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Union Calendar No. 414 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4156 

[Report No. 113–554] 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to allow advertisements and solicitations for passenger air transportation to state the base airfare of the 

transportation, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 6, 2014 

Mr. SHUSTER (for himself, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. GRAVES of Georgia, Mr. 

RAHALL, Mr. LOBIONDO, and Mr. LARSEN of Washington) introduced 

the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 

and Infrastructure 

JULY 24, 2014 

Additional sponsors: Mr. FARENTHOLD, Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. 

WILLIAMS, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. SIRES, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. 

SOUTHERLAND, Mr. RIBBLE, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mrs. CAPITO, Ms. NORTON, 

Mr. ENYART, Mr. RENACCI, Mr. JONES, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Ms. 

TITUS, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. VEASEY, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. RICE of South Carolina, Mr. SANFORD, Mr. BARLETTA, Ms. 

EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Mr. 

CARSON of Indiana, Mr. GARCIA, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. SCHRADER, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. TERRY, Ms. FRANKEL of Florida, Mrs. 

WAGNER, Mr. BENTIVOLIO, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, 

Mr. OLSON, Mr. MULLIN, Mrs. BACHMANN, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. POE of 

Texas, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. HALL, and Mr. GIBBS

JULY 24, 2014 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 

and ordered to be printed 

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•HR 4156 RH

A BILL 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to allow advertisements and solicitations for passenger air transportation 

to state the base airfare of the transportation, and for 

other purposes. 

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•HR 4156 RH

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 ‘‘Transparent Airfares 

5 Act of 2014’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ADVERTISEMENTS AND SOLICITATIONS FOR PAS7 SENGER AIR TRANSPORTATION. 

8 (a) FULL FARE ADVERTISING.—Section 41712 of 

9 title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the 

10 end the following: 

11 ‘‘(d) FULL FARE ADVERTISING.— 

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall not be an unfair or 

13 deceptive practice under subsection (a) for a covered 

14 entity to state in an advertisement or solicitation for 

15 passenger air transportation the base airfare for the 

16 air transportation if the covered entity clearly and 

17 separately discloses— 

18 ‘‘(A) the government-imposed taxes and 

19 fees associated with the air transportation; and 

20 ‘‘(B) the total cost of the air transpor21 tation. 

22 ‘‘(2) FORM OF DISCLOSURE.— 

23 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of para24 graph (1), the information described in para25 graphs (1)(A) and (1)(B) shall be disclosed in 

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1 the advertisement or solicitation in a manner 

2 that clearly presents the information to the con3 sumer. 

4 ‘‘(B) INTERNET ADVERTISEMENTS AND

5 SOLICITATIONS.—For purposes of paragraph 

6 (1), with respect to an advertisement or solicita7 tion for passenger air transportation that ap8 pears on an Internet Web site, the information 

9 described in paragraphs (1)(A) and (1)(B) may 

10 be disclosed through a link or pop-up, as such 

11 terms may be defined by the Secretary, that 

12 displays the information in a manner that is 

13 easily accessible and viewable by the consumer. 

14 ‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection, the fol15 lowing definitions apply: 

16 ‘‘(A) BASE AIRFARE.—The term ‘base air17 fare’ means the cost of passenger air transpor18 tation, excluding government-imposed taxes and 

19 fees. 

20 ‘‘(B) COVERED ENTITY.—The term ‘cov21 ered entity’ means an air carrier, including an 

22 indirect air carrier, foreign carrier, ticket agent, 

23 or other person offering to sell tickets for pas24 senger air transportation or a tour or tour commstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS

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1 ponent that must be purchased with air trans2 portation.’’. 

3 (b) LIMITATION ON STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION.— 

4 Nothing in the amendment made by subsection (a) may 

5 be construed to affect any obligation of a person that sells 

6 air transportation to disclose the total cost of the air 

7 transportation, including government-imposed taxes and 

8 fees, prior to purchase of the air transportation. 

9 (c) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 120 days after 

10 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue 

11 final regulations to carry out the amendment made by sub12 section (a). 

13 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This Act, and the amend14 ments made by this Act, shall take effect on the earlier 

15 of— 

16 (1) the effective date of regulations issued 

17 under subsection (c); and 

18 (2) the date that is 180 days after the date of 

19 enactment of this Act. 

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Union Calendar No. 414 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4156 

[Report No. 113–554] 

A BILL 

To amend title 49, United States Code, to allow adtransportation, and for other purposes. transportation to state the base airfare of the vertisements and solicitations for passenger air 

JULY 24, 2014 

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the 

State of the Union and ordered to be printed 

mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with BILLS