[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 56 (Wednesday, April 13, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2056-S2057]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3785. Mr. WARNER (for himself and Mr. Kaine) submitted an 
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 3679 proposed by Mr. 
McConnell (for Mr. Thune (for himself and Mr. Nelson)) to the bill H.R. 
636, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend 
increased expensing limitations, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       On page 238, after line 23, add the following:

     SEC. 2507. USE OF FEDERAL FACILITIES FOR AVIATION TESTING.

       (a) Findings.--Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) Wallops Flight Facility is an important Federal 
     research and test site that supports the National Aeronautics 
     and Space Administration (referred to in this section as 
     ``NASA'' and other Federal and non-Federal entities through 
     the conduct of hazardous rocket and aviation-based missions, 
     including the launch and recovery of experimental space 
     vehicles and aircraft being developed for NASA, the 
     Department of Defense, and private industry.
       (2) The designation of restricted airspace provides the 
     Wallops Flight Facility with critical capability to safely 
     conduct the missions described in paragraph (1) by protecting 
     public and private aircraft from the hazards associated with 
     such missions.
       (3) Although Wallops Flight Facility has been working with 
     the Federal Aviation Administration to extend its restricted 
     airspace in order to meet the national needs of its programs 
     for more than 5 years, and has been in a formal application 
     process for more than 2 years, Federal Aviation 
     Administration officials have not yet approved such an 
     extension.
       (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the Sense of Congress that--
       (1) it is in the public interest to make full use of 
     Federal facilities, including facilities operated by NASA, to 
     support aviation testing and operations;
       (2) Federal regulations governing the use of restricted 
     airspace to support the activities described in paragraph (1) 
     should be continually reviewed to ensure that such 
     regulations support such activities; and

[[Page S2057]]

       (3) it is imperative that updates and changes sought by 
     Federal agencies to support hazardous rocket and aviation-
     based missions are evaluated and resolved by the Federal 
     Aviation Administration as expeditiously as possible.
       (c) Rulemaking.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal 
     Aviation Administration, after considering the interagency 
     and public comments received over the course of the review 
     described in subsection (a)(3), shall issue a rule regarding 
     the requested extension of restricted airspace surrounding 
     Wallops Flight Facility.
                                 ______