[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 114 (Tuesday, July 14, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3947-S3948]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 6671. Mr. HOEVEN (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Moran, and Ms.
Duckworth) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the
bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for
military activities of the Department of Defense, for military
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
At the appropriate place in subtitle G of title X, insert
the following:
SEC. ____. AIR TRAFFIC-COLLEGIATE TRAINING INITIATIVE PROGRAM
IMPROVEMENTS.
(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House
of Representatives.
(3) Comptroller general.--The term ``Comptroller General''
means the Comptroller General of the United States.
(4) FAA.--The term ``FAA'' means the Federal Aviation
Administration.
(b) Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative Program
Improvements.--
(1) In general.--Section 44506(c) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended to read as follows:
``(c) Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative and
Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative.--
``(1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration shall maintain the Air Traffic-
Collegiate Training Initiative program and the Enhanced Air
Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative program (in this
section referred to as the `Enhanced Initiative') to support
the recruitment, education, and hiring of well-qualified
developmental air traffic controllers.
``(2) Special rules for the enhanced initiative.--
``(A) Requirements.--In maintaining the Enhanced Initiative
under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall, at a minimum--
``(i) select and coordinate with accredited institutions of
higher education (as defined in section 61.1 of title 14,
Code of Federal Regulations), as determined by the
Administrator, that administer an accredited air traffic
curriculum to undergraduate students, to prepare students for
the position of air traffic controller with the Department of
Transportation (as defined in section 2109 of title 5);
``(ii) establish standards for the entry and participation
of accredited institutions of higher education into the
program; and
``(iii) solicit applications from, and provide guidance to,
interested accredited institutions of higher education that
administer an accredited air traffic curriculum to
undergraduate students, including accredited institutions
that participate in the Air Traffic-Collegiate Training
Initiative, to foster participation of qualified accredited
institutions in the Enhanced Initiative.
``(B) Selection criteria.--Prior to selecting an accredited
institution of higher education for participation in the
Enhanced Initiative, the Administrator shall--
``(i) consider the air traffic curriculum of the
institution, including the institution's access to air
traffic educational resources and Federal Aviation
Administration air traffic facilities and equipment;
``(ii) certify that each accredited institution of higher
education seeking to participate in the Enhanced Initiative
has a qualified air traffic curriculum that provides, at a
minimum, an equivalent level of education and training for
air traffic controller trainees to that provided at the
Federal Aviation Administration Academy; and
``(iii) certify that all evaluations of students at
accredited institutions of higher education seeking to
participate in the Enhanced Initiative shall be conducted by
evaluators that are approved and certified by the Federal
Aviation Administration.
``(3) Appointment of program graduates.--The Administrator
may appoint an individual who has successfully completed a
course of training in a program described in paragraph (1) to
the position of air traffic controller noncompetitively in
the excepted service (as defined in section 2103 of title
5).''.
(2) FAA air traffic control training aviation rulemaking
committee.--
(A) In general.--The Administrator shall convene an
aviation rulemaking committee to--
(i) review the curricula of the air traffic technical
training academy of the FAA, including its use in the Air
Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative program and the
Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative program;
(ii) review the on-the-job training, development,
evaluation, and certification of certified professional
controllers;
(iii) develop findings and recommendations regarding the
improvement and modernization of such curricula and training;
and
(iv) provide to the Administrator a report on such findings
and recommendations and for other related purposes as
determined by the Administrator.
(B) Composition.--The aviation rulemaking committee
established under subparagraph (A) shall consist of members
appointed by the Administrator, including representatives
of--
(i) institutions of higher education that are accredited by
the Aviation Accreditation Board International;
(ii) aviation industry organizations;
(iii) FAA subject matter experts;
(iv) military and commercial operators of aircraft,
helicopters, and powered-lift aircraft;
(v) the exclusive bargaining representative of the air
traffic controllers certified under section 7111 of title 5,
United States Code;
(vi) organizations representing certified collective
bargaining representatives of airline pilots;
(vii) representatives of accredited institutions of higher
education participating in the Air Traffic-Collegiate
Training Initiative program and the Enhanced Air Traffic-
Collegiate Training Initiative program;
(viii) aviation safety experts, including those from
outside the FAA; and
(ix) any other stakeholder determined appropriate by the
Administrator.
(C) Considerations.--The aviation rulemaking committee
established under subparagraph (A) shall consider the
following:
(i) The advancements in education technology, including
digital resources and augmented reality or virtual reality
capabilities, that may be incorporated into a modern
curriculum and training.
(ii) The appropriate balance between the use of theoretical
knowledge and practical application.
[[Page S3948]]
(iii) A review of instructional techniques to improve the
effectiveness of learning outcomes.
(iv) The real-world applicability of air traffic operations
procedures included in the curriculum and training.
(v) Student success rates, including outcomes of air
traffic controller trainees when placed at facilities for on-
the-job training.
(vi) Methods for reducing the subjectivity of instructional
techniques.
(vii) Student success rates correlated with the completion
of the Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative program and
the Enhanced Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative
program described in section 44506(c) of title 49, United
States Code.
(viii) The appropriate method for ensuring the curriculum
and training incorporates new entrants into the national
airspace system.
(ix) Other considerations as determined appropriate by the
Administrator.
(D) Duties.--
(i) In general.--Not later than 18 months after the date of
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall submit to
the appropriate committees of Congress a copy of the aviation
rulemaking committee report provided to the Administrator
under subparagraph (A)(iii).
(ii) Implementation.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of submission of the report under clause (i), the
Administrator shall implement the recommendations of the
report, as determined appropriate by the Administrator.
(iii) Justification.--If the Administrator decides not to
implement a recommendation described in the report submitted
under clause (i), the Administrator shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress a justification for such
decision not later than 90 days after receiving such report.
(E) Prohibition on compensation.--The members of the
aviation rulemaking committee convened under this paragraph
shall not receive pay, allowances, or benefits from the
Federal Government by reason of their service on such
committee. This paragraph shall not be construed to affect
the pay, allowances, or benefits of any Federal employee who
serves as a member of the aviation rulemaking committee as
part of their official duties.
(3) Review of enhanced air traffic-collegiate training
initiative program.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 5 years after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Comptroller General shall
initiate a study to examine the effectiveness of the Enhanced
Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative program (in this
paragraph referred to as the ``Enhanced Initiative'') in--
(i) increasing the education and training capacity of FAA
air traffic controllers; and
(ii) growing the FAA air traffic controller workforce.
(B) Contents.--In conducting the study under subparagraph
(A), the Comptroller General shall, at a minimum, evaluate
the effectiveness of the program in producing--
(i) students that score at least a well-qualified score on
the Air Traffic Skills Assessment (or a successor air traffic
entrance exam);
(ii) developmental controllers that enter en route and
terminal air traffic environments after completing the
Enhanced Initiative; and
(iii) developmental controllers that become certified
professional controllers.
(C) Consultation.--In conducting the study under
subparagraph (A), the Comptroller General shall consult with
the Administrator and appropriate stakeholders involved in
overseeing, operating, and administering the Enhanced
Initiative.
(D) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which
the Comptroller General initiates the study under
subparagraph (A), the Comptroller General shall submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress and the Administrator a
report describing the results of the study, together with any
appropriate recommendations for legislative or administrative
action.
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