[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 123 (Tuesday, September 10, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H10124-H10140]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




[[Page H10124]]



               FEDERAL AVIATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 1996

  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3539) to amend title 49, United States Code, to reauthorize 
programs of the Federal Aviation Administration, and for other 
purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3539

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

       (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Federal 
     Aviation Authorization Act of 1996''.
       (b) Table of Contents.--

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Amendments to title 49, United States Code.
Sec. 3. Applicability.

                TITLE I--REAUTHORIZATION OF FAA PROGRAMS

Sec. 101. Airport improvement program.
Sec. 102. Airway facilities improvement program.
Sec. 103. Operations of FAA.

                TITLE II--AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT FINANCING

Sec. 201. Apportionments.
Sec. 202. Discretionary fund.
Sec. 203. Use of apportioned amounts.
Sec. 204. Designating current and former military airports.
Sec. 205. National Civil Aviation Review Commission.
Sec. 206. Innovative financing techniques.

          TITLE III--AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS

Sec. 301. Intermodal planning.
Sec. 302. Compliance with Federal mandates.
Sec. 303. Runway maintenance program.
Sec. 304. Access to airports by intercity buses.
Sec. 305. Cost reimbursement for projects commenced prior to grant 
              award.
Sec. 306. Issuance of letters of intent.
Sec. 307. Selection of projects for grants from discretionary fund.
Sec. 308. Small airport fund.
Sec. 309. State block grant program.
Sec. 310. Private ownership of airports.
Sec. 311. Use of noise set-aside funds by non-airport sponsors.

                   TITLE IV--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Sec. 401. Elimination of dual mandate.
Sec. 402. Purchase of housing units.
Sec. 403. Technical correction relating to State taxation.
Sec. 404. Use of passenger facility fees for debt financing project.
Sec. 405. Clarification of passenger facility revenues as constituting 
              trust funds.
Sec. 406. Protection of voluntarily submitted information.
Sec. 407. Supplemental type certificates.
Sec. 408. Restriction on use of revenues.
Sec. 409. Certification of small airports.
Sec. 410. Employment investigations of pilots.
Sec. 411. Child pilot safety.
Sec. 412. Discretionary authority for criminal history records checks.
Sec. 413. Imposition of fees.
Sec. 414. Authority to close airport located near closed or realigned 
              military base.
Sec. 415. Construction of runways.
Sec. 416. Gadsden Air Depot, Alabama.
Sec. 417. Regulations affecting intrastate aviation in Alaska.
Sec. 418. Westchester County Airport, New York.
Sec. 419. Bedford Airport, Pennsylvania.
Sec. 420. Location of Doppler radar stations, New York.
Sec. 421. Worcester Municipal Airport, Massachusetts.
Sec. 422. Central Florida Airport, Sanford, Florida.
Sec. 423. Aircraft Noise Ombudsman.
Sec. 424. Special rule for privately owned reliever airports.

    TITLE V--EXTENSION OF AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND EXPENDITURES

Sec. 501. Extension of Airport and Airway Trust Fund Expenditures.

 TITLE VI--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND 
                              DEVELOPMENT

Sec. 601. Short title.
Sec. 602. Authorization of appropriations.
Sec. 603. Research priorities.
Sec. 604. Research advisory committee.
Sec. 605. National aviation research plan.

     SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 49, UNITED STATES CODE.

       Except as otherwise specifically provided, whenever in this 
     Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an 
     amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision of 
     law, the reference shall be considered to be made to a 
     section or other provision of title 49, United States Code.

     SEC. 3. APPLICABILITY.

       (a) In General.--Except as otherwise specifically provided, 
     this Act and the amendments made by this Act shall apply only 
     to fiscal years beginning after September 30, 1996.
       (b) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in this 
     Act or any amendment made by this Act shall be construed as 
     affecting funds made available for a fiscal year ending 
     before October 1, 1996.
                TITLE I--REAUTHORIZATION OF FAA PROGRAMS

     SEC. 101. AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 48103 is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``September 30, 1981'' and inserting 
     ``September 30, 1996''; and
       (2) by striking ``$17,583,500,000'' and all that follows 
     through the period at the end and inserting the following: 
     ``$2,280,000,000 for fiscal years ending before October 1, 
     1997, $4,627,000,000 for fiscal years ending before October 
     1, 1998, and $7,039,000,000 for fiscal years ending before 
     October 1, 1999.''.
       (b) Obligational Authority.--Section 47104(c) is amended by 
     striking ``1996'' and inserting ``1999''.

     SEC. 102. AIRWAY FACILITIES IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 48101(a) is 
     amended by striking paragraphs (1) through (4) and inserting 
     the following:
       ``(1) $2,068,000,000 for fiscal year 1997.
       ``(2) $2,129,000,000 for fiscal year 1998.
       ``(3) $2,191,000,000 for fiscal year 1999.''.
       (b) Clerical Amendments.--Chapter 481 is amended--
       (1) by striking the heading for section 48101 and inserting 
     the following:

     ``Sec. 48101. Air navigation facilities and equipment''; and

       (2) in the table of sections by striking the item relating 
     to section 48101 and inserting the following:

``48101. Air navigation facilities and equipment.''.

     SEC. 103. OPERATIONS OF FAA.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations From General Fund.--
     Section 106(k) is amended by striking ``$4,088,000,000'' and 
     all that follows through the period at the end and inserting 
     the following: ``$5,158,000,000 for fiscal year 1997, 
     $5,344,000,000 for fiscal year 1998, and $5,538,000,000 for 
     fiscal year 1999.''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations From Trust Fund.--
     Section 48104(c) is amended--
       (1) in the subsection heading by striking ``1996'' and 
     inserting ``1999''; and
       (2) by striking ``1994, 1995, and 1996'' and inserting 
     ``1994 through 1999''.
       (c) Limitation on Obligating or Expending Amounts.--Section 
     48108(c) is amended by striking ``1996'' and inserting 
     ``1999''.
       (d) Clerical Amendments.--Chapter 481 is amended--
       (1) by striking the heading for section 48104 and inserting 
     the following:

     ``Sec. 48104. Operations and maintenance''; and

       (2) in the table of sections for such chapter by striking 
     the item relating to section 48104 and inserting the 
     following:

``48104. Operations and maintenance.''.
                TITLE II--AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT FINANCING

     SEC. 201. APPORTIONMENTS.

       (a) Amounts Apportioned to Sponsors.--
       (1) Primary airports.--Section 47114(c)(1)(A) is amended--
       (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (iii);
       (B) in clause (iv) by striking ``additional'' and inserting 
     ``of the next 500,000'';
       (C) by striking the period at the end of clause (iv) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (D) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(v) $.50 for each additional passenger boarding at the 
     airport during the prior calendar year.''.
       (2) Cargo only airports.--Section 47114(c)(2) of such title 
     is amended to read as follows:
       ``(2) Cargo only airports.--
       ``(A) Apportionment.--Subject to subparagraph (D), the 
     Secretary shall apportion an amount equal to 2.5 percent of 
     the amount subject to apportionment each fiscal year to the 
     sponsors of airports served by aircraft providing air 
     transportation of only cargo with a total annual landed 
     weight of more than 100,000,000 pounds.
       ``(B) Suballocation formula.--Any funds apportioned under 
     subparagraph (A) to sponsors of airports described in 
     subparagraph (A) shall be allocated among those airports in 
     the proportion that the total annual landed weight of 
     aircraft described in subparagraph (A) landing at each of 
     those airports bears to the total annual landed weight of 
     those aircraft landing at all those airports.
       ``(C) Limitation.--Not more than 8 percent of the amount 
     apportioned under subparagraph (A) may be apportioned for any 
     one airport.
       ``(D) Distribution to other airports.--Before apportioning 
     amounts to the sponsors of airports under subparagraph (A) 
     for a fiscal year, the Secretary may set-aside a portion of 
     such amounts for distribution to the sponsors of other 
     airports, selected by the Secretary, that the Secretary finds 
     will be served primarily by aircraft providing air 
     transportation of only cargo.
       ``(E) Determination of landed weight.--Landed weight under 
     this paragraph is the landed weight of aircraft landing at 
     each airport described in subparagraph (A) during the prior 
     calendar year.''.
       (3) Repeal of limitation.--Section 47114(c)(3) is repealed.
       (b) Amounts Apportioned to States.--Section 47114(d)(2) of 
     such title is amended--
       (1) by striking ``12'' and inserting ``18.5'';
       (2) in subparagraph (A) by striking ``one'' and inserting 
     ``0.66'';

[[Page H10125]]

       (3) in each of subparagraphs (B) and (C) by striking 
     ``49.5'' and inserting ``49.67''; and
       (4) in each of subparagraphs (B) and (C) by striking 
     ``except'' the second place it appears and all that follows 
     through ``title,'' and inserting ``excluding primary airports 
     but including reliever and nonprimary commercial service 
     airports,''.

     SEC. 202. DISCRETIONARY FUND.

       Section 47115 is amended by striking the second subsection 
     (f), relating to minimum amounts to be credited, and 
     inserting the following:
       ``(g) Minimum Amount To Be Credited.--
       ``(1) General rule.--In a fiscal year, there shall be 
     credited to the fund, out of amounts made available under 
     section 48103 of this title, an amount that is at least equal 
     to the sum of--
       ``(A) $50,000,000; plus
       ``(B) the total amount required from the fund to carry out 
     in the fiscal year letters of intent issued before January 1, 
     1996, under section 47110(e) of this title or the Airport and 
     Airway Improvement Act of 1982.

     The amount credited is exclusive of amounts that have been 
     apportioned in a prior fiscal year under section 47114 of 
     this title and that remain available for obligation.
       ``(2) Reduction of apportionments.--In a fiscal year in 
     which the amount credited under subsection (a) is less than 
     the minimum amount to be credited under paragraph (1), the 
     total amount calculated under paragraph (3) shall be reduced 
     by an amount that, when credited to the fund, together with 
     the amount credited under subsection (a), equals such minimum 
     amount.
       ``(3) Amount of reduction.--For a fiscal year, the total 
     amount available to make a reduction to carry out paragraph 
     (2) is the total of the amounts determined under sections 
     47114(c)(1)(A), 47114(c)(2), 47114(d), and 47117(e) of this 
     title. Each amount shall be reduced by an equal percentage to 
     achieve the reduction.
       ``(h) Allocation of Amounts Exceeding Letter of Intent 
     Requirements.--Of the amount credited to the fund for a 
     fiscal year which exceeds the total amount required from the 
     fund to carry out in the fiscal year letters of intent issued 
     before January 1, 1996, under section 47110(e) of this title 
     or the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982--
       ``(1) not less that 15 percent shall be used for system 
     planning and for making grants to airports that are not 
     commercial service airports; and
       ``(2) not less than 30 percent shall be used for making 
     grants to commercial service airports that each year have 
     less than .25 percent of the total passenger boardings in the 
     United States.''.

     SEC. 203. USE OF APPORTIONED AMOUNTS.

       (a) Period of Availability.--Section 47117(b) is amended by 
     inserting before the period at the end of the first sentence 
     the following: ``or the 3 fiscal years immediately following 
     that year in the case of a primary airport that had less than 
     .05 percent of the total boardings in the United States in 
     the preceding calendar year''.
       (b) Special Apportionment Categories.--Section 47117(e)(1) 
     is amended--
       (1) by striking ``made available under section 48103'' and 
     inserting ``available to the discretionary fund under section 
     47115'';
       (2) by striking subparagraphs (A), (C), and (D);
       (3) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (E) as 
     subparagraphs (A) and (B), respectively;
       (4) in subparagraph (A), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``at least 12.5'' and inserting ``At least 31'';
       (5) by adding at the end of subparagraph (A), as so 
     redesignated, the following: ``The Secretary may count the 
     amount of grants made for such planning and programs with 
     funds apportioned under section 47114 in that fiscal year in 
     determining whether or not such 31 percent requirement is 
     being met in that fiscal year.'';
       (6) in subparagraph (B), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``at least 2.25'' and all that follows through ``1996,'' and 
     inserting ``At least 4 percent for each fiscal year 
     thereafter''; and
       (7) by inserting before the period at the end of 
     subparagraph (B), as so redesignated, the following: ``and to 
     sponsors of noncommercial service airports for grants for 
     operational and maintenance expenses at any such airport if 
     the amount of such grants to the sponsor of the airport does 
     not exceed $30,000 in that fiscal year, if the Secretary 
     determines that the airport is adversely affected by the 
     closure or realignment of a military base, and if the sponsor 
     of the airport certifies that the airport would otherwise 
     close if the airport does not receive the grant''.

     SEC. 204. DESIGNATING CURRENT AND FORMER MILITARY AIRPORTS.

       (a) General Requirements.--Section 47118(a) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``not more than 15'';
       (2) by inserting after the first sentence the following: 
     ``The maximum number of airports which may be designated by 
     the Secretary under this section at any time is 10.''; and
       (3) by striking ``reduce delays'' and all that follows 
     through ``landings'' and inserting the following: ``enhance 
     airport and air traffic control system capacity in major 
     metropolitan areas and reduce current or projected flight 
     delays''.
       (b) Survey and Considerations.--Section 47118 is amended--
       (1) in subsections (a) and (d) by striking ``section 
     47117(e)(1)(E)'' and inserting ``section 47117(e)(1)(B)''; 
     and
       (2) by striking subsections (b) and (c) and redesignating 
     subsections (d), (e), and (f) as subsections (b), (c), and 
     (d), respectively.
       (c) Parking Lots, Fuel Farms, Utilities, and Hangars.--
     Subsection (d) of section 47118, as redesignated by 
     subsection (b) of this section, is amended--
       (1) in the heading by striking ``and Utilities'' and 
     inserting ``Utilities, and Hangars'';
       (2) by striking ``for the fiscal years ending September 30, 
     1993-1996,'' and inserting ``for fiscal years beginning after 
     September 30, 1992,''; and
       (3) by striking ``and utilities'' and inserting 
     ``utilities, and hangars''.

     SEC. 205. NATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION REVIEW COMMISSION.

       (a) Establishment.--There is established a commission to be 
     known as the National Civil Aviation Review Commission 
     (hereinafter in this section referred to as the 
     ``Commission'').
       (b) Functions.--In order to provide Federal policymakers 
     with objective information and recommendations concerning the 
     future of civil aviation in the 21st century, the Commission 
     shall conduct a comprehensive review of aviation safety 
     oversight, airport capital needs, and the long-term capital 
     and operating funding requirements of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration. Matters to be studied by the Commission shall 
     include, but not be limited to, the following:
       (1) A review of the overall condition of aviation safety in 
     the United States and emerging trends in the safety of 
     particular sectors of the aviation industry. This review 
     shall include a review of--
       (A) the extent to which the dual mission of the 
     Administration to promote and regulate civil aviation may 
     undermine aviation safety;
       (B) the adequacy of staffing and training resources for 
     safety personnel of the Administration, including safety 
     inspectors; and
       (C) the Administration's processes for ensuring the public 
     safety from fraudulent parts in civil aviation and the extent 
     to which use of suspected unapproved parts requires 
     additional oversight or enforcement action.
       (2) A review of current and projected airport capital 
     development needs and an assessment of various financing 
     mechanisms to meet these needs by type and size of airport. 
     This review shall include a review of--
       (A) alternate financing mechanisms for airports, including 
     the airport improvement program, passenger facility charges, 
     tax-exempt bonds, State and local assistance, airport 
     privatization, infrastructure banks, government-sponsored 
     enterprises, and leveraging of Federal airport financing that 
     takes into consideration the special needs of nonhub airports 
     and general aviation airports; and
       (B) the effect of alternate funding levels of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration airport improvement program, ranging 
     from elimination of funding to full funding of airport 
     development requirements.
       (3) A review of the Administration's current and projected 
     financial requirements, alternate methods of financing those 
     requirements in the future, and recommendations on an overall 
     long-range financial plan for the Administration which would 
     provide for future growth in the Nation's air traffic system 
     while improving the management and performance of the system 
     and providing for continued safety improvements. Such 
     financing methods include loan guarantees, financial 
     partnerships with for-profit private sector entities, 
     multiyear appropriations, revolving loan funds, mandatory 
     spending authority, authority to borrow, restructured grant 
     programs, aviation taxes, and user fees.
       (4) A review of the air transportation needs of rural 
     communities, an assessment of the ability of various 
     financing mechanisms to fund programs designed to meet those 
     needs, and an evaluation and recommendation concerning 
     innovative financing mechanisms designed to meet those needs.
       (c) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of 13 
     members, appointed from persons knowledgeable about civil 
     aviation in the United States and who are specifically 
     qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of 
     the Commission, as follows:
       (1) 3 members appointed by the Secretary of Transportation, 
     in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury.
       (2) 10 members appointed by Congress as follows:
       (A) 1 member appointed by each of the chairman and ranking 
     minority member of the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
       (B) 1 member appointed by each of the chairman and ranking 
     minority member of the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     House of Representatives.
       (C) 1 member appointed by each of the chairman and ranking 
     minority member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate.
       (D) 1 member appointed by each of the chairman and ranking 
     minority member of the Committee on Appropriations of the 
     Senate.
       (E) 1 member appointed by each of the chairman and ranking 
     minority member of the Committee on Ways and Means of the 
     House of Representatives.

[[Page H10126]]

       (d) Restriction on Appointment of Current Aviation 
     Employees.--A member appointed under subsection (c)(1) may 
     not be an employee of an airline, airport, aviation union, or 
     aviation trade association at the time of appointment or 
     while serving on the Commission.
       (e) Timing of Appointments.--The appointing authorities 
     shall make their appointments to the Commission not later 
     than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (f) Chairman.--In consultation with the Secretary of 
     Transportation, the Speaker of the House of Representatives 
     and the Majority Leader of the Senate shall designate a 
     chairman and vice chairman from among the members of the 
     Commission not later than 30 days after appointment of the 
     last member to the Commission.
       (g) Period of Appointment and Vacancies.--Members shall be 
     appointed for the life of the Commission, and any vacancy on 
     the Commission shall not affect its powers but shall be 
     filled in the same manner, and by the same appointing 
     authority, as the original appointment.
       (h) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
     shall constitute a quorum to conduct business, but the 
     Commission may establish a lesser number for conducting 
     hearings scheduled by the Commission.
       (i) Powers of the Commission.--
       (1) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit 
     and act at such times and places, administer such oaths, take 
     such testimony, and receive such evidence as the Commission 
     considers advisable to carry out its duties.
       (2) Information from federal agencies.--The Commission may 
     secure directly from any Federal department or agency such 
     information or documents as the Commission considers 
     necessary to carry out its duties, unless the head of such 
     department or agency advises the chairman of the Commission, 
     in writing, that such information is confidential and that 
     its release to the Commission would jeopardize aviation 
     safety, the national security, or pending criminal 
     investigations.
       (3) Detail of government employees.--Any Federal Government 
     employee may be detailed to the Commission without 
     reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption 
     or loss of civil service status or privilege.
       (4) Travel and per diem.--Members and staff of the 
     Commission shall be paid travel expenses, including per diem 
     in lieu of subsistence, when away from his or her usual place 
     of residence, in accordance with section 5703 of title 5, 
     United States Code.
       (j) Independent Audit.--
       (1) Contracts.--Immediately following the designation of 
     the chairman of the Commission, the Commission shall contract 
     with an entity independent of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration and the Department of Transportation to 
     conduct a complete audit of the financial requirements of the 
     Administration, considering anticipated air traffic 
     forecasts, other workload measures, and estimated 
     productivity gains which lead to budgetary requirements.
       (2) Deadline.--The independent audit shall be completed no 
     later than 180 days after the date of the contract award and 
     shall be submitted to the Commission.
       (k) Final Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     the appointment of the last member to the Commission under 
     subsection (c), the Commission shall submit to Congress and 
     the Administrator a final report on the findings of the 
     Commission with corresponding recommendations. Included with 
     this report shall be the independent audit required under 
     subsection (j).
       (l) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby 
     authorized to be appropriated $2,400,000 for activities of 
     the Commission, including the independent audit under 
     subsection (j), to remain available until expended.
       (m) GAO Assessment.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall 
     transmit to the Commission and Congress an independent 
     assessment of airport development needs.

     SEC. 206. INNOVATIVE FINANCING TECHNIQUES.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation is 
     authorized to carry out a demonstration program under which 
     the Secretary may approve applications under subchapter I of 
     chapter 471 of title 49, United States Code, for not more 
     than 10 projects for which grants received under such 
     subchapter may be used to implement innovative financing 
     techniques.
       (b) Purpose.--The purpose of the demonstration program 
     shall be to provide information on the use of innovative 
     financing techniques for airport development projects to the 
     Congress and the National Civil Aviation Review Commission 
     established by section 205 of this Act.
       (c) Limitation.--In no case shall the implementation of an 
     innovative financing technique under the demonstration 
     program result in a direct or indirect guarantee of any 
     airport debt instrument by the Federal Government.
       (d) Innovative Financing Technique Defined.--In this 
     section, the term ``innovative financing technique'' shall be 
     limited to the following:
       (1) Payment of interest.
       (2) Commercial bond insurance and other credit enhancement 
     associated with airport bonds for eligible airport 
     development.
       (3) Flexible non-Federal matching requirements.
       (e) Expiration of Authority.--The authority of the 
     Secretary to carry out the demonstration program shall expire 
     on September 30, 1999.
          TITLE III--AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS

     SEC. 301. INTERMODAL PLANNING.

       (a) Policies.--Section 47101(g) is amended to read as 
     follows:
       ``(g) Intermodal Planning.--To carry out the policy of 
     subsection (a)(5) of this section, the Secretary of 
     Transportation shall take each of the following actions:
       ``(1) Coordination in development of airport plans and 
     programs.--Cooperate with State and local officials in 
     developing airport plans and programs that are based on 
     overall transportation needs. The airport plans and programs 
     shall be developed in coordination with other transportation 
     planning and considering comprehensive long-range land-use 
     plans and overall social, economic, environmental, system 
     performance, and energy conservation objectives. The process 
     of developing airport plans and programs shall be continuing, 
     cooperative, and comprehensive to the degree appropriate to 
     the complexity of the transportation problems.
       ``(2) Goals for airport master and system plans.--Encourage 
     airport sponsors and State and local officials to develop 
     airport master plans and airport system plans that--
       ``(A) foster effective coordination between aviation 
     planning and metropolitan planning;
       ``(B) include an evaluation of aviation needs within the 
     context of multimodal planning; and
       ``(C) are integrated with metropolitan plans to ensure that 
     airport development proposals include adequate consideration 
     of land use and ground transportation access.
       ``(3) Representation of airport operators on mpo's.--
     Encourage metropolitan planning organizations, particularly 
     in areas with populations greater than 200,000, to establish 
     membership positions for airport operators.''.
       (b) Requirements for Project Grant Applications.--Section 
     47106(a) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``, including transportation and land use 
     plans'' before the semicolon at the end of paragraph (1);
       (2) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (4);
       (3) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (5) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(6) with respect to a project for the location of an 
     airport, the sponsor has--
       ``(A) provided the metropolitan planning organization 
     authorized to conduct metropolitan planning for the area in 
     which the airport is to be located with not less than 30 days 
     (i) to review the airport master plan or the airport layout 
     plan in which the project is described and depicted, and (ii) 
     to submit comments on such plans to the sponsor; and
       ``(B) included in the sponsor's application to the 
     Secretary the sponsor's written responses to any comments 
     made by the metropolitan planning organization.''.

     SEC. 302. COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL MANDATES.

       (a) Use of AIP Grants.--Section 47102(3) is amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (E) by inserting ``or under section 
     40117'' before the period at the end; and
       (2) in subparagraph (F) by striking ``paid for by a grant 
     under this subchapter and''.
       (b) Use of Passenger Facility Charges.--Section 40117(a)(3) 
     is amended by striking subparagraph (F).

     SEC. 303. RUNWAY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM.

       (a) Authority.--Section 47105 is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(g) Runway Maintenance Program.--The Secretary may carry 
     out a pilot program in each of fiscal years 1997, 1998, and 
     1999 under which the Secretary may approve applications under 
     this subchapter for not more than 10 projects in each of such 
     fiscal years to preserve and extend the useful life of 
     runways and taxiways at any airport for which an amount is 
     apportioned under section 47114(d).''.
       (b) Inclusion in Airport Development Activities.--Section 
     47102(3) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(H) preserving and extending the useful life of runways 
     and taxiways at a public-use airport under the pilot program 
     authorized by section 47105(g) of this title.''.

     SEC. 304. ACCESS TO AIRPORTS BY INTERCITY BUSES.

       Section 47107(a) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (18);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (19) and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(20) the airport owner or operator will permit, to the 
     maximum extent practicable, intercity buses to have access to 
     the airport.''.

     SEC. 305. COST REIMBURSEMENT FOR PROJECTS COMMENCED PRIOR TO 
                   GRANT AWARD.

       (a) Cost Reimbursement.--Section 47110(b)(2)(C) is amended 
     to read as follows:
       ``(C) if the Government's share is paid only with amounts 
     apportioned under paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 47114(c) 
     of this title and if the cost is incurred--
       ``(i) after September 30, 1996;
       ``(ii) before a grant agreement is executed for the 
     project; and
       ``(iii) in accordance with an airport layout plan approved 
     by the Secretary and with all

[[Page H10127]]

     statutory and administrative requirements that would have 
     been applicable to the project if the project had been 
     carried out after the grant agreement had been executed;''.
       (b) Use of Discretionary Funds.--Section 47110 is amended 
     by adding at the end the following:
       ``(g) Use of Discretionary Funds.--A project for which cost 
     reimbursement is provided under subsection (b)(2)(C) shall 
     not receive priority consideration with respect to the use of 
     discretionary funds made available under section 47115 of 
     this title even if the amounts made available under 
     paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 47114(c) are not sufficient 
     to cover the Government's share of the cost of project.''.

     SEC. 306. ISSUANCE OF LETTERS OF INTENT.

       Section 47110(e) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (6) as paragraph (9); and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following:
       ``(6) Cost-benefit regulations.--The Secretary shall issue 
     regulations to require a cost-benefit analysis for any letter 
     of intent to be issued under paragraph (1) for a project at 
     an airport that each year has more than .25 percent of the 
     total passenger boardings in the United States. Until the 
     date on which such regulations take effect, the Secretary may 
     not issue a letter of intent under paragraph (1) for any 
     project that is not yet under construction and that is to be 
     carried out at an airport described in the preceding 
     sentence.
       ``(7) Financing plans.--The Secretary shall require airport 
     sponsors to provide, as part of any request for a letter of 
     intent for a project under paragraph (1), specific details on 
     the proposed financing plan for the project.
       ``(8) Consideration.--The Secretary shall consider the 
     effect of a project on overall national air transportation 
     policy when reviewing requests for letters of intent under 
     paragraph (1).''.

     SEC. 307. SELECTION OF PROJECTS FOR GRANTS FROM DISCRETIONARY 
                   FUND.

       Section 47115(d) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3) and 
     inserting a semicolon; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) the priority that the State gives to the project;
       ``(5) the projected growth in the number of passengers that 
     will be using the airport at which the project will be 
     carried out; and
       ``(6) any increase in the number of passenger boardings in 
     the preceding 12-month period at the airport at which the 
     project will be carried out, with priority consideration to 
     be given to projects at airports at which the number of 
     passenger boardings increased by at least 20 percent as 
     compared to the number of passenger boardings in the 12-month 
     period preceding such period.''.

     SEC. 308. SMALL AIRPORT FUND.

       Section 47116 is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(d) Priority Consideration for Certain Projects.--In 
     making grants to sponsors described in subsection (b)(2), the 
     Secretary shall give priority consideration to multi-year 
     projects for construction of new runways that the Secretary 
     finds are cost beneficial and would increase capacity in a 
     region of the United States.''.

     SEC. 309. STATE BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

       (a) Participating States.--Section 47128 is amended--
       (1) in subsection (a) by striking ``7'' and inserting 
     ``10'';
       (2) in subsection (b)(1)--
       (A) by striking ``(1)''; and
       (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (E) as 
     paragraphs (1) through (5), respectively; and
       (3) by striking subsection (b)(2).
       (b) Use of State Priority System.--Section 47128(c) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``(b)(1)(B) or (C)'' and inserting ``(b)(2) 
     or (b)(3)''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following: ``In carrying out 
     this subsection, the Secretary shall permit a State to use 
     the priority system of the State if such system is not 
     inconsistent with the national priority system.''.
       (c) Repeal of Expiration Date.--
       (1) In general.--Section 47128 is amended--
       (A) by striking ``pilot'' in the section heading;
       (B) by striking ``pilot'' in subsection (a); and
       (C) by striking subsection (d).
       (2) Conforming amendment.--The table of sections for 
     chapter 471 is amended by striking the item relating to 
     section 47128 and inserting the following:

``47128. State block grant program.''.

     SEC. 310. PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF AIRPORTS.

       (a) Establishment of Program.--
       (1) In general.--Subchapter I of chapter 471 is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:

     ``Sec. 47132. Private ownership of airports

       ``(a) Submission of Applications.--If a sponsor intends to 
     sell an airport or lease an airport for a long term to a 
     person (other than a public agency), the sponsor and 
     purchaser or lessee may apply to the Secretary of 
     Transportation for exemptions under this section.
       ``(b) Approval of Applications.--The Secretary may approve, 
     with respect to not more than 6 airports, applications 
     submitted under subsection (a) granting exemptions from the 
     following provisions:
       ``(1) Use of revenues.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Secretary may grant an exemption to 
     a sponsor from the provisions of sections 44706(d) and 
     47107(b) of this title (and any other law, regulation, or 
     grant assurance) to the extent necessary to permit the 
     sponsor to recover from the sale or lease of the airport such 
     amount as may be approved--
       ``(i) by at least 60 percent of the air carriers serving 
     the airport; and
       ``(ii) by the air carrier or air carriers whose aircraft 
     landing at the airport during the preceding calendar year had 
     a total landed weight during the preceding calendar year of 
     at least 60 percent of the total landed weight of all 
     aircraft landing at the airport during such year.
       ``(B) Landed weight defined.--In this paragraph, the term 
     `landed weight' means the weight of aircraft transporting 
     passengers or cargo, or both, in intrastate, interstate, and 
     foreign air transportation, as the Secretary determines under 
     regulations the Secretary prescribes.
       ``(2) Repayment requirements.--The Secretary may grant an 
     exemption to a sponsor from the provisions of sections 47107 
     and 47152 of this title (and any other law, regulation, or 
     grant assurance) to the extent necessary to waive any 
     obligation of the sponsor to repay to the Federal Government 
     any grants, or to return to the Federal Government any 
     property, received by the airport under this title, the 
     Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982, or any other law.
       ``(3) Compensation from airport operations.--The Secretary 
     may grant an exemption to a purchaser or lessee from the 
     provisions of sections 44706(d) and 47107(b) of this title 
     (and any other law, regulation, or grant assurance) to the 
     extent necessary to permit the purchaser or lessee to earn 
     compensation from the operations of the airport.
       ``(c) Terms and Conditions.--The Secretary may approve an 
     application under subsection (b) only if the Secretary finds 
     that the sale or lease agreement includes provisions 
     satisfactory to the Secretary to ensure the following:
       ``(1) The airport will continue to be available for public 
     use on reasonable terms and conditions and without unjust 
     discrimination.
       ``(2) The operation of the airport will not be interrupted 
     in the event that the purchaser or lessee becomes insolvent 
     or seeks or becomes subject to any State or Federal 
     bankruptcy, reorganization, insolvency, liquidation, or 
     dissolution proceeding or any petition or similar law seeking 
     the dissolution or reorganization of the purchaser or lessee 
     or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, or 
     liquidator for the purchaser or lessee or a substantial part 
     of the purchaser or lessee's property, assets, or business.
       ``(3) The purchaser or lessee will maintain and improve the 
     facilities of the airport and will submit to the Secretary a 
     plan for carrying out such maintenance and improvements.
       ``(4) Every fee of the airport imposed on an air carrier on 
     the day before the date of the sale or lease of the airport 
     will not increase faster than the rate of inflation unless a 
     higher amount is approved--
       ``(A) by at least 60 percent of the air carriers serving 
     the airport; and
       ``(B) by the air carrier or air carriers whose aircraft 
     landing at the airport during the preceding calendar year had 
     a total landed weight during the preceding calendar year of 
     at least 60 percent of the total landed weight of all 
     aircraft landing at the airport during such year.
       ``(5) Safety and security at the airport will be maintained 
     at the highest possible levels.
       ``(6) The adverse effects of noise from operations at the 
     airport will be mitigated to the same extent as at a public 
     airport.
       ``(7) Any adverse effects on the environment from airport 
     operations will be mitigated to the same extent as at a 
     public airport.
       ``(8) Any collective bargaining agreement that covers 
     employees of the airport and is in effect on the date of the 
     sale or lease of the airport will not be abrogated by the 
     sale or lease.
       ``(d) Participation of Certain Airports.--If the Secretary 
     approves under subsection (b) applications with respect to 6 
     airports, at least one of the airports must be an airport 
     that is not a commercial service airport.
       ``(e) Passenger Facility Fees; Apportionments; Service 
     Charges.--Notwithstanding that the sponsor of an airport 
     receiving an exemption under subsection (b) is not a public 
     agency, the sponsor shall not be prohibited from--
       ``(1) imposing a passenger facility fee under section 40117 
     of this title;
       ``(2) receiving apportionments under section 47114 of this 
     title; or
       ``(3) collecting reasonable rental charges, landing fees, 
     and other service charges from aircraft operators under 
     section 40116(e)(2) of this title.
       ``(f) Effectiveness of Exemptions.--An exemption granted 
     under subsection (b) shall continue in effect only so long as 
     the facilities sold or leased continue to be used for airport 
     purposes.
       ``(g) Revocation of Exemptions.--The Secretary may revoke 
     an exemption issued to a purchaser or lessee of an airport 
     under subsection (b)(3) if, after providing the purchaser or 
     lessee with notice and an opportunity to be heard, the 
     Secretary determines that the purchaser or lessee has 
     knowingly violated any of the terms specified in subsection 
     (c) for the sale or lease of the airport.

[[Page H10128]]

       ``(h) Nonapplication of Provisions to Airports Owned by 
     Public Agencies.--The provisions of this section requiring 
     the approval of air carriers in determinations concerning the 
     use of revenues, and imposition of fees, at an airport shall 
     not be extended so as to apply to any airport owned by a 
     public agency that is not participating in the program 
     established by this section.''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--The table of sections for such 
     chapter is further amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

``47132. Private ownership of airports.''.

       (b) Taxation.--Section 40116(b) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``a State or'' and inserting ``a State, 
     a''; and
       (2) by inserting after ``of a State'' the following: ``, 
     and any person that has purchased or leased an airport under 
     section 47132 of this title''.
       (c) Resolution of Airport-Air Carrier Disputes Concerning 
     Airport Fees.--Section 47129(a) is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(4) Fees imposed by privately-owned airports.--In 
     evaluating the reasonableness of a fee imposed by an airport 
     receiving an exemption under section 47132 of this title, the 
     Secretary shall consider whether the airport has complied 
     with section 47132(c)(4).''.

     SEC. 311. USE OF NOISE SET-ASIDE FUNDS BY NON-AIRPORT 
                   SPONSORS.

       Section 47505 is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c);
       (2) in subsection (c), as so redesignated, by striking 
     ``subsection (a) of'' and inserting ``subsection (a) or (b) 
     of''; and
       (3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
       ``(b) Grants to Non-Airport Sponsors.--
       ``(1) Authority.--The Secretary may make a grant under this 
     subsection to a State or unit of local government that is not 
     the owner or operator of the airport for preparation of an 
     airport land use compatibility plan or implementation of an 
     airport land use compatibility project.
       ``(2) Planning authority.--In order to be eligible to 
     receive a grant under this subsection for preparation of an 
     airport land use compatibility plan, the State or unit of 
     local government must have authority to plan and adopt land 
     use control measures, including zoning, in the planning area.
       ``(3) Coordination of planning activities.--
       ``(A) Consistency with other planning.--An airport land use 
     compatibility plan prepared by a State or unit of local 
     government under this subsection may not duplicate or be 
     inconsistent with an airport noise compatibility program 
     prepared by an airport operator under this chapter or with 
     other planning carried out by the airport operator.
       ``(B) Consultation with airport owners and operators.--A 
     State or unit of local government receiving a grant under 
     this subsection for preparation of an airport land use 
     compatibility plan shall consult with the owner or operator 
     of the airport for which the plan is being prepared regarding 
     any recommended airport land use compatibility measure 
     identified in the plan and any aviation data on which such 
     recommendation is made.
       ``(4) Approval of airport owner or operator required.--The 
     Secretary may make a grant to a State or unit of local 
     government under this subsection for preparation of an 
     airport land use compatibility plan or implementation of an 
     airport land use compatibility project only after receiving 
     the approval of the owner or operator of the airport for 
     which the plan or project is being prepared or implemented. 
     Such approval shall be based on whether the plan or program, 
     including the use of any noise exposure contours on which the 
     plan or project is based, has been coordinated with the 
     airport and is consistent with the airport's operations and 
     planning.
       ``(5) Written assurances.--The Secretary may make a grant 
     to a State or unit of local government under this subsection 
     only after receiving from the State or unit of local 
     government such written assurances as the Secretary 
     determines necessary to achieve the purposes of this 
     subsection.
       ``(6) Guidelines.--The Secretary may establish guidelines 
     in carrying out this subsection.
       ``(7) Definitions.--In this subsection, the following 
     definitions apply:
       ``(A) Airport compatible land use.--The term `airport 
     compatible land use' means any land use that is usually 
     compatible with--
       ``(i) the noise levels associated with an airport, as 
     established under this chapter;
       ``(ii) airport design standards issued by the 
     Administrator; and
       ``(iii) regulations issued to carry out section 44718 of 
     this title.
       ``(B) Airport land use compatibility plan.--The term 
     `airport land use compatibility plan' means the product of a 
     process to determine the extent, type, nature, location, and 
     timing of measures to improve the compatibility of land use 
     with the existing forecast level of aviation activity at an 
     airport.
       ``(C) Airport land use compatibility project.--The term 
     `airport land use compatibility project' means a project that 
     is contained in an airport land use compatibility plan and 
     determined by the Administrator to enhance airport compatible 
     land use.''.
                   TITLE IV--MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

     SEC. 401. ELIMINATION OF DUAL MANDATE.

       (a) Safety as Highest Priority.--Section 40101(d) is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (6) as 
     paragraphs (2) through (7), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting before paragraph (2), as so redesignated, 
     the following:
       ``(1) assigning, maintaining, and enhancing safety and 
     security as the highest priorities in air commerce.''.
       (b) Elimination of Promotion.--
       (1) Policy.--Section 40101(d) is further amended--
       (A) in paragraph (2), as redesignated by subsection (a)(1) 
     of this section, by striking ``its development and''; and
       (B) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated--
       (i) by striking ``promoting, encouraging,'' and inserting 
     ``encouraging''; and
       (ii) by inserting before the period at the end ``, 
     including new aviation technology''.
       (2) Development.--Section 40104(a) is amended by striking 
     ``and air commerce''.
       (3) Conforming amendments.--Chapter 401 is amended--
       (A) in the heading to section 40104 by striking ``and air 
     commerce'';
       (B) in the subsection heading to section 40104(a) by 
     striking ``and Air Commerce''; and
       (C) in the item relating to section 40104 in the table of 
     sections at the beginning of the chapter by striking ``and 
     air commerce''.

     SEC. 402. PURCHASE OF HOUSING UNITS.

       Section 40110 is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsection (b) as subsection (c); and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
       ``(b) Purchase of Housing Units.--
       ``(1) Authority.--In carrying out this part, the 
     Administrator may purchase a housing unit (including a 
     condominium or a housing unit in a building owned by a 
     cooperative) that is located outside the contiguous United 
     States if the cost of the unit is $200,000 or less.
       ``(2) Continuing obligations.--Notwithstanding section 1341 
     of title 31, the Administrator may purchase a housing unit 
     under paragraph (1) even if there is an obligation thereafter 
     to pay necessary and reasonable fees duly assessed upon such 
     unit, including fees related to operation, maintenance, 
     taxes, and insurance.
       ``(3) Certification to congress.--The Administrator may 
     purchase a housing unit under paragraph (1) only if, at least 
     30 days before completing the purchase, the Administrator 
     transmits 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 containing--
       ``(A) a description of the housing unit and its price;
       ``(B) a certification that the price does not exceed the 
     median price of housing units in the area; and
       ``(C) a certification that purchasing the housing unit is 
     the most cost-beneficial means of providing necessary 
     accommodations in carrying out this part.
       ``(4) Payment of fees.--The Administrator may pay, when 
     due, fees resulting from the purchase of a housing unit under 
     this subsection from any amounts made available to the 
     Administrator.''.

     SEC. 403. TECHNICAL CORRECTION RELATING TO STATE TAXATION.

       Section 40116(b) is amended by striking ``subsection (c) of 
     this section and''.

     SEC. 404. USE OF PASSENGER FACILITY FEES FOR DEBT FINANCING 
                   PROJECT.

       Section 40117(a)(3) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(G) for debt financing of a terminal development project 
     at a commercial service airport that each year has .05 
     percent or less of the total passenger boardings in the 
     United States if construction began on the project after 
     November 5, 1988, and before November 5, 1990, and the 
     eligible agency certifies that no other eligible airport-
     related projects affecting safety, security, or capacity will 
     be deferred by the debt financing project.''.

     SEC. 405. CLARIFICATION OF PASSENGER FACILITY REVENUES AS 
                   CONSTITUTING TRUST FUNDS.

       Section 40117(g) is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(4) Passenger facility revenues that are held by an air 
     carrier or an agent of the carrier after collection of a 
     passenger facility fee constitute a trust fund that is held 
     by the air carrier or agent for the beneficial interest of 
     the eligible agency imposing the fee. Such carrier or agent 
     holds neither legal nor equitable interest in the passenger 
     facility revenues except for any handling fee or retention of 
     interest collected on unremitted proceeds as may be allowed 
     by the Secretary.''.

     SEC. 406. PROTECTION OF VOLUNTARILY SUBMITTED INFORMATION.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 401 is amended by redesignating 
     section 40120 as section 40121 and by inserting after section 
     40119 the following:

     ``Sec. 40120. Protection of voluntarily submitted information

       ``(a) General Rule.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, neither the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration, nor any agency receiving information from the 
     Administrator, may disclose voluntarily provided safety or 
     security related information if the Administrator finds 
     that--

[[Page H10129]]

       ``(1) the disclosure of the information would inhibit the 
     voluntary provision of that type of information;
       ``(2) the receipt of that type of information would aid in 
     fulfilling the Administrator's safety and security 
     responsibilities; and
       ``(3) the withholding of the information would not be 
     inconsistent with the Administrator's safety and security 
     responsibilities.
       ``(b) Regulations.--The Administrator shall issue 
     regulations to carry out this section.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for 
     chapter 401 is amended by striking the item relating to 
     section 40120 and inserting the following:

``40120. Protection of voluntarily submitted information.
``40121. Relationship to other laws.''.

     SEC. 407. SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATES.

       Section 44704 is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections 
     (c) and (d), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
       ``(b) Supplemental Type Certificates.--
       ``(1) Issuance.--The Administrator may issue a type 
     certificate designated as a supplemental type certificate for 
     a change to an aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or 
     appliance.
       ``(2) Contents.--A supplemental type certificate issued 
     under paragraph (1) shall consist of the change to the 
     aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance with 
     respect to the previously issued type certificate for the 
     aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance.
       ``(3) Requirement.--If the holder of a supplemental type 
     certificate agrees to permit another person to use the 
     certificate to modify an aircraft, aircraft engine, 
     propeller, or appliance, the holder shall provide the other 
     person with written evidence, in a form acceptable to the 
     Administrator, of that agreement. A person may change an 
     aircraft, aircraft engine, propeller, or appliance based on a 
     supplemental type certificate only if the person requesting 
     the change is the holder of the supplemental type certificate 
     or has permission from the holder to make the change.''.

     SEC. 408. RESTRICTION ON USE OF REVENUES.

       (a) In General.--Section 44706 is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:
       ``(d) Use of Revenues.--
       ``(1) Prohibition.--A person holding an airport operating 
     certificate under this section may not expend local taxes on 
     aviation fuel (except taxes in effect on December 30, 1987) 
     or the revenues generated by the airport for any purpose 
     other than the capital or operating costs of--
       ``(A) the airport;
       ``(B) the local airport system; or
       ``(C) other local facilities owned or operated by the 
     person and directly and substantially related to the air 
     transportation of passengers or property.
       ``(2) Exceptions.--Paragraph (1) does not apply--
       ``(A) if a provision enacted not later than September 2, 
     1982, in a law controlling financing by the owner or 
     operator, or a covenant or assurance in a debt obligation 
     issued not later than September 2, 1982, by the owner or 
     operator, provides that the revenues, including local taxes 
     on aviation fuel at public airports, from any of the 
     facilities of the owner or operator, including the airport, 
     be used to support not only the airport but also the general 
     debt obligations or other facilities of the owner or 
     operator; or
       ``(B) if the airport operating certificate is for a 
     heliport.
       ``(3) Authority to issue waivers to airports not receiving 
     grant assistance.--The Administrator may waive the 
     application of paragraph (1) with respect to any airport that 
     has not received grant assistance under chapter 471 of this 
     title or the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982 in 
     the 10-year period ending on the date of the enactment of 
     this subsection.
       ``(4) Limitation on statutory construction.--This 
     subsection does not prevent the use of a State tax on 
     aviation fuel to support a State aviation program or the use 
     of airport revenue on or off the airport for a noise 
     mitigation purpose.''.
       (b) Penalties.--Section 46301(a)(5) is amended to read as 
     follows:
       ``(5) Penalty for diversion of aviation revenues.--The 
     amount of a civil penalty assessed under this section for a 
     violation of section 47107(b) of this title (or any assurance 
     made under such section) or section 44706(d) of this title 
     may be increased above the otherwise applicable maximum 
     amount under this section to an amount not to exceed 3 times 
     the amount of revenues that are used in violation of such 
     section.''.

     SEC. 409. CERTIFICATION OF SMALL AIRPORTS.

       (a) In General.--Section 44706(a) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3);
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following:
       ``(2) that is not located in the State of Alaska and serves 
     any scheduled passenger operation of an air carrier operating 
     aircraft designed for more than 9 passenger seats but less 
     than 31 passenger seats; and'';
       (3) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (3), as 
     redesignated by paragraph (1) of this subsection;
       (4) by striking ``(3) when'' and inserting ``if''; and
       (5) by moving the matter following paragraph (3), as 
     redesignated by paragraph (1) of this subsection, to the left 
     flush full measure.
       (b) Commuter Airports.--Section 44706 is amended by adding 
     at the end the following:
       ``(e) Commuter Airports.--In developing the terms required 
     by subsection (b) for airports covered by subsection (a)(2), 
     the Administrator shall identify and consider a reasonable 
     number of regulatory alternatives and select from such 
     alternatives the least costly, most cost-effective or the 
     least burdensome alternative that will provide comparable 
     safety at airports described in subsections (a)(1) and 
     (a)(2).''.
       (c) Effective Date.--Section 44706 is further amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) Effective Date.--Any regulation establishing the 
     terms required by subsection (b) for airports covered by 
     subsection (a)(2) shall not take effect until such 
     regulation, and a report on the economic impact of the 
     regulation on air service to the airports covered by the 
     rule, has been submitted to Congress and 120 days have 
     elapsed following the date of such submission.''.
       (d) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Section 44706 is 
     further amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(g) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in 
     this title may be construed as requiring a person to obtain 
     an airport operating certificate if such person does not 
     desire to operate an airport described in subsection (a).''.

     SEC. 410. EMPLOYMENT INVESTIGATIONS OF PILOTS.

       (a) Employment Investigations.--
       (1) In general.--Chapter 447 is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:

     ``Sec. 44724. Preemployment review of prospective pilot 
       records

       ``(a) Pilot Records.--
       ``(1) In general.--Before allowing an individual to begin 
     service as a pilot, an air carrier shall request and receive 
     the following information:
       ``(A) FAA records.--From the Administrator of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration, information pertaining to the 
     individual that is maintained by the Administrator 
     concerning--
       ``(i) current airman certificates (including airman medical 
     certificates) and associated type ratings, including any 
     limitations thereon; and
       ``(ii) summaries of legal enforcement actions which have 
     resulted in a finding by the Administrator of a violation of 
     this title or a regulation prescribed or order issued under 
     this title and which have not been subsequently overturned.
       ``(B) Air carrier records.--From any air carrier (or the 
     trustee in bankruptcy for the air carrier) that has employed 
     the individual at any time during the 5-year period preceding 
     the date of the employment application of the individual--
       ``(i) records pertaining to the individual that are 
     maintained by an air carrier (other than records relating to 
     flight time, duty time, or rest time) under regulations set 
     forth in--

       ``(I) section 121.683 of title 14, Code of Federal 
     Regulations;
       ``(II) paragraph (A) of section VI, appendix I, part 121 of 
     such title;
       ``(III) paragraph (A) of section IV, appendix J, part 121 
     of such title;
       ``(IV) section 125.401 of such title; and
       ``(V) section 135.63(a)(4) of such title; and

       ``(ii) other records pertaining to the individual that are 
     maintained by the air carrier concerning--

       ``(I) the training, qualifications, proficiency, or 
     professional competence of the individual, including comments 
     and evaluations made by a check airman designated in 
     accordance with section 121.411, 125.295, or 135.337 of such 
     title;
       ``(II) any disciplinary action relating to the training, 
     qualifications, proficiency, or professional competence of 
     the individual which was taken by the air carrier with 
     respect to the individual and which was not subsequently 
     overturned by the air carrier; and
       ``(III) any release from employment or resignation, 
     termination (if related to the individual's training, 
     professional qualification, proficiency, or professional 
     competence), or disqualification with respect to employment.

       ``(C) National driver register records.--From the chief 
     driver licensing official of a State, information concerning 
     the motor vehicle driving record of the individual in 
     accordance with section 30305(b)(7) of this title.
       ``(2) 5-year reporting period.--A person is not required to 
     furnish a record in response to a request made under 
     paragraph (1) if the record was entered more than 5 years 
     before the date of the request, unless the information is 
     about a revocation or suspension of an airman certificate or 
     motor vehicle license that is still in effect on the date of 
     the request.
       ``(3) Requirement to maintain records.--The Administrator 
     and each air carrier (or the trustee in bankruptcy for the 
     air carrier) shall maintain pilot records described in 
     paragraph (1) for a period of at least 5 years.
       ``(4) Written consent for release.--Neither the 
     Administrator nor any air carrier may furnish a record in 
     response to a request made under paragraph (1) (A) or (B) 
     without first obtaining the written consent of the individual 
     whose records are being requested.
       ``(5) Deadline for provision of information.--A person who 
     receives a request for records under paragraph (1) shall 
     furnish, on or before the 30th day following the date of

[[Page H10130]]

     receipt of the request (or on or before the 30th day 
     following the date of obtaining the written consent of the 
     individual in the case of a request under paragraph (1) (A) 
     or (B)), all of the records maintained by the person that 
     have been requested.
       ``(6) Right to receive notice and copy of any record 
     furnished.--A person who receives a request for records under 
     paragraph (1) shall provide to the individual whose records 
     have been requested--
       ``(A) on or before the 20th day following the date of 
     receipt of the request, written notice of the request and of 
     the individual's right to receive a copy of such records; and
       ``(B) in accordance with paragraph (9), a copy of such 
     records, if requested by the individual.
       ``(7) Reasonable charges for processing requests and 
     furnishing copies.--A person who receives a request for 
     records under paragraph (1) or (9) may establish a reasonable 
     charge for the cost of processing the request and furnishing 
     copies of the requested records.
       ``(8) Right to correct inaccuracies.--An air carrier that 
     receives the records of an individual under paragraph (1)(B) 
     shall provide the individual with a reasonable opportunity to 
     submit written comments to correct any inaccuracies contained 
     in the records before making a final hiring decision with 
     respect to the individual.
       ``(9) Right of pilot to review certain records.--
     Notwithstanding any other provision of a law or agreement, an 
     air carrier shall, upon written request from a pilot employed 
     by such carrier, make available, within a reasonable time of 
     the request, to the pilot for review any and all employment 
     records referred to in paragraph (1)(B) pertaining to the 
     pilot's employment.
       ``(10) Privacy protections.--
       ``(A) Use of records.--An air carrier or employee of an air 
     carrier that receives the records of an individual under 
     paragraph (1) may use such records only to assess the 
     qualifications of the individual in deciding whether or not 
     to hire the individual as a pilot.
       ``(B) Required actions.--Subject to subsection (c), the air 
     carrier or employee of an air carrier shall take such actions 
     as may be necessary to protect the privacy of the pilot and 
     the confidentiality of the records, including ensuring that 
     the information contained in the records is not divulged to 
     any individual that is not directly involved in the hiring 
     decision.
       ``(C) Individuals not hired.--If the individual is not 
     hired, the air carrier shall destroy or return the records of 
     the individual received under paragraph (1); except that the 
     air carrier may retain any records needed to defend its 
     decisions not to hire the individual.
       ``(11) Standard forms.--The Administrator may promulgate--
       ``(A) standard forms which may be used by an air carrier to 
     request the records of an individual under paragraph (1); and
       ``(B) standard forms which may be used by a person who 
     receives a request for records under paragraph (1) to obtain 
     the written consent of the individual and to inform the 
     individual of the request and of the individual's right to 
     receive a copy of any records furnished in response to the 
     request.
       ``(12) Regulations.--The Administrator may prescribe such 
     regulations as may be necessary--
       ``(A) to protect the personal privacy of any individual 
     whose records are requested under paragraph (1) and to 
     protect the confidentiality of those records;
       ``(B) to preclude the further dissemination of records 
     received under paragraph (1) by the air carrier who requested 
     them; and
       ``(C) to ensure prompt compliance with any request under 
     paragraph (1).
       ``(b) Limitation on Liability; Preemption of State and 
     Local Law.--
       ``(1) Limitation on liability.--No action or proceeding may 
     be brought by or on behalf of an individual who is seeking a 
     position with an air carrier as a pilot against--
       ``(A) the air carrier for requesting the individual's 
     records under subsection (a)(1);
       ``(B) a person who has complied with such request and in 
     the case of a request under subsection (a)(1) (A) or (B) has 
     obtained the written consent of the individual;
       ``(C) a person who has entered information contained in the 
     individual's records; or
       ``(D) an agent or employee of a person described in 
     subparagraph (A) or (B);
     in the nature of an action for defamation, invasion of 
     privacy, negligence, interference with contract, or 
     otherwise, or under any Federal, State, or local law with 
     respect to the furnishing or use of such records in 
     accordance with subsection (a).
       ``(2) Preemption.--No State or political subdivision 
     thereof may enact, prescribe, issue, continue in effect, or 
     enforce any law, regulation, standard, or other provision 
     having the force and effect of law that prohibits, penalizes, 
     or imposes liability for furnishing or using records in 
     accordance with subsection (a).
       ``(3) Provision of knowingly false information.--Paragraphs 
     (1) and (2) shall not apply with respect to a person that 
     furnishes in response to a request made under subsection 
     (a)(1) information that the person knows is false.
       ``(c) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in 
     this section shall be construed as precluding the 
     availability of the records of a pilot in an investigation or 
     other proceeding concerning an accident or incident conducted 
     by the Secretary, the National Transportation Safety Board, 
     or a court.''.
       (2) Chapter analysis amendment.--The analysis for chapter 
     447 is amended by adding at the end the following:

``44724. Preemployment review of prospective pilot records.''.

       (3) Conforming amendment.--Section 30305(b) is amended by 
     redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8) and by inserting 
     after paragraph (6) the following:
       ``(7) An individual who is employed or seeking employment 
     by an air carrier as a pilot may request the chief driver 
     licensing official of a State to provide information about 
     the individual under subsection (a) of this section to the 
     individual's prospective employer or to the Secretary of 
     Transportation. Information may not be obtained from the 
     Register under this paragraph if the information was entered 
     in the Register more than 5 years before the request, unless 
     the information is about a revocation or suspension still in 
     effect on the date of the request.''.
       (4) Civil penalties.--Section 46301 is amended by inserting 
     ``44724,'' after ``44716,'' in each of subsections (a)(1)(A), 
     (a)(2)(A), (d)(2), and (f)(1)(A)(i).
       (5) Applicability.--The amendments made by this subsection 
     shall apply to an air carrier hiring an individual as a pilot 
     if the application of the individual for employment as a 
     pilot is initially received by the air carrier on or after 
     the 120th day after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (b) Rulemaking To Establish Minimum Standards for Pilot 
     Qualifications.--Not later than 18 months after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration shall issue a notice of a proposed 
     rulemaking to establish--
       (1) minimum standards and criteria for preemployment 
     screening tests measuring the biographical factors 
     (psychomotor coordination), general intellectual capacity, 
     instrument and mechanical comprehension, and physical fitness 
     of an applicant for employment as a pilot by an air carrier; 
     and
       (2) minimum standards and criteria for pilot training 
     facilities which will be licensed by the Administrator and 
     which will assure that pilots trained at such facilities meet 
     the preemployment screening standards and criteria described 
     in paragraph (1).
       (c) Sharing Armed Services Records.--
       (1) Study.--The Administrator, in conjunction with the 
     Secretary of Defense, shall conduct a study to determine the 
     relevance and appropriateness of requiring the Secretary of 
     Defense to provide to an air carrier, upon request in 
     connection with the hiring of an individual as a pilot, 
     records of the individual concerning the individual's 
     training, qualifications, proficiency, professional 
     competence, or terms of discharge from the Armed Forces.
       (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to 
     Congress a report on the results of the study.
       (d) Minimum Flight Time.--
       (1) Study.--The Administrator shall conduct a study to 
     determine whether current minimum flight time requirements 
     applicable to individuals seeking employment as a pilot with 
     an air carrier are sufficient to ensure public safety.
       (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to 
     Congress a report on the results of the study.

     SEC. 411. CHILD PILOT SAFETY.

       (a) Manipulation of Flight Controls.--
       (1) In General.--Chapter 447 is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:

     ``Sec. 44725. Manipulation of flight controls

       ``(a) Prohibition.--No pilot in command of an aircraft may 
     allow an individual who does not hold--
       ``(1) a valid private pilots certificate issued by the 
     Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration under 
     part 61 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; and
       ``(2) the appropriate medical certificate issued by the 
     Administrator under part 67 of such title,

     to manipulate the controls of an aircraft if the pilot knows 
     or should have known that the individual is attempting to set 
     a record or engage in an aeronautical competition or 
     aeronautical feat, as defined by the Administrator.
       ``(b) Revocation of Airmen Certificates.--The Administrator 
     shall issue an order revoking a certificate issued to an 
     airman under section 44703 of this title if the Administrator 
     finds that while acting as a pilot in command of an aircraft, 
     the airman has permitted another individual to manipulate the 
     controls of the aircraft in violation of subsection (a).
       ``(c) Pilot in Command Defined.--In this section, the term 
     `pilot in command' has the meaning given such term by section 
     1.1 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.''.
       (2) Conforming amendment.--The table of sections at the 
     beginning of such chapter is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

``44725. Manipulation of flight controls.''.

       (b) Children Flying Aircraft.--
       (1) Study.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration shall conduct a study of the impacts of 
     children flying aircraft.
       (2) Considerations.--In conducting the study, the 
     Administrator shall consider the effects of imposing any 
     restrictions on children flying aircraft on safety and on the 
     future of general aviation in the United States.

[[Page H10131]]

       (3) Report.--Not later than 6 months after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall issue a report 
     containing the results of the study, together with 
     recommendations on--
       (A) whether the restrictions established by the amendment 
     made by subsection (a)(1) should be modified or repealed; and
       (B) whether certain individuals or groups should be exempt 
     from any age, altitude, or other restrictions that the 
     Administrator may impose by regulation.
       (4) Regulations.--As a result of the findings of the study, 
     the Administrator may issue regulations imposing age, 
     altitude, or other restrictions on children flying aircraft.

     SEC. 412. DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY FOR CRIMINAL HISTORY 
                   RECORDS CHECKS.

       (a) In General.--Section 44936(a)(1) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) and (B) as clauses 
     (i) and (ii), respectively;
       (2) by striking ``(1) The Administrator'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(1) Employees.--
       ``(A) Persons with access to aircraft and other secured 
     areas.--The Administrator'';
       (3) by moving the remainder of the text of subparagraph (A) 
     (as designated by paragraph (2) of this subsection), 
     including clauses (i) and (ii) (as designated by paragraph 
     (1) of this subsection), 2 ems to the right; and
       (4) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(B) Persons responsible for screening passengers and 
     property.--
       ``(i) In general.--The Administrator may require by 
     regulation that an employment investigation (including a 
     criminal history record check in cases in which the 
     employment investigation reveals a gap in employment of 12 
     months or more that the individual does not satisfactorily 
     account for) be conducted for individuals who will be 
     responsible for screening passengers and property under 
     section 44901 of this title and their supervisors.
       ``(ii) Special rule.--If an individual requires a criminal 
     history record check under clause (i), the individual may be 
     employed as a screener until the check is completed if the 
     individual is subject to supervision.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 44936(a)(2) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``(2) An air carrier'' and inserting the 
     following:
       ``(2) Responsibility of air carriers, foreign air carriers, 
     and airport operators.--An air carrier''; and
       (2) by moving the remainder of the text of the paragraph 2 
     ems to the right.
       (c) Applicability.--The amendment made by subsection (a)(4) 
     shall not apply to an individual employed as a screener, or a 
     supervisor of screeners, on the day before the date of the 
     enactment of this Act.

     SEC. 413. IMPOSITION OF FEES.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 453 is amended by adding at the 
     end the following:

     ``Sec. 45304. Prohibition on imposition of unauthorized fees; 
       fees for services provided to certain aircraft

       ``(a) Prohibition.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
     shall not impose any fee that is not in effect on the date of 
     the enactment of this section unless the fee is expressly 
     authorized by law.
       ``(b) Authority To Impose Fees.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Administrator is authorized to 
     establish a schedule of fees (and a collection process for 
     such fees), to be effective not later than 60 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this section, solely to recover the 
     costs incurred by the Administrator in providing air traffic 
     control services to aircraft that neither take off from nor 
     land in the United States.
       ``(2) Persons subject to fee.--Fees may be assessed under 
     paragraph (1) only on aircraft that neither take off from nor 
     land in the United States; except that such fees shall not 
     apply to foreign government aircraft.
       ``(3) Limitation on manner of collection.--Fees may be 
     assessed and collected under this subsection only in such 
     manner as may reasonably be expected to result in the 
     collection of an aggregate amount of fees during any fiscal 
     year which does not exceed the aggregate costs of the 
     Administrator for such year in providing the services 
     referred to in paragraph (1).
       ``(4) Limitation on amount of fee.--The amount of any fee 
     assessed under this subsection on any aircraft may not exceed 
     the amount which is reasonably based on the proportion of the 
     services referred to in paragraph (1) which relate to such 
     aircraft.
       ``(5) Target amount of aggregate fees.--To the extent 
     permitted by the preceding provisions of this subsection, 
     fees under the schedule referred to in paragraph (1) shall be 
     at levels that will recover not less than $30,000,000 in the 
     first year in which the fees are implemented.''.
       (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for such 
     chapter is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     item:

``45304. Prohibition on imposition of unauthorized fees; fees for 
              services provided to certain aircraft.''.

     SEC. 414. AUTHORITY TO CLOSE AIRPORT LOCATED NEAR CLOSED OR 
                   REALIGNED MILITARY BASE.

       Notwithstanding any other provision of a law, rule, or 
     grant assurance, an airport that is not a commercial service 
     airport may be closed by its sponsor without any obligation 
     to repay grants made under chapter 471 of title 49, United 
     States Code, the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982, 
     or any other law if the airport is located within 3 miles of 
     a military base which has been closed or realigned.

     SEC. 415. CONSTRUCTION OF RUNWAYS.

       Notwithstanding section 332 of the Department of 
     Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 
     (109 Stat. 457) or any other provision of law that 
     specifically restricts the number of runways at a single 
     international airport, the Secretary of Transportation may 
     obligate funds under chapters 471 and 481 of title 49, United 
     States Code, for any project to construct a new runway at 
     such airport, unless this section is expressly repealed.

     SEC. 416. GADSDEN AIR DEPOT, ALABAMA.

       (a) Authority To Grant Waivers.--Notwithstanding section 16 
     of the Federal Airport Act (as in effect on May 4, 1949), the 
     Secretary is authorized, subject to the provisions of section 
     47153 of title 49, United States Code, and the provisions of 
     subsection (b) of this section, to waive any of the terms 
     contained in the deed of conveyance dated May 4, 1949, under 
     which the United States conveyed certain property to the city 
     of Gadsden, Alabama, for airport purposes.
       (b) Conditions.--Any waiver granted under subsection (a) 
     shall be subject to the following conditions:
       (1) The city of Gadsden, Alabama, shall agree that, in 
     conveying any interest in the property which the United 
     States conveyed to the city by a deed described in subsection 
     (a), the city will receive an amount for such interest which 
     is equal to the fair market value of such interest (as 
     determined pursuant to regulations issued by the Secretary).
       (2) Any such amount so received by the city shall be used 
     by the city for the development, improvement, operation, or 
     maintenance of a public airport, lands (including any 
     improvements thereto) which produce revenues that are used 
     for airport development purposes, or both.

     SEC. 417. REGULATIONS AFFECTING INTRASTATE AVIATION IN 
                   ALASKA.

       In modifying regulations contained in title 14, Code of 
     Federal Regulations, in a manner affecting intrastate 
     aviation in Alaska, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration shall consider the extent to which Alaska is 
     not served by transportation modes other than aviation, and 
     shall establish such regulatory distinctions as the 
     Administrator considers appropriate.

     SEC. 418. WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT, NEW YORK.

       Notwithstanding sections 47107(b) and 44706(d) of title 49, 
     United States Code, and any other law, regulation, or grant 
     assurance, all fees received by Westchester County Airport in 
     the State of New York may be paid into the treasury of 
     Westchester County pursuant to section 119.31 of the 
     Westchester County Charter if the Secretary finds that the 
     expenditures from such treasury for the capital and operating 
     costs of the Airport after December 31, 1990, have been and 
     will be equal to or greater than the fees that such treasury 
     receives from the Airport.

     SEC. 419. BEDFORD AIRPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

       If the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
     decommissions an instrument landing system in Pennsylvania, 
     the Administrator shall, if feasible, transfer and install 
     the system at Bedford Airport, Pennsylvania.

     SEC. 420. LOCATION OF DOPPLER RADAR STATIONS, NEW YORK.

       (a) Prohibition.--No Federal funds may be used for the 
     construction of a Doppler radar station at the Coast Guard 
     station in Brooklyn, New York.
       (b) Construction of Offshore Platforms.--
       (1) Study.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration shall conduct a study of the feasibility of 
     constructing 2 offshore platforms to serve as sites for the 
     location of Doppler radar stations for John F. Kennedy 
     International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York City, 
     New York.
       (2) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
     enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to 
     Congress a report on the results of the study conducted under 
     paragraph (1), including proposed locations for the offshore 
     platforms. Such locations shall be as far as possible from 
     populated areas while providing appropriate safety measures 
     for John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia 
     Airport.
       (c) Limitation.--The Administrator shall not begin 
     construction of a Doppler radar station for John F. Kennedy 
     International Airport or LaGuardia Airport at any location 
     before submitting a report under subsection (b).

     SEC. 421. WORCESTER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, MASSACHUSETTS.

       The Secretary of Transportation shall take such actions as 
     may be necessary to improve the safety of aircraft landing at 
     Worcester Municipal Airport, Massachusetts, including, if 
     appropriate, providing air traffic radar service to such 
     airport from the Providence Approach Radar Control in 
     Coventry, Rhode Island.

     SEC. 422. CENTRAL FLORIDA AIRPORT, SANFORD, FLORIDA.

       The Secretary of Transportation shall take such actions as 
     may be necessary to improve the safety of aircraft landing at 
     Central Florida Airport, Sanford, Florida, including, if 
     appropriate, providing a new instrument landing system on 
     Runway 27R.

[[Page H10132]]

     SEC. 423. AIRCRAFT NOISE OMBUDSMAN.

       Section 106 is amended by redesignating subsection (k), as 
     amended by section 103 of this Act, as subsection (l) and by 
     inserting after subsection (j) the following:
       ``(k) Aircraft Noise Ombudsman.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--There shall be in the Administration 
     an Aircraft Noise Ombudsman.
       ``(2) General duties and responsibilities.--The Ombudsman 
     shall--
       ``(A) be appointed by the Administrator;
       ``(B) serve as a liaison with the public on issues 
     regarding aircraft noise; and
       ``(C) be consulted when the Administration proposes changes 
     in aircraft routes so as to minimize any increases in 
     aircraft noise over populated areas.''.

     SEC. 424. SPECIAL RULE FOR PRIVATELY OWNED RELIEVER AIRPORTS.

       Section 47109 is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:
       ``(c) Special Rule for Privately Owned Reliever Airports.--
     If a privately owned reliever airport contributes any lands, 
     easements, or rights-of-way to carry out a project under this 
     subchapter, the current fair market value of such lands, 
     easements, or rights-of-way shall be credited toward the non-
     Federal share of allowable project costs.''.
    TITLE V--EXTENSION OF AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND EXPENDITURES

     SEC. 501. EXTENSION OF AIRPORT AND AIRWAY TRUST FUND 
                   EXPENDITURES.

       (a) Extension of Expenditure Authority.--Paragraph (1) of 
     section 9502(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is 
     amended by striking ``October 1, 1996'' and inserting 
     ``October 1, 1999''.
       (b) Extension of Trust Fund Purposes.--Subparagraph (A) of 
     section 9502(d)(1) of such Code is amended by inserting 
     before the semicolon at the end ``or the Federal Aviation 
     Authorization Act of 1996''.
 TITLE VI--FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND 
                              DEVELOPMENT

     SEC. 601. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``FAA Research, Engineering, 
     and Development Management Reform Act of 1996''.

     SEC. 602. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 48102(a) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (1)(J);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (2)(J) 
     and inserting in lieu thereof ``; and''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(3) for fiscal year 1997--
       ``(A) $10,000,000 for system development and infrastructure 
     projects and activities;
       ``(B) $39,911,000 for capacity and air traffic management 
     technology projects and activities;
       ``(C) $20,371,000 for communications, navigation, and 
     surveillance projects and activities;
       ``(D) $6,411,000 for weather projects and activities;
       ``(E) $6,000,000 for airport technology projects and 
     activities;
       ``(F) $37,978,000 for aircraft safety technology projects 
     and activities;
       ``(G) $36,045,000 for system security technology projects 
     and activities;
       ``(H) $23,682,000 for human factors and aviation medicine 
     projects and activities;
       ``(I) $3,800,000 for environment and energy projects and 
     activities; and
       ``(J) $1,500,000 for innovative/cooperative research 
     projects and activities.''.

     SEC. 603. RESEARCH PRIORITIES.

       Section 48102(b) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); and
       (2) by striking ``Availability for Research.--(1)'' and 
     inserting in lieu thereof ``Research Priorities.--(1) The 
     Administrator shall consider the advice and recommendations 
     of the research advisory committee established by section 
     44508 of this title in establishing priorities among major 
     categories of research and development activities carried out 
     by the Federal Aviation Administration.
       ``(2)''.

     SEC. 604. RESEARCH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

       Section 44508(a)(1) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (B);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (C) 
     and inserting in lieu thereof ``; and''; and
       (3) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the following new 
     subparagraph:
       ``(D) annually review the allocation made by the 
     Administrator of the amounts authorized by section 48102(a) 
     of this title among the major categories of research and 
     development activities carried out by the Administration and 
     provide advice and recommendations to the Administrator on 
     whether such allocation is appropriate to meet the needs and 
     objectives identified under subparagraph (A).''.

     SEC. 605. NATIONAL AVIATION RESEARCH PLAN.

       Section 44501(c) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)(A) by striking ``15-year'' and 
     inserting in lieu thereof ``5-year'';
       (2) by amending subparagraph (B) to read as follows:
       ``(B) The plan shall--
       ``(i) provide estimates by year of the schedule, cost, and 
     work force levels for each active and planned major research 
     and development project under sections 40119, 44504, 44505, 
     44507, 44509, 44511-44513, and 44912 of this title, including 
     activities carried out under cooperative agreements with 
     other Federal departments and agencies;
       ``(ii) specify the goals and the priorities for allocation 
     of resources among the major categories of research and 
     development activities, including the rationale for the 
     priorities identified;
       ``(iii) identify the allocation of resources among long-
     term research, near-term research, and development 
     activities; and
       ``(iv) highlight the research and development activities 
     that address specific recommendations of the research 
     advisory committee established under section 44508 of this 
     title, and document the recommendations of the committee that 
     are not accepted, specifying the reasons for 
     nonacceptance.''; and
       (3) in paragraph (3) by inserting ``, including a 
     description of the dissemination to the private sector of 
     research results and a description of any new technologies 
     developed'' after ``during the prior fiscal year''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania [Mr. Shuster] and the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. 
Oberstar] each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Shuster].
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 5 minutes.
  Madam Speaker, I first have the pleasant task of announcing that this 
is the birthday of the distinguished ranking member, the gentleman from 
Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar]. I know all of my colleagues join me in 
wishing him a very happy birthday.
  Now, Madam Speaker, I would emphasize just as heartily that this 
bipartisan legislation before us must be passed because if it is not 
passed, the airports across America will get no money in the coming 
year. Indeed, the recent tragedies involving ValuJet and TWA raised our 
consciousness about the need for improvements in aviation safety and 
security.
  The House already passed our bill to make the FAA an independent 
agency. Shortly before the August recess, the House passed 
antiterrorism legislation. And we will soon bring to the floor a bill 
to address the complaints heard from the families who lost loved ones 
in airline disasters.
  This bill takes another important step in efforts to improve safety 
and security. It authorizes funding for aviation security improvements 
such as new bomb detection systems. The bill also provides important 
funding for increasing airport capacity to meet the growing needs of 
the aviation system which will grow, we are told, by 4 to 5 percent a 
year. Indeed, as we move into the next century we will soon be 
experiencing over a billion passengers flying commercially in America 
each year.
  FAA Administrator Hinson has continuously stated that the single most 
important constraint in the aviation system is the lack of airport 
capacity. In 1996 funding for AIP was only $1.45 billion, even though 
the authorized level was $2.2 billion and at that time there was a $5 
billion surplus in the Aviation Trust Fund. Indeed, if the Aviation 
Trust Fund were taken off budget, airport needs could be met and the 
huge surpluses in the trust fund would not be created.
  Those airport needs are not uniform. Smaller airports depend even 
more heavily on AIP funds. When a low AIP funding level forces the FAA 
to turn down an airport's AIP grant, if it is a large airport that 
airport has lost a small amount of its funding sources. However, a 
small airport often cannot proceed with a project without an AIP grant.

  Nevertheless, over the past few years small nonhub airports have seen 
their entitlement cut by as much as 23 percent. Small commercial 
service airports have seen their set-aside cut by 40 percent. One of 
our goals, therefore, in this bill is to revise the AIP program and 
make sure the smaller airports get their fair share.
  This bill simplifies the formulas. It reauthorizes the AIP program 
for 3 years and ensures that every primary airport, both large hubs and 
small nonhubs, receive an increase in their passenger entitlement; 
increases the small airport fund; provides a minimum discretionary fund 
that contains enough money to ensure that all previously issued letters 
of intent are met; includes an airport privatization test program for 
six airports, subject to DOT approval and the airlines affected; 
imposes treble damages on anyone violating the prohibition against 
revenue diversion; and makes baggage screeners subject to background 
checks.

[[Page H10133]]

  The bill before us today does differ from the one reported by the 
committee in the following ways:
  It includes a National Civil Aviation Review Commission recommended 
by Congressman Wolf; it includes a pilot program allowing FAA to 
experiment with innovative financing techniques, as suggested by the 
Department of Transportation. It eliminates the dual mandate that 
requires FAA to both promote and regulate air commerce. Elimination of 
this dual mandate would not prevent the FAA from considering the costs 
of its regulatory actions but would make clear that safety is its No. 1 
priority. Indeed, we would expect FAA to continue its rigorous cost 
benefit analyses. It clarifies passenger facility charges belong to 
airports and should not become part of a bankrupt airline's estate, 
that small airports do not have to seek certification if they do not 
want commuter service; includes H.R. 3267 the Child Pilot Safety Act, 
Report 104-683, includes H.R. 3536 the Airline Pilot Hiring and Safety 
Act, Report 104-684; makes changes to foreign airline overflight fee 
provisions that were requested by the Committee on Ways and Means; 
allows private reliever airports to use fair market value of their land 
as a local share for an AIP grant; drops the provision on the 
metropolitan Washington airports; drops the extension of the trust fund 
taxes so that this can be extended in separate legislation; and adds 
the research title developed by the committee on Science.
  For all these reasons, this legislation must be passed, if we are 
going to provide funding to our airports across America. I strongly 
urge the passage of this legislation.

  I want to say the following on behalf of Congressman Frisa of New 
York.
  This bill does not make any changes in the Disadvantaged Business 
Enterprise [DBE] Program. This is a controversial provision especially 
as it applies to car rental companies.
  In 1992, the FAA reauthorization bill established vendor purchases as 
an alternative, but coequal, method through which car rental 
concessionaires could meet DBE airport concession participation goals. 
The 1992 statute expressly states that car rental concessionaires must 
be permitted to include credit for the purchase of vehicles from DBE 
new car dealers toward their DBE compliance goals.
  To ensure meaningful participation in the DBE airport concession 
program, car rental concessionaires must be permitted to apply the full 
purchase price of their fleet vehicles from qualified DBE vendors 
toward their compliance goals under the DBE airport concession program. 
Any other interpretation of this statutory mandate ignores the plain 
wording of the statute and would make it essentially impossible for car 
rental concessionaires to meet DBE goals through the vendor purchases 
established by the statute.
  The committee report on this bill includes a directive that DOT must 
be careful not to adopt size standards that make the DBE airport 
concession program inherently unworkable for car rental 
concessionaires. Toward this end, DOT should adopt an employee size 
standard, rather than a standard based on total revenues, for DBE new 
car dealers. Such an employee-based standard would avoid a situation in 
which many DBE dealers would be forced from the program simply because 
of the large number and value of cars the car rental industry buys each 
year.

                                    U.S. House of Representatives,


                                  Committee on Ways and Means,

                                    Washington, DC, July 26, 1996.
     Hon. Bud Shuster,
     Chairman, House Committee on Transportation and 
         Infrastructure, Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Bud: I am writing to you regarding further 
     consideration of H.R. 3539, the Federal Aviation 
     Authorization Act of 1996, which was ordered reported by the 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on June 6, 
     1996. The bill, as introduced, was also referred to the 
     Committee on Ways and Means.
       Specifically, Title VI of the bill, as introduced, would 
     extend the Airport and Airway Trust Fund taxes for 3 years. 
     On May 30, 1996, the Subcommittee on Aviation adopted an 
     amendment concerning jet fuel excise taxes. On June 6, 1996, 
     the full Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
     adopted an amendment intended to change Title VI into a 
     legislative ``recommendation'' to the Committee on Ways and 
     Means.
       The actions taken by the Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure on these tax matters was contrary to both Rule 
     X of the Rules of the House, regarding Committee 
     jurisdiction, and Rule XXI(5)(b) of the Rules of the House, 
     which prohibits the reporting of a tax or tariff measure in a 
     bill not reported by the committee of jurisdiction.
       I now understand that you are seeking to have the bill 
     considered on the Suspension Calendar as early as next week. 
     I also understand that you have agreed to include an 
     amendment on the Floor which I am providing (attached) to 
     address the concerns of the Committee on Ways and Means with 
     this legislation.
       The amendment would strike the tax title previously 
     included in the bill, and add language needed to extend the 
     expenditure purposes and authority contained in the Internal 
     Revenue Code of 1986 through October 1, 1999, the period of 
     the authorization bill. In addition, I wrote to you 
     previously regarding the ``overflight fees'' provision 
     included in the reported bill, expressing my interest in 
     working with you to ensure that this provision conforms as 
     closely as possible to a true ``fee.'' I have also included 
     legislative language in this amendment to that effect. 
     Finally, I understand that the Commission proposed in section 
     205 of your amendment will include appointments by the 
     Committee on Ways and Means.
       Based on this understanding, and in order to expedite 
     consideration of this legislation, it will not be necessary 
     for the Committee on Ways and Means to markup this 
     legislation. This is being done with the further 
     understanding that the Committee will be treated without 
     prejudice as to its jurisdictional prerogatives on such or 
     similar provisions in the future, and it should not be 
     considered as precedent for consideration of matters of 
     jurisdictional interest to the Committee on Ways and Means in 
     the future.
       Finally, I would ask that a copy of our exchange of letters 
     on this matter, and my previous letter, be placed in the 
     Record during consideration of the bill on the Floor. Thank 
     you for your cooperation and assistance on this matter. With 
     best personal regards.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Bill Archer,
     Chairman.
                                                                    ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Transportation and 
           Infrastructure,
                                    Washington, DC, July 29, 1996.
     Hon. Bill Archer,
     Chairman, Committee on Ways and Means, Longworth House Office 
         Building, Washington, DC.
       Dear Bill: This is in response to your letter of July 26, 
     1996, regarding H.R. 3539, the Federal Aviation Authorization 
     Act of 1996. I concur with your statement of the agreements 
     reached by our committees on this bill. I appreciate your 
     willingness to forego a markup on the bill based on these 
     agremeents.
       We do intend to proceed to consideration of this bill in 
     the House as soon as possible and are currently hoping for 
     consideration on the Suspension Calendar. If we proceed under 
     suspension of the rules, I will include the items referred to 
     in your letter in the suspension motion. Specifically, this 
     will strike the tax title and insert in its place extension 
     of the Trust Fund expenditure purposes and authority through 
     October 1, 1999. It will also include your recommended 
     changes to section 409 regarding overflight fees and section 
     205 regarding the National Civil Aviation Review Commission.
       If we proceed to the consideration of this bill under a 
     rule, I will request that the Rules Committee incorporate 
     these provisions by self-executing rule.
       Finally, I will include these letters in the Record during 
     consideration of the bill on the Floor.
       Thank you again for your cooperation in this matter. With 
     warm personal regards, I am
           Sincerely,
                                                      Bud Shuster,
                                                         Chairman.

  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 7 minutes.
  I first want to thank my colleague, our chairman and my dear friend, 
for his good wishes on this day that we all face once a year. I looked 
in the obit column this morning and did not find my name in there so I 
decided to come to work.
  Today we consider legislation very, very thoroughly described by our 
chairman to reauthorize the programs of the Federal Aviation 
Administration but particularly and most importantly the Airport 
Improvement Program.
  At the outset, I want all of our colleagues on both sides of the 
aisle to note that this legislation in the long honored tradition of 
our committee has been prepared and advanced in a truly bipartisan 
process with complete openness and participation, not just consultation 
but participation on both sides of sharing of ideas, of working issues 
out, of coming to agreement on matters on which maybe at the first we 
might have had some differences. In the end we were altogether.
  I want to thank Chairman Shuster, who has been a strong advocate for 
aviation and especially for small airports, as I have been, and 
Chairman Duncan, who has given aviation his full energy and effort and 
who has proven a really distinguished and worthy chairman of this 
subcommittee and has come to have a sure grasp of the issues. I salute 
him and congratulate him.

[[Page H10134]]

  I also want to express my great appreciation to the leader on our 
side on aviation, the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. Lipinski], who has 
plunged into aviation and likewise has become thoroughly knowledgeable 
and self-assured on this subject.
  I also see my good friend and former associate when I chaired the 
Subcommittee on Aviation, the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. 
Clinger], now chairman of the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight. I want to thank him for the partnership that we have had 
over 14 years working together on economic development, investigations 
and oversight and aviation. As he prepares to leave our company to go 
on to other pursuits, I just want to say what a great, distinct 
pleasure it has been working with the gentleman, a professorial 
scholar, a dear friend, one who is committed to the pursuit of truth 
and of good legislation in the best public interest.
  This legislation establishes funding for FAA's facility and equipment 
operations and maintenance and airport improvement programs at levels 
that assume the aviation trust fund has been taken off budget. Funding 
levels are necessary to support vital safety and capacity enhancing 
projects, including upgrading air traffic control, implementing the 
global positioning satellite system, meeting the safety and capacity 
needs of the Nation's airports.
  While I completely support the funding levels included in the bill 
and want to assert that they are more than justified in light of the 
needs of the system and indeed modest compared to the needs, we must 
unfortunately and realistically assume that these programs will receive 
a lower appropriation level than the authorization that we have 
provided for, given the current budget climate and the fact that the 
other body has failed to pass off-budget legislation.

                              {time}  1515

  I emphasize that these levels are right, they are necessary, they are 
what this committee says is needed. We set that mark out there. It is 
important that that mark be set even though realistically the 
appropriation level may not come to what it should be. We will continue 
to argue for higher and adequate appropriation levels in the future.
  This means that the different FAA accounts will essentially be 
competing with each other for limited funding available. So much of 
FAA's costs are fixed costs. That means the program likely to be most 
negatively affected is airport improvement. That level currently is 
1.45 billion, and that represents a $450 million decrease in funding 
from 1992. That was the high point for AIP funding in the history of 
the FAA.
  This funding distribution formula in the current AIP program was 
drafted when we expected funding levels to continue to increase. They 
work well when AIP is funded at close to $2 billion, but the formulas 
create a significant problem for a large number of airports, at funding 
levels closer to the 1.45 level.
  So the formula modifications in the bill are recognition on our part, 
on bipartisan basis, of a need to streamline the program in the light 
of diminishing resources. We are simply dealing with reality, trying to 
accommodate the needs of all airports, large and small, in order to 
project a national airport and air capacity system.
  While there are understandable concerns about the effect of formula 
modifications, we have struck a reasonable balance with the competing 
priorities. The bill preserves a significant noise program, it protects 
existing letters of intent commitments, it provides a $50 million 
discretionary account regardless of the size of the overall program.
  Unfortunately, formula modifications are only one element providing 
adequate funding for airport needs. The effects on the system caused by 
extreme funding cuts cannot be remedied simply by adjusting the 
formula. No one disputes that projections for passenger growth will 
require additional airport capacity. Everybody understands our aviation 
system is going to go, goodness. Ninety-four percent of all paid 
intercity travel in America is by air. There may be dispute about 
existing airport needs, but everyone agrees that funding AIP at its 
current level or below that level in 1997 is simply not adequate to 
meet the demands of the projected passenger growth in this country.
  We have an obligation to the future. So until we can get all the 
money paid by the users out of the airspace system for distribution 
through FAA from the trust fund, either through passage of the trust 
fund off budget or some other means, we have to find a way to insure 
that the system can meet the capacity demands placed upon it.
  A critical funding issue which has significantly affected the 
aviation trust fund was expiration of the airline ticket tax which 
lasted almost 11 months and severely depleted the reserve in the trust 
fund account. During the time that the taxes lapsed, the uncommitted 
balance of the aviation trust fund was depleted at a rate of $600 
million a month. We have to take responsibility to assure that taxes do 
not lapse again at the end of this year, and I just want to take this 
opportunity to urge our colleagues on the Committee on Ways and Means 
to pass legislation before we adjourn to extend the airline ticket tax 
beyond the end of this calendar year. It is simply not responsible to 
let that ticket tax expire at the end of the year and have airports, 
airlines, wondering how they are going to meet capacity needs.
  The American people also want to know that they are safe when they 
get on board an aircraft. We have repeatedly heard the citizens of this 
country articulate their willingness to incur higher costs if those 
costs are going to mean more airport security and better safety. It is 
irresponsible to let the excise tax lapse when safety and security are 
on the line when we are going to put another billion dollars of cost on 
this system to make it more safe and more secure.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Duncan], chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Aviation of the Committee on Transportation.
  Mr. DUNCAN. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3539, the 
Federal Aviation Authorization Act. This bill has been developed, as 
the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar] noted, in a very strong 
bipartisan manner with primary support and leadership from our 
outstanding chairman, the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Shuster], 
the ranking member of the full committee, the gentleman from Minnesota 
[Mr. Oberstar] who is so dedicated to aviation, and the gentleman from 
Illinois [Mr. Lipinski], my good friend and the ranking member of the 
Subcommittee on Aviation. Let me also thank every member of the 
Subcommittee on Aviation for their contributions to this legislation as 
well. I think the committee has done an outstanding job in dealing with 
some very difficult and complex issues. While I am sure we do not have 
a perfect bill, I think we have crafted a product that every Member can 
and should support. Any changes, any minor or technical changes that 
might be needed in this legislation, can be addressed in conference 
when we meet with the Senate.
  In order for needed improvements to be made to our Nation's outdated 
air traffic control equipment, in order for us to improve aviation 
security at airports around this Nation, in order for us to do all we 
can to improve safety for millions of traveling Americans, we must pass 
this legislation.
  The House Subcommittee on Aviation, which I have the privilege to 
chair, held several days of hearings on a number of issues ranging from 
privatization of airports to revenue diversion.
  The bill reauthorizes for 3 years programs administered by the FAA, 
including the Airport Improvement Program, the Airway Facilities 
Improvement Program and the overall operations of the FAA.
  H.R. 3539 authorizes funding to help the FAA replace the 30-year-old 
air traffic control equipment that has been stretched beyond its useful 
life.
  It addresses airport development financing, including the creation of 
a commission to review innovative financing proposals that will help 
both airport and FAA financing in the future.
  The legislation also adjusts the AIP formula so that the smaller 
airports,

[[Page H10135]]

the general aviation airports, will get their fair share of funding.
  It increases the entitlement for every airport in the Nation.
  Let me repeat that, Madam Speaker. The legislation, this legislation, 
increases entitlement funding for every airport in the Nation, large 
and small alike.
  The bill protects current letters of intent so that ongoing airport 
construction projects can continue without interruption, and it retains 
the set-aside for noise and military airports, the noise problems that 
are of so much concern to many people around this Nation.
  H.R. 3539 increases the number of States participating in the State 
block grant program from 7 to 10, and it creates a pilot program 
permitting the sale or long-term lease of up to 6 airports across the 
Nation. In other words, a pilot experimental program for airport 
privatization.
  The bill imposes cost limitations on FAA housing purchases, and it 
imposes treble damages on anyone caught illegally diverting revenue 
from an airport.
  It also improves aviation security by permitting the FAA to require 
airlines to do background checks before hiring someone to screen 
baggage, and finally H.R. 3539 incorporates legislation that this House 
passed overwhelmingly last July, the Child Pilot Safety Act and the 
Airline Pilot Hiring and Safety Act, both very needed improvements in 
our aviation system.

  Madam Speaker, I cannot stress enough the importance of this 
legislation. It makes needed improvements to various programs 
administered by the FAA, and it will help provide the traveling public 
with a safer, more secure aviation system. Experts have testified that 
air passenger traffic will increase to well over 800 million, possibly 
even 1 billion, just 10 years from now, and according to FAA forecasts 
the number of passengers carried on U.S. airlines will increase from 
597 million this year to at least 718 million just 4 years from now, an 
increase of at least 20 percent by the most conservative estimates.
  So obviously we are going to have to build new airports or at least 
expand existing airports around the country, but we need to make sure 
that that is done, that expansion, this expansion is done in the most 
cost-effective manner and the way that is best for the taxpayers.
  Madam Speaker, this legislation will move our Nation in the right 
direction, and it will help us meet both the immediate and long-term 
challenges in aviation. I strongly support this legislation, I urge 
every Member of the House to support it as well because this is the key 
legislation we will have this year to improve our aviation system and 
make it safer and more secure for all Americans.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania [Mr. Clinger], a senior member of the committee and the 
distinguished chairman of the Committee on Government Reform and 
Oversight.
  Mr. CLINGER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much for 
yielding to me and commend him for this legislation as well as my 
friends, the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Oberstar] and the gentleman 
from Tennessee [Mr. Duncan] and the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Lipinski]. Before I do this, this is my last opportunity to express to 
my good friend Mr. Oberstar. He has indicated that we worked together 
for 14 years and 10 of those years on aviation matters. It was an 
incredibly rewarding experience for me and one that I think we shared 
in accomplishing a great deal for aviation over the years, and so I 
wanted to publicly express my gratitude to him for the partnership we 
had. He was always very fair to the minority throughout that tenure, 
and I was very grateful for it. I would also note that he has been my 
mentor in many transportation areas. Most recently he is advising me on 
what type of bicycle I should be purchasing, and I am grateful for that 
as well, and I also wanted to wish him a happy birthday.
  Madam Speaker, I strongly support this legislation. The bill has been 
explained. In the limited time I have left I just want to speak about 
the fundamental role played by aviation in the lives of rural 
Americans. I have a congressional district that includes four airports 
served only by commuters, and with one exception none of these 
communities are on the interstate highway system. Aviation has really, 
as we know, become the lifeblood and well-being of small communities, 
and though many may equate aviation as a service enjoyed only by urban 
areas, it has really been my experience that quality of life in rural 
communities is now measured in part by the degree of air service it 
receives, and the challenge, Madam Speaker, to small communities is 
maintaining affordable service. Unlike large cities where several 
carriers may compete for any number of routes, rural areas generally 
rely on one carrier providing service to one nearby 3 or 4 times a day. 
The lack of competition into rural communities generally results in 
very high prices and also holds a community captive to one carrier to 
book tickets for locations beyond a nearby hub. The economies of scale 
clearly do play a role here and to some degree I would expect to pay 
more to get to a remote area. But rural residents have come to expect 
reliable, affordable air travel, much the same way as urban dwellers.
  I say this because in my years on the committee I have come to 
appreciate just how price-sensitive the public is to the cost of air 
travel. I think it especially important as Congress and the 
administration work to implement new safety initiatives that careful 
attention be paid to cost. Rural communities served by commuters are 
the least able to spread the cost among passengers and are clearly the 
most at risk for losing service altogether, so with that caveat I 
indicate my strong support for the legislation and urge its passage.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Tennessee [Mr. Tanner].
  Mr. TANNER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. 
Oberstar] for yielding the time to me.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3539, and I want to commend 
the chairmen and the ranking members of the Transportation and 
Infrastructure Committee and the Aviation Subcommittee for their work 
on this piece of legislation. I also want to thank them for including 
in H.R. 3539, title VII--the Federal Aviation Administration Research, 
Engineering, and Development, which are the provisions adopted by the 
Science Committee in H.R. 3322, the Omnibus Civilian Science 
Authorization Act authorizing the Federal Aviation Administration's 
[FAA] research and development program.
  The principal purposes of title VII strengthen the role of the 
Federal Aviation Administration's [FAA] Research Advisory Committee in 
setting FAA's R&D priorities and in streamlining the National Aviation 
Research Plan. This language is based on the recommendations of 
witnesses who appeared before the Technology Subcommittee during three 
oversight hearings on FAA's R&D programs.
  The Research Advisory Committee, established by statute, is composed 
of aviation experts from industry, other R&D agencies, and 
universities. To date the advisory committee has not had much influence 
on setting FAA's R&D goals. Title VII now requires the Research 
Advisory Committee to review and provide recommendations to FAA on its 
R&D budget, and it also requires FAA to consider those recommendations 
in establishing its R&D priorities.
  In addition, FAA must report to Congress on its response to the 
advisory committee's recommendations.
  In addition, the provisions in title VII of H.R. 3539 simplify the 
contents of the National Aviation Research Plan to make it more useful 
to Congress for tracking and assessing the FAA's goals and priorities.
  The goals of title VII are to strengthen public/private cooperation 
to develop an R&D agenda which will effectively modernize the air 
traffic system and ensure the safety and reliability of air travel in 
the United States.
  Again, I want to thank Chairman Duncan and Ranking Member Lipinski 
for working with the Science Committee to incorporate the R&D title 
into the FAA authorization bill and I urge my colleagues to support 
H.R. 3539.

                              {time}  1530

  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Walker], the distinguished chairman of 
the Committee on Science.
  Mr. WALKER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3539, the 
Federal Aviation Authorization [FAA] Act of 1996. I would like to thank 
the chairwoman, Congresswoman Connie

[[Page H10136]]

Morella, and the ranking member, Congressman John Tanner, of the 
Science Committee's Subcommittee on Technology for their work in 
crafting title VI of H.R. 3539.
  Title VI is the FAA Research, Engineering, and Development [RD&E] 
Management Reform Act of 1996. The FAA RD&E Act was originally 
introduced by Chairwoman Morella on May 16, 1996. Its major provisions 
were subsequently incorporated into H.R. 3322, the Omnibus Civilian 
Science Authorization Act of 1996 which passed the House on May 30, 
1996. The language in title VI is taken directly from H.R. 3322.
  Title VI authorizes $186 million for FAA research and development 
activities in fiscal year 1997. The title further directs the FAA 
research advisory committee to annually review the FAA research and 
development funding allocations and requires the Administrator of the 
FAA to consider the advisory committee's advice in establishing its 
annual funding priorities. Finally, title VI streamlines the 
requirements of the National Aviation Research Plans and shortens the 
time-frame the plans must cover from 15 to 5 years.
  Madam Speaker, title VI strengthens an already good bill, and I would 
like to thank Transportation Committee Chairman Shuster and Aviation 
Subcommittee Chairman Duncan along with full Committee Ranking Member 
Oberstar and Subcommittee Ranking Member Lipinski for their support and 
assistance in including the FAA RD&E Act in H.R. 3539. I urge all my 
colleagues to vote to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 3539.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the 
distinguished gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Hefley].
  Mr. HEFLEY. Madam Speaker, I would like to engage in a colloquy with 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Shuster].
  I appreciate the gentleman's efforts, particularly in providing a 
provision on airport certification. Particularly, there is a provision 
in the bill which changes the FAA's requirement that all airports 
flying planes with more than nine passengers must have received their 
certification. The old requirement was 30 passengers.
  I would ask the gentleman, is that correct?
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
  Mr. HEFLEY. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, that is correct.
  Mr. HEFLEY. I appreciate that provision and the improved safety it 
will result in, but I was concerned that reliever airports which do not 
intend to fly planes with over nine passengers may be forced to apply 
for certification. A provision has been included in the bill which 
states that an airport which has not currently received certification 
does not have to apply if they do not intend to fly planes with over 
nine passengers. Is that also correct?
  Mr. SHUSTER. That is correct, and I appreciate the gentleman's 
efforts.
  Mr. HEFLEY. Another provision that I am concerned about in the bill, 
it allows the Secretary of Transportation to obligate funds for runway 
construction even if the Committee on Appropriations has specifically 
prohibited the runway from being built.
  This section is really referring to a proposed sixth runway at Denver 
International Airport. Denver officials contend that this is needed. 
There is some argument about whether it is needed or not. There is 
tremendous concern about noise created by this airport that was never 
anticipated by the city of Denver.
  Mr. SHUSTER. I would be happy to work with the gentleman in 
conference to try to resolve these differences.
  Mr. HEFLEY. I thank the gentleman.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 4 minutes to the 
gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Wolf], the distinguished chairman of the 
Subcommittee on Transportation.
  (Mr. WOLF asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I thank the chairman of the committee for 
yielding me time.
  Madam Speaker, there is much in this bill that is very good. I want 
to put this at the outset of the statement. There are two issues that I 
have concerns about, one the gentleman from Colorado [Mr. Hefley] just 
raised, and that is the first provision, section 411, which states that 
even if the Committee on Appropriations denies funding for a runway at 
an international airport the Secretary of Transportation may obligate 
funds for such projects anyway.
  Essentially, this language says that despite what the Committee on 
Appropriations does, it can go ahead. I was pleased to hear the 
gentleman's comments.
  The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee report accompanying 
H.R. 3539 indicates that the intent of this language was to ensure 
funding for a sixth runway at the Denver International Airport. 
However, this project has been specifically denied by Congress in the 
appropriations process for the past 3 years. Not only has the funding 
been denied for 3 years, no funds are provided once again in this 
year's appropriations bill, considered by the House only a few short 
weeks ago, and no amendment to that provision was offered when the bill 
was debated on the House floor. That appropriations bill--with no 
amendments offered dealing with this issue--was passed by an 
overwhelming vote of 403 to 2.
  The rules of the House and parliamentary precedents make clear that 
it is the prerogative of the Appropriations Committee to provide 
resources for, or make valid limitations on, the financial obligations 
of the Federal Government. In an unusual and clever way, section 411 of 
this bill takes away the unambiguous rights of the Appropriations 
Committee and allows the executive branch to spend funds for a project 
even if they have been specifically denied by the Congress. In essence, 
this is a reverse line item veto--it allows funds to be spent even 
after Congress denies them. This Congress has an excellent record of 
reducing the deficit and forcing the hard cuts in an oversized 
Government. It makes no sense to set a new precedent allowing the 
executive branch to undermine the prerogatives of the Appropriations 
Committee and the Congress, by authorizing it to spend funds for a 
project Congress has repeatedly denied.
  And this is no ordinary airport project. The access road to the 
Denver Airport is called Pena Boulevard--so named after the current 
Secretary of Transportation and former mayor of Denver and the very 
individual to whom the bill gives sole power to fund the project over 
Congress' objections. This airport receives more funding under its 
letter of intent with the Federal Aviation Administration than any 
other airport in the country, and I question whether the Department of 
Transportation can truly be impartial in evaluating further grant 
applications, given the current Secretary's prior involvement in the 
Denver Airport project. The Colorado congressional delegation is 
divided over the need for the sixth runway, and the airport has a 
history of management problems including illegal diversion of airport 
revenues.
  Simply stated, Denver has not proven the case for a new runway. 
Management problems continue, including diversion of airport revenues, 
shoddy construction of the existing runways and buildings; and 
significant airport noise issues. There is no compelling air traffic 
problem at the airport justifying a new runway at this time. Even the 
airport director stated last year that the proposed runway would 
provide ``marketing and business opportunities for companies throughout 
the region that would not otherwise exist.'' This is not ample 
justification for Federal investment, when resources are scarce and 
significant airport capacity issues exist in other cities around the 
country, and when decisions are necessary to curb the Federal deficit.
  In addition, not only would this provision grant the Secretary of 
Transportation authority to override congressional mandates regarding 
the Denver International Airport, the bill as reported would allow the 
Secretary to approve funding for any international runway where funding 
was expressly denied by the Congress. There are other runway projects 
in this country which are highly controversial and Congress should not 
cede control over these projects to the Secretary of Transportation.
  Section 411 is extremely controversial, unnecessary, would establish 
an alarming precedent, and should not be included in this legislation.
  The second provision of concern to me is section 416, which prohibits 
the Federal Aviation Administration from installing a terminal Doppler 
weather radar at the Brooklyn Coast Guard Air Station in New York and 
requires a study of the feasibility of siting such equipment from an 
offshore platform.
  While politically attractive perhaps, the offshore concept appears to 
be unworkable and unrealistic from an engineering and cost-benefit 
standpoint. In fact, after years of analysis, the FAA concluded that 
the Coast Guard air station in Brooklyn is the best site for

[[Page H10137]]

this safety radar, which is badly needed in the New York metropolitan 
area. Furthermore, section 416 violates congressional direction 
contained in the statement of the managers on the fiscal year 1996 
Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, which directed the FAA 
to provide enhanced wind shear detection capability for the New York 
metropolitan area as soon as possible.
  More than a year later, this critical safety improvement still does 
not exist for the New York City area and the language in H.R. 3539 
would lead to additional delays.
  There is an unquestioned need for this safety radar system in New 
York and calling for another study will not only be unproductive, but 
would pose unnecessary delays in getting essential safety equipment in 
place. The longer we wait, the greater the risk of an accident.
  The lack of Doppler weather radar was cited by the National 
Transportation Safety Board as one factor in the aviation accident near 
Charlotte, NC, just 2 years ago. On July 2, 1994, a DC-9 operating as 
USAir flight 1016 flew into terrain, colliding with trees and a private 
residence during a missed approach to the Charlotte/Douglas 
International Airport. The captain, first officer, one flight 
attendant, and one passenger received minor injuries. The remaining 37 
passengers died. The airplane itself was destroyed by impact forces and 
a postcrash fire. What was the cause of the crash? According to the 
NTSB, a critical factor was the lack of real-time adverse weather and 
windshear hazard information which Doppler weather radar would have 
provided. Had the Doppler weather radar been in place, it is possible 
that this tragedy could have been avoided. We cannot allow the delays 
that plagued Charlotte to similarly plague New York. We simply cannot 
and should not run the risk of a similar accident in New York City.
  If recent events have shown us anything, they have clearly 
demonstrated the need for increased emphasis on aviation safety and 
placing the highest priority on funding for aviation safety equipment. 
This provision would undermine aviation safety--for nearby residents in 
New York and for the millions who use the New York airports.
  Madam Speaker, in July the House gave overwhelming approval to the 
fiscal year 1997 transportation appropriations legislation which places 
paramount importance on safety. Maintaining and improving aviation 
safety was the No. 1 priority in the appropriations legislation. In 
fact, we added some $139 million not included in the President's budget 
request for new air traffic control equipment and systems to improve 
safety and airway capacity. Final approval of the fiscal year 1997 
transportation appropriations bill is expected shortly and safety will 
continue to be the hallmark of that legislation.
  I am a strong supporter of aviation programs but am convinced that 
the two provisions in H.R. 3539 that I just outlined pose serious 
problems. I regret that these provisions are included in legislation I 
would like to support. However, I believe these provisions are 
inconsistent with congressional efforts to improve aviation safety. I 
cannot ignore the deleterious and dangerous effects of these provisions 
and regretfully oppose H.R. 3539.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the 
gentlewoman from Colorado [Mrs. Schroeder].
  (Mrs. SCHROEDER asked and was given permission to revise and extend 
her remarks.)
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
time to me.
  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of section 411. I think this 
is terribly critical, because I must say, I am very tired of my airport 
in Denver being bashed around. No other airport in the Nation has a 
legislative funding prohibition. This funding prohibition on this 
runway was put in before the airport even opened. It also is the sixth 
busiest airport in the world now.
  Now we hear people talking about noise. If you are going to talk 
about noise, there are at least 50 other airports that should have 
their funding blocked if we are going to use that as a criteria.
  I guess I rise today, Madam Speaker, to say we do not mind being 
judged by the same standards everyone else does, but why this airport 
has been singled out and continually battered I do not know, because it 
seems to be working very well. Consumers like it. It has added 
tremendously to the safety. I like any airport that pilots like. I 
think it is terribly important that we do not so micromanage that we 
fall all over ourselves.
  The local government, the people of Colorado, and the Federal 
Government spent a tremendous amount of money to open this state-of-
the-art airport. It was planned with six runways. To say that we are 
only going to do it with five, to continue to punish it, is wrong. I 
salute the committee for having put in this section 411 to not 
micromanage, and I really urge Members not to do this type of thing, 
when we have made these kinds of investments in infrastructure this 
country so desperately needs.
  Madam Speaker, I want to express my support for section 411 of the 
Federal Aviation Authorization Act, H.R. 3539. The Transportation 
Committee, under the direction of Chairman Shuster and ranking Democrat 
Mr. Oberstar, included section 411, which returns the authority to the 
Department of Transportation for determining whether an airport 
receives funding for additional runways.
  In other words, the Department of Transportation not the 
appropriating committee should determine if an airport should build 
additional runways. This addresses an egregious prohibition on building 
a sixth runway at Denver International Airport [DIA] that was included 
in the Transportation appropriations measure.
  Section 411 is needed because:
  No other airport in the Nation has a legislative funding prohibition. 
Singling out DIA is indefensible and unprecedented. DIA has proved that 
is one of the most efficient airports in the Nation. Placing a Federal 
restriction on DIA is also detrimental to the traveling public.
  DIA is the sixth busiest airport in the Nation. Moreover, DIA has 
begun to attract international service. DIA is beginning nonstop 
service to Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary.
  DIA is designed to have six runways. It provides a balanced airfield 
of three runways for arrivals and three runways for departures during 
any kind of weather. The sixth runway is on DIA's airport layout plan, 
which was approved by the FAA several years ago.
  The prohibition was enacted before DIA opened and is no longer 
relevant. There were problems with DIA and the baggage system, which 
delayed the opening until February of 1995. Now that the airport has a 
proven record of service, Denver should be free to complete the 
airport.
  Section 411 in no way provides any funding to build the sixth runway 
at DIA. All this provision does is allow DIA, like every other airport 
in the United States, to apply for funding from the FAA.
  Using the noise problem at DIA to justify blocking the sixth runway 
is a ruse. If every airport in the Nation that has a noise problem was 
singled out for funding restrictions, the list would be a mile long and 
DIA would be near the bottom. Washington National, BWI, Memphis 
International, Dallas-Fort Worth, Sarasota Bradenton, Lambert St. 
Louis, and many others--probably 50 airports--have worse noise 
problems. It is a complete fabrication to say DIA should not get a 
sixth runway because of noise.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute and 45 seconds to the 
distinguished gentlewoman from Maryland [Mrs. Morella].
  (Mrs. MORELLA asked and was given permission to revise and extend her 
remarks.)
  Mrs. MORELLA. Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to support H.R. 3539, 
and as chair of the Subcommittee on Technology and on the Committee on 
Science, I am certainly very grateful that this bill includes title VI 
funding of Federal Aviation Administration research, engineering, and 
development, something that I authored along with the gentleman from 
Tennessee [Mr. Tanner], the distinguished ranking member of the 
subcommittee on technology.
  Madam Speaker, I thank the chairmen of the Transportation Committee, 
Mr. Shuster of Pennsylvania, Mr. Oberstar, the ranking member and the 
Aviation Subcommittee, Mr. Duncan of Tennessee, for working with our 
committee to create an R&D title to the bill.
  Title VI of this bill contains sections of H.R. 3322, the Omnibus 
Civilian Science Authorization Act, which passed the House on May 30, 
1996.
  In addition to the authorized levels of appropriations for FAA R&D, 
title VI also contains a number of committee amendments created under 
the leadership of Mr. Tanner, the Technology Subcommittee ranking 
member from Tennessee.
  These amendments include strengthening the FAA Research Advisory 
Committee, which was originally created on the initiation of the 
Science Committee.
  By strengthening the Advisory Committee, composed of aviation experts 
from industry, other R&D agencies, and academia, the FAA can receive

[[Page H10138]]

better guidance on the goals, relevance, and quality of its r&d 
program.
  This will also assist the FAA in better establishing its research 
priorities.
  In addition, title VI would also streamline the national aviation 
research plan to make it a more useful document.
  The plan should emphasize the overall national r&d goal and 
priorities; FAA's r&d resource allocations; and connecting FAA's 
overlapping r&d activities with other agencies.
  Madam Speaker, I support the bill before us today which not only 
authorizes aviation research and development, but also funds airport 
improvements, air traffic control facilities and equipment, the 
military airport program, and various maintenance projects, among other 
important functions.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Madam Speaker, I listened with great interest to my colleague, the 
gentleman from Virginia [Mr. Wolf], chairman of the Subcommittee on 
Transportation of the Committee on Appropriations, about the Doppler 
radar issue.
  I agree, Doppler radar is critically important. It has been cited by 
the NTSB as a factor, or absence of it as a factor in not only the 
Raleigh crash but in other situations. The unfortunate thing is that 
the location of the Doppler weather radar in New York is the issue, not 
the radar itself. It is not in my backyard. I have followed this issue 
for many years with great dismay.
  There was a proposal to put the Doppler radar in a location in one 
part of one of the boroughs of New York City, whose name I do not 
recall, and there was an uproar by the citizens of that area, and the 
junior Senator from New York came to their defense and said, now, let 
us hold this off, let us not put it there now, let us find another 
place to locate it.
  The provision in this bill directs a feasibility study of locating 
the terminal Doppler weather radar on an offshore platform before 
selecting some other site. I do not see this as a delay to installation 
of the radar. This is going to be a very quick study. It will be one 
conducted very readily, a conclusion that can be reached in a very 
short period of time.
  Local concerns are the issue that are holding up this radar. I wish 
folks would just say, we understand the need for aviation safety, we do 
not want planes landing in our apartment buildings or in our backyards 
because they do not have the right radar, do not have the right weather 
information. But that is not the way people react.
  We have this controversy in Minnesota over power lines, over long-
distance power lines being too close to dairy farms, and fugitive 
electricity causing double-headed cows. People have it in their minds 
that that is a consequence of having electricity so close to their 
animals. Then we have to deal with that reality. We may have to 
relocate that line.
  Madam Speaker, this is just a technology issue, and it is a people 
problem as well. We have come to a compromise. I will not stand for any 
unreasonable delay, and I know the chairman of the committee will not 
stand for any unreasonable delay. We want this radar to go forward. 
That is an extremely busy airport. I share the gentlewoman's concern. 
Let us see if we can get this study accomplished, put fears to rest, 
and then let the location of the technology take place on its own.
  I just want to make one final comment, Madam Speaker. We have heard 
so much in our committee and by commentators every time there is a 
disability in the Air Traffic Control System about problems with the 
Nation's Air Traffic Control System, and allusions to vacuum tubes 
being used in our Air Traffic Control System. Less than 1 percent of 
all the technology used in our Air Traffic Control System is dependent 
upon vacuum tubes. All of it is scheduled for replacement.
  Our committee on a bipartisan basis over several years has worked 
very diligently to upgrade and to speed up the technology in our Air 
Traffic Control System. As a result of our efforts, working with both 
the previous administration, the Bush administration, Secretary 
Skinner, Admiral Busey, when he was head of FAA, and now the current 
head of FAA, Mr. Hinson, they have brought a new team in, and every 
month we get this report, an air traffic systems development status 
report, with which we can track month to month the progress on all of 
the several key items: The end route, the terminal, the tower, the 
oceanic and offshore and the air traffic management systems. We know 
what the cost is, whether they are on track, whether they are behind 
schedule. I just want to say that the core of this new technology 
system is the initial sector suite, or the display system replacement.
  The first article is going to be installed in Seattle in December, 
the end of this year, to begin a year of operational testing, so that 
by 1998 we will be able to move ahead with full deployment of the 
system. This program was in as bad a shape as we could possibly imagine 
any Government program getting into, but FAA Administrator Hinson and 
his team of Associate Administrator George Donahue and his deputy, Bob 
Valone, working with the new contractor, Lockheed Martin, have turned 
the program around.
  We ought to take credit for this. This committee has diligently 
worked to make sure that the public investment has paid off. We have 
real results and real progress to show for it. We are going to see some 
real solid developments, for example, in the terminal and the end route 
system modernization, that are actually ahead of schedule. The display 
channel complex project is ahead of schedule. The voice switching and 
control system is enabling communication between centers and between 
units on the ground to do things that they never believed were possible 
a few years ago.
  Madam Speaker, I just would like to say to the listening public, this 
committee has done its work diligently. We have worked together. We 
have made sure that the public investment has been cut where it was 
excessive, has been moved ahead where it was necessary. We have moved 
to a more modular technology system in the total modernization of the 
Air Traffic Control System.
  This is a huge undertaking, the biggest technology program in the 
entire Federal Government. We have it on track. We have something 
really to be proud of. I want to thank the chairman of the committee 
for his cooperation, that of the gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Duncan], 
to the staff, and the participation of the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. 
Lipinski], and also the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Clinger], who 
has devoted so many hours to this thing.
  We have something good going here. The rest of the world envies our 
system, and they are buying up pieces of it as soon as we put them into 
operational use. We are the world's leader in aviation. Let us never 
forget it. Let us be proud of it. Let us make this bill the flagship of 
that leadership. I thank the chairman of the committee for his vigorous 
work on behalf of this legislation. This bill ought to pass 
overwhelmingly.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Madam Speaker, I would emphasize that this is must-pass legislation, 
because each airport across America, no airport will receive funds if 
this does not pass. It is a bipartisan bill, and I strongly urge its 
support.
  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of the language 
currently in this FAA reauthorization bill concerning Doppler radar for 
both Kennedy and Laguardia Airports. I was actually somewhat surprised 
to find out that neither Kennedy nor Laguardia had Doppler to detect 
wind shear. I commend the FAA for wanting to install Doppler radar, 
but, unfortunately, the site the FAA is currently reviewing does not 
provide the best possible coverage of both Kennedy and Laguardia 
Airports.
  After speaking with representatives of the FAA, I was informed that 
if Doppler radar were installed at the site in Brooklyn, LaGuardia 
Airport would only enjoy approximately 75 percent accuracy in measuring 
wind shear. The 75 percent would be achieved only when used in 
conjunction with an additional system called L-WAS, a low-level wind 
ananometer which is approximately ten, 40-50 foot poles with windsocks 
on the end of them, which would

[[Page H10139]]

be installed at LaGuardia to supplement the Doppler.
  The best way to detect wind shear to the maximum extent possible at 
both LaGuardia and Kennedy and the safest way for any of our 
constituents flying in or out of New York, is to have a dedicated 
Doppler radar station for each of the airports. Each of the Washington 
and Chicago area airports have a dedicated Doppler radar station.
  In addition to the technical safety reasons for not putting the 
station in Brooklyn, is the fact that the station would be put in a 
residential area. There is concern that this type of radar emits 
cancer-causing radiowaves. In an area that has some of the highest 
rates of cancer in the country, I do not believe we should subject 
these residents to even the possibility of cancer-causing radiation 
when there is an alternative that, as I said, would provide more 
effective safety measures for the flying public.
  Also, the FAA has recently issued a final environmental impact 
statement scoping paper that identifies several other sites, in and 
around Brooklyn, that could prove to be better suited than Floyd 
Bennett Field or offshore platforms, as I have suggested. The FAA 
should be allowed to study these proposals and determine the best 
possible site that would cover both Laguardia and Kennedy as well as 
protecting the health of local residents.
  I urge my colleagues to allow the current language to stand. Send the 
message to FAA that we need the best coverage for both LaGuardia and 
Kennedy Airports. This language currently in the bill would help ensure 
the safety of all of our constituents who fly in or out of New York, 
and ensure the safety of local residents.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3539, 
the Federal Aviation Authorization Act of 1996.
  This legislation reauthorizes the Airport Improvement Program, as 
well as the FAA's facilities and equipment and operations and 
maintenance programs.
  In an era of limited funding, this bill provides the national airport 
system with the best bang for the buck by fully funding the entitlement 
program while at the same time guaranteeing existing letters of intent 
from the discretionary portion of the program. Funding for noise 
mitigation also remains a priority in this legislation.
  But for the longer term, we have no choice but to look toward 
alternate funding sources, including an increase in the passenger 
facility charge. FAA and airport funding needs continue to increase, 
and with the Congress' effort to balance the budget, there simply is 
not enough funding. The passenger facility charge is now being levied 
at airports around the country with great success. In future 
reauthorization cycles, I will continue to advocate increasing the PFC.
  Madam Speaker, this legislation is critical. Without it, at the end 
of the fiscal year, the FAA will be unable to fund its crucial 
programs. With the tragic aviation accidents we have witnessed in 
recent months, funding for the air traffic control system, for 
security, for airport development, is more important than ever. This is 
must-pass legislation. I strongly urge its adoption.
  Madam Speaker, I want to commend Chairman Duncan for his leadership 
in moving this critical legislation through the process, and Chairman 
Shuster and Congressman Oberstar for their support. I particularly want 
to thank the staff of the Aviation Subcommittee on both sides for their 
hard work on this and all aviation matters. They are a fine group of 
professionals and we are fortunate to have them working with us.
  Madam Speaker, I urge strong support of this legislation and yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 3539, 
the Federal Aviation Authorization Act. I want to commend Mr. Duncan 
and Mr. Lipinski for the excellent work they have done on this 
legislation.
  The bill includes an amendment I offered in subcommittee dealing with 
the Airport Improvement Program's cargo service airport entitlement.
  Current law defines cargo service airports as airports that are 
served by cargo-only or ``freighter'' aircraft which all together weigh 
more than 100 million pounds. Under the bill, these airports would be 
entitled to share in a pot of money that equal 2.5 percent of total AIP 
funds.
  Therein lies the problem. Many smaller airports across the country 
would like to expand their air cargo operations by expanding or adding 
runways and making infrastructure improvement. However, the airports 
are not eligible for the cargo service set-aside under the AIP because 
they do not meet the 100-million-pound requirement. In order to get AIP 
funds for air cargo projects, these airports have to compete with other 
airports for discretionary AIP money.
  This is counterproductive. My amendment gives the FAA the discretion 
to award cargo service entitlement funds to airports that the FAA 
determines are, or will be, served primarily by aircraft providing air 
transportation only by cargo.
  It's a commonsense amendment, one that will benefit airports across 
the country. I am pleased it is in the bill.
  I am also pleased that the manager's amendment includes several very 
important provisions--especially the one that removes the FAA's dual 
mandates, and makes it the law of the land that the FAA's primary 
mission is aviation safety. In the wake of the Valujet crash, it has 
become clear that the FAA's dual mandate has made it difficult, at 
times, for the FAA to be effective in doing everything possible to 
ensure aviation safety. Removing the FAA's dual mandate won't solve all 
of the problems, but it is a wise move in the right direction, and one 
I heartily support.
  The manager's amendment also incorporates into the bill the text of 
two pieces of legislation previously approved by the House, the Child 
Pilot Safety Act and the Airline Pilot Hiring and Safety Act. These are 
two important bills that I strongly support.
  We have an excellent piece of legislation before the House, and I 
urge all Members to support it.
  Mr. DeFAZIO. Madam Speaker, as a member of the House Aviation 
Subcommittee, I do not plan to object to the consideration of H.R. 3539 
under suspension of the rules because this bill is long overdue and 
greatly needed by our Nation's airports and air travelers. However, 
during the subcommittee's consideration of this legislation and the 
full committee's markup of the bill I offered an amendment that I would 
have also liked to offer during floor debate. I was disappointed that 
the House of Representatives planned to consider H.R. 3539--which 
authorizes $30 billion for the FAA and airport improvements--under 
suspension of the rules and I would not be permitted to offer my 
amendment.
  Although much of H.R. 3539 is not controversial, a section was 
included in this bill that would authorize a pilot program to 
facilitate the privatization of publicly owned airports. I strongly 
object to this provision and believe that many Members would voice 
similar concerns were a full debate possible. At this time I would like 
to take a moment to outline my objections and explain what my amendment 
would have done.
  The current privatization provisions in H.R. 3539 allow private 
entities to own and operate airports that have previously been operated 
as a public entity. However, under the bill, these private companies 
would have absolutely no obligation to repay the Federal investment in 
these properties. This is a rip-off for the U.S. taxpayers and 
corporate welfare at its worst. Since 1946, the Federal Government has 
awarded over $23.5 billion in airport grants to finance construction, 
improvements, and maintenance. The U.S. taxpayers funded these grants 
and should be reimbursed.
  My amendment would require entities that purchase or lease airports 
under the pilot program authorized in H.R. 3539 to repay public Federal 
investments made to the airport. At the discretion of the FAA these 
Federal grant repayments could be adjusted to account for depreciation. 
Funds generated by the repayment would be used to finance FAA safety 
programs.
  Although my amendment was defeated in committee, I believe that after 
a full public debate on the House floor, many Members would have agreed 
with my argument and my efforts to make this legislation more fiscally 
responsible. In addition, other Members had asked to be included in the 
debate and would have spoken in support of my amendment.
  Gifting the Federal investment in these airports to private entities 
is just another example of corporate welfare. The Federal grants amount 
to a windfall for private investors, at the expense of the U.S. 
taxpayers. Under the rationale of the privatization section of the 
bill, all public entities--including highways and office buildings--
should be up for grabs without any obligation to repay the Federal 
investment.
  This section of H.R. 3539 is highly controversial and should be 
carefully reviewed before enacted into law. The only current example we 
have of airport privatization is from Great Britain's experience. In 
this case commercial airports were owned and financed directly by the 
central government, unlike in the United States where airports are 
owned by local government. The British Government sold these airports 
for $2.5 billion in a public share offering, generating significant 
capital for the taxpayers.
  Even after privatization, the British Government found it necessary 
to impose a system of price controls on landing fees at the private 
airports. The airports remain subject to regulation of airlines' 
access, airports' charges to airlines, safety, security and 
environmental protection. The Government also maintains the right to 
veto new airport investment or divestiture.

[[Page H10140]]

  Although I continue to object to the privatization section of this 
legislation, I will be supporting the bill because it includes 
authorization for needed Federal expenditures. In addition, I am 
extremely pleased that the bill also includes, at my request, language 
eliminating the dual mandate of the FAA. This new language will clearly 
direct the FAA to promote the safety of air travel, not promote the 
airline industry. I have long sought this change in the FAA's 
authorizing statute and I thank the committee for including this in the 
bill we are considering today.
  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. (Ms. Greene of Utah). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. Shuster], that 
the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3539, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. CANADY of Florida. Madam Speaker, I object to the vote on the 
ground that a quorum is not present and make the point of order that a 
quorum is not present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 5 of rule I and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

                          ____________________