National Aviation Research and Competitiveness Act of 1993

Summary: National Aviation Research and Competitiveness Act of 1993 - Directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Secretary of Defense (Secretary) to jointly establish a research program on aviation technologies that applies to both military and civil aviation vehicles and airports and that enhance U.S. competitiveness. 
Requires the Administrator and the Secretary to transmit to the Congress a national aviation research plan that advances aviation technologies over a five-year period. 
Establishes a Joint Aviation Research Advisory Committee.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Aviation Research and 
Competitiveness Act of 1993''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) for every dollar increase in shipments of United States 
        aircraft internationally, the United States economy output 
        increases by an estimated $2.30;
            (2) for every $1,000,000,000 of aircraft shipments 
        internationally, nearly 35,000 jobs are created;
            (3) many of the advanced aviation technologies developed by 
        the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of 
        Defense have application in security, safety, capacity, 
        communications, and air traffic control;
            (4) a decrease in military aviation programs will have a 
        negative impact on civil aviation programs;
            (5) research programs at the Federal Aviation 
        Administration have potential applications in both civil and 
        military aviation;
            (6) joint technology development programs among the 
        Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration, and 
        industry would allow for transferring skills and technologies 
        from the defense to the civilian aviation sector and would 
        allow for the transfer back to defense, when necessary; and
            (7) such joint programs could allow for the Department of 
        Defense contribution to the programs to be phased out over 5 
        years, which would allow the defense industry to make the 
        transfer to the civilian aviation sector and produce needed 
        aviation technology.

SEC. 3. JOINT AVIATION RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--The Administrator and the Secretary shall 
jointly establish a program for the purpose of conducting research on 
aviation technologies that have application to both military and civil 
aviation vehicles and airports and that enhance United States 
competitiveness. Such program shall include research on--
            (1) next-generation satellite communications, including 
        global positioning satellites;
            (2) advanced airport and airplane security;
            (3) environmentally compatible technologies, including 
        technologies that limit or reduce noise and air pollution; and
            (4) advanced aviation safety programs.
    (b) Contracts and Grants.--Contracts and grants entered into under 
the program established under subsection (a) shall be administered 
using procedures developed jointly by the Secretary and the 
Administrator. These procedures should include an integrated 
acquisition policy for contract and grant requirements and for 
technical data rights that are not an impediment to joint programs 
among the Department of Defense, the Federal Aviation Administration, 
and industry.

SEC. 4. JOINT AVIATION RESEARCH PLAN.

    (a) Requirement.--Within 180 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator and the Secretary, in consultation with the 
advisory committee, shall prepare and transmit to Congress a national 
aviation research plan setting forth the research and development that 
the Administrator and the Secretary consider necessary to advance 
aviation technologies over the 5-year period beginning in fiscal year 
1993.
    (b) Objectives of Plan.--The objectives of the plan prepared under 
subsection (a) shall include--
            (1) selected programs that jointly enhance public and 
        private aviation technology development;
            (2) an opportunity for private defense contractors to be 
        involved in transition activities to the civilian sector; and
            (3) the transfer of Federal Government-developed 
        technologies to the private sector to promote economic strength 
        and competitiveness.
    (c) Contents of Plan.--The plan prepared under subsection (a) shall 
include--
            (1) for the first year, detailed objectives and estimates 
        of the schedule, cost, and manpower levels for each research 
        project, and a description of the scope and content of each 
        major contract or grant;
            (2) for the second through fifth years, estimates of the 
        total cost of each major project for such year and a list of 
        all major research projects which may be required to meet the 
        objectives;
            (3) a 5-year schedule for the decrease of Federal 
        contribution and corresponding increase in private sector 
        contributions for the research and development program; and
            (4) the portion of the Federal contribution that each 
        Federal agency will contribute.
    (d) Annual Update.--The plan prepared under subsection (a) shall be 
updated annually, to reflect changes in global aviation technologies 
and United States competitiveness.

SEC. 5. JOINT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

    (a) Establishment.--Within 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Administrator and the Secretary shall establish an Joint 
Aviation Research Advisory Committee.
    (b) Purposes.--The purposes of the advisory committee shall be--
            (1) to provide advice and recommendations to the 
        Administrator and the Secretary regarding needs, objectives, 
        approaches, content, and accomplishments with respect to the 
        aviation research program established under section 3; and
            (2) to advise the Administrator and the Secretary on the 
        preparation of the aviation research plan under section 4, 
        including annual updates thereto.
    (c) Membership.--The advisory committee shall be composed of not 
more than 20 members, to be appointed jointly by the Administrator and 
the Secretary, from among persons who are not employees of the Federal 
Aviation Administration or the Department of Defense and who are 
especially qualified to serve on the advisory committee by virtue of 
their education, training, or experience. In appointing members of the 
advisory committee, the Administrator and the Secretary shall ensure 
that universities, corporations, associations, industry, and other 
government agencies are represented. The majority of the members of the 
advisory committee shall be representatives of industry.
    (d) Chairperson.--The Administrator and the Secretary shall 
designate one member of the advisory committee as the chairperson, who 
shall be qualified in both military and civil aviation research, and in 
the applications of such research.
    (e) Subordinate Committees.--The Administrator and the Secretary, 
or the advisory committee, may establish subordinate committees to the 
advisory committee to provide advice and recommendations on specific 
areas of research conducted under this Act.
    (f) Administrative and Support Services.--The Administrator shall 
provide support staff and, on the request of the advisory committee, 
such information, administrative services, and supplies as the 
Administrator determines are necessary for the advisory committee to 
carry out its purposes.
    (g) Termination.--Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Advisory 
Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.; relating to the termination of advisory 
committees) shall not apply to the advisory committee.

SEC. 6. DEFINITIONS.

    For purposes of this Act--
            (1) the term ``Administrator'' means the Administrator of 
        the Federal Aviation Administration;
            (2) the term ``advisory committee'' means the Joint 
        Aviation Research Advisory Committee established under section 
        5; and
            (3) the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of Defense.