I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1648 

To establish a grant program for use of ‘‘internet of things’’ technologies 

in airports, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 17, 2023 

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

on Transportation and Infrastructure 

A BILL 

To establish a grant program for use of ‘‘internet of things’’ 

technologies in airports, 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 ‘‘Airport Technology 

5 and Efficiency Improvement Act of 2023’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF SENSOR PROJECTS FOR AIRPORT 

7 IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. 

8 Section 47119(a)(1)(B)(ii) of title 49, United States 

9 Code, is amended by striking ‘‘cameras’’ and inserting 

10 ‘‘sensors with the capability to detect travelers for security 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
2 

•HR 1648 IH

1 purposes, such as cameras and Light Detection and Rang2 ing (commonly known as ‘LiDAR’),’’. 

3 SEC. 3. NON-MOVEMENT AREA SURVEILLANCE SURFACE 

4 DISPLAY SYSTEMS PILOT PROGRAM. 

5 (a) INCREASE IN NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE SPON6 SORS.—Section 47143(b)(1) of title 49, United States 

7 Code, is amended by striking ‘‘5 eligible sponsors’’ and 

8 inserting ‘‘10 eligible sponsors’’. 

9 (b) PRIORITY FOR LOW-LIGHT SENSORS.—Section 

10 47143(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 

11 adding at the end the following: 

12 ‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—In making grants under the 

13 pilot program, the Administrator shall prioritize 

14 projects utilizing sensors that in low-light and de15 graded visual conditions can categorize and distin16 guish between humans, animals, and other objects.’’. 

17 (c) CHANGE OF SUNSET DATE.—Section 47143(c) of 

18 title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘Oc19 tober 1, 2023’’ and inserting ‘‘October 1, 2028’’. 

20 SEC. 4. SMART AIRPORTS PILOT PROGRAM. 

21 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Subchapter I of chapter 471 

22 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at 

23 the end the following: 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
3 

•HR 1648 IH

1 ‘‘§ 47145. Smart airports pilot program 

2 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Fed3 eral Aviation Administration shall establish and carry out 

4 a pilot program (in this section referred to as the ‘Pro5 gram’) to support the acquisition and installation of ‘inter6 net of things’ technologies by airports to create a more 

7 consumer-friendly and digitally connected airport experi8 ence. Under the Program, the Administrator shall make 

9 grants, on a competitive basis, to airports to carry out eli10 gible projects described in subsection (b). 

11 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.—The Administrator may 

12 make a grant under the Program only for a project that 

13 facilitates the acquisition and installation by an airport 

14 of sensor systems, software, passenger signals, or other 

15 technologies consistent with the purposes of the Program, 

16 including projects that facilitate— 

17 ‘‘(1) the modernization of technologies to pro18 vide more efficient check-ins, shortened security 

19 lines, and Wi-Fi and GPS upgrades, as well as im20 provements of aircraft turnaround times for on-time 

21 boarding and flights; and 

22 ‘‘(2) the acquisition of sensors and software 

23 systems with the ability to provide efficiency gains in 

24 airports, including shortening wait times and im25 proving traveler experience through smart signals in 

26 parking garages, security lines, or airport commerce. 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB
4 

•HR 1648 IH

1 ‘‘(c) GRANTS.— 

2 ‘‘(1) NUMBER.—The Administrator shall seek 

3 to make grants under the Program to not fewer 

4 than 5 airports. 

5 ‘‘(2) AMOUNT.—No grant under the Program 

6 may exceed $2,000,000. 

7 ‘‘(d) PRIORITY.—In making grants under the Pro8 gram, the Administrator shall prioritize projects that do 

9 not collect facial and biometric data of passengers not 

10 identified as a security threat. 

11 ‘‘(e) SUNSET.—The authority to make grants under 

12 this section shall terminate on September 30, 2029. 

13 ‘‘(f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

14 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out the Program 

15 $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2029.’’. 

16 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for chap17 ter 471 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 

18 inserting after the item relating to section 47144 the fol19 lowing new item: 

‘‘47145. Smart airports pilot program.’’. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with $$_JOB