A bill to enhance United States competitiveness in aeronautics, and for other purposes.

Summary: Aeronautics Competitiveness Act of 2007 - Authorizes appropriations for FY2009-FY2011 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for Science, Aeronautics, and Exploration for aeronautics research.

Establishes an advisory committee on priorities in aeronautics research.

Requires the NASA Administrator to develop particular aeronautics technologies, including for the Next Generation Air Transportation System, to a demonstration ready level.

Sets the maximum number of NASA aeronautics scholarships at no more than seven at any one time. Requires the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish a program to provide fellowships for graduate students in research in aviation or aeronautics.

Requires the Secretary of the Department of Defense (DOD) to prescribe regulations governing DOD's payment of contractors' costs for education and professional development of their aeronautics workforce.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Aeronautics Competitiveness Act of 
2007''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS 
              AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION FOR AERONAUTICS.

    (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is hereby authorized to 
be appropriated for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
for Science, Aeronautics, and Exploration and available for Aeronautics 
Research amounts as follows:
            (1) For fiscal year 2009, $1,089,000,000.
            (2) For fiscal year 2010, $1,198,000,000.
            (3) For fiscal year 2011, $1,250,000,000.
    (b) Supplement Not Supplant.--The amounts authorized to be 
appropriated and available for a fiscal year under subsection (a) for 
the purposes specified in that subsection are in addition to any other 
amounts authorized to be appropriated and make available for such 
fiscal year for that purpose.

SEC. 3. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PRIORITIES IN AERONAUTICS RESEARCH.

    (a) Advisory Committee Required.--The Administrator of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration shall establish an advisory 
committee of experts from the private sector to provide advice and 
consultation to the Administrator in priorities in aeronautics research 
conducted by the Administration.
    (b) Members.--The members of the advisory committee established 
under subsection (a) shall include representatives of commercial 
aviation groups, general aviation groups, aviation labor groups, 
aeronautics research and development agencies, aircraft and systems 
manufacturers, academia, and aircraft and air traffic control 
suppliers.

SEC. 4. DEVELOPMENT OF AERONAUTICS TECHNOLOGIES TO DEMONSTRATION LEVEL.

    (a) In General.--The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and 
Space Administration shall carry out activities to develop particular 
aeronautics technologies, including technologies for the Next 
Generation Air Transportation System, to a level of readiness that will 
permit the demonstration of such technologies, or a system or subsystem 
model or prototype incorporating such technologies, in an appropriate 
environment.
    (b) Consultation.--The Administrator shall carry out activities 
under this section in consultation with the advisory committee 
established under section 3.

SEC. 5. AERONAUTICS SCHOLARSHIPS.

    (a) Expansion of Number of NASA Aeronautics Scholarships.--Section 
431 of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Authorization 
Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16741) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following new 
        subsection (c):
    ``(c) Maximum Number of Scholarships.--The maximum number of 
scholarships awarded under this section that are in force at any one 
time may not exceed seven scholarships.''.
    (b) Fellowships for Graduate Research in Aviation or Aeronautics.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration shall carry out a program to provide fellowships 
        for students enrolled in institutions of higher education in 
        graduate programs in aviation or aeronautics for the conduct by 
        such students of research in aviation or aeronautics.
            (2) Maximum number of fellowships.--The maximum number of 
        fellowships awarded under the program that are in force at any 
        one time may not exceed seven fellowships.
            (3) Other program requirements.--The Administrator shall 
        prescribe such requirements for the program as the 
        Administrator considers appropriate, including qualifications 
        for the award of fellowships under the program and the amount 
        and duration of fellowships awarded under the program.

SEC. 6. PAYMENTS TO CONTRACTORS FOR COSTS OF EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL 
              DEVELOPMENT OF AERONAUTICS WORKFORCES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 139 of title 10, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after section 2372 the following new section:
``Sec. 2372a. Education and professional development of aeronautics 
              workforces: payments to contractors
    ``(a) Regulations.--The Secretary of Defense shall prescribe 
regulations governing the payment, by the Department of Defense, of 
expenses incurred by contractors for costs of education and 
professional development of their aeronautics workforce.
    ``(b) Costs Allowable as Indirect Expenses.--The regulations 
prescribed pursuant to subsection (a) shall provide that costs of 
education and professional development of the aeronautics workforce 
shall be allowable as indirect expenses on covered contracts to the 
extent that those costs are allocable, reasonable, and not otherwise 
unallowable by law or under the Federal Acquisition Regulation.
    ``(c) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) The term `aeronautics workforce' means personnel 
        employed as engineers or scientists engaged in the development 
        and manufacture of aeronautics technologies.
            ``(2) The term `covered contract' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 23724(l) of this title.
            ``(3)(A) The term `education and professional development', 
        in the case of an aeronautics workforce, means each of the 
        following:
                    ``(i) The acquisition by personnel of the workforce 
                of general knowledge of science and engineering.
                    ``(ii) The development among personnel of the 
                workforce of powers of reasoning and judgement.
                    ``(iii) The participation of personnel of the 
                workforce in technical conferences and professional 
                society technical committees relating to aeronautics.
                    ``(iv) The participation of personnel of the 
                workforce in government advisory boards or commissions 
                on aeronautics for which participation the government 
                provides no compensation.
            ``(B) The term does not include the acquisition by 
        personnel of an aeronautics workforce of vocational or 
        practical skills for an immediate and specific job task or 
        purpose.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 139 of such title is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 2372 the following new item:

``2372a. Education and professional development of aeronautics 
                            workforces: payments to contractors.''.