[105th Congress Public Law 155]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
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[DOCID: f:publ155.105]
[[Page 112 STAT. 5]]
Public Law 105-155
105th Congress
An Act
To authorize the Federal Aviation Administration's research,
engineering, and development programs for fiscal years 1998 and 1999,
and for other purposes. <<NOTE: Feb. 11, 1998 - [H.R. 1271]>>
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress <<NOTE: FAA Research, Engineering,
and Development Authorization Act of 1998.>> assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT <<NOTE: 49 USC 40101 note.>> TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``FAA Research, Engineering, and
Development Authorization Act of 1998''.
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
Section 48102(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph (2)(J);
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3)(J)
and inserting in lieu thereof a semicolon; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) for fiscal year 1998, $226,800,000, including--
``(A) $16,379,000 for system development and
infrastructure projects and activities;
``(B) $27,089,000 for capacity and air traffic
management technology projects and activities;
``(C) $23,362,000 for communications, navigation,
and surveillance projects and activities;
``(D) $16,600,000 for weather projects and
activities;
``(E) $7,854,000 for airport technology projects and
activities;
``(F) $49,202,000 for aircraft safety technology
projects and activities;
``(G) $53,759,000 for system security technology
projects and activities;
``(H) $26,550,000 for human factors and aviation
medicine projects and activities;
``(I) $2,891,000 for environment and energy projects
and activities; and
``(J) $3,114,000 for innovative/cooperative research
projects and activities; and
``(5) for fiscal year 1999, $229,673,000.''.
SEC. 3. RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM INVOLVING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.
(a) Program.--Section 48102 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(h) Research Grants Program Involving Undergraduate Students.--
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``(1) Establishment.--The Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration shall establish a program to utilize
undergraduate and technical colleges, including Historically
Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving
Institutions, in research on subjects of relevance to the
Federal Aviation Administration. Grants may be awarded under
this subsection for--
``(A) research projects to be carried out at
primarily undergraduate institutions and technical
colleges;
``(B) research projects that combine research at
primarily undergraduate institutions and technical
colleges with other research supported by the Federal
Aviation Administration; or
``(C) research on future training requirements on
projected changes in regulatory requirements for
aircraft maintenance and power plant licensees.
``(2) Notice of <<NOTE: Federal Register, publication.>>
criteria.--Within 6 months after the date of the enactment of
the FAA Research, Engineering, and Development Authorization Act
of 1998, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration shall establish and publish in the Federal
Register criteria for the submittal of proposals for a grant
under this subsection, and for the awarding of such grants.
``(3) Principal criteria.--The principal criteria for the
awarding of grants under this subsection shall be--
``(A) the relevance of the proposed research to
technical research needs identified by the Federal
Aviation Administration;
``(B) the scientific and technical merit of the
proposed research; and
``(C) the potential for participation by
undergraduate students in the proposed research.
``(4) Competitive, merit-based evaluation.--Grants shall be
awarded under this subsection on the basis of evaluation of
proposals through a competitive, merit-based process.''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 48102(a) of title 49,
United States Code, as amended by this Act, is further amended by
inserting ``, of which $750,000 shall be for carrying out the grant
program established under subsection (h)'' after ``projects and
activities'' in paragraph (4)(J).
SEC. 4. <<NOTE: 49 USC 48102 note.>> NOTICES.
(a) Reprogramming.--If any funds authorized by the amendments made
by this Act are subject to a reprogramming action that requires notice
to be provided to the Appropriations Committees of the House of
Representatives and the Senate, notice of such action shall concurrently
be provided to the Committees on Science and Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.
(b) Notice of Reorganization.--The Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration shall provide notice to the Committees on
Science, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Appropriations of the
House of Representatives, and the Committees on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate, not later than 30 days
before any major reorganization (as determined
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by the Administrator) of any program of the Federal Aviation
Administration for which funds are authorized by this Act.
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM.
With the year 2000 fast approaching, it is the sense of Congress
that the Federal Aviation Administration should--
(1) give high priority to correcting all 2-digit date-
related problems in its computer systems to ensure that those
systems continue to operate effectively in the year 2000 and
beyond;
(2) assess immediately the extent of the risk to the
operations of the Federal Aviation Administration posed by the
problems referred to in paragraph (1), and plan and budget for
achieving Year 2000 compliance for all of its mission-critical
systems; and
(3) develop contingency plans for those systems that the
Federal Aviation Administration is unable to correct in time.
Approved February 11, 1998.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--H.R. 1271:
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HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-61 (Comm. on Science).
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-152 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:
Vol. 143 (1997):
Apr. 29, considered and passed
House.
Nov. 13, considered and passed
Senate, amended.
Vol. 144 (1998):
Feb. 3, House concurred in Senate
amendments.
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