‘‘(2) require each flight crewmember to wear a 
mask or protective face covering and permit such 
crewmember to wear protective eyewear or a face 
shield while on board an aircraft but outside the 
flight deck of the air carrier or in a vehicle of the 
air carrier; 
‘‘(3) require each employee or contractor of the 
air carrier to wear a mask or protective face cov-
ering while within any indoor public space of a cov-
ered airport; 
‘‘(4) submit to the Administrator a proposal to 
permit flight crewmembers of the air carrier to wear 
a mask or protective face covering while at their sta-
tions in the flight deck of an aircraft of the air car-
rier, including a safety risk assessment with respect 
to such proposal; 
‘‘(5) provide flight and cabin crewmembers, air-
port customer service agents, and other employees 
whose job responsibilities involve interaction with 
passengers with masks or protective face coverings, 
gloves, and hand sanitizer and cleaning products, 
such as disinfecting wipes, with sufficient active in-
gredient content of the disinfectant to stop the 
spread of such respiratory disease, and provide 
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training on the proper use of such items and equip-
ment; 
‘‘(6) ensure aircraft, including the cockpit and 
cabin, operated by such carrier are cleaned, dis-
infected, and sanitized by cleaners who are not flight 
or cabin crewmembers after each use in accordance 
with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
guidance; 
‘‘(7) ensure enclosed facilities owned, operated, 
or used by such air carrier, including facilities used 
for flight or cabin crewmember training or perform-
ance of indoor maintenance, repair, or overhaul 
work, are cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized fre-
quently in accordance with Centers for Disease Con-
trol and Prevention guidance; 
‘‘(8) provide air carrier employees whose job re-
sponsibilities involve cleaning, disinfecting, and sani-
tizing aircraft or enclosed facilities described in 
paragraphs (6) and (7) with masks or protective 
face coverings and gloves, and ensure that each con-
tractor of the air carrier provides employees of such 
contractor with such materials; and 
‘‘(9) establish guidelines, or adhere to existing 
applicable guidelines, for notifying or contacting em-
ployees who may have come into physical contact or 
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interaction with an employee who has been diag-
nosed with such respiratory disease. 
‘‘(b) LIMITED EXCEPTIONS.—The requirement for 
cabin and flight crewmembers to wear a mask or protec-
tive face covering under subsections (a)(1) and (a)(2) shall 
not apply while— 
‘‘(1) consuming food or beverage; 
‘‘(2) addressing a legitimate medical need that 
justifies temporary removal of the mask or face cov-
ering; 
‘‘(3) donning a supplemental oxygen mask in 
the event of a reduction in air pressure inside the 
cabin; 
‘‘(4) assisting another crewmember or pas-
senger in distress; or 
‘‘(5) performing another legitimate action iden-
tified by the air carrier or Administrator in any reg-
ulation issued pursuant to this section. 
‘‘§ 50205. Protection of certain Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration employees during public 
health emergencies 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—During the period of any na-
tional emergency declared by the President under the Na-
tional Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) with re-
spect to a respiratory disease, in order to maintain the 
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safe and efficient operation of the air traffic control sys-
tem, the Administrator shall— 
‘‘(1) provide air traffic controllers, aviation 
safety inspectors, and airway transportation systems 
specialists of the Administration with masks or pro-
tective face coverings, gloves, and hand sanitizer and 
cleaning products, such as disinfecting wipes, with 
sufficient active ingredient content of the disinfect-
ant to stop the spread of such respiratory disease; 
‘‘(2) ensure air traffic control facilities are 
cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized frequently in ac-
cordance with Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention guidance; and 
‘‘(3) provide employees of the Administration 
whose job responsibilities involve cleaning, dis-
infecting, and sanitizing facilities described in para-
graph (2) with masks or protective face coverings 
and gloves, and ensure that each contractor of the 
Administration provides employees of such con-
tractor with such materials. 
‘‘(b) SOURCE OF EQUIPMENT.—The items described 
in subsection (a) may be procured or provided under such 
subsection through any sources available to the Adminis-
trator. 
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‘‘§ 50206. National aviation preparedness plan 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Secretary of Trans-
portation, in coordination with the Secretary of Health 
and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
and the heads of such other Federal departments or agen-
cies as the Secretary of Transportation considers appro-
priate, shall develop a national aviation preparedness plan 
for communicable disease outbreaks. 
‘‘(b) CONTENTS
OF PLAN.—The plan developed 
under subsection (a) shall, at a minimum— 
‘‘(1) provide airports and air carriers with an 
adaptable and scalable framework with which to 
align the individual plans, including the emergency 
response plans, of such airports and air carriers and 
provide guidance as to each individual plan; 
‘‘(2) improve coordination among airports, air 
carriers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other 
appropriate Federal entities, and State and local 
governments and health agencies with respect to de-
veloping policies that increase the effectiveness of 
screening, testing, quarantining, and contact-tracing 
with respect to air carrier passengers; 
‘‘(3) to the extent practicable, improve coordi-
nation among relevant international entities; 
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‘‘(4) ensure that frontline at-risk employees are 
equipped with appropriate personal protective equip-
ment to reduce the likelihood of exposure to a cov-
ered communicable disease; 
‘‘(5) ensure frontline at-risk employees are suf-
ficiently considered for prioritized access to nec-
essary and available vaccines and therapeutics to re-
duce the effect and likelihood of exposure to and 
transmission of a covered communicable disease; 
‘‘(6) ensure aircraft and enclosed facilities 
owned, operated, or used by an air carrier or airport 
are cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized, and can have 
installed and maintained protective infrastructure 
where appropriate, in accordance with Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for pre-
venting and containing the spread of covered com-
municable diseases; 
‘‘(7) identify and assign Federal agency roles in 
the development and deployment of emerging and 
existing solutions to reduce covered communicable 
diseases in the aviation ecosystem; 
‘‘(8) clearly delineate the responsibilities of the 
sponsors and operators of airports, air carriers, and 
Federal agencies in responding to a covered commu-
nicable disease; 
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‘‘(9) incorporate the recommendations made by 
the Comptroller General of the United States to the 
Secretary of Transportation contained in the report 
titled ‘Air Travel and Communicable Diseases: Com-
prehensive Federal Plan Needed for U.S. Aviation 
System’s Preparedness’, issued in December 2015 
(GAO–16–127); and 
‘‘(10) consider the latest peer-reviewed scientific 
studies that address communicable disease with re-
spect to air transportation. 
‘‘(c) CONSULTATION.—In developing the plan under 
subsection (a), the Secretary of Transportation shall con-
sult with aviation industry and labor stakeholders, includ-
ing representatives of— 
‘‘(1) air carriers operating under part 121 of 
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; 
‘‘(2) airport operators, including operators of 
large hub, medium hub, small hub, and nonhub com-
mercial service airports; 
‘‘(3) labor organizations that represent airline 
pilots, flight attendants, air carrier airport customer 
service representatives, and air carrier maintenance, 
repair, and overhaul workers; 
‘‘(4) the labor organization certified under sec-
tion 7111 of title 5 as the exclusive bargaining rep-
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resentative of air traffic controllers of the Federal 
Aviation Administration; 
‘‘(5) the labor organization certified under sec-
tion 7111 of title 5 as the exclusive bargaining rep-
resentative of airway transportation systems special-
ists and aviation safety inspectors of the Federal 
Aviation Administration; 
‘‘(6) trade associations representing air carriers 
and airports; and 
‘‘(7) such other stakeholders as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
‘‘(d) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the plan 
is developed under subsection (a), the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
a report that includes such plan. 
‘‘(e) REVIEW OF PLAN.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date on which a report is submitted under subsection 
(d), and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall re-
view the plan included in such report and make changes 
by rule as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
‘‘(f) GAO STUDY.—Not later than 18 months after 
the date of enactment of this section, the Comptroller 
General shall conduct and submit to the Committee on 
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Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Rep-
resentatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate a study assessing the 
national aviation preparedness plan developed under sub-
section (a), including— 
‘‘(1) whether such plan— 
‘‘(A) is responsive to any previous rec-
ommendations relating to aviation preparedness 
with respect to an outbreak of a covered com-
municable disease or global health emergency 
made by the Comptroller General; and 
‘‘(B) meets the obligations of the United 
States under international conventions and 
treaties; and 
‘‘(2) the extent to which the United States avia-
tion system is prepared to respond to an outbreak 
of a covered communicable disease. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) FRONTLINE
AT-RISK
EMPLOYEE.—The 
term ‘frontline at-risk employee’ means— 
‘‘(A) an individual whose job duties require 
interaction with air carrier passengers on a reg-
ular and continuing basis and who is an em-
ployee of— 
‘‘(i) an air carrier; 
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‘‘(ii) an air carrier contractor; 
‘‘(iii) an airport; or 
‘‘(iv) the Federal Government; or 
‘‘(B) an air traffic controller or systems 
safety specialist of the Federal Aviation Admin-
istration. 
‘‘(2) COVERED COMMUNICABLE DISEASE.—The 
term ‘covered communicable disease’ means a com-
municable disease that has the potential to cause an 
epidemic or pandemic of infectious disease that 
would constitute a public health emergency of inter-
national concern as declared by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services under section 319 of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d). 
‘‘§ 50207. Definitions 
‘‘The definitions in section 40102(a) of this title shall 
apply to terms in this chapter, except that the following 
terms have the following meanings: 
‘‘(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘Adminis-
trator’ means the Administrator of the Federal Avia-
tion Administration. 
‘‘(2) RESPIRATORY DISEASE.—The term ‘res-
piratory disease’ means an infectious disease that is, 
or is reasonably believed to be, caused by a pathogen 
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transmissible by aerosols or respiratory droplets ex-
pelled from the nose or mouth. 
‘‘(3) COVERED
AIRPORT.—The term ‘covered 
airport’ means a public-use airport that receives 
flights of an air carrier operating under the provi-
sions of part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regu-
lations. 
‘‘(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for sub-
title VII of title 49, United States Code, is amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘502. PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES 50201’’. 
(c) INTERFERENCE WITH CREWMEMBERS.—Section 
46504 of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’ before 
‘‘An individual’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) FAILURE TO WEAR MASKS DURING PUBLIC 
HEALTH EMERGENCY.—For purposes of subsection (a), 
an individual interferes with the performance of the duties 
of a flight crew member or flight attendant if such indi-
vidual, without justification, disobeys a flight crew mem-
ber’s or flight attendant’s instruction to wear a mask or 
protective face covering during the period of any national 
emergency declared by the President under the National 
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