[House Report 119-547]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
119th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 119-547
=======================================================================
ACPAC MODERNIZATION ACT
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March 16, 2026.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
----------------
Mr. Graves, from the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 5663]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 5663) to modify the termination of
the aviation consumer protection advisory committee, and for
other purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably
thereon with an amendment and recommends that the bill as
amended do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose of Legislation........................................... 2
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Legislative History and Consideration............................ 3
Committee Votes.................................................. 3
Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations................. 3
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................ 3
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................ 3
Performance Goals and Objectives................................. 4
Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 4
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits....................................................... 5
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 5
Preemption Clarification......................................... 5
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 5
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 5
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``ACPAC Modernization Act''.
SEC. 2. AVIATION CONSUMER PROTECTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Section 411 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49
U.S.C. 42301 prec. note) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (3) by striking ``; and'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(B) in paragraph (4) by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(5) ticket agents.''; and
(2) in subsection (i) by striking ``ticket agents,''.
Purpose of Legislation
The purpose of H.R. 5663, as amended, is to modify the
termination of the aviation consumer protection advisory
committee, and for other purposes.
Background and Need for Legislation
The Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC)
is an existing committee tasked with advising the Secretary of
Transportation on aviation consumer protection activities
including evaluating existing programs, examining new policies,
guidance, or regulations to safeguard consumers from practices
that may constitute unfair, deceptive or anticompetitive
practices. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 reauthorizes the
ACPAC through September 30, 2028, and requires the Advisory
Committee to consult with various relevant stakeholders.\1\
Ticket agents, those who sell, offer, negotiate, or arrange air
transportation (excluding airlines and their employees) sell
more than 780,000 airline tickets per day and accounted for
more than $99 billion in airlines' ticket sales last year.\2\
Currently, the ACPAC's membership is made up of one
representative each from air carriers, airport operators, state
or local government with expertise in consumer protection
matters, and a nonprofit consumer protection group with an
expertise in consumer protection.\3\ This legislation adds one
representative of ticket agents to the advisory committee.
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\1\FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, Pub. L. No. 118-63 Sec. 508.
\2\Randy Spoon, U.S. Travel Agency Sales Total $99.2 Billion in
2024, ARCCORP (Jan. 16, 2025), available at https://www2.arccorp.com/
about-us/newsroom/2025-news-releases/december-2024-ticket-sales/.
\3\FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, Pub. L. No. 112-95
Sec. 411 (49 U.S.C. 42301 prec. note).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hearings
For the purposes of Rule XIII, clause 3(c)(6)(A) of the
119th Congress--
The following hearing was used to develop or consider H.R.
5663: On Wednesday, June 4, 2025, the Subcommittee on Aviation
held a hearing entitled, ``FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024:
Stakeholder Perspectives on Implementation One Year Later.'' At
the hearing, Members received testimony from Mr. Darren
Pleasance, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aircraft
Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA); Mr. Edward M. Bolen,
President and Chief Executive Officer, National Business
Aviation Association (NBAA); Mr. Michael Robbins, President and
Chief Executive Officer, Association for Uncrewed Vehicle
Systems International (AUVSI); Captain Jody Reven, President,
Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA); and, Ms. Sara
Nelson, International President, Association of Flight
Attendants-CWA (AFA). The hearing focused on the aerospace
industry's perspectives on the progress made by the FAA and the
Department of Transportation (DOT) in implementing the FAA
Reauthorization Act of 2024, which included reauthorizing the
Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.
Legislative History and Consideration
H.R. 5663, the ``ACPAC Modernization Act,'' was introduced
in the United States House of Representatives on September 30,
2025, by Rep. Dina Titus (D-NV), with Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)
as an original cosponsor, and referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure. Within the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, H.R. 5663 was referred to
the Subcommittee on Aviation. The Subcommittee on Aviation was
discharged from further consideration of H.R. 5663 on December
18, 2025.
The Committee considered H.R. 5663 on December 18, 2025,
and ordered the measure to be reported to the House with a
favorable recommendation, with amendment, by voice vote.
The following amendment was offered:
An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 5663,
offered by Ms. Titus of Nevada; was AGREED TO by voice vote.
Committee Votes
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires each committee report to include the
total number of votes cast for and against on each record vote
on a motion to report and on any amendment offered to the
measure or matter, and the names of those members voting for
and against.
No recorded votes were requested.
Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in this report.
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures
Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 has been timely submitted prior to the filing of the
report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is
included in this report.
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has
received the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 5663 from the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office:
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 5663 would revise the membership of the Aviation
Consumer Protection Advisory Committee to include ticket
agents. The committee evaluates consumer protection programs
for air passengers and provides recommendations to the
Department of Transportation for the improvement of such
programs. Under current law, the committee members serve
without pay but are compensated for travel expenses.
Based on the costs of the committee, CBO estimates that
adding an additional member would cost less than $500,000 over
the 2026-2030 period. Any related spending would be subject to
the availability of appropriated funds.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Emma Uebelhor.
The estimate was reviewed by H. Samuel Papenfuss, Deputy
Director of Budget Analysis.
Phillip L. Swagel,
Director, Congressional Budget Office.
Performance Goals and Objectives
With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
performance goal and objective of this legislation is to add
ticket agents to the United States Department of Transportation
(DOT) Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC).
Duplication of Federal Programs
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision
of H.R. 5663 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the
Federal government known to be duplicative of another Federal
program, a program that was included in any report from the
Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance.
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited
Tariff Benefits
In compliance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the rule
XXI.
Federal Mandates Statement
An estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chairman
of the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.
Preemption Clarification
Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local,
or tribal law. The Committee finds that H.R. 5663 does not
preempt any state, local, or tribal law.
Advisory Committee Statement
No advisory committees within the definition of Section
5(b) of the appendix to Title 5, United States Code, are
created by this legislation.
Applicability to Legislative Branch
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law
104-1).
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation
Section 1. Short title
This section provides that this bill may be cited as the
``ACPAC Modernization Act.''
Section 2. Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee
This section adds one representative of ticket agents to
the existing Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee.
Ticket agent is defined as a person (except an air carrier,
a foreign air carrier, or an employee of an air carrier or
foreign air carrier) that as a principal or agent sells, offers
for sale, negotiates for, or holds itself out as selling,
providing, or arranging for, air transportation.
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, 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
matter is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is
proposed is shown in roman):
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, 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
matter is printed in italics, and existing law in which no
change is proposed is shown in roman):
FAA MODERNIZATION AND REFORM ACT OF 2012
* * * * * * *
TITLE IV--AIR SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS
Subtitle A--Passenger Air Service Improvements
* * * * * * *
SEC. 411. ESTABLISHMENT OF ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR AVIATION CONSUMER
PROTECTION.
(a) In General.--The Secretary of Transportation shall
establish an advisory committee for aviation consumer
protection to advise the Secretary in carrying out activities
relating to airline customer service improvements.
(b) Membership.--The Secretary shall appoint the members of
the advisory committee, which shall be comprised of one
representative each of--
(1) air carriers;
(2) airport operators;
(3) State or local governments with expertise in
consumer protection matters[; and];
(4) nonprofit public interest groups with expertise
in consumer protection matters[.]; and
(5) ticket agents.
(c) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the advisory committee shall be
filled in the manner in which the original appointment was
made.
(d) Travel Expenses.--Members of the advisory committee shall
serve without pay but shall receive travel expenses, including
per diem in lieu of subsistence, in accordance with subchapter
I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code.
(e) Chairperson.--The Secretary shall designate, from among
the individuals appointed under subsection (b), an individual
to serve as chairperson of the advisory committee.
(f) Duties.--The duties of the advisory committee shall
include--
(1) evaluating existing aviation consumer protection
programs and providing recommendations for the
improvement of such programs, if needed; and
(2) providing recommendations for establishing
additional aviation consumer protection programs, if
needed.
(g) Report to Congress.--Not later than February 1 of each of
the first 2 calendar years beginning after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit to Congress
a report containing--
(1) the recommendations made by the advisory
committee during the preceding calendar year; and
(2) an explanation of how the Secretary has
implemented each recommendation and, for each
recommendation not implemented, the Secretary's reason
for not implementing the recommendation.
(h) Termination.--The advisory committee established under
this section shall terminate on September 30, 2028.
(i) Consultation.--The Advisory Committee shall consult, as
appropriate, with foreign air carriers, air carriers with an
ultra-low-cost business model, nonprofit public interest groups
with expertise in disability and accessibility matters, [ticket
agents,] travel management companies, and any other groups as
determined by the Secretary.
* * * * * * *
[all]