To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the National Transportation Safety Board for fiscal years 2003 through 2006, and for other purposes.

Summary: National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2003 - (Sec. 2) Amends Federal transportation law to extend the authorization of appropriations for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), including the NTSB Academy, for FY 2003 through 2006.Authorizes such appropriations as may be necessary to increase the emergency fund from $2 million to $6 million.(Sec. 3) Requires an NTSB employee, in any case in which the employee determines that an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft constitutes an accident (except when there is loss of life), to notify the owner or operator of that aircraft of the right to appeal that determination to the NTSB.(Sec. 4) Revises requirements for the Secretary of Transportation's annual report to Congress on each transportation safety recommendation of the NTSB and the Secretary's response. Requires the Secretary to report annually to Congress and the NTSB on the regulatory status of each significant NTSB safety recommendation. Requires the NTSB to report to Congress any failure of the Secretary to make such a report.Defines the term "significant safety recommendation" as a recommendation included in the Board's "most wanted list" and any recommendation concerning 15-passenger van safety, railroad grade crossing safety, and medical certifications for a commercial driver's license.(Sec. 5) Relieves the NTSB of the duty to render specified assistance to families of passengers involved in an aircraft accident if the NTSB has relinquished its investigative priority to investigate it and the Federal agency to which it has relinquished such priority is willing and able to provide assistance to the victims and families of the passengers. Requires the NTSB, however, even if it has relinquished such priority, to assist, to the maximum extent possible, the agency to which it has relinquished it in assisting families with respect to the accident.Directs the NTSB and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to revise their 1977 agreement on the investigation of accidents to take into account the amendments made by this Act, and to submit such revision to specified congressional committees.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``National Transportation Safety Board 
Reauthorization Act of 2003''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Fiscal Years 2003-2006.--Section 1118(a) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and''; and
            (2) by striking ``such sums to'' and inserting the 
        following: ``$73,325,000 for fiscal year 2003, $78,757,000 for 
        fiscal year 2004, $83,011,000 for fiscal year 2005, and 
        $87,539,000 for fiscal year 2006. Such sums shall''.
    (b) Emergency Fund.--Section 1118(b) of such title is amended by 
striking the second sentence and inserting the following: ``In 
addition, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 
necessary to increase the fund to, and maintain the fund at, a level of 
not to exceed $6,000,000.''.
    (c) NTSB Academy.--Section 1118 of such title is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(c) Academy.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Board for necessary expenses of the National Transportation Safety 
Board Academy, not otherwise provided for, $3,347,000 for fiscal year 
2003, $4,896,000 for fiscal year 2004, $4,995,000 for fiscal year 2005, 
and $5,200,000 for fiscal year 2006. Such sums shall remain available 
until expended.''.

SEC. 3. ACCIDENT AND SAFETY DATA CLASSIFICATION AND PUBLICATION.

    Section 1119 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(c) Appeals.--
            ``(1) Notification of rights.--In any case in which an 
        employee of the Board determines that an occurrence associated 
        with the operation of an aircraft constitutes an accident, the 
        employee shall notify the owner or operator of that aircraft of 
        the right to appeal that determination to the Board.
            ``(2) Procedure.--The Board shall establish and publish the 
        procedures for appeals under this subsection.
            ``(3) Limitation on applicability.--This subsection shall 
        not apply in the case of an accident that results in a loss of 
        life.''.

SEC. 4. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION'S RESPONSES TO SAFETY 
              RECOMMENDATIONS.

    Section 1135(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read 
as follows:
    ``(d) Reporting Requirements.--
            ``(1) Annual secretarial regulatory status reports.--On 
        February 1 of each year, the Secretary shall submit a report to 
        Congress and the Board containing the regulatory status of each 
        significant safety recommendation made by the Board to the 
        Secretary (or to an Administration within the Department). The 
        Secretary shall continue to report on the regulatory status of 
        each such recommendation in the report due on February 1 of 
        subsequent years until final regulatory action is taken on that 
        recommendation or the Secretary (or an Administration within 
        the Department) determines and states in such a report that no 
        action should be taken.
            ``(2) Failure to report.--If on March 1 of each year the 
        Board has not received the Secretary's report required by this 
        subsection, the Board shall notify the Committee on 
        Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
        Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
        Transportation of the Senate of the Secretary's failure to 
        submit the required report.
            ``(3) Significant safety recommendation defined.--For the 
        purposes of this subsection, the term `significant safety 
        recommendation' means a recommendation included in the Board's 
        `most wanted list' and any recommendation concerning 15-
        passenger van safety, railroad grade crossing safety, and 
        medical certifications for a commercial driver's license.
            ``(4) Termination.--This subsection shall cease to be in 
        effect after the report required to be filed on February 1, 
        2008, is filed.''.

SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES OF PASSENGERS INVOLVED IN AIRCRAFT 
              ACCIDENTS.

    (a) Relinquishment of Investigative Priority.--Section 1136 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following:
    ``(j) Relinquishment of Investigative Priority.--
            ``(1) General rule.--This section (other than subsection 
        (g)) shall not apply to an aircraft accident if the Board has 
        relinquished investigative priority under section 1131(a)(2)(B) 
        and the Federal agency to which the Board relinquished 
        investigative priority is willing and able to provide 
        assistance to the victims and families of the passengers 
        involved in the accident.
            ``(2) Board assistance.--If this section does not apply to 
        an aircraft accident because the Board has relinquished 
        investigative priority with respect to the accident, the Board 
        shall assist, to the maximum extent possible, the agency to 
        which the Board has relinquished investigative priority in 
        assisting families with respect to the accident.''.
    (b) Revision of MOU.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the National Transportation Safety Board and the 
Federal Bureau of Investigation shall revise their 1977 agreement on 
the investigation of accidents to take into account the amendments made 
by this section and shall submit a copy of the revised agreement to the 
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate.

SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

    Section 1131(a)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
moving subparagraphs (B) and (C) 4 ems to the left.

            Passed the House of Representatives May 15, 2003.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.

                            By Martha C. Morrison,

                                                          Deputy Clerk.