[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 160 (Thursday, November 13, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12693-S12694]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  FAA RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 1997

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 1271.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (H.R. 1271) to authorize the Federal Aviation 
     Administration's research, engineering, and development 
     programs for fiscal years 1998 through 2000, and for other 
     purposes.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the bill?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
bill, which had been reported from the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation, with an amendment to strike all after the enacting 
clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``FAA Research, Engineering, 
     and Development Authorization Act of 1997''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       Section 48102(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2)(J);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3)(J) 
     and inserting in lieu thereof a semicolon; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(4) for fiscal year 1998, $229,673,000, including--
       ``(A) $16,379,000 for system development and infrastructure 
     projects and activities;
       ``(B) $27,089,000 for capacity and air traffic management 
     technology projects and activities;
       ``(C) $23,362,000 for communications, navigation, and 
     surveillance projects and activities;
       ``(D) $16,600,000 for weather projects and activities;
       ``(E) $7,854,000 for airport technology projects and 
     activities;
       ``(F) $49,202,000 for aircraft safety technology projects 
     and activities;
       ``(G) $56,045,000 for system security technology projects 
     and activities;
       ``(H) $27,137,000 for human factors and aviation medicine 
     projects and activities;
       ``(I) $2,891,000 for environment and energy projects and 
     activities; and
       ``(J) $3,114,000 for innovative/cooperative research 
     projects and activities.''.

     SEC. 3. RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM INVOLVING UNDERGRADUATE 
                   STUDENTS.

       (a) Program.--Section 48102 of title 49, United States 
     Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(h) Research Grants Program Involving Undergraduate 
     Students.--
       ``(1) Establishment.--The Administrator of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration shall establish a program to utilize 
     undergraduate and technical colleges, including Historically 
     Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving 
     Institutions, in research on subjects of relevance to the 
     Federal Aviation Administration. Grants may be awarded under 
     this subsection for--
       ``(A) research projects to be carried out at primarily 
     undergraduate institutions and technical colleges;
       ``(B) research projects that combine research at primarily 
     undergraduate institutions and technical colleges with other 
     research supported by the Federal Aviation Administration; or
       ``(C) research on future training requirements on projected 
     changes in regulatory requirements for aircraft maintenance 
     and power plant licensees.
       ``(2) Notice of criteria.--Within 6 months after the date 
     of the enactment of the FAA Research, Engineering, and 
     Development Authorization Act of 1997, the Administrator of 
     the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish and 
     publish in the Federal Register criteria for the submittal of 
     proposals for a grant under this subsection, and for the 
     awarding of such grants.
       ``(3) Principal criteria.--The principal criteria for the 
     awarding of grants under this subsection shall be--
       ``(A) the relevance of the proposed research to technical 
     research needs identified by the Federal Aviation 
     Administration;
       ``(B) the scientific and technical merit of the proposed 
     research; and
       ``(C) the potential for participation by undergraduate 
     students in the proposed research.
       ``(4) Competitive, merit-based evaluation.--Grants shall be 
     awarded under this subsection on the basis of evaluation of 
     proposals through a competitive, merit-based process.''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 48102(a) of 
     title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is 
     further amended by inserting ``, of which $750,000 shall be 
     for carrying out the grant program established under 
     subsection (h)'' after ``projects and activities'' in 
     paragraph (4)(J).

     SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON APPROPRIATIONS.

       No sums are authorized to be appropriated to the 
     Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration for 
     fiscal year 1998 for the Federal Aviation Administration 
     Research, Engineering, and Development account, unless such 
     sums are specifically authorized to be appropriated by the 
     amendments made by this Act.

     SEC. 5. NOTICE OF REPROGRAMMING.

       If any funds authorized by the amendments made by this Act 
     are subject to a reprogramming action that requires notice to 
     be provided to the Appropriations Committees of the House of 
     Representatives and the Senate, notice of such action shall 
     concurrently be provided to the Committees on Science and 
     Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
     Transportation of the Senate.

     SEC. 6. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM.

       With the year 2000 fast approaching, it is the sense of 
     Congress that the Federal Aviation Administration should--
       (1) give high priority to correcting all 2-digit date-
     related problems in its computer systems to ensure that those 
     systems continue to operate effectively in the year 2000 and 
     beyond;
       (2) assess immediately the extent of the risk to the 
     operations of the Federal Aviation Administration posed by 
     the problems referred to in paragraph (1), and plan and 
     budget for achieving Year 2000 compliance for all of its 
     mission-critical systems; and
       (3) develop contingency plans for those systems that the 
     Federal Aviation Administration is unable to correct in time.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, Senators McCain and Hollings have a 
technical amendment at the desk, and I ask for its immediate 
consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       The Senator from Mississippi [Mr. Lott], for Mr. McCain, 
     for himself and Mr. Hollings, proposes an amendment numbered 
     1638.

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that further reading 
of the amendment be dispensed with.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment is as follows:

       On page 12, line 10, strike ``$229,673,000,'' and insert 
     ``$226,800,000,''.
       On page 12, line 25, strike ``$56,045,000'' and insert 
     ``$53,759,000''.
       On page 13, line 1, strike ``$27,137,000'' and insert 
     ``$26,550,000''.
       On page 13, line 6, strike ``activities.'.'' and insert 
     ``activities; and''
       On page 13, between lines 6 and 7, insert the following:
       ``(5) for fiscal year 1999, $229,673,000.''.
       On page 13, line 17, strike ``leges'' and insert ``leges, 
     including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and 
     Hispanic Serving Institutions,''.
       On page 15, strike lines 11 through 17.
       On page 15, line 18, strike ``SEC. 5. NOTICE OF 
     REPROGRAMMING.'' and insert ``SEC. 4. NOTICES.''.
       On page 15, line 19, insert ``(a) Reprogramming.--'' before 
     ``If''.
       On page 16, between lines 2 and 3, insert the following:
       (b) Notice of Reorganization.--The Administrator of the 
     Federal Aviation Administration shall provide notice to the 
     Committees on Science, Transportation and Infrastructure, and 
     Appropriations of the House of Representatives, and the 
     Committees on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and 
     Appropriations of the Senate, not later than 30 days before 
     any major reorganization (as determined by the Administrator) 
     of any program of the Federal Aviation Administration for 
     which funds are authorized by this Act.
       On page 16, line 3, strike ``SEC. 6.'' and insert ``SEC. 
     5.''.
       Amend the title so as to read ``A Bill to authorize the 
     Federal Aviation Administration's research, engineering, and 
     development programs for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and for 
     other purposes.''.

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join with my distinguished 
colleagues, Senators Gorton, Hollings and Ford, in approving this 
amendment to authorize the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] 
Research, Engineering, and Development [RE&D] account for fiscal years 
1998 and 1999. The FAA's RE&D account is used to finance

[[Page S12694]]

projects to improve the safety, security, capacity, and efficiency of 
the U.S. aviation system.
  FAA research and development activities help to provide the 
advancements and innovations that are needed to keep the U.S. aviation 
system the best in the world. Our nation's ability to have a strong 
aviation-related research and development program directly impacts our 
success in the global market and our standard of living.
  This legislation authorizes the funding needed for ongoing or planned 
FAA RE&D projects that will provide important benefits for the U.S. 
aviation system and its users. The FAA RE&D program will fund projects 
to determine how limited airport and airspace capacity can meet ever 
increasing demands, how aviation security can be improved, and how 
flight safety concerns can be addressed.
  As my colleagues know, I have been particularly concerned about 
ensuring that the FAA has an adequate level of funding for security 
research and development. The threat of terrorism against the United 
States has increased and aviation is, and will remain, an attractive 
terrorist target. That is why this legislation provides $54 million for 
security technology research and development. This figure represents 
almost one-fourth of the total authorized funding level, and is $10 
million above the appropriations level.
  Mr. President, Senator Hollings, Aviation Subcommittee Chairman 
Senator Gorton, Senator Ford, and I have worked hard with the FAA and 
our colleagues in the House to craft legislation that can provide the 
FAA with the funding it needs for critical research and development 
projects, while also being mindful of our tight federal budget. I urge 
my colleagues to approve this legislation by unanimous consent.
  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, when TWA flight 800 exploded over the 
coast of Long Island on July 17, 1997, 230 people perished. They left 
behind people who loved and cared about them. They left a void in many 
people's lives. When a USAirways jet crashed in Charlotte in July 1994, 
37 people died, including many from my State. The pain and suffering 
those families suffered is heartbreaking.
  H.R. 1271, the FAA Research, Engineering, and Development 
Authorization Act of 1997, authorizes more than 4450 million to conduct 
basic aviation safety research, with one primary goal--to reduce the 
likelihood that another family will lose a loved one in an aviation 
accident.
  When we talk about safety, it all begins with two factors--leadership 
and research. The U.S. today is the world's leader in aviation safety. 
However, that is not enough. We must maintain that leadership and 
continue to pursue the best means to avoid aviation disasters.
  Over the last several years, we have stressed the need to improve 
security. New machines continue to be tested and improved. This bill 
furthers that process. We also must remain vigilant about other areas 
to improve safety, like controlled flight into terrain and human 
factors. All too often an accident is a function of a human error. The 
error can be the result of technology design or human judgment. 
Research remains the key to making adjustments so that our families do 
not have to experience what the families of TWA flight 800 or the 
USAirways Charlotte flight had to endure.
  The bill also recognizes that we must work with our colleges and 
technical schools to develop programs to meet challenges of the future. 
Our Nation's aircraft maintenance program will be changing. Our air 
traffic control workforce and maintenance workforce will be changing 
with the new equipment scheduled to be installed over the next 5 years. 
We must remain ahead of the technological curve--working with the 
schools will facilitate our preparation for change. The administration 
knows this and has worked with me to address that issue.
  We worked hard with the administration on this bill, and it is my 
understanding that they support the bill. In the area of security, for 
example, the fiscal year 1998 Transportation Appropriations Act 
provided $44.225 million. The authorization in H.R. 1271 is more than 
$11 million more, an amount which will give the FAA flexibility to move 
funds from one account to another, should it be necessary.
  I understand that the FAA may request additional funding for fiscal 
year 1999 to further its modernization efforts. In addition, more 
funding for security may be requested, and we will need to consider 
those requests, if made.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the technical 
amendment be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 1638) was agreed to.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the committee 
substitute, as amended, be agreed to.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute, as amended, 
was agreed to.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill, as 
amended, be read a third time and passed, the title amendment be agreed 
to, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any 
statements relating to the bill be placed at the appropriate place in 
the record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill (H.R. 1271), as amended, was read a third time and passed.
  The title was amended so as to read:

       A Bill to authorize the Federal Aviation Administration's 
     research, engineering, and development programs for fiscal 
     years 1998 and 1999, and for other purposes.

     

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