I
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 3166
To establish a commission to study the impact of deregulation of the airline
industry on small town America.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 28, 1999
Mr. BALDACCI introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To establish a commission to study the impact of
deregulation of the airline industry on small town America.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. AIRLINE DEREGULATION STUDY COMMISSION.
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established a
commission to be known as the Airline Deregulation
Study Commission (in this section referred to as the
‘‘Commission’’).
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—
(A) COMPOSITION.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the Commission shall be composed
of 15 members of whom—
(i) 5 shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent;
(ii) 5 shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent pro tempore of the Senate, upon the
recommendation of the Majority and Mi-
nority leaders of the Senate; and
(iii) 5 shall be appointed by the
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
in consultation with the Minority leader of
the House of Representatives.
(B) MEMBERS FROM RURAL AREAS.—
(i) REQUIREMENT.—Of the individ-
uals appointed to the Commission under
subparagraph (A)—
(I) one of the individuals ap-
pointed under clause (i) of that sub-
paragraph shall be an individual who
resides in a rural area; and
(II) two of the individuals ap-
pointed under each of clauses (ii) and
(iii) of that subparagraph shall be in-
dividuals who reside in a rural area.
(ii) 
GEOGRAPHIC
DISTRIBUTION.—
The appointment of individuals under sub-
paragraph (A) pursuant to the requirement
in clause (i) of this subparagraph shall, to
the maximum extent practicable, be made
so as to ensure that a variety of geographic
areas of the country are represented in the
membership of the Commission.
(C) DATE.—The appointments of the
members of the Commission shall be made not
later than 60 days after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act.
(3) PERIOD
OF
APPOINTMENT; VACANCIES.—
Members shall be appointed for the life of the Com-
mission. Any vacancy in the Commission shall not
affect its powers, but shall be filled in the same
manner as the original appointment.
(4) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 30 days
after the date on which all members of the Commis-
sion have been appointed, the Commission shall hold
its first meeting.
(5) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet at
the call of the Chairperson.
(6) QUORUM.—A majority of the members of
the Commission shall constitute a quorum, but a
lesser number of members may hold hearings.
(7) CHAIRPERSON.—The Commission shall se-
lect a Chairman and Vice Chairperson from among
its members.
(b) DUTIES OF THE COMMISSION.—
(1) STUDY.—
(A) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection, the
terms ‘‘air carrier’’ and ‘‘air transportation’’
have the meanings given those terms in section
40102(a) of title 49, United States Code.
(B) CONTENTS.—The Commission shall
conduct a thorough study of the impacts of de-
regulation of the airline industry of the United
States on—
(i) 
the 
affordability, 
accessibility,
availability, and quality of air transpor-
tation, particularly in small-sized and me-
dium-sized communities;
(ii) economic development and job cre-
ation, particularly in areas that are under-
served by air carriers;
(iii) the economic viability of small-
sized airports; and
(iv) the long-term configuration of the
United States passenger air transportation
system.
(C) MEASUREMENT
FACTORS.—In car-
rying out the study under this subsection, the
Commission shall develop measurement factors
to analyze the quality of passenger air transpor-
tation service provided by air carriers by identi-
fying the factors that are generally associated
with quality passenger air transportation serv-
ice.
(D) BUSINESS AND LEISURE TRAVEL.—In
conducting measurements for an analysis of the
affordability of air travel, to the extent prac-
ticable, the Commission shall provide for appro-
priate control groups and comparisons with re-
spect to business and leisure travel.
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission
shall submit an interim report to the President and
Congress, and not later than 18 months after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission
shall submit a report to the President and the Con-
gress. Each such report shall contain a detailed
statement of the findings and conclusions of the
Commission, together with its recommendations for
such legislation and administrative actions as it con-
siders appropriate.
(c) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.—
(1) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold
such hearings, sit and act at such times and places,
take such testimony, and receive such evidence as
the Commission considers advisable to carry out the
duties of the Commission under this section.
(2) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—
The Commission may secure directly from any Fed-
eral department or agency such information as the
Commission considers necessary to carry out the du-
ties of the Commission under this section. Upon re-
quest of the Chairperson of the Commission, the
head of such department or agency shall furnish
such information to the Commission.
(3) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may
use the United States mails in the same manner and
under the same conditions as other departments and
agencies of the Federal Government.
(4) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use,
and dispose of gifts or donations of services or prop-
erty.
(d) COMMISSION PERSONNEL MATTERS.—
(1) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of the
Commission shall be allowed travel expenses, includ-
ing per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates author-
ized for employees of agencies under subchapter I of
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while
away from their homes or regular places of business
in the performance of services for the Commission.
(2) STAFF.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Chairperson of the
Commission may, without regard to the civil
service laws and regulations, appoint and termi-
nate an executive director and such other addi-
tional personnel as may be necessary to enable
the Commission to perform its duties. The em-
ployment of an executive director shall be sub-
ject to confirmation by the Commission.
(B) COMPENSATION.—The Chairperson of
the Commission may fix the compensation of
the executive director and other personnel with-
out regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and
subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United
States Code, relating to classification of posi-
tions and General Schedule pay rates, except
that the rate of pay for the executive director
and other personnel may not exceed the rate