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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 558 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 558

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                       October 4, 1994.
    Resolved, That upon the adoption of this resolution the bill (H.R. 2440) to 
amend the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 to authorize appropriations for 
fiscal years 1994, 1995, and 1996, and for other purposes, with the Senate 
amendment thereto, shall be considered to have been taken from the Speaker's 
table to the end that the Senate amendment thereto be, and the same is hereby, 
agreed to with an amendment as follows:
    In lieu of the matter proposed to be inserted by the amendment of the 
Senate, insert the following:

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Independent Safety Board Act Amendments of 
1994''.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    Section 1118(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as 
follows:
    ``(a) In General.--There is authorized to be appropriated for the purposes 
of this chapter $37,580,000 for fiscal year 1994, $44,000,000 for fiscal year 
1995, and $45,100,000 for fiscal year 1996. Such sums shall remain available 
until expended.''.

SEC. 3. APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS TO THE OPERATION 
              OF PUBLIC AIRCRAFT.

    (a) Definition of Public Aircraft.--Section 40102(a)(37) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the 
following:
                    ``(B) does not include a government-owned aircraft--
                            ``(i) transporting property for commercial purposes; 
                        or
                            ``(ii) transporting passengers other than--
                                    ``(I) transporting (for other than 
                                commercial purposes) crewmembers or other 
                                persons aboard the aircraft whose presence is 
                                required to perform, or is associated with the 
                                performance of, a governmental function such as 
                                firefighting, search and rescue, law 
                                enforcement, aeronautical research, or 
                                biological or geological resource management; or
                                    ``(II) transporting (for other than 
                                commercial purposes) persons aboard the aircraft 
                                if the aircraft is operated by the Armed Forces 
                                or an intelligence agency of the United States.
        An aircraft described in the preceding sentence shall, notwithstanding 
        any limitation relating to use of the aircraft for commercial purposes, 
        be considered to be a public aircraft for the purposes of this part 
        without regard to whether the aircraft is operated by a unit of 
        government on behalf of another unit of government, pursuant to a cost 
        reimbursement agreement between such units of government, if the unit of 
        government on whose behalf the operation is conducted certifies to the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration that the operation 
        was necessary to respond to a significant and imminent threat to life or 
        property (including natural resources) and that no service by a private 
        operator was reasonably available to meet the threat.''.
    (b) Authority To Grant Exemptions.--
            (1) In general.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
        Administration may grant an exemption to any unit of Federal, State, or 
        local government from any requirement of part A of subtitle VII of title 
        49, United States Code, that would otherwise be applicable to current or 
        future aircraft of such unit of government as a result of the amendment 
        made by subsection (a) of this section.
            (2) Requirements.--The Administrator may grant an exemption under 
        paragraph (1) only if--
                    (A) the Administrator finds that granting the exemption is 
                necessary to prevent an undue economic burden on the unit of 
                government; and
                    (B) the Administrator certifies that the aviation safety 
                program of the unit of government is effective and appropriate 
                to ensure safe operations of the type of aircraft operated by 
                the unit of government.
    (c) Investigative Authority of Board.--
            (1) Accidents involving public aircraft.--Section 1131(a)(1)(A) of 
        title 49, United States Code, is amended by inserting before the 
        semicolon at the end the following: ``or an aircraft accident involving 
        a public aircraft as defined by section 40102(a)(37) of this title other 
        than an aircraft operated by the Armed Forces or by an intelligence 
        agency of the United States''.
            (2) Duties and powers.--Section 1131 of title 49, United States 
        Code, is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
                    (B) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
    ``(d) Accidents Involving Public Aircraft.--The Board, in furtherance of its 
investigative duties with respect to public aircraft accidents under subsection 
(a)(1)(A) of this section, shall have the same duties and powers as are 
specified for civil aircraft accidents under sections 1132(a), 1132(b), and 
1134(b)(2) of this title.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a) and (c) shall 
take effect on the 180th day following the date of the enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. RELEASE OF RESERVATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN PROPERTY LOCATED IN 
              RAPIDES PARISH, LOUISIANA.

    (a) Release.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and except as 
provided in subsections (b) and (d), the United States releases without 
consideration all reservations, restrictions, conditions, and limitations on the 
use, encumbrance, or conveyance of certain real property (together with any 
improvements thereon and easements appurtenant thereto) consisting of 
approximately 1,991.53 acres of land and located in Rapides Parish, Louisiana, 
the location of Esler Field, as identified in the deed of conveyance from the 
United States to the Parish of Rapides, Louisiana, dated January 23, 1958, to 
the extent such reservations, restrictions, conditions, and limitations are 
enforceable by the United States.
    (b) Exceptions.--The United States reserves the right of reentry upon or use 
of the property described in subsection (a) for national defense purposes in 
time of war or other national emergency without charge. The release provided by 
subsection (a) does not apply to any conditions or assurances associated with 
(1) the continued nonexclusive use without charge of the airport and use of 
space at the airport, without charge, by the Louisiana National Guard, (2) the 
nonexclusive use of the airport by transient military aircraft without charge, 
or (3) the nonexclusive use of the airport by transient military aircraft 
without charge during periods of maneuvers.
    (c) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed to affect the disposition or ownership of oil, gas, or other mineral 
resources either in or under the surface of the real property described in 
subsection (a).
    (d) Federal Aviation Administration.--
            (1) Nonapplicability of release to grant agreements.--The release 
        described in subsection (a) does not apply to any conditions and 
        assurances associated with existing airport grant agreements between the 
        Rapides Parish Airport Authority/Esler Field and the Federal Aviation 
        Administration.
            (2) Agreement.--Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the 
        Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall enter into an 
        agreement with the Airport Authority of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, to 
        provide for the terms and conditions under which the real property 
        described in subsection (a) may be used, leased, sold, or otherwise 
        disposed. The agreement shall be concluded not later than 180 days after 
        the date of the enactment of this Act.
    (e) Effective Date.--This section shall take effect on the 180th day 
following the date of the enactment of this Act.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.
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