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[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2459 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>

117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2459

    To provide for improvements to aircraft hangars, and for other 
                               purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 22, 2021

  Mr. Inhofe introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
    To provide for improvements to aircraft hangars, and for other 
                               purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Hangars Accelerate National Growth 
And Regional Stability Act'' or the ``HANGARS Act''.

SEC. 2. HANGAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS.

    (a) Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Transportation (in this 
        section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a 
        program under which the Secretary shall award grants to 
        eligible entities for an eligible project at the airport.
            (2) Application.--An eligible entity seeking a grant under 
        the program under this section shall submit an application to 
        the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and containing such 
        information as the Secretary may require.
    (b) Eligible Entities.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
entity'' means a sponsor of a--
            (1) public-use airport that is not a primary airport (as 
        such terms are defined in section 47102 of title 49, United 
        States Code); or
            (2) general aviation airport (as defined in such section 
        47102).
    (c) Eligible Projects.--
            (1) In general.--In this section, the term ``eligible 
        project'' means a project to construct, repair, or improve an 
        aircraft hangar facility.
            (2) Planning and acquisition costs.--
                    (A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), an 
                eligible project may include costs incurred--
                            (i) to prepare a plan or specifications, 
                        including carrying out a field investigation, 
                        for the eligible project; and
                            (ii) to acquire land and install utilities 
                        connected to the development of the eligible 
                        project.
                    (B) Limitation.--Not more than 10 percent of the 
                amount of a grant awarded under this section may be 
                used for the costs described in subparagraph (A).
    (d) Federal Share.--The Federal share of the costs of an eligible 
project carried out with a grant under this section is 95 percent.
    (e) Priority Consideration.--In awarding grants under the program 
under this section, the Secretary shall give priority consideration to 
eligible projects--
            (1) that will be completed within 2 years of the grant 
        award;
            (2) that leverage private sector investments to build or 
        improve facilities at the airport; and
            (3) that--
                    (A) achieve a complete development objective;
                    (B) are located on a statewide aviation master 
                plan; or
                    (C) are located on an airport's master plan.
    (f) Requirements.--For any grant awarded under this section, the 
Secretary shall ensure that the eligible project is--
            (1) owned and operated by the sponsor of the eligible 
        airport;
            (2) used on a non-exclusive basis; and
            (3) made available and used for public aeronautical 
        purposes, including aircraft storage and maintenance.
    (g) Grant Limit.--For grants awarded under this section, not more 
than $5,000,000 may be made available to a single eligible project.
    (h) Administration.--Of the amounts made available under subsection 
(i), the Secretary may retain up to 3 percent for personnel, 
contracting, and other costs to administer and oversee grants made 
under this section.
    (i) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $1,000,000,000 for the purpose of 
carrying out this section. Amounts appropriated under the preceding 
sentence shall remain available until expended.

SEC. 3. HANGAR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR PRIMARY AIRPORTS.

    (a) In General.--Title II of the Public Works and Economic 
Development Act of 1965 (42 U.S.C. 3141 et seq.) is amended by adding 
at the end the following:

``SEC. 219. GRANTS FOR HANGAR IMPROVEMENT.

    ``(a) In General.--On the application of an eligible recipient, the 
Secretary may make grants to construct, repair, or improve an aircraft 
hangar facility to further the economic adjustment objectives of this 
subchapter.
    ``(b) Criteria for Grant.--The Secretary may make a grant under 
this section if the Secretary determines that--
            ``(1) the eligible project for which the grant is applied 
        will, directly or indirectly--
                    ``(A) improve the opportunities, in the area where 
                the eligible project is or will be located, for the 
                successful establishment or expansion of aircraft 
                maintenance and repair hangar facilities;
                    ``(B) leverage private sector investments to build 
                or improve hangar facilities at the airport;
                    ``(C) assist in the creation of additional long-
                term employment opportunities in the area; or
                    ``(D) improve the opportunities, in the area where 
                the eligible project is or will be located, for air 
                carriers to establish or increase commercial routes;
            ``(2) the area for which the eligible project is to be 
        carried out has a comprehensive economic development strategy 
        and the eligible project is consistent with the strategy; and
            ``(3) the eligible project is located on a statewide 
        aviation master plan or on the airport's master plan.
    ``(c) Eligible Recipient.--In this section, the term `eligible 
recipient' has the meaning given such term in section 3 and includes a 
primary airport (as defined in section 47102 of title 49, United States 
Code).
    ``(d) Eligible Project.--In this section, the term `eligible 
project' means a project to construct, repair, or improve an aircraft 
hangar facility at a primary airport (as defined in section 47102 of 
title 49, United States Code).
    ``(e) Federal Share.--Notwithstanding section 204, the Federal 
share of the costs of an eligible project carried out with a grant 
under this section is 85 percent.
    ``(f) Notice of Federal Interest.--Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, any eligible recipient awarded a grant under this 
section shall record a statement of the Federal Government's interest 
in the property improved through the grant in a form acceptable to the 
Secretary. The Secretary of Transportation shall cooperate with the 
Secretary as may be needed to facilitate the recording of such 
statement.
    ``(g) Administration.--Of the amounts made available under 
subsection (h), the Secretary may retain up to 1 percent for personnel, 
contracting, and other costs to administer and oversee grants made 
under this section.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to the Secretary $100,000,000 for the purpose of carrying 
out this section. Amounts appropriated under the preceding sentence 
shall remain available until expended.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of contents contained in 
section 1(b) of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 
(42 U.S.C. 3121 note) is amended by inserting after the item relating 
to section 218 the following:

``Sec. 219. Grants for hangar improvement.''.
                                 <all>
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