314 
provide Committee members a meaningful op-
portunity to comment. 
(6) TERMINATION.—The Committee shall ter-
minate on the date that is 6 years after the date on 
which the Committee is established. 
(7) TERMINATION OF FUTURE OF AVIATION AD-
VISORY COMMITTEE.—The Future of Aviation Advi-
sory Committee shall terminate on the date on which 
the lithium ion battery air safety advisory committee 
is established. 
(c) MEDICAL DEVICE BATTERIES.— 
(1) LIMITED EXCEPTIONS TO RESTRICTIONS ON 
AIR
TRANSPORTATION
OF
MEDICAL
DEVICE
BAT-
TERIES.—The Secretary shall issue limited excep-
tions to the restrictions on transportation of lithium 
ion and lithium metal batteries to allow the ship-
ment on a passenger aircraft of not more than 2 re-
placement batteries specifically used for a medical 
device if— 
(A) the intended destination of the bat-
teries is not serviced daily by cargo aircraft if 
a battery is required for medically necessary 
care; or 
(B) with regard to a shipper of lithium ion 
or lithium metal batteries for medical devices 
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that cannot comply with a charge limitation in 
place at the time, each battery is— 
(i) individually packed in an inner 
packaging that completely encloses the bat-
tery; 
(ii) placed in a rigid outer packaging; 
and 
(iii) protected to prevent a short cir-
cuit. 
(2) MEDICAL DEVICE DEFINED.—ln this sub-
section, the term ‘‘medical device’’ means an instru-
ment, apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, 
implant, or in vitro reagent, including any compo-
nent, part, or accessory thereof, which is intended 
for use in the diagnosis of disease or other condi-
tions, or in the cure, mitigation, treatment, or pre-
vention of disease, in a person. 
(3) SAVINGS
CLAUSE.—Nothing in this sub-
section may be construed as expanding or restricting 
any authority of the Secretary under section 828 of 
the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 
(49 U.S.C. 44701 note). 
(d) PACKAGING IMPROVEMENTS.—Not later than 
180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary, in consultation with interested stakeholders, shall 
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submit to the Committee on Transportation and Infra-
structure of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the 
Senate an evaluation of current practices for the pack-
aging of lithium ion batteries and cells for air transpor-
tation, including recommendations, if any, to improve the 
packaging of such batteries and cells for air transportation 
in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective manner. 
(e) DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION POLICY ON 
INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION.—It shall be the pol-
icy of the Department of Transportation to support the 
participation of industry in all panels and working groups 
of the Dangerous Goods Panel of the International Civil 
Aviation Organization and any other international test or 
standard setting organization that considers proposals on 
the safety or transportation of lithium ion and lithium 
metal batteries in which the United States participates. 
(f) HARMONIZATION WITH ICAO TECHNICAL IN-
STRUCTIONS.—Pursuant to section 828 of the FAA Mod-
ernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 44701 
note), not later than 30 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall conform United States reg-
ulations on the air transport of lithium cells and batteries 
with the lithium cells and batteries requirements in the 
2015–2016 edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions 
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(including all addenda), including the revised standards 
adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization 
that became effective on April 1, 2016. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defi-
nitions apply: 
(1) ICAO 
TECHNICAL
INSTRUCTIONS.—The 
term ‘‘ICAO Technical Instructions’’ has the mean-
ing given that term in section 828(c) of the FAA 
Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 
44701 note). 
(2) U.S. 
HAZARDOUS
MATERIALS
REGULA-
TIONS.—The term ‘‘U.S. Hazardous Materials Regu-
lations’’ means the regulations in parts 100 through 
177 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (includ-
ing amendments adopted after the date of enactment 
of this Act). 
SEC. 610. REMOTE TOWER PILOT PROGRAM FOR RURAL 
AND SMALL COMMUNITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall establish a pilot program under which, upon 
approval of an application submitted by an operator of a 
public-use airport, the Secretary shall install and operate 
at the airport a remote air traffic control tower in order 
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to assess the operational benefits of remote air traffic con-
trol towers. 
(b) APPLICATIONS.—The operator of an airport seek-
ing to participate in the pilot program shall submit to the 
Secretary for approval an application that is in such form 
and contains such information as the Secretary may re-
quire. 
(c) SELECTION CRITERIA.— 
(1) SELECTION
OF
AIRPORTS.—From among 
the applications submitted under subsection (b), the 
Secretary, after consultation with representatives of 
labor organizations representing operators and em-
ployees of the air traffic control system, shall select 
for participation in the pilot program 7 airports as 
follows: 
(A) 1 nonhub, primary airport. 
(B) 3 nonprimary airports without existing 
air traffic control towers. 
(C) 2 airports with air traffic control tow-
ers participating in a program established 
under section 47124 of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(D) 1 airport selected at the discretion of 
the Secretary. 
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