I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7177 

To require a joint task force on air travel during and after the COVID19 Public Health Emergency, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 11, 2020 

Mr. LYNCH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees 

on Homeland Security, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be 

subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 

of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To require a joint task force on air travel during and after 

the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, and for other 

purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Ensuring Health Safe5 ty in the Skies Act of 2020’’. 

6 SEC. 2. JOINT TASK FORCE ON AIR TRAVEL. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 

8 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of TransporVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:44 Jun 30, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7177.IH H7177

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1 tation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Sec2 retary of Health and Human Services shall establish a 

3 Joint Task Force on Air Travel During and After the 

4 COVID–19 Public Health Emergency (in this section re5 ferred to as the ‘‘Joint Task Force’’). 

6 (b) DUTIES.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Joint Task Force shall 

8 develop recommended requirements, plans, and 

9 guidelines to address the health, safety, security, and 

10 logistical issues relating to the continuation of air 

11 travel during the COVID–19 Public Health Emer12 gency, and with respect to the resumption of full op13 erations at airports and increased passenger air 

14 travel after the COVID–19 Public Health Emer15 gency ends. The Joint Task Force shall develop, at 

16 a minimum, recommended requirements, plans, and 

17 guidelines, as appropriate, with respect to each of 

18 the applicable periods described in paragraph (2) 

19 for— 

20 (A) reforming airport, air carrier, security, 

21 and other passenger air travel-related oper22 ations, including passenger queuing, passenger 

23 security screening, boarding, deplaning, and 

24 baggage handling procedures, as a result of— 


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1 (i) current and anticipated changes to 

2 passenger air travel during the COVID–19 

3 Public Health Emergency and after that 

4 emergency ends; and 

5 (ii) anticipated changes to passenger 

6 air travel as a result of the projected sea7 sonal recurrence of the coronavirus; 

8 (B) mitigating the public health and eco9 nomic impacts of the COVID–19 Public Health 

10 Emergency and the projected seasonal recur11 rence of the coronavirus on airports and pas12 senger air travel, including through the use of 

13 personal protective equipment for passengers 

14 and employees, the implementation of strategies 

15 to promote overall passenger and employee safe16 ty, and the accommodation of social distancing, 

17 as necessary; 

18 (C) addressing the privacy and civil liberty 

19 concerns created by passenger health 

20 screenings, contact-tracing, or any other proc21 ess for monitoring the health of individuals en22 gaged in health travel; and 

23 (D) operating procedures to manage future 

24 public health crises affecting air travel. 


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1 (2) APPLICABLE PERIODS.—For purposes of 

2 paragraph (1), the applicable periods are the fol3 lowing: 

4 (A) The period beginning with the date of 

5 the first meeting of the Joint Task Force and 

6 ending with the date on which the COVID–19 

7 Public Health Emergency ends. 

8 (B) The 1-year period beginning on the 

9 day after the period described in subparagraph 

10 (A) ends. 

11 (c) REQUIREMENTS.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—In developing the rec13 ommended requirements, plans, and guidelines 

14 under subsection (b), and prior to including them in 

15 the final report required under subsection (f)(2), the 

16 Joint Task Force shall— 

17 (A) consider the consensus recommenda18 tions of the Advisory Committee established 

19 under subsection (e); 

20 (B) conduct cost-benefit evaluations; 

21 (C) consider funding constraints; and 

22 (D) use risk-based decision making. 

23 (2) INTERNATIONAL CONSULTATION.—The 

24 Joint Task Force shall consult, as practicable, with 

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1 ing the International Civil Aviation Organization, to2 wards the goal of maximizing the harmonization of 

3 recommended requirements, plans, and guidelines 

4 for air travel during and after the COVID–19 Public 

5 Health Emergency. 

6 (d) MEMBERSHIP.— 

7 (1) CHAIR.—The Secretary of Transportation 

8 (or the Secretary’s designee) shall serve as the Chair 

9 of the Joint Task Force. 

10 (2) VICE CHAIR.—The Secretary of Health and 

11 Human Services (or the Secretary’s designee) shall 

12 serve as Vice Chair of the Joint Task Force. 

13 (3) OTHER MEMBERS.—In addition to the 

14 Chair and Vice Chair, the members of the Joint 

15 Task Force shall include representatives of the fol16 lowing: 

17 (A) The Department of Transportation. 

18 (B) The Department of Homeland Secu19 rity. 

20 (C) The Department of Health and 

21 Human Services. 

22 (D) The Federal Aviation Administration. 

23 (E) The Transportation Security Adminis24 tration. 


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1 (F) United States Customs and Border 

2 Protection. 

3 (G) The Centers for Disease Control and 

4 Prevention. 

5 (H) The Occupational Safety and Health 

6 Administration. 

7 (I) The National Institute for Occupational 

8 Safety and Health. 

9 (J) The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials 

10 Safety Administration. 

11 (K) The Department of State. 

12 (L) The Environmental Protection Agency. 

13 (e) ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 

14 (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 15 days 

15 after the date on which the Joint Task Force is es16 tablished under subsection (a), the Secretary of 

17 Transportation, in consultation with the Secretary of 

18 Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and 

19 Human Services, shall establish a Joint Federal Ad20 visory Committee to advise the Joint Task Force (in 

21 this section referred to as the ‘‘Advisory Com22 mittee’’). 

23 (2) MEMBERSHIP.—The members of the Advi24 sory Committee shall include representatives of the 

25 following: 


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1 (A) Airport operators designated by the 

2 Secretary of Transportation in consultation 

3 with the Secretary of Homeland Security. 

4 (B) Air carriers designated by the Sec5 retary of Transportation in consultation with 

6 the Secretary of Homeland Security. 

7 (C) Aircraft and aviation manufacturers 

8 designated by the Secretary of Transportation. 

9 (D) Labor organizations representing avia10 tion industry workers, including pilots, flight at11 tendants, maintenance, mechanics, air traffic 

12 controllers, and safety inspectors, designated by 

13 the Secretary of Transportation. 

14 (E) Public health experts designated by 

15 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

16 (F) Consumers and air passenger rights 

17 organizations designated by the Secretary of 

18 Transportation in consultation with Secretary 

19 of Homeland Security. 

20 (G) Privacy and civil liberty organizations 

21 designated by the Secretary of Homeland Secu22 rity. 

23 (H) Manufacturers and integrators of air 

24 passenger screening and identity verification 


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1 technologies designated by the Secretary of 

2 Homeland Security. 

3 (I) Trade associations representing air car4 riers, including, major air carriers, low cost car5 riers, regional air carriers, cargo air carriers, 

6 and foreign air carriers, designated by the Sec7 retary of Transportation in consultation with 

8 the Secretary of Homeland Security. 

9 (J) Trade associations representing airport 

10 operators designated by the Secretary of Trans11 portation in consultation with the Secretary of 

12 Homeland Security. 

13 (3) VACANCIES.—Any vacancy in the member14 ship of the Advisory Committee shall not affect its 

15 responsibilities, but shall be filled in the same man16 ner as the original appointment and in accordance 

17 with the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. 

18 App.). 

19 (4) DUTIES.— 

20 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Advisory Com21 mittee shall develop and submit policy rec22 ommendations to the Joint Task Force regard23 ing the recommended requirements, plans, and 

24 guidelines to be developed by the Joint Task 

25 Force under subsection (b). 


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1 (B) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 14 

2 days after the date on which the Advisory Com3 mittee submits policy recommendations to the 

4 Joint Task Force in accordance with subpara5 graph (A), the Secretary of Transportation 

6 shall publish the policy recommendations on a 

7 publicly accessible website. 

8 (5) PROHIBITION ON COMPENSATION.—The 

9 members of the Advisory Committee shall not re10 ceive any compensation from the Federal Govern11 ment by reason of their service on the Advisory 

12 Committee. 

13 (f) BRIEFINGS AND REPORTS.— 

14 (1) PRELIMINARY BRIEFINGS.—As soon as 

15 practicable, but not later than 6 months after the 

16 establishment of the Joint Task Force, the Joint 

17 Task Force shall begin providing preliminary brief18 ings for Congress on the status of the development 

19 of the recommended requirements, plans, and guide20 lines under subsection (b). The preliminary briefings 

21 shall include interim versions, if any, of the Joint 

22 Task Force’s recommendations. 

23 (2) FINAL REPORT.— 

24 (A) DEADLINE.—As soon as practicable, 

25 but not later than 18 months after the date of 


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1 enactment of this Act, the Joint Task Force 

2 shall submit to Congress a final report. 

3 (B) CONTENT.—The final report under 

4 subparagraph (A) shall include the following: 

5 (i) All of the recommended require6 ments, plans, and guidelines developed by 

7 the Joint Task Force. 

8 (ii) A description of any actions taken 

9 by the Federal Government as a result of 

10 such recommendations. 

11 (g) TERMINATION.—The Joint Task Force and Advi12 sory Committee shall terminate 30 days after the date on 

13 which the Joint Task Force submits the final report re14 quired under subsection (f)(2). 

15 (h) DEFINITION.—In this section, the term 

16 ‘‘COVID–19 Public Health Emergency’’ means the public 

17 health emergency first declared on January 31, 2020, by 

18 the Secretary of Health and Human Services under sec19 tion 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 

20 247d) with respect to COVID–19 and includes any re21 newal of such declaration pursuant to such section 319. 

Æ 


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