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106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1417

To amend title 49, United States Code, to make nonmilitary government

aircraft subject to safety regulation by the Department of Transportation.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 14, 1999

Mr. MENENDEZ introduced the following bill; which was referred to the

Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, to make nonmilitary

government aircraft subject to safety regulation by the

Department of Transportation.

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 ‘‘Single Standard of

5 Aviation Safety Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. SAFETY REGULATION OF CERTAIN GOVERNMENT

7 AIRCRAFT.

8 (a) APPLICATION OF FAA REQUIREMENTS TO CER9 TAIN GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT.—Chapter 447 of title 49,
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1 United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the

2 following new section:

3 ‘‘§ 44725. Applicability to certain government aircraft

4 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—

5 ‘‘(1) APPLICABILITY TO NONMILITARY GOVERN6 MENT AIRCRAFT.—This chapter (including regula7 tions issued to carry out this chapter) applies to a

8 nonmilitary government aircraft in the same manner

9 and to the same extent as this chapter would apply

10 to such aircraft if such aircraft were owned or oper11 ated by a nongovernmental entity.

12 ‘‘(2) APPLICABILITY TO MILITARY AIRCRAFT

13 TRANSPORTING CIVILIANS.—This chapter (including

14 regulations issued to carry out this chapter) applies

15 to—

16 ‘‘(A) a military aircraft in the same man17 ner and to the same extent as this chapter

18 would apply to such aircraft if such aircraft

19 were owned or operated by a nongovernmental

20 entity—

21 ‘‘(i) if (as designated by the Secretary

22 concerned) such aircraft is an aircraft that

23 is primarily used for transportation; and

24 ‘‘(ii) if persons other than members of

25 the armed forces on active duty are from
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1 time to time transported on such aircraft;

2 and

3 ‘‘(B) a flight of military aircraft not cov4 ered by subparagraph (A) on which persons

5 other than members of the armed forces on ac6 tive duty are transported in the same manner

7 and to the same extent as this chapter would

8 apply to such flight if such aircraft were owned

9 or operated by a nongovernmental entity.

10 ‘‘(b) APPLICABILITY TO PERSONS OPERATING SUCH

11 AIRCRAFT.—This chapter (including regulations issued to

12 carry out this chapter) applies to any pilot, mechanic, or

13 other person employed by a covered governmental entity

14 (or assigned to duty by the armed forces) with respect to

15 the operation of an aircraft covered by subsection (a) in

16 the same manner and to the same extent as this chapter

17 would apply to such person if such aircraft were owned

18 or operated by a nongovernmental entity.

19 ‘‘(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following

20 definitions apply:

21 ‘‘(1) COVERED GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY.—The

22 term ‘covered governmental entity’ means the United

23 States, the District of Columbia, any State or terri24 tory, and any unit of local government of a State or

25 territory.
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1 ‘‘(2) MILITARY AIRCRAFT.—The term ‘military

2 aircraft’ means an aircraft under the jurisdiction of

3 the Secretary of a military department, or the Sec4 retary of Transportation with respect to the Coast

5 Guard when it is not operating as a service in the

6 Navy.

7 ‘‘(3) NONMILITARY GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT.—

8 The term ‘nonmilitary government aircraft’ means

9 an aircraft other than a military aircraft that is

10 owned or operated by a covered governmental enti11 ty.’’.

12 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections

13 at the beginning of such chapter is amended by adding

14 at the end the following new item:

‘‘44725. Applicability to certain government aircraft.’’.

15 SEC. 3. ACTION BY THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION.

16 The Secretary of Transportation shall take action as

17 may be necessary to facilitate implementation of the

18 amendments made by section 2 of this Act on January

19 1, 2003, and thereafter.

20 SEC. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE.

21 The amendments made by section 2 of this Act shall

22 take effect January 1, 2003.

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