[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 149 (Monday, November 18, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11342-S11343]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION RESEARCH, ENGINEERING AND DEVELOPMENT 
                              ACT OF 2002

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 697, S. 2951, a 
bill to authorize appropriations for the Federal Aviation 
Administration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2951) to authorize appropriations for the 
     Federal Aviation Administration, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. REID. I understand Senators Rockefeller, Hollings, McCain, and 
Hutchison of Texas have an amendment at the desk, and I ask that the 
amendment be considered and agreed to; the bill, as amended, be read 
three times, passed, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the 
table; that any statements relating thereto be printed in the Record, 
with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 4966) was agreed to, as follows:


                           Amendment No. 4966

(Purpose: To include the House of Representatives Committee on Science 
 as a recipient of each of all the required reports, and to make other 
                             minor changes)

       On page 3, beginning in line 21, strike ``Transportation 
     and'' and insert ``Transportation,''.
       On page 3, line 23, strike ``Infrastructure.'' and insert 
     ``Infrastructure, and the House of Representatives Committee 
     on Science.''.
       On page 4, strike lines 18 through 23, and insert the 
     following:
       The Federal Aviation Administration Administrator shall 
     continue the program to consider awards to nonprofit concrete 
     and asphalt pavement research foundations to improve the 
     design, construction, rehabilitation, and repair of concrete 
     and asphalt airfield pavements to aid in the development of 
     safer, more cost-effective, and more durable airfield 
     pavements.
       On page 5, beginning in line 22, strike ``Transportation 
     and'' and insert ``Transportation,''.
       On page 5, line 24, strike ``Infrastructure.'' and insert 
     ``Infrastructure, and the House of Representatives Committee 
     on Science.''.
       On page 8, strike lines 9 through 13, and insert the 
     following:
       (b) Report.--A report containing the results of the 
     assessment shall be provided to the Senate Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the House of 
     Representatives Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure, and the House of Representatives Committee on 
     Science not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
  The bill (S. 2951), as amended, was read the third time and passed, 
as follows:

                                S. 2951

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Aviation 
     Administration Research, Engineering, and Development Act of 
     2002''.

     SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Amounts Authorized.--Section 48102(a) of title 49, 
     United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (7);
       (2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (8) and 
     inserting a semicolon; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(9) for fiscal year 2003, $261,000,000, including--
       ``(A) $211,000,000 to improve aviation safety;
       ``(B) $18,000,000 to improve the efficiency of the air 
     traffic control system;
       ``(C) $16,000,000 to reduce the environmental impact of 
     aviation; and
       ``(D) $16,000,000 to improve the efficiency of mission 
     support;
       ``(10) for fiscal year 2004, $274,000,000, including--
       ``(A) $221,000,000 to improve aviation safety;
       ``(B) $19,000,000 to improve the efficiency of the air 
     traffic control system;
       ``(C) $17,000,000 to reduce the environmental impact of 
     aviation; and
       ``(D) $17,000,000 to improve the efficiency of mission 
     support; and
       ``(11) for fiscal year 2005, $287,000,000, including--
       ``(A) $231,000,000 to improve aviation safety;
       ``(B) $20,000,000 to improve the efficiency of the air 
     traffic control system;
       ``(C) $18,000,000 to reduce the environmental impact of 
     aviation; and
       ``(D) $18,000,000 to improve the efficiency of mission 
     support.''.

     SEC. 3. COORDINATION OF NATIONAL AVIATION SAFETY AND SECURITY 
                   RESEARCH PROGRAMS.

       (a) Development of Plan.--Not later than June 30, 2003, the 
     National Aeronautics and Space Administration Administrator, 
     the Federal Aviation Administration Administrator, and the 
     Under Secretary of Transportation for Security shall prepare 
     and transmit an updated integrated civil aviation research 
     and development plan to the Senate Committee on Commerce, 
     Science, and Transportation, the House of Representatives 
     Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the House 
     of Representatives Committee on Science.
       (b) Contents.--The updated integrated civil aviation 
     research and development plan shall include--
       (1) identification of the respective aviation research and 
     development requirements, roles, and responsibilities of the 
     National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Federal 
     Aviation Administration, and the Transportation Security 
     Administration; and
       (2) review of steps they could take to facilitate the 
     transfer and adoption of new technologies in an operational 
     environment, including consideration of increasing the 
     exchange of research staff, providing greater details on 
     funding at the project level in joint plans, and providing 
     for greater use of technology readiness in program plans and 
     budgets to help frame the maturity of new technologies and 
     determine when they can be implemented.

     SEC. 4. RESEARCH PROGRAM TO IMPROVE AIRFIELD PAVEMENTS.

       The Federal Aviation Administration Administrator shall 
     continue the program to consider awards to nonprofit concrete 
     and asphalt pavement research foundations to improve the 
     design, construction, rehabilitation, and repair of concrete 
     and asphalt airfield pavements to aid in the development of 
     safer, more cost-effective, and more durable airfield 
     pavements. The Administrator may use grants or cooperative 
     agreements in carrying out this section. Nothing in this 
     section requires the Administrator to prioritize

[[Page S11343]]

     an airfield pavement research program above safety, security, 
     Flight 21, environment, or energy research programs.

     SEC. 5. ENSURING APPROPRIATE STANDARDS FOR AIRFIELD 
                   PAVEMENTS.

       (a) In General.--The Federal Aviation Administration 
     Administrator shall review and determine whether the Federal 
     Aviation Administration's standards used to determine the 
     appropriate thickness for asphalt and concrete airfield 
     pavements are in accordance with the Federal Aviation 
     Administration's standard 20-year-life requirement using the 
     most up-to-date available information on the life of airfield 
     pavements. If the Administrator determines that such 
     standards are not in accordance with that requirement, the 
     Administrator shall make appropriate adjustments to the 
     Federal Aviation Administration's standards for airfield 
     pavements.
       (b) Report.--Within 1 year after the date of enactment of 
     this Act, the Administrator shall report the results of the 
     review conducted under subsection (a) and the adjustments, if 
     any, made on the basis of that review to the Senate Committee 
     on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the House of 
     Representatives Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure, and the House of Representatives Committee on 
     Science.

     SEC. 6. AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
                   INITIATIVE.

       (a) Objective.--The Federal Aviation Administration 
     Administrator, in coordination with the National Aeronautics 
     and Space Administration Administrator, shall participate in 
     a national initiative with the objective of defining and 
     developing an air traffic management system designed to meet 
     national long-term aviation security, safety, and capacity 
     needs. The initiative should result in a multiagency 
     blueprint for acquisition and implementation of an air 
     traffic management system that would--
       (1) build upon current air traffic management and 
     infrastructure initiatives;
       (2) improve the security, safety, quality, and 
     affordability of aviation services;
       (3) utilize a system of systems approach;
       (4) develop a highly integrated, secure common information 
     network to enable common situational awareness for all 
     appropriate system users; and
       (5) ensure seamless global operations for system users.
       (b) Implementation.--In implementing subsection (a), the 
     Federal Aviation Administration Administrator, in 
     coordination with the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration Administrator, shall work with other 
     appropriate Government agencies and industry to--
       (1) develop system performance requirements;
       (2) determine an optimal operational concept and system 
     architecture to meet such requirements;
       (3) utilize new modeling, simulation, and analysis tools to 
     quantify and validate system performance and benefits;
       (4) ensure the readiness of enabling technologies; and
       (5) develop a transition plan for successful implementation 
     into the National Airspace System.

     SEC. 7. ASSESSMENT OF WAKE TURBULENCE RESEARCH AND 
                   DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

       (a) Assessment.--The Federal Aviation Administration 
     Administrator shall enter into an arrangement with the 
     National Research Council for an assessment of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration's proposed wake turbulence research 
     and development program. The assessment shall address--
       (1) research and development goals and objectives;
       (2) research and development objectives that should be part 
     of Federal Aviation Administration's proposed program;
       (3) proposed research and development program's ability to 
     achieve the goals and objectives of the Federal Aviation 
     Administration, and of the National Research Council, the 
     schedule, and the level of resources needed; and
       (4) the roles other Federal agencies, such as National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration and the National Oceanic 
     and Atmospheric Administration, should play in wake 
     turbulence research and development, and coordination of 
     these efforts.
       (b) Report.--A report containing the results of the 
     assessment shall be provided to the Senate Committee on 
     Commerce, Science, and Transportation, the House of 
     Representatives Committee on Transportation and 
     Infrastructure, and the House of Representatives Committee on 
     Science not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of 
     this Act.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Federal Aviation Administration 
     Administrator for fiscal year 2003, $500,000 to carry out 
     this section.

     SEC. 8. DEVELOPMENT OF ANALYTICAL TOOLS AND CERTIFICATION 
                   METHODS.

       The Federal Aviation Administration may conduct research to 
     promote the development of analytical tools to improve 
     existing certification methods and to reduce the overall 
     costs to manufacturers for the certification of new products.

     SEC. 9. CABIN AIR QUALITY RESEARCH PROGRAM.

       In accordance with the recommendation of the National 
     Academy of Sciences in its report entitled ``The Airliner 
     Cabin Environment and the Health of Passengers and Crew'', 
     the Federal Aviation Administration may establish a research 
     program to answer questions about cabin air quality of 
     aircraft.

     SEC. 10. RESEARCH TO IMPROVE CAPACITY AND REDUCE DELAYS.

       The Administrator may include, as part of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration research program, a systematic review 
     and assessment of the specific causes of airport delay at the 
     31 airports identified in the Airport Benchmarking Study, on 
     an airport-by-airport basis.

                          ____________________