I 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 4464 
To ensure that Federal research and development in support of civil aviation 
remains at the forefront of addressing challenges confronting the Nation’s 
air transportation system, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 4, 2016 
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas (for herself, Mr. LIPINSKI, Ms. 
EDWARDS, Mr. GRAYSON, and Ms. ESTY) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
A BILL 
To ensure that Federal research and development in support 
of civil aviation remains at the forefront of addressing 
challenges confronting the Nation’s air transportation 
system, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Federal Aviation Re-
search and Development Reauthorization Act of 2016’’. 
SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 49, UNITED STATES CODE. 
Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever in 
this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in terms 
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of an amendment to, or a repeal of, a section or other 
provision, the reference shall be considered to be made to 
a section or other provision of title 49, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration. 
(2) FAA.—The term ‘‘FAA’’ means the Fed-
eral Aviation Administration. 
(3) NASA.—The term ‘‘NASA’’ means the Na-
tional Aeronautics and Space Administration. 
(4) NEXTGEN.—The term ‘‘NextGen’’ means 
the Next Generation Air Transportation System. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation. 
TITLE I—AUTHORIZATION OF 
APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 11. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 48102(a) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of paragraph 
(8); 
(2) by striking paragraph (9); and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
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‘‘(9) $428,050,000 for fiscal year 2016, of 
which— 
‘‘(A) $166,000,000 shall be for Research, 
Engineering, and Development; 
‘‘(B) $216,050,000 shall be for Facilities 
and Equipment; and 
‘‘(C) $46,000,000 shall be for Grants-in- 
Aid for Airports; 
‘‘(10) $490,200,000 for fiscal year 2017, of 
which— 
‘‘(A) $169,000,000 shall be for Research, 
Engineering, and Development; 
‘‘(B) $275,200,000 shall be for Facilities 
and Equipment; and 
‘‘(C) $46,000,000 shall be for Grants-in- 
Aid for Airports; and 
‘‘(11) $536,270,400 for fiscal year 2018, of 
which— 
‘‘(A) $173,346,000 shall be for Research, 
Engineering, and Development; 
‘‘(B) $316,832,400 shall be for Facilities 
and Equipment; and 
‘‘(C) $46,092,000 shall be for Grants-in- 
Aid for Airports.’’. 
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TITLE II—STRATEGIC 
DIRECTION FOR FAA RESEARCH 
SEC. 21. DECADAL SURVEY ON FAA’S CIVIL AVIATION RE-
SEARCH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into an 
arrangement with the National Academies for a com-
prehensive research survey and strategy for FAA’s civil 
aviation activities, including NextGen, over the next dec-
ade. The survey shall encompass research activities in 
FAA’s Research, Engineering, and Development, Facili-
ties and Equipment, and Grants-in-Aid for Airports ac-
counts, as well as any other research or emerging research 
areas that will enhance FAA’s civil aviation activities. The 
survey shall— 
(1) prioritize FAA civil aviation research needs 
and align such research needs with the mission of 
FAA; 
(2) examine the status of research methods and 
tools, including modeling and simulation, data anal-
ysis, and technology demonstration capabilities, that 
can contribute to FAA civil aviation research; 
(3) examine the status of FAA-owned research 
facilities and equipment, the extent to which their 
availability and accessibility is coordinated across 
FAA’s research programs, and their ability to sup-
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the results of the National Academies decadal survey to 
the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
SEC. 22. 5-YEAR STRATEGIC AND INTEGRATED RESEARCH 
PLAN. 
(a) PLAN.—Not later than 9 months after the date 
of transmittal of the decadal survey under section 21(b), 
the Secretary shall transmit to the Committee on Science, 
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate a Strategic and Integrated Research 
Plan that establishes a program of research and develop-
ment activities that reflects the results of such decadal 
survey. The plan shall— 
(1) describe how FAA’s research and develop-
ment activities and associated projects, including 
those related to— 
(A) NextGen-associated research; 
(B) research, engineering, and development 
and facilities and equipment; 
(C) grants-in-aid for airports research; and 
(D) other research areas recommended in 
the decadal survey, 
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will be interlinked to address common themes and 
contribute to making progress on the priorities iden-
tified in the decadal survey transmitted under sec-
tion 21(b); 
(2) provide integrated research objectives, mile-
stones, and timelines for achieving those priorities 
over the next 5 years; and 
(3) describe research activities that will lead to 
procedures for the certification and operational ap-
proval of new technologies for their timely and cost- 
effective introduction into the National Airspace 
System. 
(b) REVIEW.—Not later than 3 years after the trans-
mittal of the Strategic and Integrated Research Plan 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall enter into an ar-
rangement with the National Academies to review FAA’s 
progress on implementing the Strategic and Integrated 
Research Plan. 
(c) TRANSMITTAL OF REVIEW.—Not later than 12 
months after the Secretary enters into the arrangement 
required under subsection (b), the Secretary shall transmit 
the results of the National Academies’ review to the Com-
mittee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation of the Senate. 
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