H. R. 302—191 
‘‘(5) ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT.—The Chief Technology 
Officer shall prepare and transmit to the Secretary of Transpor-
tation, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Com-
merce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate an annual 
report containing— 
‘‘(A) detailed descriptions and metrics of how successful 
the Chief Technology Officer was in meeting the annual 
performance targets established under paragraph (4); and 
‘‘(B) other information as may be requested by the 
Administrator and the Chief Operating Officer.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 709(a)(3)(L) of the Vision 100–Century of Avia-
tion Reauthorization Act (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended 
by striking ‘‘Chief NextGen Officer’’ and inserting ‘‘Chief Tech-
nology Officer’’. 
(2) Section 804(a)(4)(A) of the FAA Modernization and 
Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 44501 note) is amended by 
striking ‘‘Chief NextGen Officer’’ and inserting ‘‘Chief Tech-
nology Officer’’. 
SEC. 546. FAA CIVIL AVIATION REGISTRY UPGRADE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 3 years after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall complete covered upgrades of the Administra-
tion’s Civil Aviation Registry (in this section referred to as the 
‘‘Registry’’). 
(b) COVERED UPGRADE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘covered upgrades’’ means— 
(1) the digitization of nondigital Registry information, 
including paper documents, microfilm images, and photographs, 
from an analog or nondigital format to a digital format; 
(2) the digitalization of Registry manual and paper-based 
processes, business operations, and functions by leveraging dig-
ital technologies and a broader use of digitized data; 
(3) the implementation of systems allowing a member of 
the public to submit any information or form to the Registry 
and conduct any transaction with the Registry by electronic 
or other remote means; and 
(4) allowing more efficient, broader, and remote access 
to the Registry. 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—The requirements of subsection (a) shall 
apply to the entire Civil Aviation Registry, including the Aircraft 
Registration Branch and the Airmen Certification Branch. 
(d) MANUAL SURCHARGE.—Chapter 453 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 45306. Manual surcharge 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later 3 years after the date of enactment 
of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the Administrator shall 
impose and collect a surcharge on a Civil Aviation Registry trans-
action that— 
‘‘(1) is conducted in person at the Civil Aviation Registry; 
‘‘(2) could be conducted, as determined by the Adminis-
trator, with the same or greater level of efficiency by electronic 
or other remote means; and
H. R. 302—192 
‘‘(3) is not related to research or other non-commercial 
activities. 
‘‘(b) MAXIMUM SURCHARGE.—A surcharge imposed and collected 
under subsection (a) shall not exceed twice the maximum fee the 
Administrator is authorized to charge for the registration of an 
aircraft, not used to provide air transportation, after the transfer 
of ownership under section 45302(b)(2). 
‘‘(c) CREDIT TO ACCOUNT AND AVAILABILITY.—Monies collected 
from a surcharge imposed under subsection (a) shall be treated 
as monies collected under section 45302 and subject to the terms 
and conditions set forth in section 45302(d).’’. 
(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after date of enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter until the covered upgrades 
required under subsection (a) are complete, the Administrator shall 
submit a report to the appropriate committees of Congress 
describing— 
(1) the schedule for the covered upgrades to the Registry; 
(2) the office responsible for the implementation of the 
such covered upgrades; 
(3) the metrics being used to measure progress in imple-
menting the covered upgrades; and 
(4) the status of the covered upgrades as of the date of 
the report. 
SEC. 547. ENHANCED AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall establish a pilot 
program to provide air traffic control services on a preferential 
basis to aircraft equipped with certain NextGen avionics that— 
(1) lasts at least 2 years; and 
(2) operates in at least 3 suitable airports. 
(b) DURATION OF DAILY SERVICE.—The air traffic control serv-
ices provided under the pilot program established under subsection 
(a) shall occur for at least 3 consecutive hours between 0600 and 
2200 local time during each day of the pilot program. 
(c) AIRPORT SELECTION.—The Administrator shall designate air-
ports for participation in the pilot program after consultation with 
aircraft operators, manufacturers, and airport sponsors. 
(d) DEFINITIONS.— 
(1) CERTAIN
NEXTGEN
AVIONICS.—The term ‘‘certain 
NextGen avionics’’ means those avionics and related software 
designated by the Administrator after consultations with air-
craft operators and manufacturers. 
(2) PREFERENTIAL
BASIS.—The term ‘‘preferential basis’’ 
means— 
(A) prioritizing aircraft equipped with certain NextGen 
avionics during a Ground Delay Program by assigning them 
fewer minutes of delay relative to other aircraft based 
upon principles established after consultation with aircraft 
operators and manufacturers; or 
(B) sequencing aircraft equipped with certain NextGen 
avionics ahead of other aircraft in the Traffic Flow Manage-
ment System to the maximum extent consistent with 
safety. 
(e) SUNSET.—The pilot program established under subsection 
(a) shall terminate on September 30, 2023.
H. R. 302—193 
(f) REPORT.—Not later than 90 days after the date on which 
the pilot program terminates, the Administrator shall submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results 
of the pilot program. 
SEC. 548. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN AVIA-
TION. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Administration should, 
in consultation with appropriate Federal agencies and industry 
stakeholders, periodically review the use or proposed use of artificial 
intelligence technologies within the aviation system and assess 
whether the Administration needs a plan regarding artificial intel-
ligence standards and best practices to carry out its mission. 
SEC. 549. STUDY ON CYBERSECURITY WORKFORCE OF FAA. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, the Administrator shall enter into an agreement 
with the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a study on 
the cybersecurity workforce of the Administration in order to 
develop recommendations to increase the size, quality, and diversity 
of such workforce, including cybersecurity researchers and special-
ists. 
(b) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 180 days after the 
completion of the study conducted under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of Con-
gress a report on the results of such study. 
SEC. 550. TREATMENT OF MULTIYEAR LESSEES OF LARGE AND TUR-
BINE-POWERED MULTIENGINE AIRCRAFT. 
The Secretary of Transportation shall revise such regulations 
as may be necessary to ensure that multiyear lessees and owners 
of large and turbine-powered multiengine aircraft are treated 
equally for purposes of joint ownership policies of the FAA. 
SEC. 551. EMPLOYEE ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PLANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, each air carrier operating under part 121 
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (in this section referred 
to as a ‘‘part 121 air carrier’’), shall submit to the Administrator 
for review and acceptance an Employee Assault Prevention and 
Response Plan related to the customer service agents of the air 
carrier and that is developed in consultation with the labor union 
representing such agents. 
(b) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—An Employee Assault Prevention and 
Response Plan submitted under subsection (a) shall include the 
following: 
(1) Reporting protocols for air carrier customer service 
agents who have been the victim of a verbal or physical assault. 
(2) Protocols for the immediate notification of law enforce-
ment after an incident of verbal or physical assault committed 
against an air carrier customer service agent. 
(3) Protocols for informing Federal law enforcement with 
respect to violations of section 46503 of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(4) Protocols for ensuring that a passenger involved in 
a violent incident with a customer service agent of an air 
carrier is not allowed to move through airport security or board
H. R. 302—194 
an aircraft until appropriate law enforcement has had an oppor-
tunity to assess the incident and take appropriate action. 
(5) Protocols for air carriers to inform passengers of Federal 
laws protecting Federal, airport, and air carrier employees who 
have security duties within an airport. 
(c) EMPLOYEE TRAINING.—A part 121 air carrier shall conduct 
initial and recurrent training for all employees, including manage-
ment, of the air carrier with respect to the plan required under 
subsection (a), which shall include training on de-escalating hostile 
situations, written protocols on dealing with hostile situations, and 
the reporting of relevant incidents. 
(d) STUDY.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall— 
(1) complete a study of crimes of violence (as defined in 
section 16 of title 18, United States Code) committed against 
airline customer service representatives while they are per-
forming their duties and on airport property; and 
(2) submit the findings of the study, including any rec-
ommendations, to the appropriate committees of Congress. 
(e) GAP ANALYSIS.—The study required under subsection (d) 
shall include a gap analysis to determine if State and local laws 
and resources are adequate to deter or otherwise address the crimes 
of violence described in subsection (a) and recommendations on 
how to address any identified gaps. 
SEC. 552. STUDY ON TRAINING OF CUSTOMER-FACING AIR CARRIER 
EMPLOYEES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall conduct 
a study on the training received by customer-facing employees 
of air carriers. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The study shall include— 
(1) an analysis of the training received by customer-facing 
employees with respect to the management of disputes on air-
craft; 
(2) an examination of how institutions of higher learning, 
in coordination with air carriers, customer-facing employees 
and their representatives, consumer advocacy organizations, 
and other stakeholders, could— 
(A) review such training and related practices; 
(B) produce recommendations; and 
(C) if determined appropriate, provide supplemental 
training; and 
(3) the effectiveness of air carriers’ Employee Assault 
Prevention and Response Plans required under section 551. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate committees 
of Congress a report on the results of the study. 
SEC. 553. AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVING SYSTEMS POLICY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall— 
(1) update automated weather observing systems standards 
to maximize the use of new technologies that promote the 
reduction of equipment or maintenance cost for non-Federal 
automated weather observing systems, including the use of 
remote monitoring and maintenance, unless demonstrated to 
be ineffective;