Airport Technology and Efficiency Improvement Act of 2023

Subjects: Transportation and Public Works


<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1648 Introduced in House (IH)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






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.

    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 ``Airport Technology and Efficiency 
Improvement Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY OF SENSOR PROJECTS FOR AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.

    Section 47119(a)(1)(B)(ii) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by striking ``cameras'' and inserting ``sensors with the 
capability to detect travelers for security purposes, such as cameras 
and Light Detection and Ranging (commonly known as `LiDAR'),''.

SEC. 3. NON-MOVEMENT AREA SURVEILLANCE SURFACE DISPLAY SYSTEMS PILOT 
              PROGRAM.

    (a) Increase in Number of Eligible Sponsors.--Section 47143(b)(1) 
of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking ``5 eligible 
sponsors'' and inserting ``10 eligible sponsors''.
    (b) Priority for Low-Light Sensors.--Section 47143(b) of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) Priority.--In making grants under the pilot program, 
        the Administrator shall prioritize projects utilizing sensors 
        that in low-light and degraded visual conditions can categorize 
        and distinguish between humans, animals, and other objects.''.
    (c) Change of Sunset Date.--Section 47143(c) of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ``October 1, 2023'' and inserting 
``October 1, 2028''.

SEC. 4. SMART AIRPORTS PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Subchapter I of chapter 471 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 47145. Smart airports pilot program
    ``(a) In General.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall establish and carry out a pilot program (in this 
section referred to as the `Program') to support the acquisition and 
installation of `internet of things' technologies by airports to create 
a more consumer-friendly and digitally connected airport experience. 
Under the Program, the Administrator shall make grants, on a 
competitive basis, to airports to carry out eligible projects described 
in subsection (b).
    ``(b) Eligible Projects.--The Administrator may make a grant under 
the Program only for a project that facilitates the acquisition and 
installation by an airport of sensor systems, software, passenger 
signals, or other technologies consistent with the purposes of the 
Program, including projects that facilitate--
            ``(1) the modernization of technologies to provide more 
        efficient check-ins, shortened security lines, and Wi-Fi and 
        GPS upgrades, as well as improvements of aircraft turnaround 
        times for on-time boarding and flights; and
            ``(2) the acquisition of sensors and software systems with 
        the ability to provide efficiency gains in airports, including 
        shortening wait times and improving traveler experience through 
        smart signals in parking garages, security lines, or airport 
        commerce.
    ``(c) Grants.--
            ``(1) Number.--The Administrator shall seek to make grants 
        under the Program to not fewer than 5 airports.
            ``(2) Amount.--No grant under the Program may exceed 
        $2,000,000.
    ``(d) Priority.--In making grants under the Program, the 
Administrator shall prioritize projects that do not collect facial and 
biometric data of passengers not identified as a security threat.
    ``(e) Sunset.--The authority to make grants under this section 
shall terminate on September 30, 2029.
    ``(f) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out the Program $5,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2029.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for chapter 471 of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 47144 the following new item:

``47145. Smart airports pilot program.''.
                                 &lt;all&gt;
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