Prioritizing Accountability and Accessibility for Aviation Consumers Act of 2023

Subjects: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:  <p><b>Prioritizing Accountability and Accessibility for Aviation Consumers Act of 2023</b></p> <p>This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to annually report on aviation consumer complaints related to passengers with a disability. </p> <p>Each report must include (1) the number and nature of complaints filed with DOT related to passengers with a disability during the previous five years, (2) an overview of DOT's complaint review process and how quickly complaints are addressed, and (3) the number of complaints DOT referred to other departments and agencies for enforcement action.</p> <p>These reports must be publicly available. </p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 400 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 400

   To require the Secretary of Transportation to annually report on 
 aviation consumer complaints related to passengers with a disability.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 14, 2023

 Ms. Duckworth (for herself and Mrs. Fischer) introduced the following 
 bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To require the Secretary of Transportation to annually report on 
 aviation consumer complaints related to passengers with a disability.

    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 ``Prioritizing Accountability and 
Accessibility for Aviation Consumers Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION ON AVIATION 
              CONSUMER COMPLAINTS RELATED TO PASSENGERS WITH A 
              DISABILITY.

    (a) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of 
Transportation shall submit a report on aviation consumer complaints 
related to passengers with a disability filed with the Department of 
Transportation to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and shall make each 
report publicly available.
    (b) Report.--Each report submitted under subsection (a) shall 
include, but not be limited to, the following:
            (1) The number of aviation consumer complaints related to 
        passengers with a disability filed with the Department of 
        Transportation during the 5 most recent calendar years.
            (2) The nature of such complaints, such as reported issues 
        with--
                    (A) an air carrier, including an air carrier's 
                staff training or lack thereof;
                    (B) mishandling of passengers with a disability or 
                their accessibility equipment;
                    (C) the condition or lack of accessibility 
                equipment or materials;
                    (D) the accessibility of in-flight services, 
                including accessing and utilizing on-board lavatories, 
                for passengers with a disability;
                    (E) difficulties experienced by passengers with a 
                disability in communicating with an air carrier or 
                staff of an air carrier;
                    (F) difficulties experienced by passengers with a 
                disability in being moved, handled, or having their 
                schedule changed without consent;
                    (G) issues experienced by passengers with a 
                disability traveling with a service animal; and
                    (H) such other issues as the Secretary of 
                Transportation deems appropriate.
            (3) An overview of the review process for such complaints 
        received during such period.
            (4) How quickly review for each such complaint was 
        initiated.
            (5) How quickly each such complaint was resolved or 
        otherwise addressed.
            (6) Of the complaints that were found to violate section 
        41705 of title 49, United States Code (commonly known as the 
        ``Air Carrier Access Act of 1986'')--
                    (A) the number of such complaints for which a 
                formal enforcement order was issued; and
                    (B) the number of such complaints for which a 
                formal enforcement order was not issued.
            (7) How many aviation consumer complaints related to 
        passengers with a disability were referred to the Department of 
        Justice for an enforcement action under--
                    (A) section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 
                (29 U.S.C. 794);
                    (B) the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 
                U.S.C. 12101 et seq.); or
                    (C) any other provision of law.
            (8) How many aviation consumer complaints related to 
        passengers with a disability filed with the Department of 
        Transportation that involved airport staff, or other matters 
        under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration, 
        were referred to the Federal Aviation Administration.
            (9) How many aviation consumer complaints related to 
        passengers with a disability filed with the Department of 
        Transportation that involved Transportation Security 
        Administration staff, or other matters under the jurisdiction 
        of the Transportation Security Administration, were referred to 
        the Transportation Security Administration or the Department of 
        Homeland Security.
    (c) Definitions.--
            (1) In general.--The definitions set forth in section 40102 
        of title 49, United States Code, and section 382.3 of title 14, 
        Code of Federal Regulations, apply to any term defined in such 
        sections that is used in this section.
            (2) Passengers with a disability defined.--In this section, 
        the term ``passengers with a disability'' has the meaning given 
        the term ``qualified individual with a disability'' in section 
        382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out this section.
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