I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2957
To amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of the
Federal Aviation Administration to implement a criminal background
check program for pilot and flight service training applicants, and for
other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 25, 2001
Mr. CASTLE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Admin-
istrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to imple-
ment a criminal background check program for pilot
and flight service training applicants, and for other pur-
poses.
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 ‘‘Secure Aviation Em-
ployment and Training Enhancement Act of 2001’’.
SEC. 2. REQUIRING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR
PILOT AND AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TRAIN-
ING APPLICANTS.
Section 44707 of title 49, United States Code, is
amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—’’ before
‘‘The Administrator’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(b) BACKGROUND CHECK PROGRAM
FOR PILOT
AND AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE TRAINING APPLICANTS.—
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis-
trator shall implement a criminal background check
program for individuals enrolled or to be enrolled in
civilian schools giving instruction described in sub-
section (a)(1).
‘‘(2) PROGRAM
REQUIREMENTS.—Under the
program, the Administrator shall—
‘‘(A) establish and provide a standard ap-
plication form to be used by all civilian schools
giving 
instruction 
described 
in 
subsection
(a)(1);
‘‘(B) maintain a database of all processed
applications for such schools;
‘‘(C) require that any applicant to such a
school must fill out the standard application
form and undergo a criminal background check;
and
‘‘(D) if the background check reveals evi-
dence of criminal, espionage, or terrorist activ-
ity or any other evidence that the Administrator
determines, by regulation, to be a security
threat, the Administrator shall establish proce-
dures to ensure the applicant does not receive
training at such school.
‘‘(3) FEES AND CHARGES.—The Administrator
shall establish reasonable fees and charges to pay
expenses incurred in carrying out this section. Such
fees and charges may not exceed $100 per indi-
vidual. Money collected under this subsection shall
be credited to the account in the Treasury from
which expenses were incurred and are available to
the Administrator for those expenses.
‘‘(4) CRIMINAL
BACKGROUND
CHECK
DE-
FINED.—In this subsection, the term ‘criminal back-
ground check’, commonly known as an indices check,
means a review of information provided by the Di-
rector of Central Intelligence and the Director of the
Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding personal
background, including information relating to any
history of criminal activity or to any evidence of es-
pionage or terrorism.’’.
SEC. 3. REVIEW OF CURRENT CRIMINAL BACKGROUND
CHECK PROCEDURES FOR ALL AIRLINE EM-
PLOYEES.
(a) REVIEW.—The Director of the Office of Home-
land Security shall conduct a review of the current air car-
rier employee criminal background check procedures.
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Director shall transmit to
the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of
the House of Representatives and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report
on the results of the review, including an analysis of cur-
rent procedures and any details and recommendations that
the Director may have concerning improving such proce-
dures.
SEC. 4. FUNDING.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as may be necessary to carry out this Act, including the
amendments made by this Act.
SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT.
The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation
and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
of the Senate an annual report on the activities carried
out under this Act.
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