, products, and 
                articles.
                    (C) Any other information determined appropriated 
                by the Administrator.
    (b) Coordination With Civil Aviation Authorities.--Not later than 
90 days after the plan is developed under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall coordinate with international civil aviation 
authorities in countries that have a bilateral safety agreement and 
implementation procedure with the United States regarding the 
establishment of mutual processes for efficient validation, acceptance, 
and working arrangements of certificates and approvals for powered-lift 
aircraft, products, and articles.
    (c) Establishment of Provisions.--Not later than 2 years after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish 
the mutual processes described in subsection (b).
    (d) Powered-lift Aircraft Defined.--In this section, the term 
``powered-lift aircraft'' means a heavier-than-air aircraft capable of 
vertical take-off, vertical landing, and low speed flight that depends 
principally on engine-driven lift devices or engine thrust for lift 
during these flight regimes and on 1 or more nonrotating airfoils for 
lift during horizontal flight.

SEC. 837. ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY PROPULSION SYSTEMS AVIATION RULEMAKING 
              COMMITTEE.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall establish an Aviation 
Rulemaking Committee (in this section referred to as the ``Committee'') 
to provide the Administrator with specific findings and recommendations 
for regulations covering, with respect to small and large type 
certificated aircraft, the certification and installation of--
            (1) electric engines and propellers;
            (2) hybrid electric engines and propulsion systems;
            (3) hydrogen fuel cells; and
            (4) hydrogen combustion engines or propulsion systems.
    (b) Considerations.--In providing the findings and recommendations 
under subsection (a), the Committee shall consider the following:
            (1) Broad, outcome-driven safety objectives that will spur 
        innovation and technology adoption, and promote the development 
        of performance-based regulations.
            (2) Lessons and insights learned from previously published 
        FAA special conditions and other Federal Register notices of 
        airworthiness certification criteria for advanced air mobility 
        engines, propellers, and aircraft.
            (3) The requirements of part 33 and part 35 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations, any boundaries of applicability 
        for stand alone engine type certificates (including highly 
        integrated systems), and the use of technical standards order 
        authorizations.
    (c) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which the 
Committee is established under subsection (a), the Committee shall 
submit to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of Congress 
a report containing the findings and recommendations described in 
subsection (a).
    (d) Briefing.--Not later than 180 days after the date on which the 
Committee submits the report under subsection (c), the Administrator 
shall brief the appropriate committees of Congress regarding the FAA's 
plans in response to the findings and recommendations contained in the 
report.
    (e) Safety Cooperation.--The Administrator shall lead efforts to 
engage with foreign authorities to further harmonize standards for 
certification and installation of the products described in paragraphs 
(1) through (4) of subsection (a).

TITLE IX--RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATIVE AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES

SEC. 901. ADVANCED MATERIALS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE ENHANCEMENTS.

    Section 44518 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``under its structure'' 
        and all that follows through the period and inserting ``through 
        September 30, 2028, under its structure as in effect on March 
        1, 2023, which shall focus on applied research and training on 
        the safe use of composites and advanced materials in airframe 
        structures. The Center shall also conduct research and 
        development into aircraft structure crash worthiness and 
        passenger safety, as well as address safe and accessible air 
        travel of individuals with a disability (as defined in section 
        382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or any 
        successor regulation)), including materials required to 
        facilitate safe wheelchair restraint systems on commercial 
        aircraft. The Administrator shall award grants to the Center 
        within 90 days from the date the Grants Officer recommends a 
        proposal for award to the Administrator.''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Center shall--
            ``(1) promote and facilitate collaboration among member 
        universities, academia, the Federal Aviation Administration, 
        the commercial aircraft industry, including manufacturers, 
        commercial air carriers, and suppliers, and other appropriate 
        stakeholders;
            ``(2) establish goals set to advance technology, improve 
        engineering practices, and facilitate continuing education in 
        relevant areas of study, which should include all structural 
        materials, such as carbon fiber polymers and thermoplastic 
        composites, and structural technologies, such as additive 
        manufacturing, to be used in applications within the commercial 
        aircraft industry, including traditional fixed-wing aircraft, 
        rotorcraft, and emerging aircraft types such as advanced air 
        mobility aircraft; and
            ``(3) establish criteria for the safe movement of all 
        passengers, including individuals with a disability (as defined 
        in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or 
        any successor regulation)), and individuals using their 
        personal wheelchairs in flight, that takes into account the 
        modeling, engineering, testing, operating, and training issues 
        significant to all passengers and relevant stakeholders.''.

SEC. 902. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, as 
amended by section 811(a), is amended by inserting after section 44813 
the following new section:
``Sec. 44814. Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems
    ``(a) In General.--During the period beginning on the date of 
enactment of this section, and ending on September 30, 2028, the 
Administrator shall continue operation of the Center of Excellence for 
Unmanned Aircraft Systems (referred to in this section as the `Center') 
under the structure of the Center as in effect on January 1, 2023.
    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Center shall carry out the following 
responsibilities:
            ``(1) Conduct applied research and training on the safe and 
        efficient integration of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced 
        air mobility into the national airspace system.
            ``(2) Promote and facilitate collaboration among academia, 
        the FAA, Federal agency partners, and industry stakeholders 
        (including manufacturers, operators, service providers, 
        standards development organizations, carriers, and suppliers), 
        with respect to the safe and efficient integration of unmanned 
        aircraft systems and advanced air mobility into the national 
        airspace system.
            ``(3) Establish goals set to advance technology, improve 
        engineering practices, and facilitate continuing education with 
        respect to the safe and efficient integration of unmanned 
        aircraft systems and advanced air mobility into the national 
        airspace system.
    ``(c) Program Participation.--The Administrator shall ensure the 
participation in the Center of public institutions of higher education 
and research institutions that provide accredited bachelor's degree 
programs in aeronautical sciences that provide pathways to commercial 
pilot certifications and focus primarily on supporting pilot training 
for women aviators.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of title 49, 
United States Code, as amended by section 811(b), is amended by 
inserting after the item relating to section 44813 the following:

``44814. Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.''.

SEC. 903. ASSURED SAFE CREDENTIALING AUTHORITY.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, as 
amended by section 902(a), is amended by inserting after section 44814 
the following new section:
``Sec. 44815. ASSUREd Safe credentialing authority
    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall establish the credentialing authority for the 
Administration's program of record (referred to in this section as 
`ASSUREd Safe') under the Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems at the Mississippi State University.
    ``(b) Purposes.--The ASSUREd Safe credentialing authority 
established under subsection (a) shall offer services throughout the 
United States, and to allies and partners of the United States, 
including--
            ``(1) online and in-person standards, education, and 
        testing to certify first responders' use of unmanned aircraft 
        systems for public safety and disaster operations;
            ``(2) uniform communications standards, operational 
        standards, and reporting standards for civilian, military, and 
        international allies and partners; and
            ``(3) any other services determined appropriate by the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 448 of such 
title, as amended by section 902(b), is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 44814 the following:

``44815. ASSUREd Safe Credentialing Authority.''.

SEC. 904. FAA AND NASA ADVANCED AVIATION TECHNOLOGIES PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Pilot Program.--
            (1) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator, in coordination 
        with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration (in this section referred to as the ``NASA 
        Administrator''), shall establish a pilot program to facilitate 
        the appointment of individuals from NASA to the FAA to serve in 
        temporary technical discipline expert positions relating to 
        advanced aviation technologies (in this section referred to as 
        the ``program'').
            (2) Considerations.--In developing the program, the 
        Administrator shall consider--
                    (A) existing mechanisms of collaboration between 
                FAA and NASA relating to aeronautics programs, advisory 
                committees, and work groups;
                    (B) the degree to which FAA and NASA facilitate 
                partnerships between subject matter experts to support 
                the research and development, testing, and 
                certification of advanced aviation technologies; and
                    (C) how temporary appointments under the program 
                may be best used to enhance the technical capacity of 
                the FAA and technical partnerships between agencies.
    (b) Temporary Appointment of NASA Personnel.--
            (1) Terms and conditions.--The Administrator, in 
        coordination with the NASA Administrator, shall identify 
        qualifying projects or activities at the FAA that would benefit 
        from temporary appointments of highly qualified, experienced 
        professionals under the program to enhance technical capacity, 
        knowledge, skills, and abilities relating to research and 
        development, certification, and the safe deployment of advanced 
        aviation technologies. The Administrator and NASA Administrator 
        shall jointly establish the terms and conditions of service 
        under the program and issue relevant guidelines related to the 
        responsibilities and duration of service of participating NASA 
        personnel. In approving NASA personnel for participation in the 
        program, the NASA Administrator shall certify that the 
        temporary appointment of such personnel shall not have an 
        adverse impact on the post-assignment employment duties of 
        relevant NASA personnel or an undue adverse impact on the 
        mission of the agency.
            (2) Special rules.--The Administrator shall make clear that 
        any responsibilities of NASA personnel participating in the 
        program constitute serving in temporary technical discipline 
        expert positions at the FAA and are subject to FAA conflict-of-
        interest policies and supervision.
            (3) Rules for pay and benefits for nasa personnel.--Any 
        individuals employed by NASA who are participating in the 
        program shall continue to receive pay and benefits from NASA 
        and shall not receive pay or benefits from the FAA for the 
        duration of the program.
    (c) Authority to Transfer and Receive Resources.--In supporting the 
participation of NASA personnel, the Administrator and NASA 
Administrator may authorize the use of NASA technical services, 
equipment, software, and facilities without reimbursement to facilitate 
cooperation between agencies under the program.
    (d) Program Review and Report.--
            (1) Review.--The Comptroller General shall conduct a 
        comprehensive review of the program that includes evaluation of 
        the impact of the program on improving coordination on projects 
        and sharing of technical expertise between agencies relating to 
        advanced aviation technologies.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit 
        to the appropriate committees of Congress a report containing 
        the results of the review conducted under paragraph (1), along 
        with recommendations for such future action as the Comptroller 
        General determines appropriate.

SEC. 905. ADVANCING GLOBAL LEADERSHIP ON CIVIL SUPERSONIC AIRCRAFT.

    Section 181 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 
note) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``regulations, and 
        standards'' and inserting ``regulations, standards, and 
        recommended practices''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(g) Additional Reports.--
            ``(1) Initial progress report.--Not later than 1 year after 
        the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator 
        shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
        describing--
                    ``(A) the progress of the actions described in 
                subsection (d)(1);
                    ``(B) any planned, proposed, or anticipated action 
                to update or modify existing policies and regulations 
                related to civil supersonic aircraft, including those 
                identified as a result of stakeholder consultation and 
                feedback (such as landing and takeoff noise); and
                    ``(C) any other information determined appropriate 
                by the Administrator.
            ``(2) Subsequent report.--Not later than 2 years after the 
        date on which the Administrator submits the initial progress 
        report under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall submit to 
        the appropriate committees of Congress an updated report on the 
        progress of the actions described in paragraph (1).''.

SEC. 906. CLEEN ENGINE AND AIRFRAME TECHNOLOGY PARTNERSHIP.

    Section 47511 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``subsonic'' after 
        ``fuels for civil''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Selection.--In carrying out the program, the Administrator 
may ensure that not less than 2 of the cooperative agreements entered 
into under this section involve the participation of an entity that is 
a small business concern (as defined in section 3 of the Small Business 
Act (15 U.S.C. 632)), provided that the entity's submitted technology 
proposal meets requisite technology readiness levels for entry into the 
agreement as determined by the Administrator.''.

SEC. 907. HYPERSONIC AND SUPERSONIC FLIGHT TESTING.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year (Supersonic) and 2 years 
(Hypersonic) after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Administrator shall establish procedures for permitting manned flights 
in oceanic airspace and overland flights operating with speeds in 
excess of Mach 1 (Supersonic Flight) including Mach 5 (Hypersonic) and 
above for the purposes of developmental and airworthiness testing 
(including demonstration flights in areas where such flights will not 
interfere with the safety of other aircraft or the efficient use of 
airspace in the national airspace system).
    (b) Considerations.--In carrying out subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall consider--
            (1) the provisions of parts 91.817 and 91.818 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations;
            (2) applications for special flight authorizations for 
        flights operating with speeds in excess of Mach 1 (Supersonic) 
        or Mach 5 (Hypersonic), as described in such part 91.818;
            (3) the environmental impacts of developmental and 
        airworthiness testing operations;
            (4) whether to require applicants to include specification 
        of proposed flight areas;
            (5) the authorization of flights to and from spaceports and 
        airports in Class D airspace within 10 nautical miles of 
        oceanic coastline;
            (6) developing the vertical limits at or above the altitude 
        necessary for safe supersonic and hypersonic operations;
            (7) proponent-provided data regarding the design and 
        operational analysis of the aircraft, as well as data regarding 
        sonic boom overpressure; and
            (8) the safety of the uninvolved public.

SEC. 908. HYPERSONIC PATHWAY TO INTEGRATION STUDY.

    (a) Study.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall conduct a study 
        assessing actions necessary to facilitate the safe operation 
        and integration of hypersonic aircraft into the national 
        airspace system.
            (2) Contents.--The study conducted under paragraph (1) 
        shall include, at a minimum--
                    (A) an initial assessment of cross-agency equities 
                related to hypersonic aircraft technologies and flight;
                    (B) the identification, development, and collection 
                of data required to develop certification, flight 
                standards, and air traffic requirements for the 
                deployment and integration of hypersonic aircraft;
                    (C) the development of a framework and timeline to 
                establish the appropriate regulatory requirements for 
                conducting hypersonic aircraft flights;
                    (D) strategic plans to improve the FAA's state of 
                preparedness and response capability in advance of 
                receiving applications to conduct hypersonic aircraft 
                flights; and
                    (E) a survey of global hypersonic aircraft-related 
                regulatory and testing developments or activities.
            (3) Considerations.--In conducting the study under 
        paragraph (1), the Administrator may consider--
                    (A) the feedback and technical expertise of the 
                aerospace industry and other stakeholders when creating 
                policies, regulations, and standards that enable the 
                safe operation and integration of hypersonic aircraft 
                into the national airspace system;
                    (B) opportunities for--
                            (i) demonstrating United States global 
                        leadership in aeronautics, including hypersonic 
                        aircraft and related technologies; and
                            (ii) strengthening global harmonization in 
                        aeronautics; and
                    (C) the development of international policies, 
                regulations, and standards relating to the 
                certification and safe operation of hypersonic 
                aircraft.
            (4) Consultation.--In conducting the study under paragraph 
        (1), the Administrator shall consult with representatives from 
        Federal agencies, industry, and other stakeholders, including--
                    (A) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration;
                    (B) the Department of Defense;
                    (C) aircraft manufacturers;
                    (D) institutions of higher education; and
                    (E) any other stakeholders the Administrator 
                determines appropriate.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report on the results of the study conducted under 
subsection (a), together with recommendations to facilitate the safe 
operation and integration of hypersonic aircraft into the national 
airspace system.
    (c) Definition of Hypersonic.--In this section, the term 
``hypersonic'' means an aircraft or flight operating at speeds in 
excess of Mach 5 and above.

SEC. 909. OPERATING HIGH-SPEED FLIGHTS IN HIGH ALTITUDE CLASS E 
              AIRSPACE.

    (a) Consultation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator, in consultation with the 
Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and 
relevant stakeholders, including industry and academia, shall identify 
the minimum altitude above the upper boundary of Class A airspace at or 
above which flights operating with speeds above Mach 1 generate sonic 
booms that do not produce appreciable sonic boom overpressures at the 
surface under prevailing atmospheric conditions.
    (b) Consultation.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator, in consultation with the 
Environmental Protection Agency and other stakeholders, shall assess 
and report on a means for supporting continued compliance with the 
National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). The Administrator shall 
enter into an agreement with an appropriate Federally-funded research 
and development center, or other independent nonprofit organization 
that recommends long term solutions for maintaining NEPA compliance for 
1 or more over-land or near-land hypersonic and supersonic test areas 
that will be established.
    (c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 2 years after the date on which the 
Administrator identifies the minimum altitude described in subsection 
(a), the Administrator shall publish in the Federal Register a notice 
of proposed rulemaking to amend sections 91.817 and 91.818 of title 14, 
Code of Federal Regulations, and such other regulations as appropriate, 
to permit flight operations with speeds above Mach 1 at or above the 
minimum altitude identified under subsection (a) without specific 
authorization, provided that such flight operations--
            (1) show compliance with airworthiness requirements;
            (2) do not cause a measurable sonic boom overpressure to 
        reach the surface;
            (3) have ordinary instrument flight rules clearances 
        necessary to operate in controlled airspace; and
            (4) comply with applicable environmental requirements.

SEC. 910. ELECTRIC PROPULSION AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS STUDY.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall initiate a 
study assessing the safe and scalable operation and integration of 
electric aircraft into the national airspace system.
    (b) Contents.--The study required under subsection (a) shall 
address--
            (1) the technical capacity and competencies needed for the 
        FAA to certify aircraft systems specific to electric aircraft;
            (2) the data development and collection required to develop 
        standards specific to electric aircraft;
            (3) the regulatory standards and guidance material needed 
        to facilitate the safe operation of electric aircraft, 
        including--
                    (A) fire protection;
                    (B) high voltage electromagnetic environments;
                    (C) engine and human machine interfaces;
                    (D) reliability of high voltage components and 
                insulation;
                    (E) lithium batteries for propulsion use;
                    (F) operating and pilot qualifications; and
                    (G) airspace integration;
            (4) the airport infrastructure requirements to support 
        electric aircraft operations, including an assessment of--
                    (A) existing capabilities of airport infrastructure 
                as of the date of enactment of this section;
                    (B) aircraft operations specifications;
                    (C) projected operations demand by carriers and 
                other operators;
                    (D) potential modifications to existing airport 
                infrastructure;
                    (E) additional investments in new infrastructure 
                and systems required to meet operations demand; and
                    (F) management of infrastructure relating to 
                hazardous materials used in hybrid and electric 
                propulsion; and
            (5) varying types of electric aircraft, including advanced 
        air mobility aircraft and small or regional passenger or cargo 
        aircraft.
    (c) Considerations.--In conducting the study under subsection (a), 
the Comptroller General may consider the following:
            (1) The potential for improvements to air service 
        connectivity for communities through the deployment of electric 
        aircraft operations, including by--
                    (A) establishing routes to small and rural 
                communities; and
                    (B) introducing alternative modes of transportation 
                for multimodal operations within communities.
            (2) Impacts to airport-adjacent communities, including 
        implications due to changes in airspace utilization and land 
        use compatibility.
    (d) Report to Congress.--Not later than 2 years after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results of the study 
conducted under subsection (a), together with recommendations for such 
legislation and administrative action as the Comptroller General 
determines appropriate.
    (e) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Electric aircraft.--The term ``electric aircraft'' 
        means an aircraft with a fully electric or hybrid electric 
        driven propulsion system used for flight.
            (2) Advanced air mobility.--The term ``advanced air 
        mobility'' means a transportation system that transports 
        passengers and cargo by air between two points in the United 
        States using aircraft with advanced technologies, including 
        aircraft with hybrid or electric vertical take-off and landing 
        capabilities, in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace.

SEC. 911. CONTRACT WEATHER OBSERVERS PROGRAM.

    Section 2306 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 
(Public Law 114-190; 130 Stat. 641) is amended by striking subsection 
(b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Continued Use of Contract Weather Observers.--The 
Administrator may not discontinue or diminish the contract weather 
observer program at any airport until September 30, 2028.''.

SEC. 912. AIRFIELD PAVEMENT TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM.

    Using amounts made available under section 48102(a) of title 49, 
United States Code, the Secretary may carry out a program for the 
research and development of airfield pavement technologies under which 
the Secretary makes grants to, and enters into cooperative agreements 
with, institutions of higher education (as defined in section 101 of 
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) and nonprofit 
organizations that--
            (1) research concrete and asphalt pavement technologies 
        that extend the life of airfield pavements;
            (2) develop sustainability and resiliency guidelines to 
        improve long-term pavement performance;
            (3) develop and conduct training with respect to such 
        airfield pavement technologies;
            (4) provide for demonstration projects of such airfield 
        pavement technologies; and
            (5) promote the latest airfield pavement technologies to 
        aid the development of safer, more cost effective, and more 
        resilient and sustainable airfield pavements.

SEC. 913. NATIONAL AVIATION RESEARCH PLAN MODIFICATION.

    (a) Modification of Submission Deadline.--Section 44501(c)(1) of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``the date of 
submission'' and inserting ``the date that is 45 days after the date of 
submission''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 48102(g) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``the date of submission'' and 
inserting ``the date that is 45 days after the date of submission''.

SEC. 914. FAA AND NASA RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION REVIEW.

    (a) Review.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator, in coordination 
        with the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
        Administration (in this section referred to as ``NASA'') shall 
        conduct a review of aeronautics research and development 
        coordination between Federal agencies and the extent to which 
        NASA and the FAA can improve collaboration in order to leverage 
        each other's subject matter expertise relating to civil 
        aviation projects.
            (2) Contents.--In carrying out the review under paragraph 
        (1), the Administrator shall--
                    (A) review the extent to which NASA and the FAA 
                leverage each other's laboratory and testing 
                capabilities, facilities, resources, and subject matter 
                expert personnel in support of aeronautics research and 
                development programs and projects;
                    (B) assess--
                            (i) the current fiscal year, and the 3 most 
                        recent fiscal years, of Federal expenditures 
                        for the FAA and NASA's research and development 
                        programs and projects; and
                            (ii) the extent to which other Federal 
                        agencies, industry partners, and research 
                        organizations are involved in such programs and 
                        projects; and
                    (C) develop recommendations for the improvement of 
                coordination, collaboration, and efficiency of 
                aeronautics research and development programs to reduce 
                overlap between NASA, the FAA, other Federal agencies, 
                academia, research organizations, standards groups, and 
                industry.
    (b) Report.--Not later than 180 days after completing the review 
under subsection (a), the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report on such review, including the 
recommendations developed under subsection (a)(2)(C).

SEC. 915. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF FAA'S AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION 
              SYSTEMS MODERNIZATION ACTIVITIES.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator, in coordination with the John A. 
Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, shall carry out a 
research and development program to assist with the continuous 
modernization of the FAA's aeronautical information systems, including, 
but not limited to--
            (1) the Aeronautical Information Management Modernization 
        (AIMM), including the FAA's Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) 
        system;
            (2) the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing 
        (ASIAS) system; and
            (3) the Service Difficulty Reporting System (SDRS).
    (b) Review and Report.--
            (1) Review.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator shall enter into 
        an agreement with a Federally funded research and development 
        center to conduct and complete a review of planned and ongoing 
        modernization efforts of FAA's aeronautical information 
        systems. Such review shall identify opportunities for 
        additional coordination between the FAA and the John A. Volpe 
        National Transportation Systems Center to further modernize 
        such systems.
            (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the Administrator 
        enters into the agreement with the center under paragraph (1), 
        the Center shall submit to the Administrator and the 
        appropriate committees of Congress a report on the review 
        conducted under paragraph (1), together with such 
        recommendations as the Center determines appropriate.

SEC. 916. CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR ALTERNATIVE JET FUELS AND 
              ENVIRONMENT.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 445 of title 49, United States Code, as 
amended by section 817, is amended by adding at the end the following 
new section:
``Sec. 44521. Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and 
              Environment
    ``(a) In General.--During the period beginning on the date of 
enactment of this section and ending on September 30, 2028, the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (in this section 
referred to as the `Administrator') shall continue operation of the 
Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and Environment (in this 
section referred to as the `Center') under its structure as in effect 
on January 1, 2023.
    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Center shall--
            ``(1) focus on research to--
                    ``(A) assist in the development, qualification, and 
                certification of the use of aviation fuel from 
                alternative and renewable sources (such as biomass, 
                alcohols, organic acids, hydrogen, and gaseous carbon) 
                for commercial aircraft;
                    ``(B) assist in informing the safe use of 
                alternative aviation fuels in commercial aircraft that 
                also apply electrified aircraft propulsion systems;
                    ``(C) reduce community exposure to civilian 
                aircraft noise and pollutant emissions;
                    ``(D) inform decision making to support United 
                States leadership on international aviation 
                environmental issues, including the development of 
                domestic and international standards; and
                    ``(E) improve and expand the scientific 
                understanding of civil aviation noise and pollutant 
                emissions and their impacts, as well as support the 
                development of improved modeling approaches and tools; 
                and
            ``(2) examine the use of novel technologies and other forms 
        of innovation to reduce noise, emissions, and fuel burn in 
        commercial aircraft.
    ``(c) Grant Authority.--The Administrator shall carry out the work 
of the Center through the use of grants or other measures as determined 
appropriate by the Administrator pursuant to section 44513, including 
through interagency agreements with other Federal agencies.
    ``(d) Participation.--
            ``(1) Participation of educational and research 
        institutions.--In carrying out the responsibilities described 
        in subsection (b), the Center shall include, as appropriate, 
        participation by--
                    ``(A) higher education and research institutions 
                that--
                            ``(i) have existing facilities for 
                        research, development, and testing; and
                            ``(ii) leverage private sector 
                        partnerships;
                    ``(B) other Federal agencies;
                    ``(C) consortia with experience across the 
                alternative fuels supply chain, including with 
                research, feedstock development and production, small-
                scale development, testing, and technology evaluation 
                related to the creation, processing, production, and 
                transportation of alternative aviation fuel; and
                    ``(D) consortia with experience in innovative 
                technologies to reduce noise, emissions, and fuel burn 
                in commercial aircraft.
            ``(2) Use of nasa facilities.--The Center shall consider 
        utilizing the existing capacity in aeronautics research at the 
        Langley Research Center, NASA John H. Glenn Center at the Neil 
        A. Armstrong Test Facility, and other appropriate facilities of 
        the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 445 of such 
title, as amended by section 817, is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 44520 the following:

``44521. Center of Excellence for Alternative Jet Fuels and 
                            Environment.''.

SEC. 917. AIRCRAFT NOISE ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall establish an 
Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as the 
``Advisory Committee'') to advise the Administrator on issues facing 
the aviation community that are related to aircraft noise exposure and 
existing FAA noise policies and regulations.
    (b) Membership.--The Administrator shall appoint the members of the 
Advisory Committee, which shall be comprised of--
            (1) at least 1 representative of each of--
                    (A) engine manufacturers;
                    (B) air carriers;
                    (C) airport owners or operators;
                    (D) aircraft manufacturers;
                    (E) advanced air mobility manufacturers or 
                operators;
                    (F) institutions of higher education; and
                    (G) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration; and
            (2) representatives of airport-adjacent communities from 
        geographically diverse regions.
    (c) Duties.--The duties of the Advisory Committee shall include--
            (1) the evaluation of existing research on aircraft noise 
        impacts and annoyance;
            (2) the assessment of alternative noise metrics that could 
        be used to supplement or replace the existing Day Night Level 
        (DNL) standard;
            (3) the evaluation of the current 65-decibel exposure 
        threshold, including the impact to land use compatibility 
        around airports if such threshold was lowered;
            (4) the evaluation of current noise mitigation strategies 
        and the community engagement efforts by the FAA with respect to 
        changes in airspace utilization, such as the integration of new 
        entrants and usage of performance-based navigation; and
            (5) other duties determined appropriate by the 
        Administrator.
    (d) Reports.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
        establishment of the Advisory Committee, the Advisory Committee 
        shall submit to the Administrator a report on any recommended 
        changes to current aviation noise policies.
            (2) Report to congress.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        date the Administrator receives the report under paragraph (1), 
        the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
        Congress a report containing the recommendations made by the 
        Advisory Committee.
    (e) Congressional Briefing.--Not later than 30 days after 
submission of the report under paragraph (2), the Administrator shall 
brief the appropriate committees of Congress on how the Administrator 
plans to implement recommendations contained in the report and, for 
each recommendation that the Administrator does not plan to implement, 
the Administrator's reason for not implementing the recommendation.

SEC. 918. NEXT GENERATION RADIO ALTIMETERS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment 
of this section, the Administrator, in coordination with the aviation 
and commercial wireless industries, the National Telecommunications and 
Information Administration, the Federal Communications Commission, and 
other relevant government stakeholders, shall carry out a research and 
development program to assist with the development, testing, and 
certification of the standards and technology necessary to ensure 
industry and the FAA can certify and meet the installation requirements 
for next generation radio altimeters across all necessary aircraft by 
January 1, 2028.
    (b) Grant Program.--Subject to appropriations, the Administrator 
may award grants for the purposes of research and development, testing, 
and other activities necessary to ensure that next generation radio 
altimeter technology is developed, tested, certified, and installed on 
necessary aircraft by 2028, including through public-private 
partnership grants (which shall include protections for necessary 
intellectual property with respect to any private sector entity 
testing, certifying, or producing next generation radio altimeters 
under the program carried out under this section) with industry to 
ensure the accelerated production and installation by January 1, 2028.
    (c) Review and Report.--Not later than 180 days after the enactment 
of this section, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report on the steps the Administrator has 
taken as of the date on which such report is submitted and any actions 
the Administrator plans to take, including as part of the program 
carried out under this section, to ensure that next generation radio 
altimeter technology is developed, tested, certified, and installed by 
2028.
    (d) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to apply to efforts to retrofit the existing supply of 
altimeters in place as of the date of enactment of this section.

SEC. 919. HYDROGEN AVIATION STRATEGY.

    (a) FAA and Department of Energy Leadership on Using Hydrogen to 
Propel Commercial Aircraft.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
        Administrator and jointly with the Secretary of Energy, shall 
        exercise leadership in the creation of Federal and 
        international policies, and shall conduct research relating to 
        the safe and efficient use and sourcing of hydrogen to propel 
        commercial aircraft.
            (2) Exercise of leadership.--In carrying out paragraph (1), 
        the Secretary, the Administrator, and the Secretary of Energy 
        shall--
                    (A) establish positions and goals for the use of 
                hydrogen to propel commercial aircraft;
                    (B) through grant, contract, or interagency 
                agreements, study the contribution the use of hydrogen 
                would have on propelling commercial aircraft, including 
                hydrogen as an input for conventional jet fuel, 
                hydrogen fuel cells as a source of electric propulsion, 
                sustainable aviation fuel, and power to liquids or 
                synthetic fuel, and research ways of accelerating 
                introduction of hydrogen-propelled aircraft;
                    (C) review grant eligibility requirements, loans, 
                loan guarantees, and other policies and requirements of 
                the FAA and the Department of Energy to identify ways 
                to increase the safe and efficient use of hydrogen to 
                propel commercial aircraft;
                    (D) consider the needs of the aerospace industry, 
                aviation suppliers, hydrogen producers, airlines, 
                airport sponsors, fixed base operators, and other 
                stakeholders when creating policies that enable the 
                safe use of hydrogen to propel commercial aircraft;
                    (E) coordinate with the National Aeronautics and 
                Space Administration, and obtain input from the 
                aerospace industry, aviation suppliers, hydrogen 
                producers, airlines, airport sponsors, fixed base 
                operators, and other stakeholders regarding--
                            (i) the safe and efficient use of hydrogen 
                        to propel commercial aircraft within United 
                        States airspace, including--
                                    (I) updating or modifying existing 
                                policies on such use;
                                    (II) assessing barriers to, and 
                                benefits of, the introduction of 
                                aircraft propelled by hydrogen;
                                    (III) the operational differences 
                                between aircraft propelled by hydrogen 
                                and aircraft propelled with other types 
                                of fuels; and
                                    (IV) public, economic, and noise 
                                benefits of the operation of commercial 
                                aircraft propelled by hydrogen and 
                                associated aerospace industry activity; 
                                and
                            (ii) other issues identified by the 
                        Secretary, the Administrator, the Secretary of 
                        Energy, or the advisory committee established 
                        under subparagraph (F) that must be addressed 
                        to enable the safe and efficient use of 
                        hydrogen to propel commercial aircraft; and
                    (F) establish an advisory committee composed of 
                representatives of the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration, the aerospace industry, aviation 
                suppliers, hydrogen producers, airlines, airport 
                sponsors, fixed base operators, and other stakeholders 
                to advise the Secretary, the Administrator, and the 
                Secretary of Energy on the activities carried out under 
                this subsection and subsection (b).
            (3) International leadership.--The Secretary, the 
        Administrator, and the Secretary of Energy, in the appropriate 
        international forums, shall take actions that--
                    (A) demonstrate global leadership in carrying out 
                the activities required by paragraphs (1) and (2);
                    (B) address the needs of the aerospace industry, 
                aviation suppliers, hydrogen producers, airlines, 
                airport sponsors, fixed base operators, and other 
                stakeholders identified under paragraph (2);
                    (C) address the needs of fuel cell manufacturers; 
                and
                    (D) advance the United States' competitiveness in 
                hydrogen-propelled aircraft.
            (4) Report to congress.--Not later than 3 years after the 
        date of enactment of this section, the Secretary, acting 
        primarily through the Administrator, and jointly with the 
        Secretary of Energy, shall submit to the appropriate committees 
        of Congress a report detailing--
                    (A) the Secretary's, Administrator's, and Secretary 
                of Energy's actions to exercise leadership in the 
                creation of Federal and international policies, and of 
                research conducted, relating to the safe and efficient 
                use of hydrogen to propel commercial aircraft;
                    (B) planned, proposed, and anticipated actions to 
                update or modify existing policies related to the use 
                of hydrogen to propel commercial aircraft, including 
                those identified as a result of consultation with, and 
                feedback from, the aerospace industry, aviation 
                suppliers, hydrogen producers, airlines, airport 
                sponsors, fixed base operators, and other stakeholders 
                identified under paragraph (2); and
                    (C) a timeline for any actions pursuant to 
                subparagraphs (A) and (B) to be taken to update or 
                modify existing policies related to the safe and 
                efficient use of hydrogen to propel commercial 
                aircraft.
    (b) FAA Leadership on the Certification of Hydrogen-propelled 
Commercial Aircraft.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator shall exercise 
        leadership in the creation of Federal regulations, standards, 
        and guidance relating to the safe and efficient certification 
        of hydrogen-propelled commercial aircraft.
            (2) Exercise of leadership.--In carrying out paragraph (1), 
        the Administrator shall--
                    (A) establish a viable path for the certification 
                of hydrogen-propelled aircraft that considers existing 
                frameworks, modifying an existing framework, or 
                developing a new framework as appropriate;
                    (B) review certification regulations, guidance, and 
                other requirements of the FAA to identify ways to 
                safely and efficiently certify hydrogen-propelled 
                commercial aircraft;
                    (C) consider the needs of the aerospace industry, 
                aviation suppliers, hydrogen producers, airlines, 
                airport sponsors, fixed base operators, and other 
                stakeholders when creating regulations and standards 
                that enable the safe certification and deployment of 
                hydrogen-propelled commercial aircraft in the national 
                airspace system; and
                    (D) obtain the input of the aerospace industry, 
                aviation suppliers, hydrogen producers, airlines, 
                airport sponsors, fixed base operators, and other 
                stakeholders regarding--
                            (i) the appropriate regulatory framework 
                        and timeline for permitting the safe and 
                        efficient deployment and operation of hydrogen-
                        propelled aircraft in the United States, 
                        including updating or modifying existing 
                        regulations;
                            (ii) how to accelerate the resolution of 
                        issues related to data and standards 
                        development and related regulations necessary 
                        to facilitate the safe and efficient 
                        certification of hydrogen-propelled commercial 
                        aircraft; and
                            (iii) other issues identified by the 
                        Administrator or the advisory committee 
                        established under subsection (a)(2)(F) that 
                        must be addressed to enable the safe and 
                        efficient deployment and operation of hydrogen-
                        propelled commercial aircraft.

SEC. 920. AVIATION FUEL SYSTEMS.

    (a) Coordination.--The Secretary, in coordination with the 
stakeholders identified in subsection (b), shall study, plan, and make 
recommendations with respect to coordination and implementation issues 
relating to aircraft powered by new aviation fuels or fuel systems, 
including at a minimum, the following:
            (1) Research and technical assistance related to the 
        development, certification, operation, and maintenance of 
        aircraft powered by new aviation fuels and fuel systems, along 
        with refueling and charging infrastructure and associated 
        technologies critical to their deployment.
            (2) Data sharing with respect to the installation, 
        maintenance, and utilization of charging and refueling 
        infrastructure at airports.
            (3) Development and deployment of training and 
        certification programs for the development, construction, and 
        maintenance of aircraft, related fuel systems, and charging and 
        refueling infrastructure.
            (4) Any other issues that the Secretary, in consultation 
        with the Secretary of Energy, shall deem of interest related to 
        the validation and certification of new fuels for use or fuel 
        systems in aircraft.
    (b) Consultation.--The Secretary shall consult with--
            (1) the Department of Energy;
            (2) the National Aeronautics and Space Administration;
            (3) the Department of the Air Force; and
            (4) other Federal agencies, as determined by the Secretary.
    (c) Savings.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
granting the Environmental Protection Agency additional authority to 
establish alternative fuel emissions standards.

                         TITLE X--MISCELLANEOUS

SEC. 1001. AUTHORIZATION FOR CARRIAGE REIMBURSEMENT.

    (a) In General.--Beginning on the date of enactment of this 
section, the payment eligibility conditions described in section 
91.321(a) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall apply to an 
aircraft operator to the extent necessary to allow the operator to 
receive payment for carrying an eligible person (as described in 
subsection (b)) without the operator having to comply with the rules 
described in parts 121, 125, or 135 of such title 14, subject to the 
conditions provided in paragraphs (1) and (2) of such section 
91.321(a).
    (b) Eligible Person Described.--For purposes of subsection (a), an 
eligible person to be carried on an aircraft used in an operation 
conducted under such subsection is limited to a Member, officer, or 
employee of the Senate or a Member, Delegate, Resident Commissioner, 
officer, or employee of the House of Representatives, who, pursuant to 
rule XXXV of the Standing Rules of the Senate or rule XXIII of the 
Rules of the House of Representatives (as applicable), must pay the 
fair market value of the flight (as described in such rules).
    (c) Rulemaking.--The Administrator shall revise section 91.321 of 
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, as necessary, consistent with 
this section.

SEC. 1002. CLARIFYING MINIMUM ALTITUDES FOR GO-AROUNDS, INSPECTION 
              PASSES, PRACTICE APPROACHES, AND INSTRUMENT APPROACHES.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator may revise regulations as 
necessary to allow a properly qualified pilot operating an aircraft to 
conduct, without regard to the minimum altitudes set forth in such 
sections--
            (1) in the case of section 91.119 of title 14, Code of 
        Federal Regulations, a go-around, an inspection pass, a 
        practice approach, or an instrument approach;
            (2) in the case of section 91.177 of such title 14, an 
        instrument approach; and
            (3) in the case of section 91.515 of such title 14, a go-
        around, a practice approach, or an instrument approach.
    (b) Briefing.--If the Administrator does not revise regulations as 
described in subsection (a), the Administrator shall provide a briefing 
to the appropriate committees of Congress.

SEC. 1003. LET ME TRAVEL AMERICA.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 805 of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 80505. COVID-19 vaccination status
    ``(a) In General.--An entity described in subsection (b) may not 
deny service to any individual solely based on the vaccination status 
of the individual with respect to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-
19).
    ``(b) Entity Described.--An entity referred to in subsection (a) is 
a common carrier or any other entity, including a rail carrier (as 
defined in section 10102, including Amtrak), a motor carrier (as 
defined in section 13102), a water carrier (as defined in that 
section), and an air carrier (as defined in section 40102), that--
            ``(1) provides interstate transportation of passengers; and
            ``(2) is subject to the jurisdiction of the Department of 
        Transportation or the Surface Transportation Board under this 
        title.
    ``(c) Savings Provision.--Nothing in this section applies to the 
regulation of intrastate travel, transportation, or movement, including 
the intrastate transportation of passengers.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 805 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 80504 the following:

``80505. COVID-19 vaccination status.''.
    (c) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section, or an amendment 
made by this section, shall be construed to permit or otherwise 
authorize Congress or an executive agency to enact or otherwise impose 
a COVID-19 vaccine mandate.

SEC. 1004. TRANSPORTATION OF ORGANS, BONE MARROW, AND HUMAN CELLS, 
              TISSUES, OR CELLULAR OR TISSUE-BASED PRODUCTS (HCT/PS).

    (a) Handling of Organs, Bone Marrow, and HCT/PS on Aircraft.--Not 
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Administrator, in coordination with relevant Federal agencies and 
stakeholders, shall issue a rulemaking to--
            (1) establish a safe, standardized process for a commercial 
        airline's acceptance, handling, management, and transportation 
        of an organ, bone marrow, or human cells, tissues, or cellular 
        or tissue-based products (in this section referred to as ``HCT/
        Ps'') in the cabin of an aircraft;
            (2) require each commercial airline to establish a protocol 
        to ensure the safe and timely transport of an organ, bone 
        marrow, or HCT/Ps in the cabin of the aircraft, including 
        through any connecting flight; and
            (3) identify metrics regarding the handling of organs, bone 
        marrow, or HCT/Ps by commercial airlines in order to increase 
        transparency and aid the development of best practices and 
        improvement initiatives.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Bone marrow.--The term ``bone marrow'' has the meaning 
        given such term in section 274e(c)(1) of title 42, Code of 
        Federal Regulations.
            (2) Human cells, tissues, or cellular or tissue-based 
        products.--The term ``human cells, tissues, or cellular or 
        tissue-based products'' has the meaning given such term in 
        section 1271.3(d) of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations.
            (3) Organ.--The term ``organ''--
                    (A) has the meaning given such term in section 
                121.2 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations; and
                    (B) includes organ-related tissue.

                    TITLE XI--TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS

SEC. 1101. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.

    (a) Disposal of Property.--Section 40110(c)(4) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``subsection (a)(2)'' and inserting 
``subsection (a)(3)''.
    (b) Civil Penalty.--Section 44704(f) of title 49, United States 
Code, is amended by striking ``subsection (a)(6)'' and inserting 
``subsection (d)(3)''.
    (c) Sunset of Rule.--Section 44729 of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended--
            (1) by striking subsection (d); and
            (2) by redesignating subsections (e) through (h) as 
        subsections (d) through (g), respectively.
    (d) Public Disclosure of Information.--Section 44735 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                inserting ``, nor by any agency receiving information 
                from the Administrator,'' after ``Federal Aviation 
                Administration''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``or for any 
                other purpose regarding the development and 
                implementation of a safety management system acceptable 
                to the Administrator'' before the period at the end; 
                and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(d) Applicability to the National Transportation Safety Board.--
This section shall not be construed to limit the National 
Transportation Safety Board's accident or incident investigation 
authority under chapter 11 of this title, including the requirement to 
not disclose voluntarily provided safety-related information under 
section 1114.''.
                                                       Calendar No. 335

118th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                                S. 1939

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for 
the Federal Aviation Administration for fiscal years 2024 through 2028, 
                        and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                           February 29, 2024

                       Reported with an amendment