I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8712 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a national aviation 
preparedness plan for communicable disease outbreaks, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 30, 2020 
Mr. LARSEN of Washington (for himself and Mr. BEYER) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the Secretary of Transportation to establish a 
national aviation preparedness plan for communicable 
disease outbreaks, 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 ‘‘National Aviation Pre-
paredness Plan Act of 2020’’. 
SEC. 2. NATIONAL AVIATION PREPAREDNESS PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and 
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Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and 
the heads of such other Federal departments or agencies 
as the Secretary of Transportation considers appropriate, 
shall develop a national aviation preparedness plan for 
communicable disease outbreaks. 
(b) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—The plan developed under 
subsection (a) shall, at a minimum— 
(1) provide airports and air carriers with an 
adaptable and scalable framework with which to 
align the individual plans, including the emergency 
response plans, of such airports and air carriers and 
provide guidance as to each individual plan; 
(2) improve coordination among airports, air 
carriers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, other 
appropriate Federal entities, and State and local 
governments and health agencies with respect to de-
veloping policies that increase the effectiveness of 
screening, testing, quarantining, and contact-tracing 
with respect to air carrier passengers; 
(3) to the extent practicable, improve coordina-
tion among relevant international entities; 
(4) ensure that at-risk employees are equipped 
with appropriate personal protective equipment to 
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reduce the likelihood of exposure to a covered com-
municable disease; 
(5) ensure aircraft and enclosed facilities 
owned, operated, or used by an air carrier or airport 
are cleaned, disinfected, and sanitized, and can have 
installed and maintained protective infrastructure 
where appropriate, in accordance with CDC guide-
lines for preventing and containing the spread of 
covered communicable diseases; 
(6) identify and assign Federal agency roles in 
the development and deployment of emerging and 
existing solutions to reduce covered communicable 
diseases in the aviation ecosystem; 
(7) clearly delineate the responsibilities of the 
sponsors and operators of airports, air carriers, and 
Federal agencies in responding to a covered commu-
nicable disease; 
(8) incorporate the recommendations made by 
the Comptroller General of the United States to the 
Secretary of Transportation contained in the report 
titled ‘‘Air Travel and Communicable Diseases: 
Comprehensive Federal Plan Needed for U.S. Avia-
tion System’s Preparedness’’ issued in December 
2015 (GAO–16–127); 
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(9) consider the latest peer-reviewed scientific 
studies that address communicable disease with re-
spect to air transportation; and 
(10) consider funding constraints. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—When developing the plan 
under subsection (a), the Secretary of Transportation 
shall consult with aviation industry and labor stake-
holders, including representatives of— 
(1) air carriers; 
(2) airport operators, including with respect to 
large hub, medium hub, small hub, and nonhub com-
mercial service airports; 
(3) labor organizations that represent airline pi-
lots, flight attendants, air carrier airport customer 
service representatives, and air carrier maintenance, 
repair, and overhaul workers; 
(4) the labor organization certified under sec-
tion 7111 of title 5, United States Code, as the ex-
clusive bargaining representative of air traffic con-
trollers of the Federal Aviation Administration; 
(5) the labor organization certified under such 
section as the exclusive bargaining representative of 
airway transportation systems specialists and avia-
tion safety inspectors of the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration; 
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(6) trade associations representing air carriers 
and airports; and 
(7) such other stakeholders as the Secretary 
considers appropriate. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the plan 
is developed under subsection (a), the Secretary shall sub-
mit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
a report that includes such plan. 
(e) REVIEW OF PLAN.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date on which a report is submitted under subsection 
(d), and every year thereafter, the Secretary shall review 
the plan included in such report and make changes by rule 
as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
(f) GAO STUDY.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
shall conduct and submit to the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate a study assessing the national avia-
tion preparedness plan developed under subsection (a), in-
cluding— 
(1) whether such plan— 
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(A) is responsive to any previous rec-
ommendations relating to aviation preparedness 
with respect to an outbreak of a covered com-
municable disease or global health emergency 
made by the Comptroller General; and 
(B) meets the obligations of the United 
States under international conventions and 
treaties; and 
(2) the extent to which the United States avia-
tion system is prepared to respond to an outbreak 
of a covered communicable disease. 
(g) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) AT-RISK
EMPLOYEE.—The term ‘‘at-risk 
employee’’ means— 
(A) an individual whose job duties require 
interaction with air carrier passengers on a reg-
ular and continuing basis and who is an em-
ployee of— 
(i) an air carrier; 
(ii) an air carrier contractor; 
(iii) an airport; or 
(iv) the Federal Government; and 
(B) an air traffic controller or systems 
safety specialist of the Federal Aviation Admin-
istration. 
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(2) COVERED
COMMUNICABLE
DISEASE.—The 
term ‘‘covered communicable disease’’ means a com-
municable disease that has the potential to cause an 
epidemic or pandemic of infectious disease that 
would constitute a public health emergency of inter-
national concern as declared by the Secretary of 
Health and Human Services under section 319 of 
the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d). 
Æ 
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