89–006 

116TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 1st Session 116–67 

NOTICE TO AIRMEN IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2019 

MAY 16, 2019.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. DEFAZIO, from the Committee on Transportation and 

Infrastructure, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 1775] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom 

was referred the bill (H.R. 1775) to establish a task force on 

NOTAM improvements, and for other purposes, having considered 

the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that the bill do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Purpose of Legislation ............................................................................................. 1 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 2 

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 2 

Legislative History and Consideration .................................................................. 2 

Committee Votes ...................................................................................................... 3 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 3 

New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures ...................................................... 3 

Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate .......................................................... 3 

Performance Goals and Objectives ......................................................................... 4 

Duplication of Federal Programs ............................................................................ 4 

Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff Benefits ... 5 

Federal Mandates Statement ................................................................................. 5 

Preemption Clarification ......................................................................................... 5 

Advisory Committee Statement .............................................................................. 5 

Applicability to Legislative Branch ........................................................................ 5 

Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation ...................................................... 5 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 6 

PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION

The purpose of H.R. 1775 is to establish a task force to evaluate 

existing methods for presenting Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) to pilots, review associated regulations and policies, and develop recVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:03 May 19, 2019 Jkt 089006 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR067.XXX HR067

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ommendations and identify best practices aimed at improving the 

presentation of NOTAMs and flight operations information to pilots. 

BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

H.R. 1775 directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to establish the FAA Task Force on NOTAM 

Improvement to review existing methods for presenting NOTAMs 

and flight operations information to pilots and NOTAM policies and 

regulations, and determine best practices for organizing, 

prioritizing, and presenting flight operations information to pilots 

in an optimal manner to help them retain relevant information. 

This legislation is necessary because pilots have found information contained in NOTAMs—notices from the FAA to pilots that 

contain essential, real-time information regarding abnormal status 

of the National Airspace System—difficult to read, understand, and 

retain. Additionally, NOTAMs can lack completeness or accuracy, 

which can endanger flight. In 2018, the National Transportation 

Safety Board (NTSB) recognized the impact NOTAM information 

can have on the safety of flight, issuing a safety recommendation 

(A–18–024) to the FAA to establish a group of human factors experts to review existing methods for presenting flight operations information to pilots and create and publish guidance on best practice for presenting such information that optimizes pilot review and 

retention of information. Identifying methods of improving the accuracy, organization, display, and understanding of NOTAM information will aid pilots and improve flight safety in the United 

States. 

HEARINGS

For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the 116th Congress, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation held the following hearing to develop or consider H.R. 1775: 

On March 12, 2019, the Subcommittee held a hearing titled, 

‘‘Looking Forward: Aviation 2050.’’ The purpose of the hearing 

was to explore the future of U.S. aviation and the National Airspace System (NAS), including how the NAS is evolving as a 

result of new aviation and aerospace users and technologies. 

Witnesses included: David McBride, Director, Armstrong Flight 

Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Diana Cooper, Senior Vice President, Policy and Strategy, 

PrecisionHawk, Inc.; Eli Dourado, Head, Global Policy and 

Communications, Boom; Eric Allison, Head, Elevate, Uber 

Technologies, Inc.; and Joe DePete, President, Air Line Pilots 

Association, International. 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND CONSIDERATION

H.R. 1775 was introduced in the House on March 14, 2019, by 

Mr. Stauber and referred to the Committee on Transportation. 

Within the Committee, H.R. 1775 was referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation. 

The Subcommittee on Aviation was discharged from further consideration of H.R. 1775 on March 27, 2019. 


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The Full Committee met in open session to consider H.R. 1775 

on March 27, 2019, and ordered the measure to be reported to the 

House, without amendment, favorably by voice vote, with a quorum 

present. 

COMMITTEE VOTES

Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires each committee report to include the total number of 

votes cast for and against on each record vote on a motion to report 

and on any amendment offered to the measure or matter, and the 

names of those members voting for and against. 

There were no recorded votes taken in connection with consideration of H.R. 1775. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives, the Committee’s oversight findings and recommendations are reflected in this report. 

NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND TAX EXPENDITURES

Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 has been timely 

submitted prior to the filing of the report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is included in this report. 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE

With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has received the 

enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1775. 

U.S. CONGRESS, 

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE, 

Washington, DC, April 15, 2019. 

Hon. PETER A. DEFAZIO, Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1775, the Notice to Airmen Improvement Act of 2019. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan Carroll. 

Sincerely, 

KEITH HALL, 

Director. 

Enclosure. 


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H.R. 1775 would direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 

Administration (FAA) to complete a variety of administrative tasks 

related to notices to airmen (NOTAMs), which convey essential information to personnel concerned with flight operations. (For example, NOTAMs alert aircraft pilots of potential hazards along a 

flight route or other conditions or situations affecting aeronautical 

facilities, services, or procedures that might affect the safety of 

flight operations.) H.R. 1775 would require the Administrator to establish a task force of aviation stakeholders to review existing policies related to NOTAMs, recommend improvements, and report its 

findings to the Congress within one year. 

Using information from the FAA, CBO estimates that implementing H.R. 1775 would not significantly affect the federal budget. According to the agency, the bill’s requirements are largely consistent with existing activities related to NOTAMs. As a result, 

CBO estimates that any change in federal spending to meet those 

requirements—which would be subject to appropriation—would not 

exceed $500,000. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Megan Carroll. The estimate was reviewed by Theresa Gullo, Assistant Director for 

Budget Analysis. 

PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of 

the Rules of the House of Representatives, the performance goal 

and objective of this legislation is to identify methods to improve 

the presentation of NOTAM information to pilots through the establishment and recommendations of the FAA Task Force on 

NOTAM Improvement, and the comprehensive report developed by 

such task force and submitted to Congress. 

DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision of H.R. 

1775 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the federal government known to be duplicative of another federal program, a program that was included in any report from the Government AcVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:03 May 19, 2019 Jkt 089006 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\HR067.XXX HR067

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countability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public 

Law 111–139, or a program related to a program identified in the 

most recent Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. 

CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED

TARIFF BENEFITS

In compliance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no congressional 

earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits as defined 

in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the rule XXI. 

FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 

pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act 

(Public Law 104–4). 

PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION

Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requires the 

report of any Committee on a bill or joint resolution to include a 

statement on the extent to which the bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local, or tribal law. The Committee finds 

that H.R. 1775 does not preempt any state, local, or tribal law. 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this legislation. 

APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the 

terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or 

accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law 104–1). 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Sec. 1. Short title 

This section provides that this bill may be cited as the ‘‘Notice 

to Airmen Improvement Act of 2019.‘‘ 

Sec. 2. FAA Task Force on NOTAM Improvement 

This section requires the Administrator of the FAA to establish 

the FAA Task Force on NOTAM Improvement. This section requires the task force to be composed of representatives from air 

carriers, labor unions, and general and business aviation, as well 

as aviation safety and human factors experts. 

This section also establishes the duties of the task force, which 

include reviewing existing methods for presenting Notice to Airmen 

(NOTAM) and flight operations information to pilots and associated 

NOTAM policies and regulations, and determining best practices 

for organizing, prioritizing, and presenting flight operations information to pilots in an optimal manner. Additionally, this section requires the task force to provide recommendations to improve the 

presentation of NOTAM information, ensure NOTAM accuracy and 


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completeness, identify best practices to improve NOTAM accuracy 

and understandability, and identify ways to work with airspace 

users and aviation service providers to implement solutions aligned 

with any recommendations of the task force. 

Furthermore, this section requires the task force to submit a report to Congress and describe to the extent to which implementing 

any task force recommendations addresses National Transportation 

Safety Board Safety Recommendation A–18–024; sunsets the task 

force within 18 months of its establishment or the date of submission of its report to Congress; and provides the FAA Administrator 

with the authority necessary to implement any task force recommendations outlined in its report to Congress. 

Finally, this section exempts the task force from requirements of 

the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.). 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

H.R. 1775 makes no changes in existing law. 

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