[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 52 (Wednesday, March 23, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1752-S1753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY COORDINATION AND LEADERSHIP ACT
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 225, S. 516.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
The senior assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A bill (S. 516) to plan for and coordinate efforts to
integrate advanced air mobility aircraft into the national
airspace system, and for other purposes.
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 insert in lieu thereof the following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Advanced Air Mobility
Coordination and Leadership Act''.
SEC. 2. ADVANCED AIR MOBILITY WORKING GROUP.
(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall
establish an advanced air mobility interagency working group
(in this section referred to as the ``working group'').
(b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) represents a key area of
sustainable transportation and economic growth for the United
States and globally, and that it is imperative that the
United States take a leadership role in the adoption and
furtherance of this technology. Therefore, given the path to
initial operations is taking place utilizing today's
regulatory framework, it is critical that government agencies
collaborate and focus on taking this vital industry to the
next level through policy and investment in energy,
infrastructure, security and transportation. The focus of the
working group is interagency coordination to enable the
maturation and growth of AAM.
(c) Purpose.--The purpose of the working group established
under this section is to plan for and coordinate efforts
related to safety, infrastructure, physical security and
cybersecurity, and Federal investment necessary for
maturation of the AAM ecosystem, particularly passenger-
carrying aircraft, in the United States in order to--
(1) further United States leadership;
(2) grow new transportation options;
(3) amplify economic activity and jobs;
(4) advance environmental sustainability and new
technologies; and
(5) support emergency preparedness and competitiveness.
(d) Membership.--The working group shall be comprised of at
least 1 representative of each of the following Federal
departments and agencies:
(1) Department of Transportation.
(2) Federal Aviation Administration.
(3) National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(4) Department of Commerce
(5) Department of Defense.
(6) Department of Energy.
(7) Department of Homeland Security.
(8) Department of Agriculture.
(9) Department of Labor.
(10) Federal Communications Commission.
(11) Such other departments or agencies as the Secretary of
Transportation determines appropriate.
(e) Coordination.--The working group shall engage with
State, local, and Tribal governments, industry and labor
stakeholders, stakeholder associations, and others determined
appropriate by the Secretary of Transportation, including--
(1) manufacturers of avionics, AAM use aircraft, propulsion
systems, structures, and air traffic management systems;
(2) air carriers, commercial operators, general aviation
operators and future AAM operators;
(3) airports;
(4) fixed-based operators, as defined in FAA Advisory
Circular 150/5190-7;
(5) certified labor representatives for pilots
associations, air traffic control specialists employed by the
Federal Aviation Administration, and aviation safety
inspectors;
(6) State, local, and Tribal officials or public agencies,
with representation from both urban and rural areas;
(7) first responders;
(8) groups representing environmental interests;
(9) electric utilities, energy providers and market
operators of electricity;
(10) academia with experience working with industry on new
technology and commercialization;
[[Page S1753]]
(11) groups representing the telecommunications industry;
and
(12) aviation training and maintenance providers.
(f) Review and Examination.--Not later than 1 year after
the working group is established under subsection (a), the
working group shall complete a review and examination of, at
a minimum--
(1) the steps that will mature AAM past initial operations;
(2) the evaluation of air traffic control and management
concepts that might be considered as part of evolving AAM to
higher levels of traffic density;
(3) current Federal programs and policies that could be
leveraged to advance the maturation of the AAM industry;
(4) infrastructure, including aviation, surface, energy,
and telecommunications infrastructure, physical security and
cybersecurity, and utilities necessary to accommodate and
support expanded operations of AAM after initial
implementation;
(5) steps needed to ensure a robust domestic supply chain;
(6) anticipated benefits associated with AAM aircraft
operations, including economic, environmental, emergency
response, and transportation benefits;
(7) the interests, roles, and responsibilities of Federal,
State, local, and Tribal governments affected by AAM aircraft
operations; and
(8) other factors that may limit the full potential of the
AAM industry, including community acceptance or restrictions
of such operations.
(g) AAM National Strategy.--Based on the review and
examination performed under subsection (f), the working group
shall develop an AAM National Strategy that includes--
(1) recommendations regarding the safety, security,
infrastructure, air traffic concepts, and other Federal
investment or actions necessary to support the evolution of
early AAM to higher levels of activity and societal benefit;
and
(2) a comprehensive plan detailing the roles and
responsibilities of each Federal department and agency, and
of State, local, and Tribal governments, necessary to
facilitate implementing the recommendations developed under
paragraph (1).
(h) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the completion
of the review and examination performed under subsection (f),
the working group shall submit to the appropriate committees
of Congress a report--
(1) detailing the review and examination performed under
subsection (f); and
(2) providing the AAM National Strategy, including the plan
and associated recommendations, developed under subsection
(g).
(i) Evaluation of Termination of Working Group.--Not later
than 30 days after the date on which the working group
submits the report required under subsection (h), the
Secretary of Transportation shall evaluate and decide whether
to terminate the working group and shall notify the
appropriate committees of Congress of such decision.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Advanced air mobility; aam.--The terms ``advanced air
mobility'' and ``AAM'' mean an air transportation system that
moves people and cargo between places using innovative
aircraft designs (such as vertical take-off and landing
(VTOL)) and new technologies (such as electric or hybrid
(fuel and electric) driven propulsion), which are integrated
into existing airspace operations as well as operated in
local, regional, intraregional, rural, and urban
environments, and which may include remotely piloted or
autonomous aircraft.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate;
(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate;
(D) the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of
the House of Representatives;
(E) the Committee on Armed Services of the House of
Representatives; and
(F) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives.
(3) Vertical take-off and landing; vtol.--The terms
``vertical take-off and landing'' and ``VTOL'' mean an
aircraft with lift/thrust units used to generate powered lift
and control and with more than two lift/thrust units used to
provide lift during vertical take-off or landing.
SEC. 3. GAO STUDY AND REPORT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall--
(1) conduct a study on the interests, roles, and
responsibilities of Federal, State, local, and Tribal
governments affected by AAM aircraft and operations; and
(2) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a
report on the study, including the Comptroller General's
findings and conclusions.
(b) Requirements.--In conducting the study required under
subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall review the
following:
(1) The state of the law as of the enactment of this Act
with respect to Federal authority over operations of AAM
aircraft systems in the national airspace system.
(2) The state of the law as of the enactment of this Act
with respect to State, local, and Tribal authority over
operations of AAM aircraft in the national airspace system.
(3) Potential gaps between authorities under paragraphs (1)
and (2).
(4) Proposals to facilitate the safe and financially viable
growth and development of the AAM industry and integration of
AAM aircraft into the national airspace system.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported
substitute be agreed to and that the bill, as amended, be considered
read a third time.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The committee-reported amendment in the nature of a substitute was
agreed to.
The bill, as amended, was ordered to be engrossed for a third reading
and was read the third time.
Mr. SCHUMER. I know of no further debate on the bill, as amended.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. If there is no further debate, the bill having
been read the third time, the question is, Shall the bill pass?
The bill (S. 516), as amended, was passed.
Mr. SCHUMER. I ask unanimous consent that the motion to reconsider be
considered made and laid upon the table with no intervening action or
debate.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
____________________