Air Traffic Controllers Hiring Act of 2015

Summary: Air Traffic Controllers Hiring Act of 2015 Directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in appointing individuals to the position of air traffic controller, to give preference to:  an individual who has successfully completed air traffic controller training and graduated from an institution participating in the Collegiate Training Initiative program (the program) and who has received from the institution either an appropriate recommendation or an endorsement certifying that the individual would have met the requirements in effect as of December 31, 2013, for an appropriate recommendation; a qualified individual who is eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment; a qualified individual who is an eligible veteran maintaining aviation experience obtained in the course of the individual's military experience; a preference eligible veteran; and a qualified individual maintaining practical air traffic control experience obtained at civilian installations of the Department of Defense, FAA air traffic control facilities, or contract towers of the FAA.  Allows the FAA to consider additional applicants only after completing consideration of such preferred applicants. Provides that a preferred applicant shall not be subject to any biographical assessment as part of FAA hiring practices that apply to applicants for the position of air traffic controller. Directs the FAA to revise its hiring practices to eliminate the use of any biographical assessment that unduly disqualifies applicants. Provides for reconsideration of individuals who applied in response to the FG-01 vacancy announcement of February 10, 2014, who were disqualified on the basis of such an assessment. Requires (currently, allows) the FAA to maintain the program by making new agreements and continuing existing agreements with institutions of higher education under which the institutions prepare students for the position of air traffic controller. Directs the FAA to take into consideration any training initiatives for air traffic controllers that are locally developed at institutions of higher education participating in the program for use in establishing best practices nationwide.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Air Traffic Controllers Hiring Act 
of 2015''.

SEC. 2. HIRING OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS.

    Section 44506 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(f) Revision of Hiring Practices.--
            ``(1) Consideration of applicants.--
                    ``(A) Ensuring selection of most qualified 
                applicants.--In appointing individuals to the position 
                of air traffic controller, the Administrator shall give 
                preferential consideration to the following applicants:
                            ``(i) An individual who--
                                    ``(I) has successfully completed 
                                air traffic controller training and 
                                graduated from an institution 
                                participating in the Collegiate 
                                Training Initiative program maintained 
                                under subsection (c)(1); and
                                    ``(II) has received from the 
                                institution--
                                            ``(aa) an appropriate 
                                        recommendation; or
                                            ``(bb) an endorsement 
                                        certifying that the individual 
                                        would have met the requirements 
                                        in effect as of December 31, 
                                        2013, for an appropriate 
                                        recommendation.
                            ``(ii) A qualified individual who is 
                        eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment 
                        pursuant to section 4214 of title 38.
                            ``(iii) A qualified individual who is an 
                        eligible veteran, as such term is defined in 
                        section 4211 of title 38, maintaining aviation 
                        experience obtained in the course of the 
                        individual's military experience.
                            ``(iv) A preference eligible veteran, as 
                        defined in section 2108 of title 5.
                            ``(v) A qualified individual maintaining 
                        practical air traffic control experience 
                        obtained at--
                                    ``(I) civilian installations of the 
                                Department of Defense;
                                    ``(II) Federal Aviation 
                                Administration air traffic control 
                                facilities; or
                                    ``(III) contract towers of Federal 
                                Aviation Administration.
                    ``(B) Consideration of additional applicants.--The 
                Administrator may consider additional applicants for 
                the position of air traffic controller only after 
                completing consideration of the applicants described in 
                subparagraph (A).
            ``(2) Elimination of biographical assessments.--
                    ``(A) Priority applicants.--An applicant described 
                in paragraph (1)(A) shall not be subject to any 
                biographical assessment (including a biographical 
                assessment validated under subparagraph (B)) as part of 
                the hiring practices of the Administration that apply 
                to applicants for the position of air traffic 
                controller with the Department of Transportation.
                    ``(B) Revision of hiring practices.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Administrator shall 
                        revise the hiring practices of the 
                        Administration referred to in subparagraph (A) 
                        to eliminate the use of any biographical 
                        assessment that unduly disqualifies applicants.
                            ``(ii) Validation.--Before implementing any 
                        biographical assessment as part of the hiring 
                        practices of the Administration referred to in 
                        subparagraph (A), the Administrator shall--
                                    ``(I) certify that the assessment 
                                or test was validated under the 
                                criteria set forth in clause (i) before 
                                implementation; and
                                    ``(II) disclose to the public the 
                                methods used for the validation.
                            ``(iii) Participation requirements.--The 
                        revision under this subparagraph shall not be 
                        subject to paragraph (3).
                    ``(C) Reconsideration of applicants disqualified on 
                the basis of biographical assessments.--
                            ``(i) In general.--If an individual applied 
                        for the position of air traffic controller with 
                        the Department in response to the FG-01 Vacancy 
                        Announcement issued on February 10, 2014, and 
                        was disqualified from the position as the 
                        result of a biographical assessment, the 
                        Administrator shall provide the applicant an 
                        opportunity to reapply as soon as practicable 
                        for the position under the revised hiring 
                        practices.
                            ``(ii) Waiver of age restriction.--The 
                        Administrator shall waive any maximum age 
                        restriction for the position of air traffic 
                        controller with the Department that would 
                        otherwise disqualify an individual from the 
                        position if the individual--
                                    ``(I) is reapplying for the 
                                position pursuant to clause (i) on or 
                                before December 31, 2017; and
                                    ``(II) met the maximum age 
                                requirement on the date of the 
                                individual's previous application for 
                                the position during the interim hiring 
                                process.
            ``(3) Participation of cti institutions in revision of 
        hiring practices.--Before making any revision to the hiring 
        practices that apply to applicants for the position of air 
        traffic controller with the Department, the Administrator shall 
        provide institutions of higher education participating in the 
        Collegiate Training Initiative program with notice of the 
        revision and an opportunity to comment.''.

SEC. 3. COLLEGIATE TRAINING INITIATIVE.

    Section 44506(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended in 
the first sentence by striking ``may maintain'' and inserting ``shall 
maintain''.

SEC. 4. BEST PRACTICES FOR TRAINING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS.

    Section 44506 of title 49, United States Code, is further amended 
by adding at the end the following:
    ``(h) Best Practices for Training.--The Administrator, in 
consultation with the Association of Collegiate Training Institutions, 
the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, and the University 
Aviation Association, shall take into consideration any training 
initiatives for air traffic controllers that are locally developed at 
institutions of higher education participating in the Collegiate 
Training Initiative program for use in establishing best practices 
nationwide.''.

SEC. 5. VETERAN PREFERENCE REQUIREMENTS FOR FAA PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT 
              SYSTEM.

    Section 40122(g)(2)(B) of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by inserting ``and sections 3330a-3330d'' before ``, relating to''.