[Senate Report 116-331]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


                                                        Calendar No. 637

116th Congress  }                                             {   Report
                               SENATE                          
2d Session      }                                             {   116-331
_______________________________________________________________________

                                                    



       EXPEDITED DELIVERY OF AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE ACT OF 2020

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

           COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION

                                   on

                                S. 3958




               December 15, 2020.--Ordered to be printed
               
               
                             ______

             U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 
19-010                 WASHINGTON : 2020 
                
               
               
       SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
                     one hundred sixteenth congress
                             second session

                 ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota             MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ROY BLUNT, Missouri                  AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
TED CRUZ, Texas                      RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska                BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas                  EDWARD J. MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska                 TOM UDALL, New Mexico
CORY GARDNER, Colorado               GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee          TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia  TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
MIKE LEE, Utah                       JON TESTER, Montana
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin               KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona
TODD C. YOUNG, Indiana               JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
RICK SCOTT, Florida
                       John Keast, Staff Director
               David Strickland, Minority Staff Director
               
               
               
                                                       Calendar No. 637
                                                           
116th Congress  }                                              {   Report
                                  SENATE
 2d Session     }                                              {  116-331

======================================================================



 
        EXPEDITED DELIVERY OF AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE ACT OF 2020
                                _______
                                

               December 15, 2020.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

       Mr. Wicker, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation, submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                         [To accompany S. 3958]

      [Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]

    The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 
which was referred the bill (S. 3958) to amend title 49, United 
States Code, to permit the use of incentive payments to 
expedite certain federally financed airport development 
projects, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon 
with an amendment and recommends that the bill (as amended) do 
pass.

                          Purpose of the Bill

    S. 3958, the Expedited Delivery of Airport Infrastructure 
Act of 2020, would permit an airport sponsor to use Airport 
Improvement Program funds to provide incentive payments for 
certain airport development projects.

                          Background and Needs

    Airports draw funding resources from a number of different 
avenues, including through Federal support via the Airport 
Improvement Program (AIP), which is administered by the Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA). AIP provides grants to public 
use airports for eligible construction projects, terminal 
development, safety equipment, and other safety, capacity, or 
noise reduction projects.\1\ AIP funding is only used at 
public-use airports, with Federal shares capped at 75 percent 
for large and medium hub airports, 80 percent for noise 
compatibility projects, and 90 to 95 percent for other 
airports.\2\ Usually, airport sponsors get AIP grants for 
airfield improvements or rehabilitation projects, and 
eligibility for these projects is strictly dictated by 
statutory requirements.\3\ AIP currently is authorized at $3.35 
billion a year through fiscal year 2023.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    \1\Federal Aviation Administration, ``Overview: What Is AIP?'' 
(https://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/overview/) (accessed Oct. 26, 2020).
    \2\Ibid.
    \3\Ibid.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

                          Legislative History

    S. 3958, the Expedited Delivery of Airport Infrastructure 
Act of 2020, was introduced on June 15, 2020, by Senator Young 
(for himself and Senators Sinema and Cruz) and was referred to 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate. On July 22, 2020, the Committee met in open Executive 
Session and, by voice vote, ordered S. 3958 reported favorably 
with an amendment. S. 3958 was modified by an amendment offered 
by Senator Rick Scott, which gives the Secretary of 
Transportation an option to decide whether or not to allow an 
incentive payment subject to a cost-benefit analysis.
    A companion bill to S. 3958, H.R. 5912, the Expedited 
Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act of 2020, was introduced 
on February 14, 2020, by Representative Sam Graves (for himself 
and Representative Garret Graves) and was referred to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives. On October 1, 2020, H.R. 5912 passed and was 
agreed to, on a motion to suspend the rules and pass that bill 
as amended, in the House of Representatives.

                            Estimated Costs

    In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee provides the 
following cost estimate, prepared by the Congressional Budget 
Office:




    The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) provides grants to 
airport sponsors for capital improvement projects related to 
airport safety, capacity, and security. S. 3958 would expand 
the definition of eligible AIP project costs for future grants 
to include contractor incentive payments. The payments would be 
capped at the lesser of $1 million or 5 percent of the 
project's contract value.
    S. 3958 would not provide additional contract authority (a 
mandatory form of budget authority) for the AIP or increase the 
program's existing obligation limitations. Under current law, 
however, airport sponsors are authorized to use funds from 
other Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grants for 
contractor incentive payments, including those newly provided 
under the CARES Act (Public Law 116-136).
    In addition, based on information from the agency, CBO 
expects that the FAA would need to develop guidelines and amend 
grant language in order to implement the bill's provisions. CBO 
estimates that the cost to do so would not be significant. 
Accordingly, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would 
have no significant effect on discretionary spending.
    On June 23, 2020, CBO transmitted a cost estimate for H.R. 
5912, the Expedited Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act of 
2020, as ordered reported by the House Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure on February 26, 2020. The two 
pieces oflegislation are similar, and CBO's estimate of their 
budgetary effects are the same.
    The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Aaron Krupkin. 
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy 
Director of Budget Analysis.

                      Regulatory Impact Statement

    In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the 
following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the 
legislation, as reported:

                       number of persons covered

    S. 3958, as amended, would affect only airport sponsors and 
the contractors who perform work at airports. These entities 
are already subject to various Federal laws and regulations, so 
no new persons would be impacted.

                            economic impact

    S. 3958, as amended, would not have an adverse impact on 
the Nation's economy, as it allows airports to offer 
contractors an incentive payment for finishing up a project 
early if it is beneficial for safety, capacity, or efficiency.

                                privacy

    S. 3958, as amended, would not have a negative impact on 
the privacy rights of individuals.

                               paperwork

    The Committee anticipates the passage of S. 3958 would not 
have a significant impact on paperwork requirements. Airport 
development projects are already subject to extensive amounts 
of paperwork, and the addition of provisions to provide 
incentives to complete work early would be relatively minimal.

                   Congressionally Directed Spending

    In compliance with paragraph 4(b) of rule XLIV of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides that no 
provisions contained in the bill, as reported, meet the 
definition of congressionally directed spending items under the 
rule.

                      Section-by-Section Analysis


Section 1. Short title.

    This section would provide that the bill may be cited as 
the ``Expedited Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act of 
2020''.

Section 2. Allowable cost standards for airport development projects.

    This section would allow airports to use AIP grants to 
provide incentive payments for a project should the incentive 
payment be no more than 5 percent of the total project cost of 
$1 million. The Secretary of Transportation would determine 
whether or not the incentive payment would benefit the 
efficiency or capacity of the airport, or result in cost 
savings, as a result of shortening the project's duration.

                        Changes in Existing Law

    In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the 
Standing Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by 
the bill, as reported, are shown as follows (existing law 
proposed to be omitted is enclosed in black brackets, new 
material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change 
is proposed is shown in roman):

UNITED STATES CODE

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


Subtitle VII--Aviation Programs

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


PART B--AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT AND NOISE

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *


CHAPTER 471--AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



Subchapter I--Airport Improvement

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *



Sec. 47110. Allowable project costs

    (a) * * *
    (b) Allowable Cost Standards.--A project cost is 
allowable--
            [(1) if the cost necessarily] (1)(A) if the cost 
        necessarily is incurred in carrying out the project in 
        compliance with the grant agreement made for the 
        project under this subchapter, including any cost a 
        sponsor incurs related to an audit the Secretary 
        requires under section 47121(b) or (d) of this title 
        and any cost of moving a Federal facility impeding the 
        project if the rebuilt facility is of an equivalent 
        size and type[;]; or
            (B) if the cost is an incentive payment incurred in 
        carrying out the project described in subparagraph (A) 
        that is to be provided to a contractor upon early 
        completion of a project, if--
                    (i) such payment does not exceed the lesser 
                of 5 percent of the initial construction 
                contract amount or $1,000,000;
                    (ii) the level of contractor's control of, 
                or access to, the worksite necessary to shorten 
                the duration of the project does not negatively 
                impact the operation of the airport;
                    (iii) the contract specifies application of 
                the incentive structure in the event of 
                unforeseeable, non-weather delays beyond the 
                control of the contractor;
                    (iv) nothing in any agreement with the 
                contractor prevents the airport operator from 
                retaining responsibility for the safety, 
                efficiency, and capacity of the airport during 
                the execution of the grant agreement; and
                    (v) the Secretary determines that the use 
                of an incentive payment is likely to increase 
                airport capacity or efficiency or result in 
                cost savings as a result of shortening the 
                project's duration;
            (2)(A) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

            (7) * * *
    (c) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

    (e) Letters of Intent.--(1) The Secretary may issue a 
letter of intent to the sponsor stating an intention to 
obligate from future budget authority an amount, not more than 
the Government's share of allowable project costs, for an 
airport development project (including costs of formulating the 
project) at a primary or reliever airport. The letter shall 
establish a schedule under which the Secretary will reimburse 
the sponsor for the Government's share of allowable project 
costs, as amounts become available, if the sponsor, after the 
Secretary issues the letter, carries out the project without 
receiving amounts under this subchapter.
    (2) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

    [(7) Partnership Program Airports.--]
    (7) Partnership program airports.--The Secretary may issue 
a letter of intent under this section to an airport sponsor 
with an approved application under section 47134(b) if--
            (A) the application was approved in fiscal year 
        2019; and
            (B) the project meets all other requirements set 
        forth in this chapter.
    (f) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *

    (i) * * *

           *       *       *       *       *       *       *