118 S66 RS: NOTAM Improvement Act of 2023 U.S. Senate 2023-12-13 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
IICalendar No. 282118th CONGRESS1st SessionS. 66IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJanuary 25, 2023Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Moran, and Mrs. Capito) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and TransportationDecember 13, 2023Reported by Ms. Cantwell, with an amendmentStrike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italicA BILLTo establish a task force on improvements for notices to air missions, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the NOTAM Improvement Act of 2023.
2.
FAA Task Force on NOTAM Improvement
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish a task force to be known as the FAA Task Force on NOTAM Improvement (in this section referred to as the Task Force).(b)
Composition
The Task Force shall consist of members appointed by the Administrator, including at least one member of each of the following:(1)Air carrier representatives.(2)Airport representatives. (3)Labor union representatives of airline pilots.(4)Labor union representatives of aircraft dispatchers.(5)The labor union certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code, to represent FAA air traffic control specialists assigned to the United States NOTAMs Office.(6)The labor union certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code, to represent FAA aeronautical information specialists.(7)General and business aviation representatives.(8)Aviation safety experts with knowledge of NOTAMs.(9)Human factors experts.(10)Computer system architecture and cybersecurity experts. (c)
Duties
The duties of the Task Force shall include—(1)reviewing existing methods for presenting NOTAMs and flight operations information to pilots;(2)reviewing regulations and policies relating to NOTAMs, including their content and presentation to pilots;(3)evaluating and determining best practices to organize, prioritize, and present flight operations information in a manner that optimizes pilot review and retention of relevant information; and(4)providing recommendations for—(A)improving the presentation of NOTAM information in a manner that prioritizes or highlights the most important information, and optimizes pilot review and retention of relevant information;(B)ways to ensure that NOTAMs are complete, accurate, and contain the proper information;(C)any best practices that the FAA should consider to improve the accuracy and understandability of NOTAMs and the display of flight operations information; (D)ways to work with air carriers, other airspace users, and aviation service providers to implement solutions that are aligned with the recommendations under this paragraph; and(E)ensuring the stability, resiliency, and cybersecurity of the NOTAM computer system. (d)
Report
Not later than 1 year after the date of the establishment of the Task Force, the Task Force shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report detailing—(1)the results of the reviews and evaluations of the Task Force under paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (c);(2)the best practices identified and recommendations provided by the Task Force under subsection (c)(4);(3)any recommendations of the Task Force for additional regulatory or policy actions to improve the presentation of NOTAMs; and(4)the degree to which implementing the recommendations of the Task Force described under paragraph (2) will address National Transportation Safety Board Safety Recommendation A–18–024.(e)
Applicable law
The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Task Force.(f)
Sunset
The Task Force shall terminate on the later of—(1)the date on which the Task Force submits the report required under subsection (d); or(2)the date that is 18 months after the date on which the Task Force is established under subsection (a).(g)
Authority
The Administrator shall have the authority to carry out the recommendations of the Task Force detailed in the report required under subsection (d).(h)
Definitions
In this section:(1)
FAA
The term FAA means the Federal Aviation Administration. (2)
NOTAM
The term NOTAM means notices to air missions required by international or domestic regulation or law, as described in FAA Order 7930.2S.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the NOTAM Improvement Act of 2023.
2.
FAA Task Force on NOTAM Improvement
(a)
Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish a task force to be known as the FAA Task Force on NOTAM Improvement (in this section referred to as the Task Force).(b)
Composition
The Task Force shall consist of members appointed by the Administrator, including at least one member of each of the following:(1)Air carrier representatives.(2)Airport representatives. (3)Labor union representatives of airline pilots.(4)Labor union representatives of aircraft dispatchers.(5)The labor union certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code, to represent FAA air traffic control specialists assigned to the United States NOTAMs Office.(6)The labor union certified under section 7111 of title 5, United States Code, to represent FAA aeronautical information specialists.(7)General and business aviation representatives.(8)Aviation safety experts with knowledge of NOTAMs.(9)Human factors experts.(10)Computer system architecture and cybersecurity experts. (c)
Duties
The duties of the Task Force shall include—(1)reviewing existing methods for publishing NOTAMs and flight operations information to pilots;(2)reviewing regulations, policies, systems, and international standards relating to NOTAMs, including their content and presentation to pilots;(3)evaluating and determining best practices to organize, prioritize, and present flight operations information in a manner that optimizes pilot review and retention of relevant information; and(4)providing recommendations for—(A)improving the publication and delivery of NOTAM information in a manner that prioritizes or highlights the most important information, and optimizes pilot review and retention of relevant information;(B)ways to ensure that NOTAMs are complete, accurate, timely, relevant to safe flight operations, and contain pertinent information;(C)any best practices that the FAA should consider to improve the accuracy and understandability of NOTAMs and the display of flight operations information; (D)ways to work with air carriers, other airspace users, and aviation service providers to implement solutions that are aligned with the recommendations under this paragraph; and(E)ways to ensure the stability, resiliency, and cybersecurity of the NOTAM computer system. (d)
Report
Not later than 1 year after the date of the establishment of the Task Force, the Task Force shall submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report detailing—(1)the results of the reviews and evaluations of the Task Force under paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (c);(2)the best practices identified and recommendations provided by the Task Force under subsection (c)(4);(3)any recommendations of the Task Force for additional regulatory or policy actions to improve the publication of NOTAMs; and(4)the degree to which implementing the recommendations of the Task Force described under paragraph (2) will address National Transportation Safety Board Safety Recommendation A–18–024.(e)
Applicable law
Chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code, shall not apply to the Task Force. (f)
Sunset
The Task Force shall terminate on the later of—(1)the date on which the Task Force submits the report required under subsection (d); or(2)the date that is 18 months after the date on which the Task Force is established under subsection (a).(g)
Authority
The Administrator shall have the authority to carry out the recommendations of the Task Force detailed in the report required under subsection (d).(h)
Rule of construction
Nothing in this section may be construed to require the FAA to duplicate any prior, ongoing, or planned efforts related to the improvement of NOTAMs, including any efforts related to implementing any previously enacted requirements.(i)
Definitions
In this section:(1)
FAA
The term FAA means the Federal Aviation Administration.(2)
NOTAM
The term NOTAM means a notice containing information (which is not known sufficiently in advance to publicize by other means) concerning the establishment, condition, or change in any component (including a facility, service, or procedure thereof) or hazard in the National Airspace System, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations.
3.
Additional requirements
Not later than September 30, 2024, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall make the following improvements:(1)Complete implementation of a Federal NOTAM System (in this section referred to as a FNS).(2)Implement a back-up system to the FNS.(3)Brief the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate on a plan to enhance the capability to deliver information through the FNS that is machine-readable, filterable, and in the format used by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to promote further global harmonization among neighboring Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) and provide users of the National Airspace System with one consistent format for domestic and international operations.
December 13, 2023Reported with an amendment