I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5004 
To protect the rights of passengers with disabilities in air transportation, 
and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 13, 2018 
Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself and Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To protect the rights of passengers with disabilities in air 
transportation, 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 ‘‘Air Carrier Access 
Amendments Act of 2018’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS; SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress makes the following find-
ings: 
(1) In 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed 
the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 (Public Law 99– 
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435; 100 Stat. 1080), adding a provision now codi-
fied in section 41705 of title 49, United States Code 
(in this section referred to as the ‘‘ACAA’’), prohib-
iting disability-based discrimination in air transpor-
tation. 
(2) Despite progress, many individuals with dis-
abilities, including veterans, still encounter signifi-
cant barriers while traveling in air transportation, 
such as— 
(A) damaged assistive devices; 
(B) inaccessible aircraft, lavatories, and 
communication media; 
(C) delayed assistance; 
(D) inequitable treatment of service ani-
mals; 
(E) inadequate disability cultural com-
petency; and 
(F) a lack of suitable seating accommoda-
tions. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—The following is the sense 
of Congress: 
(1) Access for individuals with disabilities in air 
transportation must move into the 21st century. 
Otherwise, individuals with disabilities will be left 
behind and unable to compete in today’s job market 
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or enjoy the opportunities available to other citizens 
of the United States. 
(2) Aircraft must be designed to accommodate 
individuals with disabilities and air carriers must ac-
quire aircraft that meet broad accessibility stand-
ards. 
(3) The ACAA must be updated to improve ac-
cess to air transportation for individuals with dis-
abilities. Legislation is necessary for the moderniza-
tion of standards and requirements that will 
strengthen accessibility in air transportation, includ-
ing the accessibility of aircraft. 
(4) The Department of Transportation and the 
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compli-
ance Board (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Ac-
cess Board’’) must promulgate regulations to ensure 
that all passengers with disabilities receive— 
(A) 
prompt 
and 
effective 
boarding, 
deplaning, and connections between flights; 
(B) 
accommodations, 
including 
non-
standard accommodations, that safely facilitate 
air travel; and 
(C) better access to airport facilities, in-
cluding the provision of visually accessible an-
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nouncements and full and equal access to aural 
communications. 
(5) Legislation is necessary to ensure that indi-
viduals with disabilities have adequate remedies 
available when air carriers violate the ACAA (includ-
ing regulations prescribed under the ACAA). 
(6) Unlike other civil rights statutes, the ACAA 
does not contain a private right of action, which is 
critical to the enforcement of civil rights statutes. 
Legislation is necessary to correct this anomaly. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ACCESS BOARD.—The term ‘‘Access Board’’ 
means the Architectural and Transportation Bar-
riers Compliance Board. 
(2) AIR
CARRIER.—The term ‘‘air carrier’’ 
means an air carrier or foreign air carrier (as those 
terms are defined in section 40102 of title 49, 
United States Code). 
(3) DISABILITY.—The term ‘‘disability’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 3 of the Ameri-
cans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12102), including the meaning under that section as 
amended by the ADA Amendments of 2008 (Public 
Law 110–325; 122 Stat. 3553). 
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(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of Transportation. 
SEC. 4. IMPROVING ACCESS TO AIR TRANSPORTATION FOR 
INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 41705 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘§ 41705. Accessibility of air transportation for indi-
viduals with disabilities 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In providing air transportation, 
an air carrier may not discriminate against an individual 
on the basis of a disability, including by taking any of 
the actions prohibited under subsection (b) or not taking 
any of the actions required by subsection (c). 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITED ACTIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An air carrier may not— 
‘‘(A) directly or through a contractual, li-
censing, or other arrangement, discriminate in 
the full and equal enjoyment (within the mean-
ing of that term under section 302(a) of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 
U.S.C. 12182(a))) of air transportation; 
‘‘(B) deny the opportunity of an individual 
or a class of individuals, on the basis of a dis-
ability or disabilities of the individual or class, 
to participate in or benefit from the goods, 
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services, facilities, advantages, accommodations, 
or other opportunities provided by the air car-
rier; 
‘‘(C) afford an individual or a class of indi-
viduals, on the basis of a disability or disabil-
ities of the individual or class, with the oppor-
tunity to participate in or benefit from a good, 
service, facility, advantage, accommodation, or 
other opportunity that is not equal to a good, 
service, facility, advantage, accommodation, or 
other opportunity afforded to other individuals; 
‘‘(D) subject to paragraph (2), provide an 
individual or a class of individuals, on the basis 
of a disability or disabilities of the individual or 
class, with a good, service, facility, privilege, ad-
vantage, accommodation, or other opportunity 
that is different or separate from a good, serv-
ice, facility, privilege, advantage, accommoda-
tion, or other opportunity provided to other in-
dividuals; 
‘‘(E) deny any goods, services, facilities, 
privileges, 
advantages, 
accommodations, 
or 
other opportunities to an individual because of 
the known disability of another individual with 
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whom the individual is known to have a rela-
tionship or association; 
‘‘(F) impose or apply eligibility criteria 
that screen out or have the effect of screening 
out individuals with disabilities or a class of in-
dividuals with disabilities from fully enjoying 
any good, service, facility, privilege, advantage, 
accommodation, or other opportunity provided 
by the air carrier, unless the air carrier can 
demonstrate that such criteria are necessary for 
the provision of the good, service, facility, privi-
lege, advantage, accommodation, or other op-
portunity; 
‘‘(G) directly or through a contractual, li-
censing, or other arrangement, use standards or 
criteria or methods of administration— 
‘‘(i) that have the effect of discrimi-
nating on the basis of disability; or 
‘‘(ii) that perpetuate the discrimina-
tion of others who are subject to common 
administrative control; 
‘‘(H) purchase or lease an aircraft that 
does not comply with this section and regula-
tions prescribed under this section; or 
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‘‘(I) refurbish an aircraft manufactured be-
fore the date of the enactment of the Air Car-
rier Access Amendments Act of 2018, or pur-
chase or lease such an aircraft, unless the air-
craft, to the maximum extent feasible, is made 
readily accessible to and usable by individuals 
with disabilities, including individuals who use 
wheelchairs, in accordance with this section and 
upon issuance of regulations prescribed under 
this section. 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), an air carrier may provide an indi-
vidual or a class of individuals, on the basis of 
a disability or disabilities of the individual or 
class, with a good, service, facility, privilege, ad-
vantage, accommodation, or other opportunity 
that is different or separate from the good, 
service, facility, privilege, advantage, accommo-
dation, or other opportunity provided to other 
individuals if doing so is necessary to provide 
the individual or class of individuals with a 
good, service, facility, privilege, advantage, ac-
commodation, or other opportunity that is as 
effective as the good, service, facility, privilege, 
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advantage, accommodation, or other oppor-
tunity provided to other individuals. 
‘‘(B) ACCEPTANCE.—An individual or a 
class of individuals shall retain the authority to 
decide whether to accept or refuse a good, serv-
ice, facility, privilege, advantage, accommoda-
tion, or other opportunity referred to in sub-
paragraph (A). 
‘‘(C) SELECTION
OF
GOODS, ETC., PRO-
VIDED TO OTHERS.—If, in accordance with sub-
paragraph (A), an air carrier provides to an in-
dividual or a class of individuals a good, service, 
facility, privilege, advantage, accommodation, or 
other opportunity that is different or separate 
from the good, service, facility, privilege, advan-
tage, accommodation, or other opportunity pro-
vided to other individuals, the air carrier may 
not deny to an individual with a disability the 
opportunity to participate in the good, service, 
facility, privilege, advantage, accommodation, or 
other opportunity provided to such other indi-
viduals. 
‘‘(c) REQUIRED ACTIONS.—An air carrier shall— 
‘‘(1) afford goods, services, facilities, privileges, 
advantages, accommodations, and other opportuni-
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ties to an individual with a disability in the most in-
tegrated setting appropriate to the needs of the indi-
vidual; 
‘‘(2) make reasonable modifications in policies, 
practices, or procedures, when such modifications 
are necessary to afford goods, services, facilities, 
privileges, advantages, accommodations, or other op-
portunities to individuals with disabilities, unless the 
air carrier can demonstrate that making such modi-
fications would fundamentally alter the nature of the 
goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, ac-
commodations, or other opportunities; 
‘‘(3) take such measures as may be necessary 
to ensure that no individual with a disability is ex-
cluded, denied services, segregated, or otherwise 
treated differently from other individuals because of 
the absence of auxiliary aids or services, unless the 
air carrier can demonstrate that taking such meas-
ures would— 
‘‘(A) fundamentally alter the nature of a 
good, service, facility, privilege, advantage, ac-
commodation, or other opportunity being of-
fered; or 
‘‘(B) result in an undue burden to the air 
carrier; and 
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‘‘(4)(A) remove architectural barriers to equal 
access by individuals with disabilities to goods, serv-
ices, facilities, privileges, advantages, accommoda-
tions, or other opportunities provided by the air car-
rier, and communication barriers to such access that 
are structural in nature, in facilities of the air car-
rier (whether owned or leased by the air carrier) 
that were constructed before or altered after the 
date of the enactment of the Air Carrier Access 
Amendments Act of 2018, and remove barriers to 
such access in aircraft manufactured before such 
date of enactment and used by an air carrier for 
transporting individuals, if the removal of such bar-
riers is readily achievable; or 
‘‘(B) if the air carrier can demonstrate that the 
removal of a barrier described in subparagraph (A) 
is not readily achievable, make such goods, services, 
facilities, privileges, advantages, accommodations, or 
other opportunities available through alternative 
methods that are readily achievable. 
‘‘(d) COMPLAINTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall ensure that individuals with disabilities 
traveling in air transportation are able— 
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for a consumer to file a disability-related com-
plaint; and 
‘‘(D) notice that the consumer can file a 
disability-related complaint with the air carrier 
and the process and any timelines for filing 
such a complaint. 
‘‘(3) INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(i) investigate each complaint of a 
violation of this section or a regulation pre-
scribed under this section; and 
‘‘(ii) provide, in writing, to the indi-
vidual that filed the complaint and the air 
carrier alleged to have violated this section 
or a regulation prescribed under this sec-
tion, the determination of the Secretary 
with respect to— 
‘‘(I) whether the air carrier vio-
lated this section or a regulation pre-
scribed under this section; and 
‘‘(II) the facts underlying the 
complaint. 
‘‘(B) REFERRAL.—If the Secretary has 
reasonable cause to believe that any air carrier 
or group of air carriers is engaged in a pattern 
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or practice of discrimination under this section, 
or any person or group of persons has been dis-
criminated against under this section and such 
discrimination raises an issue of general public 
importance, the Secretary shall refer the matter 
to the Attorney General. 
‘‘(C) PUBLICATION
OF
DATA.—The Sec-
retary shall publish disability-related complaint 
data in a manner comparable to other aviation 
consumer complaint data. 
‘‘(D) REVIEW
AND
REPORT.—The Sec-
retary shall regularly review all complaints re-
ceived by air carriers alleging discrimination on 
the basis of disability and shall report annually 
to Congress on the disposition of such com-
plaints. 
‘‘(e) CIVIL ACTION.— 
‘‘(1) AGGRIEVED PERSONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Any person aggrieved 
by the violation by an air carrier of this section 
or a regulation prescribed under this section 
may, during the 2-year period beginning on the 
date of the violation, bring a civil action in an 
appropriate district court of the United States. 
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‘‘(B) AVAILABLE RELIEF.—If a court finds 
in favor of the plaintiff in a civil action brought 
under subparagraph (A), the court may award 
to the plaintiff equitable and legal relief, includ-
ing compensatory and punitive damages, and 
shall, in addition to any such relief, award rea-
sonable attorney’s fees, reasonable expert fees, 
and cost of the action to the plaintiff. 
‘‘(C) EXHAUSTION
OF
ADMINISTRATIVE 
REMEDIES.—Any person aggrieved by the viola-
tion by an air carrier of this section or a regu-
lation prescribed under this section shall not be 
required to exhaust administrative remedies be-
fore bringing a civil action under subparagraph 
(A). 
‘‘(D) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing 
in this paragraph shall be construed to invali-
date or limit other Federal or State laws afford-
ing to people with disabilities greater legal 
rights or protections than those granted by this 
section. 
‘‘(2) 
ENFORCEMENT
BY
ATTORNEY
GEN-
ERAL.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Attorney General 
may bring a civil action on behalf of persons 
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aggrieved by the violation by an air carrier of 
this section or a regulation prescribed under 
this section in any appropriate district court of 
the United States. 
‘‘(B) AUTHORITY OF COURT.—In a civil 
action under subparagraph (A), the court 
may— 
‘‘(i) grant any equitable relief that the 
court considers to be appropriate; 
‘‘(ii) award such other relief as the 
court considers to be appropriate, includ-
ing monetary damages to persons ag-
grieved by the violation by an air carrier of 
this section or a regulation prescribed 
under this section, when requested by the 
Attorney General; and 
‘‘(iii) assess a civil penalty against the 
air carrier. 
‘‘(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sub-
chapter shall require an air carrier to permit an individual 
to participate in or benefit from goods, services, facilities, 
privileges, advantages, accommodations, or other opportu-
nities if the individual poses a significant risk to the health 
or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a modi-
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fication of policies, practices, or procedures or by the pro-
vision of auxiliary aids or services. 
‘‘(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ACCESS BOARD.—The term ‘Access Board’ 
means the Architectural and Transportation Bar-
riers Compliance Board. 
‘‘(2) AIR
CARRIER.—The term ‘air carrier’ 
means an air carrier or, subject to section 40105(b), 
a foreign air carrier. 
‘‘(3) DISABILITY.—The term ‘disability’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 3 of the Ameri-
cans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12102), including the meaning under that section as 
amended by the ADA Amendments of 2008 (Public 
Law 110–325; 122 Stat. 3553). 
‘‘(4) READILY ACHIEVABLE.—The term ‘readily 
achievable’ means easily accomplishable and able to 
be carried out without much difficulty or expense. In 
determining whether an action is readily achievable, 
factors to be considered include— 
‘‘(A) the nature and cost of the action 
needed; and 
‘‘(B) the overall financial resources of the 
air carrier.’’. 
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(b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary shall ensure the availability and provision of appro-
priate technical assistance manuals to individuals and en-
tities with rights or responsibilities under section 41705 
of title 49, United States Code, as amended by subsection 
(c). 
(c) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The chapter analysis 
for chapter 417 of title 49, United States Code, is amend-
ed by striking the item relating to section 41705 and in-
serting the following: 
‘‘41705. Accessibility of air transportation for individuals with disabilities.’’. 
SEC. 5. STANDARDS. 
(a) AIRCRAFT WITH NEW OR AMENDED TYPE CER-
TIFICATES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Ac-
cess Board shall, in consultation with the Secretary, 
prescribe regulations setting forth the minimum 
standards to ensure that aircraft with type certifi-
cates under part 21 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, issued or amended after the date the 
regulations are issued, and related boarding and 
deplaning equipment, are accessible, in terms of de-
sign for, transportation of, and communication to, 
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uals with disabilities, including individuals who use 
wheelchairs, on aircraft with type certificates issued 
under part 21 of title 14, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, before such date of enactment, are removed to 
meet basic accessibility needs of individuals with dis-
abilities to the extent readily achievable. 
(2) REMOVAL
OF
BARRIERS.—The standards 
issued under paragraph (1) shall apply at a min-
imum to stowage of wheelchairs in the cargo hold, 
captioning in-flight entertainment and any other 
aural communication, visually accessible announce-
ments, individual video displays, and improved ac-
cess to seating and lavatories in all aircraft. 
(c) AIRPORT FACILITIES.—Not later than one year 
after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Access 
Board shall, in consultation with the Secretary, issue or 
revise standards that ensure all gates (including counters), 
ticketing areas, and customer service desks at airports are 
accessible to and usable by all individuals with disabilities, 
including through the provision of visually accessible an-
nouncements and full and equal access to aural commu-
nications. 
(d) WEBSITES AND KIOSKS.—Not later than one 
year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Ac-
cess Board shall, in consultation with the Secretary, pre-
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scribe regulations setting forth minimum standards to en-
sure that individuals with disabilities are able to access 
kiosks and websites in a manner that is equally as effective 
as individuals without disabilities, with a substantially 
equivalent ease of use. Such standards shall be consistent 
with the standards set forth in the Web Content Accessi-
bility Guidelines 2.0 Level AA of the Web Accessibility Ini-
tiative of the World Wide Web Consortium or any subse-
quent version. 
(e) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 
the Access Board issues standards under this section, the 
Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as are necessary 
to implement those standards, including the requirement 
to maintain accessible features of aircraft, equipment, and 
facilities. 
SEC. 6. REGULATIONS. 
(a) ACCESSIBILITY OF AIR TRAVEL TO INDIVIDUALS 
WITH DISABILITIES.— 
(1) ASSISTANCE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary shall prescribe or revise reg-
ulations to ensure that individuals with disabil-
ities who request assistance at any time while 
traveling in air transportation receive timely 
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and effective assistance at airports and on air-
craft from trained personnel. Such assistance 
may be in boarding or deplaning an aircraft, 
connecting between flights, or any other similar 
or related request. 
(B) TRAINING.—The Secretary shall re-
quire air carriers to ensure that personnel, in-
cluding contractors, who may be providing 
physical assistance to a passenger with a dis-
ability receive hands-on training on an annual 
basis in performing that assistance, including 
the use of all equipment. 
(2) TICKETING PRACTICES AND SEAT ASSIGN-
MENTS.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall pre-
scribe or revise regulations— 
(A) to ensure that individuals with disabil-
ities receive accommodations, if requested, in 
ticketing and pre-flight seat assignments; 
(B) to require air carriers to provide pri-
ority access to bulkhead seating to people with 
disabilities who need access to the features of 
those seats due to a disability regardless of 
class of service of ticket purchased; and 
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(C) to ensure the right of passengers with 
disabilities to stow assistive devices, including 
medication and medical supplies, without cost. 
(3) SERVICE
ANIMALS.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the 
Secretary shall issue revised regulations— 
(A) eliminating additional documentation 
for psychiatric service animals; 
(B) protecting the ability of travelers to 
use emotional support animals in air transpor-
tation; and 
(C) prohibiting air carriers from requesting 
medical documentation regarding the need for a 
service animal as a standard requirement for 
access. 
(b) REVIEW AND AMENDMENT.—The Access Board 
and the Secretary shall periodically review and, as appro-
priate, amend regulations and standards prescribed under 
this section. 
SEC. 7. CIVIL PENALTIES. 
Section 46301(a) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
‘‘(7) PENALTIES RELATING
TO HARM
TO PAS-
SENGERS WITH DISABILITIES.— 
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‘‘(A) PENALTY FOR BODILY HARM OR DAMAGE 
TO
WHEELCHAIR
OR
OTHER
MOBILITY
AID.—The 
amount of a civil penalty assessed under this section 
for a violation of section 41705 that involves damage 
to a passenger’s wheelchair or other mobility aid or 
injury to a passenger with a disability may be in-
creased above the otherwise applicable maximum 
amount under this section for a violation of section 
41705 to an amount not to exceed 3 times the max-
imum penalty otherwise allowed. 
‘‘(B) EACH ACT CONSTITUTES SEPARATE OF-
FENSE.—Notwithstanding paragraph (2), a separate 
violation of section 41705 occurs for each act of dis-
crimination prohibited by that section.’’. 
SEC. 8. AIRLINE PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES BILL OF 
RIGHTS. 
(a) AIRLINE PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES BILL 
OF RIGHTS.—The Secretary shall develop a document, to 
be known as the ‘‘Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill 
of Rights’’, using plain language to describe the basic 
rights and responsibilities of air carriers, their employees 
and contractors, and people with disabilities under section 
41705 of title 49, United States Code, as amended by sec-
tion 4. 
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(b) CONTENT.—The Airline Passengers with Disabil-
ities Bill of Rights shall include, at a minimum, the fol-
lowing: 
(1) The right of passengers with disabilities to 
be treated with dignity and respect. 
(2) The right of passengers with disabilities to 
receive timely assistance, if requested, from properly 
trained air carrier and contractor personnel. 
(3) The right of passengers with disabilities to 
travel with wheelchairs, mobility aids, and other as-
sistive devices, including necessary medications and 
medical supplies, including stowage of such wheel-
chairs, aids, and devices. 
(4) The right of passengers with disabilities to 
receive seating accommodations, if requested, to ac-
commodate a disability. 
(5) The right of passengers with disabilities to 
receive announcements in an accessible format. 
(6) The right of passengers with disabilities to 
speak with a complaint resolution officer or to file 
a complaint with an air carrier or the Department 
of Transportation. 
(c) CONSULTATIONS.—In developing the Airline Pas-
sengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, the Secretary shall 
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consult with stakeholders, including disability organiza-
tions and air carriers and their contractors. 
(d) DISPLAY.—Each air carrier shall include the Air-
line Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights— 
(1) on a publicly available Internet website of 
the air carrier; and 
(2) in any pre-flight notifications or commu-
nications provided to passengers who alert the air 
carrier in advance of the need for accommodations 
relating to a disability. 
(e) TRAINING.—The Secretary shall ensure that em-
ployees of air carriers and their contractors receive train-
ing on the Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of 
Rights. 
SEC. 9. STUDY ON IN-CABIN WHEELCHAIR RESTRAINT SYS-
TEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Access Board, in 
consultation with the Secretary, shall— 
(1) conduct a study to determine the ways in 
which individuals with significant disabilities who 
use wheelchairs, including power wheelchairs, can be 
accommodated onboard aircraft through in-cabin 
wheelchair restraint systems; 
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(2) issue minimum guidelines for such systems; 
and 
(3) submit to Congress a report on the study. 
(b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 180 days after 
completing the study required by subsection (a), the Sec-
retary shall prescribe regulations consistent with the find-
ings of the study and minimum guidelines issued by the 
Access Board under subsection (a)(2). 
SEC. 10. ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE AIR TRAVEL 
NEEDS OF PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish an 
advisory committee for the air travel needs of passengers 
with disabilities (in this section referred to as the ‘‘advi-
sory committee’’) to advise the Secretary in implementing 
section 41705 of title 49, United States Code, as amended 
by section 4. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall appoint 
the members of the advisory committee as follows: 
(A) At least 2 members of the advisory 
committee shall be representatives of each of 
the following: 
(i) Individual passengers with disabil-
ities. 
(ii) National disability organizations. 
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(B) At least 2 members of the advisory 
committee shall be representatives of each of 
the following: 
(i) Airport operators. 
(ii) Air carriers. 
(iii) Entities contracted by air carriers 
to provide services to individuals with dis-
abilities. 
(c) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members of the advisory 
committee shall serve without pay but shall receive travel 
expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in ac-
cordance with subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(d) CHAIRPERSON.—The Secretary shall designate, 
from among the individuals appointed under subsection 
(b)(1)(A), an individual to serve as chairperson of the ad-
visory committee. 
(e) DUTIES.—The duties of the advisory committee 
shall include— 
(1) assessing the disability-related access bar-
riers encountered by air travelers with disabilities; 
(2) determining the extent to which the pro-
grams and activities of the Department of Transpor-
tation are addressing those barriers; 
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(3) making recommendations to the Secretary 
with respect to improving the air travel experience of 
passengers with disabilities; and 
(4) carrying out activities needed to make the 
reports and recommendations required by subsection 
(f). 
(f) REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than February 1, 
2018, and annually thereafter, the advisory com-
mittee shall submit to the Secretary a report on the 
needs of passengers with disabilities in air travel. 
Each report shall contain— 
(A) an assessment of disability-related ac-
cess barriers that were evident in the preceding 
year and those that are likely to be an issue 
during the 5-year period beginning on the date 
of the report; 
(B) an evaluation of the extent to which 
the programs and activities of the Department 
of Transportation are eliminating disability-re-
lated access barriers; 
(C) a description of the actions of the advi-
sory committee during the preceding calendar 
year; 
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(D) a description of activities that the ad-
visory committee proposes to undertake in the 
succeeding calendar year; and 
(E) any recommendations for legislation, 
administrative action, and other action that the 
advisory committee considers appropriate. 
(2) SUBMISSION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
60 days after receiving a report under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall transmit to Congress a copy 
of the report along with any comments that the Sec-
retary considers appropriate. 
(g) TERMINATION.—Notwithstanding section 14 of 
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App. 14), 
the advisory committee shall continue in effect until termi-
nated by an Act of Congress. 
Æ 
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