I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8526 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a health smart air 
travel pilot program to improve the application of public health risk 
mitigation measures related to the public health risks presented by 
COVID–19 in airports and on passenger aircraft. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 2, 2020 
Mr. VAN DREW introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Energy and Commerce, and Homeland Security, for a period 
to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to carry out a 
health smart air travel pilot program to improve the 
application of public health risk mitigation measures re-
lated to the public health risks presented by COVID– 
19 in airports and on passenger aircraft. 
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 ‘‘Health Smart Air 
Travel Act’’ or the ‘‘HSAT Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. HEALTH SMART AIR TRAVEL PILOT PROGRAM. 
(a) AUTHORITY.—The Secretary of Transportation, 
jointly with the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall establish 
a pilot program (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Pro-
gram’’) to improve the application of public health risk 
mitigation measures related to the public health risks pre-
sented by COVID–19 in airports and on passenger air-
craft. In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall 
pursue initiatives informed by— 
(1) the guidance issued by the Department of 
Transportation, jointly with the Department of 
Health and Human Services and the Department of 
Homeland Security, titled ‘‘Runway to Recovery: 
The United States Framework for Airlines and Air-
ports to Mitigate the Public Health Risks of 
Coronavirus’’ and dated July 2020; and 
(2) any additional guidance that the Depart-
ment of Transportation, the Department of Health 
and Human Services, and the Department of Home-
land Security may issue in relation to measures nec-
essary to mitigate the public health risks presented 
by COVID–19 in airports and passenger aircraft. 
(b) OBJECTIVES.—The purpose of the Program es-
tablished under this section is to— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
(1) accelerate integration of public health risk 
mitigation measures related to the public health 
risks presented by COVID–19 in airports and pas-
senger aircraft; 
(2) identify and address technical, regulatory, 
and policy challenges to integration of these risk 
mitigation measures; 
(3) develop, test, and evaluate smart airport 
technology and processes as they relate to mitigating 
public health risks presented by COVID–19 in air-
ports and passenger aircraft; and 
(4) leverage concentrations of aviation, trans-
portation security, and public health capital to accel-
erate innovation in airports and passenger aircraft. 
(c) GRANT AWARDS.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation, in consultation with the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services and the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
may provide grants under the Program to eligible entities 
to carry out development, testing, or evaluation of public 
health risk mitigation measures related to the public 
health risks presented by COVID–19 in airports and pas-
senger aircraft. 
(d) PUBLICATION OF NOTICE OF GRANT OPPOR-
TUNITY.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation publish 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
in the Federal Register a notice of grant opportunity for 
grants available under the Program. 
(e) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—Entities eligible to receive 
funding under the Program may include— 
(1) State, local, and Tribal governments; 
(2) commercial airline operators; 
(3) airports; 
(4) hospitals and other public health institu-
tions; 
(5) institutions of higher education; 
(6) relevant research and development nonprofit 
organizations that are exempt from tax under sec-
tion 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 
1986; 
(7) relevant labor organizations; 
(8) relevant private-sector manufacturers and 
service providers; and 
(9) a consortia of any of the entities described 
in paragraphs (1) through (8). 
(f) APPLICATION SUBMISSION.—The Secretary of 
Transportation, jointly with the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services and the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
shall establish application requirements for grants from 
the Program and shall require applicants to include the 
following information in such application: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
(1) Identification of the entities proposed to be 
involved in the development, testing, or evaluation of 
public health risk mitigation measures. 
(2) Whether the proposed development, testing, 
or evaluation pertain to public health mitigation 
measures related to public health risks presented by 
COVID–19 in airports, passenger aircraft, or both. 
(3) A description of such development, testing, 
or evaluation. 
(4) A description of the financial cost of such 
development, testing, or evaluation, including the re-
quested grant amount. 
(5) How such development, testing, or evalua-
tion will accomplish the objectives of the pilot pro-
gram and inform wider adoption in airports and pas-
senger aircraft. 
(6) Identification of available infrastructure and 
capabilities to support such development, testing, or 
evaluation. 
(7) A description of the capabilities and exper-
tise related to the proposed project with respect to 
aviation, airline operations, airport operations, smart 
airport technology, transportation security, and pub-
lic health. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
(8) A description of any existing relationships 
with relevant Federal agencies. 
(g) EVALUATION OF APPLICANTS.—Upon receipt of 
applications under this section by the Secretary of Trans-
portation, the Secretary shall evaluate such applications 
jointly with the Secretary of Health and Human Services 
and the Secretary of Homeland Security. 
(h) SELECTION CRITERIA.—The Secretary of Trans-
portation shall make selections, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security, for participation in the Pro-
gram, taking into consideration the following: 
(1) The effectiveness of the proposal of develop-
ment, testing, or evaluation of public health risk 
mitigation measures at accomplishing the objectives 
under subsection (b). 
(2) The involvement of relevant aviation, trans-
portation security, and public health infrastructure. 
(3) The involvement of the private sector in the 
proposal, including whether the proposal leverages 
existing commercial technologies. 
(4) The agreement of the entities involved in 
the proposal to comply with such requirements as 
the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
Homeland Security determine necessary for purposes 
of aviation safety, public health safety, and transpor-
tation security. 
(5) The agreement of the entities involved in 
the proposal to share data collected and experience 
gained over the course of the development, testing, 
or evaluation of public health mitigation measures 
with the Secretary of Transportation, Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, and the Secretary of 
Homeland Security. 
(i) DESIGNATION
OF DATA REPORTING FACILI-
TIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of 
Transportation, the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
and the Secretary of Health and Human Services, 
shall each— 
(A) designate a Federal facility or Federal 
facilities for receiving, processing, and ana-
lyzing data collected and experience gained by 
recipients of grants under the Program; and 
(B) begin reporting the information de-
scribed in subparagraph (A) to the remaining 
Secretaries listed in this paragraph. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
(2) SCOPE
OF
INFORMATION
COLLECTED.— 
With respect to the information collected and ana-
lyzed under subparagraph (A)— 
(A) the Secretary of Transportation shall 
collect, analyze, and report information on pub-
lic health risk mitigation measures in passenger 
aircraft; 
(B) the Secretary of Homeland Security 
shall collect, analyze, and report information on 
public health risk mitigation measures in air-
ports; and 
(C) the Secretary of Health and Human 
Services shall collect, analyze, and report infor-
mation on public health risk mitigation meas-
ures in airports and on passenger aircraft. 
(j) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall, jointly with the Secretary of Health and 
Human Services and the Secretary of Homeland Security, 
use the data collected and experience gained under sub-
section (i) to— 
(1) identify technical, regulatory, or policy chal-
lenges to the integration of public health risk mitiga-
tion measures related to the public health risks cre-
ated by COVID–19 in airports and on passenger air-
craft; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
(2) inform ongoing initiatives by the Federal 
Aviation Administration, the Transportation Secu-
rity Administration, and the Centers for Disease 
Control to develop operational standards and proce-
dures to mitigate public health risks presented by 
COVID–19 in airports and passenger aircraft. 
(k) BRIEFING.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter through 
fiscal year 2023, the Secretary of Transportation, jointly 
with the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the 
Secretary of Homeland Security, shall brief Congress on 
the recipients of funding and activities carried out under 
the Program. 
(l) FUNDING.— 
(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There 
are 
authorized 
to 
be 
appropriated 
$77,000,000 to carry out this section, to remain 
available through fiscal year 2023. 
(2) USE
OF
FUNDS.—Of the amounts made 
available under paragraph (1)— 
(A) not more than $7,000,000 may be 
used jointly by the Secretary of Transportation, 
Secretary of Health and Human Services, and 
the Secretary of Homeland Security for the ad-
ministration of the Program; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
(B) not less than $70,000,000 shall be 
awarded through the issuance of grants. 
(3) GRANT AMOUNTS.—The amount of a grant 
awarded under this section shall be not less than 
$50,000 and not more than $5,000,000. 
(m) SUNSET.—The authority to provide grants under 
this section shall terminate on the last day of fiscal year 
2023. 
(n) SMART AIRPORT TECHNOLOGIES DEFINED.—In 
this section, ‘‘smart airport technologies’’ means the tech-
nologies described in section 145 of the FAA Reauthoriza-
tion Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–254). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
00:32 Oct 30, 2020
Jkt 019200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H8526.IH
H8526
pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS