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based approaches that focus on requirements manage-
ment and auditing skills; and 
(7) includes, as appropriate, milestones and metrics 
for meeting the requirements of paragraphs (1) through 
(5). 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date of 
the revision of the strategy required under subsection (a), the 
Administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the implementation of the strategy and 
progress in meeting any milestones and metrics included in 
the strategy. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defini-
tions apply: 
(1) ODA; ODA HOLDER.—The terms ‘‘ODA’’ and 
‘‘ODA holder’’ have the meanings given those terms in 
section 44736 of title 49, United States Code, as added 
by this Act. 
(2) ODA PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘ODA program’’ 
means the program to standardize FAA management 
and oversight of the organizations that are approved to 
perform certain functions on behalf of the Administra-
tion under section 44702(d) of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(3) ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT TEAM.—The term 
‘‘organization management team’’ means a team con-
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sisting of FAA aviation safety engineers, flight test pi-
lots, and aviation safety inspectors overseeing an ODA 
holder and its certification activity. 
SEC. 232. WORKFORCE REVIEW. 
(a) WORKFORCE REVIEW.—Not later than 90 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General 
of the United States shall conduct a review to assess the 
workforce and training needs of the FAA Office of Aviation 
Safety in the anticipated budgetary environment. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The review required under subsection 
(a) shall include— 
(1) a review of current aviation safety inspector and 
aviation safety engineer hiring, training, and recurrent 
training requirements; 
(2) an analysis of the skills and qualifications re-
quired of aviation safety inspectors and aviation safety 
engineers for successful performance in the current and 
future projected aviation safety regulatory environment, 
including the need for a systems engineering discipline 
within the FAA to guide the engineering of complex sys-
tems, with an emphasis on auditing designated authori-
ties; 
(3) a review of current performance incentive poli-
cies of the FAA, as applied to the Office of Aviation 
Safety, including awards for performance;
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(4) an analysis of ways the FAA can work with in-
dustry and labor, including labor groups representing 
FAA aviation safety inspectors and aviation safety engi-
neers, to establish knowledge-sharing opportunities be-
tween the FAA and the aviation industry regarding new 
equipment and systems, best practices, and other areas 
of interest; and 
(5) recommendations on the most effective quali-
fications, training programs (including e-learning train-
ing), and performance incentive approaches to address 
the needs of the future projected aviation safety regu-
latory system in the anticipated budgetary environment. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the re-
sults of the review required under subsection (a). 
Subtitle E—International Aviation 
SEC. 241. PROMOTION OF UNITED STATES AEROSPACE STAND-
ARDS, PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES ABROAD. 
Section 40104 of title 49, United States Code, is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(d) PROMOTION
OF
UNITED
STATES
AEROSPACE 
STANDARDS, PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES ABROAD.—The Sec-
retary shall take appropriate actions to—
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‘‘(1) promote United States aerospace-related safety 
standards abroad; 
‘‘(2) facilitate and vigorously defend approvals of 
United States aerospace products and services abroad; 
‘‘(3) with respect to bilateral partners, utilize bilat-
eral safety agreements and other mechanisms to improve 
validation of United States certificated aeronautical 
products, services, and appliances and enhance mutual 
acceptance in order to eliminate redundancies and un-
necessary costs; and 
‘‘(4) with respect to the aeronautical safety authori-
ties of a foreign country, streamline validation and co-
ordination processes.’’. 
SEC. 242. BILATERAL EXCHANGES OF SAFETY OVERSIGHT RE-
SPONSIBILITIES. 
Section 44701(e) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) FOREIGN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES.— 
‘‘(A) ACCEPTANCE.—Subject to subparagraph 
(D), the Administrator may accept an airworthiness 
directive, as defined in section 39.3 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations, issued by an aeronautical 
safety authority of a foreign country, and leverage 
that authority’s regulatory process, if—
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‘‘(i) the country is the state of design for 
the product that is the subject of the airworthi-
ness directive; 
‘‘(ii) the United States has a bilateral 
safety agreement relating to aircraft certifi-
cation with the country; 
‘‘(iii) as part of the bilateral safety agree-
ment with the country, the Administrator has 
determined that such aeronautical safety au-
thority has an aircraft certification system re-
lating to safety that produces a level of safety 
equivalent to the level produced by the system 
of the Federal Aviation Administration; 
‘‘(iv) the aeronautical safety authority of 
the country utilizes an open and transparent 
notice and comment process in the issuance of 
airworthiness directives; and 
‘‘(v) the airworthiness directive is nec-
essary to provide for the safe operation of the 
aircraft subject to the directive. 
‘‘(B) ALTERNATIVE
APPROVAL
PROCESS.— 
Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), the Adminis-
trator may issue a Federal Aviation Administration 
airworthiness directive instead of accepting an air-
worthiness directive otherwise eligible for accept-
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ance under such subparagraph, if the Administrator 
determines that such issuance is necessary for safe-
ty or operational reasons due to the complexity or 
unique features of the Federal Aviation Administra-
tion airworthiness directive or the United States 
aviation system. 
‘‘(C) ALTERNATIVE MEANS OF COMPLIANCE.— 
The Administrator may— 
‘‘(i) accept an alternative means of com-
pliance, with respect to an airworthiness direc-
tive accepted under subparagraph (A), that 
was approved by the aeronautical safety au-
thority of the foreign country that issued the 
airworthiness directive; or 
‘‘(ii) notwithstanding subparagraph (A), 
and at the request of any person affected by an 
airworthiness directive accepted under such 
subparagraph, approve an alternative means of 
compliance with respect to the airworthiness 
directive. 
‘‘(D) LIMITATION.—The Administrator may 
not accept an airworthiness directive issued by an 
aeronautical safety authority of a foreign country if 
the airworthiness directive addresses matters other
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than those involving the safe operation of an air-
craft.’’. 
SEC. 243. FAA LEADERSHIP ABROAD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—To promote United States aerospace 
safety standards, reduce redundant regulatory activity, and 
facilitate acceptance of FAA design and production approvals 
abroad, the Administrator shall— 
(1) attain greater expertise in issues related to dis-
pute resolution, intellectual property, and export control 
laws to better support FAA certification and other aero-
space regulatory activities abroad; 
(2) work with United States companies to more ac-
curately track the amount of time it takes foreign au-
thorities, including bilateral partners, to validate United 
States certificated aeronautical products; 
(3) provide assistance to United States companies 
that have experienced significantly long foreign valida-
tion wait times; 
(4) work with foreign authorities, including bilateral 
partners, to collect and analyze data to determine the 
timeliness of the acceptance and validation of FAA de-
sign and production approvals by foreign authorities and 
the acceptance and validation of foreign-certified prod-
ucts by the FAA;
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(5) establish appropriate benchmarks and metrics 
to measure the success of bilateral aviation safety agree-
ments and to reduce the validation time for United 
States certificated aeronautical products abroad; and 
(6) work with foreign authorities, including bilateral 
partners, to improve the timeliness of the acceptance and 
validation of FAA design and production approvals by 
foreign authorities and the acceptance and validation of 
foreign-certified products by the FAA. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report that— 
(1) describes the FAA’s strategic plan for inter-
national engagement; 
(2) describes the structure and responsibilities of all 
FAA offices that have international responsibilities, in-
cluding the Aircraft Certification Office, and all the ac-
tivities conducted by those offices related to certification 
and production; 
(3) describes current and forecasted staffing and 
travel needs for the FAA’s international engagement ac-
tivities, including the needs of the Aircraft Certification 
Office in the current and forecasted budgetary environ-
ment;
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(4) provides recommendations, if appropriate, to 
improve the existing structure and personnel and travel 
policies supporting the FAA’s international engagement 
activities, including the activities of the Aviation Certifi-
cation Office, to better support the growth of United 
States aerospace exports; and 
(5) identifies cost-effective policy initiatives, regu-
latory initiatives, or legislative initiatives needed to im-
prove and enhance the timely acceptance of United 
States aerospace products abroad. 
(c) INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL.—The Administrator, or 
the Administrator’s designee, may authorize international 
travel for any FAA employee, without the approval of any 
other person or entity, if the Administrator determines that 
the travel is necessary— 
(1) to promote United States aerospace safety 
standards; or 
(2) to support expedited acceptance of FAA design 
and production approvals. 
SEC. 244. REGISTRATION, CERTIFICATION, AND RELATED FEES. 
Section 45305 of title 49, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ‘‘Subject to sub-
section (b)’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to subsection (c)’’;
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(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as sub-
sections (c) and (d), respectively; and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following: 
‘‘(b) CERTIFICATION SERVICES.—Subject to subsection 
(c), and notwithstanding section 45301(a), the Administrator 
may establish and collect a fee from a foreign government or 
entity for services related to certification, regardless of where 
the services are provided, if the fee— 
‘‘(1) is established and collected in a manner con-
sistent with aviation safety agreements; and 
‘‘(2) does not exceed the estimated costs of the 
services.’’. 
TITLE III—SAFETY 
Subtitle A—General Provisions 
SEC. 301. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title, the following definitions apply: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Administrator’’ 
means the Administrator of the FAA. 
(2) FAA.—The term ‘‘FAA’’ means the Federal 
Aviation Administration. 
SEC. 302. FAA TECHNICAL TRAINING. 
(a) E-LEARNING TRAINING PILOT PROGRAM.—Not later 
than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Ad-
ministrator, in collaboration with the exclusive bargaining 
representatives of covered FAA personnel, shall establish an
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e-learning training pilot program in accordance with the re-
quirements of this section. 
(b) CURRICULUM.—The pilot program shall— 
(1) include a recurrent training curriculum for cov-
ered FAA personnel to ensure that the covered FAA per-
sonnel receive instruction on the latest aviation tech-
nologies, processes, and procedures; 
(2) focus on providing specialized technical training 
for covered FAA personnel, as determined necessary by 
the Administrator; 
(3) include training courses on applicable regula-
tions of the Federal Aviation Administration; and 
(4) consider the efficacy of instructor-led online 
training. 
(c) PILOT PROGRAM TERMINATION.—The pilot program 
shall terminate 1 year after the date of establishment of the 
pilot program. 
(d) E-LEARNING TRAINING PROGRAM.—Upon termi-
nation of the pilot program, the Administrator shall assess 
and establish or update an e-learning training program that 
incorporates lessons learned for covered FAA personnel as a 
result of the pilot program. 
(e) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defini-
tions apply:
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(1) COVERED FAA PERSONNEL.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered FAA personnel’’ means airway transportation sys-
tems specialists and aviation safety inspectors of the 
Federal Aviation Administration. 
(2) E-LEARNING TRAINING.—The term ‘‘e-learning 
training’’ means learning utilizing electronic technologies 
to access educational curriculum outside of a traditional 
classroom. 
SEC. 303. SAFETY CRITICAL STAFFING. 
(a) UPDATE
OF FAA’S SAFETY CRITICAL STAFFING 
MODEL.—Not later than 270 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Administrator shall update the safety 
critical staffing model of the Administration to determine the 
number of aviation safety inspectors that will be needed to 
fulfill the safety oversight mission of the Administration. 
(b) AUDIT BY DOT INSPECTOR GENERAL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date on which the Administrator has updated the safety 
critical staffing model under subsection (a), the Inspec-
tor General of the Department of Transportation shall 
conduct an audit of the staffing model. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The audit shall include, at a min-
imum— 
(A) a review of the assumptions and meth-
odologies used in devising and implementing the
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staffing model to assess the adequacy of the staff-
ing model in predicting the number of aviation safe-
ty inspectors needed— 
(i) to properly fulfill the mission of the 
Administration; and 
(ii) to meet the future growth of the avia-
tion industry; and 
(B) a determination on whether the staffing 
model takes into account the Administration’s au-
thority to fully utilize designees. 
(3) REPORT ON AUDIT.— 
(A) REPORT TO SECRETARY.—Not later than 
30 days after the date of completion of the audit, 
the Inspector General shall submit to the Secretary 
a report on the results of the audit. 
(B) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 
60 days after the date of receipt of the report, the 
Secretary shall submit to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress a copy of the report, together with, 
if appropriate, a description of any actions taken or 
to be taken to address the results of the audit.
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SEC. 304. INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS REGARDING TRACKING OF 
CIVIL AIRCRAFT. 
The Administrator shall exercise leadership on creating 
a global approach to improving aircraft tracking by working 
with— 
(1) foreign counterparts of the Administrator in the 
International Civil Aviation Organization and its sub-
sidiary organizations; 
(2) other international organizations and fora; and 
(3) the private sector. 
SEC. 305. AIRCRAFT DATA ACCESS AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS. 
(a) ASSESSMENT.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall initiate an 
assessment of aircraft data access and retrieval systems for 
part 121 air carrier aircraft that are used in extended 
overwater operations to— 
(1) determine if the systems provide improved ac-
cess and retrieval of aircraft data and cockpit voice re-
cordings in the event of an aircraft accident; and 
(2) assess the cost effectiveness of each system as-
sessed. 
(b) SYSTEMS TO BE EXAMINED.—The systems to be ex-
amined under this section shall include, at a minimum— 
(1) various methods for improving detection and re-
trieval of flight data, including—
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(A) low-frequency underwater locating devices; 
and 
(B) extended battery life for underwater locat-
ing devices; 
(2) automatic deployable flight recorders; 
(3) emergency locator transmitters; 
(4) triggered transmission of flight data and other 
satellite-based solutions; 
(5) distress-mode tracking; and 
(6) protections against disabling flight recorder sys-
tems. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
initiation of the assessment, the Administrator shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on the re-
sults of the assessment. 
(d) PART 121 AIR CARRIER DEFINED.—In this section, 
the term ‘‘part 121 air carrier’’ means an air carrier with au-
thority to conduct operations under part 121 of title 14, Code 
of Federal Regulations. 
SEC. 306. ADVANCED COCKPIT DISPLAYS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall initiate 
a review of heads-up display systems, heads-down display sys-
tems employing synthetic vision systems, and enhanced vision
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systems (in this section referred to as ‘‘HUD systems’’, 
‘‘SVS’’, and ‘‘EVS’’, respectively). 
(b) CONTENTS.—The review shall— 
(1) evaluate the impacts of single- and dual-in-
stalled HUD systems, SVS, and EVS on the safety and 
efficiency of aircraft operations within the national air-
space system; and 
(2) review a sufficient quantity of commercial avia-
tion accidents or incidents in order to evaluate if HUD 
systems, SVS, or EVS would have produced a better 
outcome in each accident or incident. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—In conducting the review, the Ad-
ministrator shall consult with aviation manufacturers, rep-
resentatives of pilot groups, aviation safety organizations, and 
any government agencies the Administrator considers appro-
priate. 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report containing the 
results of the review, the actions the Administrator plans to 
take with respect to the systems reviewed, and the associated 
timeline for such actions.
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SEC. 307. EMERGENCY MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ON PASSENGER 
AIRCRAFT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall evaluate 
and revise, as appropriate, regulations in part 121 of title 14, 
Code of Federal Regulations, regarding emergency medical 
equipment, including the contents of first-aid kits, applicable 
to all certificate holders operating passenger aircraft under 
that part. 
(b) CONSIDERATION.—In carrying out subsection (a), 
the Administrator shall consider whether the minimum con-
tents of approved emergency medical kits, including approved 
first-aid kits, include appropriate medications and equipment 
to meet the emergency medical needs of children and preg-
nant women. 
SEC. 308. FAA AND NTSB REVIEW OF GENERAL AVIATION SAFE-
TY. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in co-
ordination with the Chairman of the National Transportation 
Safety Board, shall initiate a study of general aviation safety. 
(b) STUDY CONTENTS.—The study required under sub-
section (a) shall include— 
(1) a review of all general aviation accidents since 
2000, including a review of— 
(A) the number of such accidents;
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(B) the number of injuries and fatalities, in-
cluding with respect to both occupants of aircraft 
and individuals on the ground, as a result of such 
accidents; 
(C) the number of such accidents investigated 
by the National Transportation Safety Board; 
(D) the number of such accidents investigated 
by the FAA; and 
(E) a summary of the factual findings and 
probable cause determinations with respect to such 
accidents; 
(2) an assessment of the most common probable 
cause determinations issued for general aviation acci-
dents since 2000; 
(3) an assessment of the most common facts ana-
lyzed by the FAA and the National Transportation Safe-
ty Board in the course of investigations of general avia-
tion accidents since 2000, including operational details; 
(4) a review of the safety recommendations of the 
National Transportation Safety Board related to general 
aviation accidents since 2000; 
(5) an assessment of the responses of the FAA and 
the general aviation community to the safety rec-
ommendations of the National Transportation Safety 
Board related to general aviation accidents since 2000;
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(6) an assessment of the most common general 
aviation safety issues; 
(7) a review of the total costs to the Federal Gov-
ernment to conduct investigations of general aviation ac-
cidents over the last 10 years; and 
(8) other matters the Administrator or the Chair-
man considers appropriate. 
(c) RECOMMENDATIONS
AND ACTIONS TO ADDRESS 
GENERAL AVIATION SAFETY.—Based on the results of the 
study required under subsection (a), the Administrator, in 
consultation with the Chairman, shall make such rec-
ommendations, including with respect to regulations and en-
forcement activities, as the Administrator considers necessary 
to— 
(1) address general aviation safety issues identified 
under the study; 
(2) protect persons and property on the ground; 
and 
(3) improve the safety of general aviation operators 
in the United States. 
(d) AUTHORITY.—Notwithstanding any other provision 
of law, the Administrator shall have the authority to under-
take actions to address the recommendations made under 
subsection (c).
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(e) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of en-
actment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the ap-
propriate committees of Congress a report on the results of 
the study required under subsection (a), including the rec-
ommendations described in subsection (c). 
(f) GENERAL AVIATION DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘general aviation’’ means aircraft operation for per-
sonal, recreational, or other noncommercial purposes. 
SEC. 309. CALL TO ACTION AIRLINE ENGINE SAFETY REVIEW. 
(a) CALL
TO ACTION AIRLINE ENGINE SAFETY RE-
VIEW.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall initiate a Call to Action 
safety review on airline engine safety in order to bring stake-
holders together to share best practices and implement ac-
tions to address airline engine safety. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The Call to Action safety review re-
quired pursuant to subsection (a) shall include— 
(1) a review of Administration regulations, guid-
ance, and directives related to airline engines during de-
sign and production, including the oversight of those 
processes; 
(2) a review of Administration regulations, guid-
ance, and directives related to airline engine operation 
and maintenance and the oversight of those processes;
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(3) a review of reportable accidents and incidents 
involving airline engines during calendar years 2014 
through 2018, including any identified contributing fac-
tors to the reportable accident or incident; and 
(4) a process for stakeholders, including inspectors, 
manufacturers, maintenance providers, airlines, labor, 
and aviation safety experts, to provide feedback and 
share best practices. 
(c) REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 
90 days after the conclusion of the Call to Action safety re-
view pursuant to subsection (a), the Administrator shall sub-
mit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on 
the results of the review and any recommendations for ac-
tions or best practices to improve airline engine safety. 
SEC. 310. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON ACCESS TO AIR CARRIER 
FLIGHT DECKS. 
It is the sense of Congress that the Administrator should 
collaborate with other aviation authorities to advance a global 
standard for access to air carrier flight decks and redundancy 
requirements consistent with the flight deck access and re-
dundancy requirements in the United States. 
SEC. 311. PART 135 ACCIDENT AND INCIDENT DATA. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall—
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(1) determine, in collaboration with the National 
Transportation Safety Board and part 135 industry 
stakeholders, what, if any, additional data should be re-
ported as part of an accident or incident notice— 
(A) to more accurately measure the safety of 
on-demand part 135 aircraft activity; 
(B) to pinpoint safety problems; and 
(C) to form the basis for critical research and 
analysis of general aviation issues; and 
(2) provide a briefing to the appropriate committees 
of Congress on the findings under paragraph (1), includ-
ing a description of any additional data to be collected, 
a timeframe for implementing the additional data collec-
tion, and any potential obstacles to implementation. 
(b) DEFINITION
OF PART 135.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘part 135’’ means part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations. 
SEC. 312. SENSE OF CONGRESS; PILOT IN COMMAND AUTHOR-
ITY. 
It is the sense of Congress that the pilot in command 
of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final au-
thority as to, the operation of that aircraft, as set forth in 
section 91.3(a) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or 
any successor regulation thereto).
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SEC. 313. REPORT ON CONSPICUITY NEEDS FOR SURFACE VE-
HICLES OPERATING ON THE AIRSIDE OF AIR CAR-
RIER SERVED AIRPORTS. 
(a) STUDY REQUIRED.—The Administrator shall carry 
out a study on the need for the FAA to prescribe conspicuity 
standards for surface vehicles operating on the airside of the 
categories of airports that air carriers serve as specified in 
subsection (b). 
(b) COVERED AIRPORTS.—The study required by sub-
section (a) shall cover, at a minimum, 1 large hub airport, 
1 medium hub airport, and 1 small hub airport, as those 
terms are defined in section 40102 of title 49, United States 
Code. 
(c) REPORT
TO CONGRESS.—Not later than July 1, 
2019, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate com-
mittees of Congress a report setting forth the results of the 
study required by subsection (a), including such recommenda-
tions as the Administrator considers appropriate regarding 
the need for the Administration to prescribe conspicuity 
standards as described in subsection (a). 
SEC. 314. HELICOPTER AIR AMBULANCE OPERATIONS DATA 
AND REPORTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in collaboration 
with helicopter air ambulance industry stakeholders, shall as-
sess the availability of information to the general public re-
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lated to the location of heliports and helipads used by heli-
copters providing air ambulance services, including helipads 
and helipads outside of those listed as part of any existing 
databases of Airport Master Record (5010) forms. 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.—Based on the assessment under 
subsection (a), the Administrator shall— 
(1) update, as necessary, any existing guidance on 
what information is included in the current databases of 
Airport Master Record (5010) forms to include informa-
tion related to heliports and helipads used by helicopters 
providing air ambulance services; or 
(2) develop, as appropriate and in collaboration 
with helicopter air ambulance industry stakeholders, a 
new database of heliports and helipads used by heli-
copters providing air ambulance services. 
(c) REPORTS.— 
(1) ASSESSMENT REPORT.—Not later than 30 days 
after the date the assessment under subsection (a) is 
complete, the Administrator shall submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report on the assess-
ment, including any recommendations on how to make 
information related to the location of heliports and 
helipads used by helicopters providing air ambulance 
services available to the general public.
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(2) IMPLEMENTATION REPORT.—Not later than 30 
days after completing action under paragraph (1) or 
paragraph (2) of subsection (b), the Administrator shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a re-
port on such action. 
(d) INCIDENT AND ACCIDENT DATA.—Section 44731 of 
title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
striking ‘‘not later than 1 year after the date of en-
actment of this section, and annually thereafter’’ 
and inserting ‘‘annually’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘flights and 
hours flown, by registration number, during which 
helicopters operated by the certificate holder were 
providing helicopter air ambulance services’’ and in-
serting ‘‘hours flown by the helicopters operated by 
the certificate holder’’; 
(C) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘of flight’’ and inserting 
‘‘of patients transported and the number of pa-
tient transport’’; 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘or’’ after ‘‘interfacility 
transport,’’; and
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(iii) by striking ‘‘, or ferry or repositioning 
flight’’; 
(D) in paragraph (5)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘flights and’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘while providing air ambu-
lance services’’; and 
(E) by amending paragraph (6) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(6) The number of hours flown at night by heli-
copters operated by the certificate holder.’’; 
(2) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Not later than 2 years after 
the date of enactment of this section, and annually 
thereafter, the Administrator shall submit’’ and in-
serting ‘‘The Administrator shall submit annually’’; 
and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: ‘‘The 
report shall include the number of accidents experi-
enced by helicopter air ambulance operations, the 
number of fatal accidents experienced by helicopter 
air ambulance operations, and the rate, per 100,000 
flight hours, of accidents and fatal accidents experi-
enced by operators providing helicopter air ambu-
lance services.’’;
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(3) by redesignating subsection (e) as subsection 
(f); and 
(4) by inserting after subsection (d) the following: 
‘‘(e) IMPLEMENTATION.—In carrying out this section, 
the Administrator, in collaboration with part 135 certificate 
holders providing helicopter air ambulance services, shall— 
‘‘(1) propose and develop a method to collect and 
store the data submitted under subsection (a), including 
a method to protect the confidentiality of any trade se-
cret or proprietary information submitted; and 
‘‘(2) ensure that the database under subsection (c) 
and the report under subsection (d) include data and 
analysis that will best inform efforts to improve the safe-
ty of helicopter air ambulance operations.’’. 
SEC. 315. AVIATION RULEMAKING COMMITTEE FOR PART 135 
PILOT REST AND DUTY RULES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall con-
vene an aviation rulemaking committee to review, and develop 
findings and recommendations regarding, pilot rest and duty 
rules under part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(b) DUTIES.—The Administrator shall— 
(1) not later than 2 years after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, submit to the appropriate committees
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of Congress a report based on the findings of the avia-
tion rulemaking committee; and 
(2) not later than 1 year after the date of submis-
sion of the report under paragraph (1), issue a notice of 
proposed rulemaking based on any consensus rec-
ommendations reached by the aviation rulemaking com-
mittee. 
(c) COMPOSITION.—The aviation rulemaking committee 
shall consist of members appointed by the Administrator, in-
cluding— 
(1) representatives of industry; 
(2) representatives of aviation labor organizations, 
including collective bargaining units representing pilots 
who are covered by part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations, and subpart K of part 91 of such title; and 
(3) aviation safety experts with specific knowledge 
of flight crewmember education and training require-
ments under part 135 of such title. 
(d) CONSIDERATIONS.—The Administrator shall direct 
the aviation rulemaking committee to consider— 
(1) recommendations of prior part 135 rulemaking 
committees; 
(2) accommodations necessary for small businesses; 
(3) scientific data derived from aviation-related fa-
tigue and sleep research;
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(4) data gathered from aviation safety reporting 
programs; 
(5) the need to accommodate the diversity of oper-
ations conducted under part 135, including the unique 
duty and rest time requirements of air ambulance pilots; 
and 
(6) other items, as appropriate. 
SEC. 316. REPORT ON OBSOLETE TEST EQUIPMENT. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report on the National 
Test Equipment Program of the FAA (in this section re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Program’’). 
(b) CONTENTS.—The report shall include— 
(1) a list of all known outstanding requests for test 
equipment, cataloged by type and location, under the 
Program; 
(2) a description of the current method under the 
Program of ensuring calibrated equipment is in place for 
utilization; 
(3) a plan by the Administrator for appropriate in-
ventory of such equipment; 
(4) the Administrator’s recommendations for in-
creasing multifunctionality in future test equipment and
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all known and foreseeable manufacturer technological 
advances; and 
(5) a plan to replace, as appropriate, obsolete test 
equipment throughout the service areas. 
SEC. 317. HELICOPTER FUEL SYSTEM SAFETY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 447 of title 49, United 
States Code, is further amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘§ 44737. Helicopter fuel system safety 
‘‘(a) PROHIBITION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A person may not operate a 
covered rotorcraft in United States airspace unless the 
design of the rotorcraft is certified by the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration to— 
‘‘(A) comply with the requirements applicable 
to the category of the rotorcraft under paragraphs 
(1), (2), (3), (5), and (6) of section 27.952(a), sec-
tion 27.952(c), section 27.952(f), section 27.952(g), 
section 27.963(g) (but allowing for a minimum 
puncture force of 250 pounds if successfully drop 
tested in-structure), and section 27.975(b) or para-
graphs (1), (2), (3), (5), and (6) of section 
29.952(a), section 29.952(c), section 29.952(f), sec-
tion 29.952(g), section 29.963(b) (but allowing for 
a minimum puncture force of 250 pounds if suc-
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cessfully drop tested in-structure), and 29.975(a)(7) 
of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect 
on the date of enactment of this section; or 
‘‘(B) employ other means acceptable to the Ad-
ministrator to provide an equivalent level of fuel 
system crash resistance. 
‘‘(2) COVERED
ROTORCRAFT
DEFINED.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘covered rotorcraft’ means a rotor-
craft not otherwise required to comply with section 
27.952, section 27.963, and section 27.975, or section 
29.952, section 29.963, and section 29.975 of title 14, 
Code of Federal Regulations as in effect on the date of 
enactment of this section for which manufacture was 
completed, as determined by the Administrator, on or 
after the date that is 18 months after the date of enact-
ment of this section. 
‘‘(b) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.—The Administrator 
shall— 
‘‘(1) expedite the certification and validation of 
United States and foreign type designs and retrofit kits 
that improve fuel system crashworthiness; and 
‘‘(2) not later than 180 days after the date of en-
actment of this section, and periodically thereafter, issue 
a bulletin to—
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‘‘(A) inform rotorcraft owners and operators of 
available modifications to improve fuel system 
crashworthiness; and 
‘‘(B) urge that such modifications be installed 
as soon as practicable. 
‘‘(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section 
may be construed to affect the operation of a rotorcraft by 
the Department of Defense.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The analysis for chapter 
447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘44737. Helicopter fuel system safety.’’. 
SEC. 318. APPLICABILITY OF MEDICAL CERTIFICATION STAND-
ARDS TO OPERATORS OF AIR BALLOONS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Commercial Balloon Pilot Safety Act of 2018’’. 
(b) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall revise 
section 61.3(c) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (re-
lating to second-class medical certificates), to apply to an op-
erator of an air balloon to the same extent such regulations 
apply to a pilot flight crewmember of other aircraft. 
(c) AIR BALLOON DEFINED.—In this section, the term 
‘‘air balloon’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘balloon’’ in 
section 1.1 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or any 
corresponding similar regulation or ruling).
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SEC. 319. DESIGNATED PILOT EXAMINER REFORMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall assign to the 
Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (in this section re-
ferred to as the ‘‘Committee’’) the task of reviewing all regu-
lations and policies related to designated pilot examiners ap-
pointed under section 183.23 of title 14, Code of Federal 
Regulations. The Committee shall focus on the processes and 
requirements by which the FAA selects, trains, and deploys 
individuals as designated pilot examiners, and provide rec-
ommendations with respect to the regulatory and policy 
changes necessary to ensure an adequate number of des-
ignated pilot examiners are deployed and available to perform 
their duties. The Committee also shall make recommenda-
tions with respect to the regulatory and policy changes if nec-
essary to allow a designated pilot examiner perform a daily 
limit of 3 new check rides with no limit for partial check 
rides and to serve as a designed pilot examiner without re-
gard to any individual managing office. 
(b) ACTION BASED ON RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later 
than 1 year after receiving recommendations under sub-
section (a), the Administrator shall take such action as the 
Administrator considers appropriate with respect to those 
recommendations.
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SEC. 320. VOLUNTARY REPORTS OF OPERATIONAL OR MAINTE-
NANCE ISSUES RELATED TO AVIATION SAFETY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There shall be a presumption that an 
individual’s voluntary report of an operational or maintenance 
issue related to aviation safety under an aviation safety ac-
tion program meets the criteria for acceptance as a valid re-
port under such program. 
(b) DISCLAIMER REQUIRED.—Any dissemination, within 
the participating organization, of a report that was submitted 
and accepted under an aviation safety action program pursu-
ant to the presumption under subsection (a), but that has not 
undergone review by an event review committee, shall be ac-
companied by a disclaimer stating that the report— 
(1) has not been reviewed by an event review com-
mittee tasked with reviewing such reports; and 
(2) may subsequently be determined to be ineligible 
for inclusion in the aviation safety action program. 
(c) REJECTION OF REPORT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—A report described under sub-
section (a) shall be rejected from an aviation safety ac-
tion program if, after a review of the report, an event 
review committee tasked with reviewing such report, or 
the Federal Aviation Administration member of the 
event review committee in the case that the review com-
mittee does not reach consensus, determines that the re-
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port fails to meet the criteria for acceptance under such 
program. 
(2) PROTECTIONS.—In any case in which a report 
of an individual described under subsection (a) is re-
jected under paragraph (1)— 
(A) the enforcement-related incentive offered to 
the individual for making such a report shall not 
apply; and 
(B) the protection from disclosure of the report 
itself under section 40123 of title 49, United States 
Code, shall not apply. 
(3) AVIATION
SAFETY
ACTION
PROGRAM
DE-
FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘aviation safety action 
program’’ means a program established in accordance 
with Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 
120–66B, issued November 15, 2002 (including any 
similar successor advisory circular), to allow an indi-
vidual to voluntarily disclose operational or maintenance 
issues related to aviation safety. 
SEC. 321. EVALUATION REGARDING ADDITIONAL GROUND 
BASED TRANSMITTERS. 
The Administrator shall conduct an evaluation of pro-
viding additional ground based transmitters for Automatic 
Dependent Surveillance–Broadcasts (ADS–B) to provide a
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minimum operational network in Alaska along major flight 
routes. 
SEC. 322. IMPROVED SAFETY IN RURAL AREAS. 
The Administrator shall permit an air carrier operating 
pursuant to part 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regula-
tions, to operate to a destination with a published approach, 
in a noncontiguous State under instrument flight rules and 
conduct an instrument approach without a destination Mete-
orological Aerodrome Report (METAR) if a current Area 
Forecast, supplemented by noncertified local weather observa-
tions (such as weather cameras and human observations) is 
available, and an alternate airport that has a weather report 
is specified. The operator shall have approved procedures for 
departure and en route weather evaluation. 
SEC. 323. EXIT ROWS. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Administrator shall conduct a review 
of current safety procedures regarding unoccupied exit rows 
on a covered aircraft in passenger air transportation during 
all stages of flight. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In carrying out the review, the Ad-
ministrator shall consult with air carriers, aviation manufac-
turers, and labor stakeholders. 
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of en-
actment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the ap-
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propriate committees of Congress a report on the results of 
the review. 
(d) COVERED AIRCRAFT DEFINED.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘covered aircraft’’ means an aircraft operating under 
part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
SEC. 324. COMPTROLLER GENERAL REPORT ON FAA ENFORCE-
MENT POLICY. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this 
Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall com-
plete a study, and report to the appropriate committees of 
Congress on the results thereof, on the effectiveness of Order 
8000.373, Federal Aviation Administration Compliance Phi-
losophy, announced on June 26, 2015. Such study shall in-
clude information about— 
(1) whether reports of safety incidents increased 
following the order; 
(2) whether reduced enforcement penalties in-
creased the overall number of safety incidents that oc-
curred; and 
(3) whether FAA enforcement staff registered com-
plaints about reduced enforcement reducing compliance 
with safety regulations. 
SEC. 325. ANNUAL SAFETY INCIDENT REPORT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter for 5 years,
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the Administrator, shall submit to the appropriate commit-
tees of Congress a report regarding part 121 airline safety 
oversight. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The annual report shall include— 
(1) a description of the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration’s safety oversight process to ensure the safety of 
the traveling public; 
(2) a description of risk-based oversight methods 
applied to ensure aviation safety, including to specific 
issues addressed in the year preceding the report that in 
the determination of the Administrator address safety 
risk; and 
(3) in the instance of specific reviews of air carrier 
performance to safety regulations, a description of cases 
where the timelines for recurrent reviews are advanced. 
SEC. 326. AIRCRAFT AIR QUALITY. 
(a) EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, establish and 
make available on a publicly available Internet website of the 
Administration, educational materials for flight attendants, 
pilots, and aircraft maintenance technicians on how to re-
spond to incidents on board aircraft involving smoke or 
fumes.
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(b) REPORTING OF INCIDENTS OF SMOKE OR FUMES ON 
BOARD AIRCRAFT.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall, in consulta-
tion with relevant stakeholders, issue guidance for flight at-
tendants, pilots, and aircraft maintenance technicians to re-
port incidents of smoke or fumes on board an aircraft oper-
ated by a commercial air carrier and with respect to the basis 
on which commercial air carriers shall report such incidents 
through the Service Difficulty Reporting System. 
(c) RESEARCH TO DEVELOP TECHNIQUES TO MONITOR 
BLEED AIR QUALITY.—Not later than 180 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall com-
mission a study by the Airliner Cabin Environment Research 
Center of Excellence— 
(1) to identify and measure the constituents and 
levels of constituents resulting from bleed air in the cab-
ins of a representative set of commercial aircraft in oper-
ation of the United States; 
(2) to assess the potential health effects of such 
constituents on passengers and cabin and flight deck 
crew; 
(3) to identify technologies suitable to provide reli-
able and accurate warning of bleed air contamination, 
including technologies to effectively monitor the aircraft 
air supply system when the aircraft is in flight; and
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(4) to identify potential techniques to prevent fume 
events. 
(d) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 18 months 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a re-
port on the feasibility, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of cer-
tification and installation of systems to evaluate bleed air 
quality. 
(e) PILOT PROGRAM.—The FAA may conduct a pilot 
program to evaluate the effectiveness of technologies identi-
fied in subsection (c). 
SEC. 327. APPROACH CONTROL RADAR. 
The Administrator shall— 
(1) identify airports that are currently served by 
FAA towers with nonradar approach and departure con-
trol (type 4 classification in the Federal Aviation Admin-
istration OPSNET); and 
(2) develop an implementation plan, which takes 
into account budgetary and flight volume considerations, 
to provide an airport identified under paragraph (1), if 
appropriate, with approach control radar. 
SEC. 328. REPORT ON AIRLINE AND PASSENGER SAFETY. 
(a) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the
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appropriate committees of Congress a report on airline and 
passenger safety. 
(b) CONTENTS.—The report required under subsection 
(a) shall include— 
(1) the average age of commercial aircraft owned 
and operated by United States air carriers; 
(2) the over-all use of planes, including average life-
time of commercial aircraft; 
(3) the number of hours aircraft are in flight over 
the life of the aircraft and the average number of hours 
on domestic and international flights, respectively; 
(4) the impact of metal fatigue on aircraft usage 
and safety; 
(5) a review on contractor assisted maintenance of 
commercial aircraft; and 
(6) a re-evaluation of the rules on inspection of 
aging airplanes. 
SEC. 329. PERFORMANCE-BASED STANDARDS. 
The Administrator shall, to the maximum extent possible 
and consistent with Federal law, and based on input by the 
public, ensure that regulations, guidance, and policies issued 
by the FAA on and after the date of enactment of this Act 
are issued in the form of performance-based standards, pro-
viding an equal or higher level of safety.
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SEC. 330. REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON CERTAIN AVIA-
TION SAFETY RISKS. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall submit to the appropriate 
committees of Congress a report that— 
(1) identifies safety risks associated with power out-
ages at airports caused by weather or other factors, and 
recommends actions to improve resilience of aviation 
communication, navigation, and surveillance systems in 
the event of such outages; and 
(2) reviews alerting mechanisms, devices, and proce-
dures for enhancing the situational awareness of pilots 
and air traffic controllers in the event of a failure or an 
irregularity of runway lights, and provides recommenda-
tions on the further implementation of such mechanisms, 
devices, or procedures. 
SEC. 331. REVIEW OF FAA’S AVIATION SAFETY INFORMATION 
ANALYSIS AND SHARING SYSTEM. 
(a) AUDIT BY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION IN-
SPECTOR GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the inspector general of the Depart-
ment of Transportation shall initiate a follow-up review of the 
FAA’s Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing 
(ASIAS) system to assess FAA’s efforts and plans to improve 
the system.
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(b) REVIEW.—The review shall include, at a minimum, 
an evaluation of FAA’s efforts to improve the ASIAS sys-
tem’s predictive capabilities and solutions developed to more 
widely disseminate results of ASIAS data analyses, as well as 
an update on previous inspector general recommendations to 
improve this safety analysis and sharing system. 
(c) REPORT.—The inspector general shall submit to the 
appropriate committees of Congress a report on the results 
of the review carried out under this section and any rec-
ommendations to improve FAA’s ASIAS system. 
SEC. 332. AIRPORT RESCUE AND FIREFIGHTING. 
(a) FIREFIGHTING FOAM.—Not later than 3 years after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, using 
the latest version of National Fire Protection Association 
403, ‘‘Standard for Aircraft Rescue and Fire-Fighting Serv-
ices at Airports’’, and in coordination with the Administrator 
of the Environmental Protection Agency, aircraft manufac-
turers and airports, shall not require the use of fluorinated 
chemicals to meet the performance standards referenced in 
chapter 6 of AC No: 150/5210–6D and acceptable under 
139.319(l) of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations. 
(b) TRAINING FACILITIES.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress—
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(1) a report on the number and sufficiency of air-
craft rescue and firefighting training facilities in each 
FAA region; and 
(2) a plan, if appropriate, to address any coverage 
gaps identified in the report. 
SEC. 333. SAFE AIR TRANSPORTATION OF LITHIUM CELLS AND 
BATTERIES. 
(a) HARMONIZATION WITH ICAO TECHNICAL INSTRUC-
TIONS.— 
(1) ADOPTION OF ICAO INSTRUCTIONS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Pursuant to section 828 of 
the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 
(49 U.S.C. 44701 note), not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Sec-
retary of Transportation shall conform United 
States regulations on the air transport of lithium 
cells and batteries with the lithium cells and battery 
requirements in the 2015–2016 edition of the Inter-
national Civil Aviation Organization’s (referred to 
in this subsection as ‘‘ICAO’’) Technical Instruc-
tions (to include all addenda), including the revised 
standards adopted by ICAO which became effective 
on April 1, 2016 and any further revisions adopted 
by ICAO prior to the effective date of the FAA Re-
authorization Act of 2018.
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(B) FURTHER
PROCEEDINGS.—Beginning on 
the date the revised regulations under subparagraph 
(A) are published in the Federal Register, any lith-
ium cell and battery rulemaking action or update 
commenced on or after that date shall continue to 
comply with the requirements under section 828 of 
the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 
(49 U.S.C. 44701 note). 
(2) REVIEW OF OTHER REGULATIONS.—Pursuant 
to section 828 of the FAA Modernization and Reform 
Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note), the Secretary of 
Transportation may initiate a review of other existing 
regulations regarding the air transportation, including 
passenger-carrying and cargo aircraft, of lithium bat-
teries and cells. 
(b) MEDICAL DEVICE BATTERIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—For United States applicants, 
the Secretary of Transportation shall consider and either 
grant or deny, not later than 45 days after receipt of an 
application, an application submitted in compliance with 
part 107 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, for 
special permits or approvals for air transportation of 
lithium ion cells or batteries specifically used by medical 
devices. Not later than 30 days after the date of applica-
tion, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Ad-
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ministration shall provide a draft special permit to the 
Federal Aviation Administration based on the applica-
tion. The Federal Aviation Administration shall conduct 
an on-site inspection for issuance of the special permit 
not later than 20 days after the date of receipt of the 
draft special permit from the Pipeline and Hazardous 
Materials Safety Administration. 
(2) LIMITED EXCEPTIONS TO RESTRICTIONS ON AIR 
TRANSPORTATION
OF
MEDICAL
DEVICE
BATTERIES.— 
The Secretary shall issue limited exceptions to the re-
strictions on transportation of lithium ion and lithium 
metal batteries to allow the shipment on a passenger air-
craft of not more than 2 replacement batteries specifi-
cally used for a medical device if— 
(A) the intended destination of the batteries is 
not serviced daily by cargo aircraft if a battery is 
required for medically necessary care; and 
(B) with regard to a shipper of lithium ion or 
lithium metal batteries for medical devices that can-
not comply with a charge limitation in place at the 
time, each battery is— 
(i) individually packed in an inner pack-
aging that completely encloses the battery; 
(ii) placed in a rigid outer packaging; and 
(iii) protected to prevent a short circuit.
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(3) MEDIAL DEVICE DEFINED.—ln this subsection, 
the term ‘‘medical device’’ means an instrument, appa-
ratus, implement, machine, contrivance, implant, or in 
vitro reagent, including any component, part, or acces-
sory thereof, which is intended for use in the diagnosis 
of disease or other conditions, or in the cure, mitigation, 
treatment, or prevention of disease, of a person. 
(4) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this subsection 
shall be construed as expanding or constricting any 
other authority the Secretary of Transportation has 
under section 828 of the FAA Modernization and Re-
form Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note). 
(c) LITHIUM BATTERY SAFETY WORKING GROUP.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans-
portation shall establish a lithium battery safety working 
group (referred to as the ‘‘working group’’ in this sec-
tion) to promote and coordinate efforts related to the 
promotion of the safe manufacture, use, and transpor-
tation of lithium batteries and cells. 
(2) DUTIES.—The working group shall coordinate 
and facilitate the transfer of knowledge and expertise 
among the following Federal agencies: 
(A) The Department of Transportation.
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(B) The Consumer Product Safety Commis-
sion. 
(C) The National Institute on Standards and 
Technology. 
(D) The Food and Drug Administration. 
(3) MEMBERS.—The Secretary shall appoint not 
more than 8 members to the working group with exper-
tise in the safe manufacture, use, or transportation of 
lithium batteries and cells. 
(4) SUBCOMMITTEES.—The Secretary, or members 
of the working group, may— 
(A) establish working group subcommittees to 
focus on specific issues related to the safe manufac-
ture, use, or transportation of lithium batteries and 
cells; and 
(B) include in a subcommittee the participation 
of nonmember stakeholders with expertise in areas 
that the Secretary or members consider necessary. 
(5) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
it is established, the working group shall— 
(A) identify and assess— 
(i) additional ways to decrease the risk of 
fires and explosions from lithium batteries and 
cells;
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(ii) additional ways to ensure uniform 
transportation requirements for both bulk and 
individual batteries; and 
(iii) new or existing technologies that may 
reduce the fire and explosion risk of lithium 
batteries and cells; and 
(B) transmit to the appropriate committees of 
Congress a report on the assessments conducted 
under subparagraph (A), including any legislative 
recommendations to effectuate the safety improve-
ments described in clauses (i) through (iii) of that 
subparagraph. 
(6) TERMINATION.—The working group, and any 
working group subcommittees, shall terminate 90 days 
after the date the report is transmitted under paragraph 
(5). 
(d) LITHIUM BATTERY AIR SAFETY ADVISORY COM-
MITTEE.— 
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall es-
tablish, in accordance with the requirements of the Fed-
eral Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.), a lithium 
ion and lithium metal battery air safety advisory com-
mittee (in this subsection referred to as the ‘‘Com-
mittee’’).
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(2) DUTIES.—The Committee shall— 
(A) facilitate communication between manufac-
turers of lithium ion and lithium metal cells and 
batteries, manufacturers of products incorporating 
both large and small lithium ion and lithium metal 
batteries, air carriers, and the Federal Government 
regarding the safe air transportation of lithium ion 
and lithium metal cells and batteries and the effec-
tiveness and economic and social impacts of the reg-
ulation of such transportation; 
(B) provide the Secretary, the Federal Aviation 
Administration, and the Pipeline and Hazardous 
Materials Safety Administration with timely infor-
mation about new lithium ion and lithium metal 
battery technology and transportation safety prac-
tices and methodologies; 
(C) provide a forum for the Secretary to pro-
vide information on and to discuss the activities of 
the Department of Transportation relating to lith-
ium ion and lithium metal battery transportation 
safety, the policies underlying the activities, and po-
sitions to be advocated in international forums; 
(D) provide a forum for the Secretary to pro-
vide information and receive advice on—
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(i) activities carried out throughout the 
world to communicate and enforce relevant 
United States regulations and the ICAO Tech-
nical Instructions; and 
(ii) the effectiveness of the activities; 
(E) provide advice and recommendations to the 
Secretary with respect to lithium ion and lithium 
metal battery air transportation safety, including 
how best to implement activities to increase aware-
ness of relevant requirements and their importance 
to travelers and shippers; and 
(F) review methods to decrease the risk posed 
by air shipment of undeclared hazardous materials 
and efforts to educate those who prepare and offer 
hazardous materials for shipment via air transport. 
(3) MEMBERSHIP.—The Committee shall be com-
posed of the following members: 
(A) Individuals appointed by the Secretary to 
represent— 
(i) large volume manufacturers of lithium 
ion and lithium metal cells and batteries; 
(ii) domestic manufacturers of lithium ion 
and lithium metal batteries or battery packs;
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(iii) manufacturers of consumer products 
powered by lithium ion and lithium metal bat-
teries; 
(iv) manufacturers of vehicles powered by 
lithium ion and lithium metal batteries; 
(v) marketers of products powered by lith-
ium ion and lithium metal batteries; 
(vi) cargo air service providers based in 
the United States; 
(vii) passenger air service providers based 
in the United States; 
(viii) pilots and employees of air service 
providers described in clauses (vi) and (vii); 
(ix) shippers of lithium ion and lithium 
metal batteries for air transportation; 
(x) 
manufacturers 
of 
battery-powered 
medical devices or batteries used in medical de-
vices; and 
(xi) employees of the Department of 
Transportation, including employees of the 
Federal Aviation Administration and the Pipe-
line and Hazardous Materials Safety Adminis-
tration.
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(B) Representatives of such other Government 
departments and agencies as the Secretary deter-
mines appropriate. 
(C) Any other individuals the Secretary deter-
mines are appropriate to comply with Federal law. 
(4) REPORT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the establishment of the Committee, the Com-
mittee shall submit to the Secretary and the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report that— 
(i) describes and evaluates the steps being 
taken in the private sector and by international 
regulatory authorities to implement and en-
force requirements relating to the safe trans-
portation by air of bulk shipments of lithium 
ion cells and batteries; and 
(ii) identifies any areas of enforcement or 
regulatory requirements for which there is con-
sensus that greater attention is needed. 
(B) INDEPENDENT STATEMENTS.—Each mem-
ber of the Committee shall be provided an oppor-
tunity to submit an independent statement of views 
with the report submitted pursuant to subpara-
graph (A). 
(5) MEETINGS.—
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Committee shall meet 
at the direction of the Secretary and at least twice 
a year. 
(B) PREPARATION FOR ICAO MEETINGS.—Not-
withstanding subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 
convene a meeting of the Committee in connection 
with and in advance of each meeting of the Inter-
national Civil Aviation Organization, or any of its 
panels or working groups, addressing the safety of 
air transportation of lithium ion and lithium metal 
batteries to brief Committee members on positions 
to be taken by the United States at such meeting 
and provide Committee members a meaningful op-
portunity to comment. 
(6) TERMINATION.—The Committee shall terminate 
on the date that is 6 years after the date on which the 
Committee is established. 
(7) TERMINATION OF FUTURE OF AVIATION ADVI-
SORY
COMMITTEE.—The Future of Aviation Advisory 
Committee shall terminate on the date on which the lith-
ium ion battery air safety advisory committee is estab-
lished. 
(e) COOPERATIVE EFFORTS TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE 
WITH SAFETY REGULATIONS.—
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation, in coordination with appropriate Federal agen-
cies, shall carry out cooperative efforts to ensure that 
shippers who offer lithium ion and lithium metal bat-
teries for air transport to or from the United States 
comply with U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations and 
ICAO Technical Instructions. 
(2) COOPERATIVE EFFORTS.—The cooperative ef-
forts the Secretary shall carry out pursuant to para-
graph (1) include the following: 
(A) Encouraging training programs at loca-
tions outside the United States from which substan-
tial cargo shipments of lithium ion or lithium metal 
batteries originate for manufacturers, freight for-
warders, and other shippers and potential shippers 
of lithium ion and lithium metal batteries. 
(B) Working with Federal, regional, and inter-
national transportation agencies to ensure enforce-
ment of U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations and 
ICAO Technical Instructions with respect to ship-
pers who offer noncompliant shipments of lithium 
ion and lithium metal batteries. 
(C) Sharing information, as appropriate, with 
Federal, regional, and international transportation 
agencies regarding noncompliant shipments.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(D) Pursuing a joint effort with the inter-
national aviation community to develop a process to 
obtain assurances that appropriate enforcement ac-
tions are taken to reduce the likelihood of non-
compliant shipments, especially with respect to ju-
risdictions in which enforcement activities histori-
cally have been limited. 
(E) Providing information in brochures and on 
the internet in appropriate foreign languages and 
dialects that describes the actions required to com-
ply with U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations and 
ICAO Technical Instructions. 
(F) Developing joint efforts with the inter-
national aviation community to promote a better 
understanding of the requirements of and methods 
of compliance with U.S. Hazardous Materials Regu-
lations and ICAO Technical Instructions. 
(3) REPORTING.—Not later than 120 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter 
for 2 years, the Secretary shall submit to the appro-
priate committees of Congress a report on compliance 
with the policy set forth in subsection (e) and the coop-
erative efforts carried out, or planned to be carried out, 
under this subsection.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(f) PACKAGING IMPROVEMENTS.—Not later than 180 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary, 
in consultation with interested stakeholders, shall submit to 
the appropriate committees of Congress an evaluation of cur-
rent practices for the packaging of lithium ion batteries and 
cells for air transportation, including recommendations, if 
any, to improve the packaging of such batteries and cells for 
air transportation in a safe, efficient, and cost-effective man-
ner. 
(g) DEPARTMENT
OF TRANSPORTATION POLICY
ON 
INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall be the policy of the De-
partment of Transportation to support the participation 
of industry and labor stakeholders in all panels and 
working groups of the dangerous goods panel of the 
ICAO and any other international test or standard set-
ting organization that considers proposals on the safety 
or transportation of lithium ion and lithium metal bat-
teries in which the United States participates. 
(2) PARTICIPATION.—The Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall request that as part of the ICAO delibera-
tions in the dangerous goods panel on these issues, that 
appropriate experts on issues under consideration be al-
lowed to participate.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(h) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following defini-
tions apply: 
(1) ICAO TECHNICAL
INSTRUCTIONS.—The term 
‘‘ICAO Technical Instructions’’ has the meaning given 
that term in section 828(c) of the FAA Modernization 
and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note). 
(2) U.S. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS REGULATIONS.— 
The term ‘‘U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations’’ 
means the regulations in parts 100 through 177 of title 
49, Code of Federal Regulations (including amendments 
adopted after the date of enactment of this Act). 
SEC. 334. RUNWAY SAFETY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 6 months after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on im-
proving runway safety. 
(b) CONTENTS.—In the report required under this sec-
tion, the Administrator shall— 
(1) review the relative benefits and risks of requir-
ing the use of runway awareness and advisory systems 
in turbine-powered airplanes with a maximum takeoff 
weight greater than 19,000 pounds; 
(2) review systems capable of detecting wrong-sur-
face alignment to determine whether the capability exists
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•HRES 1082 EH 
to detect imminent wrong-surface landings at each air-
port where such a system is in use; 
(3) describe information gathered from the use of 
the Airport Surface Surveillance Capability system at 
San Francisco International Airport since July 2017; 
(4) assess available technologies to determine 
whether it is feasible, cost-effective, and appropriate to 
install and deploy, at any airport, systems to provide a 
direct warning capability to flight crews or air traffic 
controllers, or both, of potential runway incursions; and 
(5) describe FAA efforts to develop metrics that 
would allow the FAA to determine whether runway in-
cursions are increasing and to assess the effectiveness of 
implemented runway safety initiatives. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—The Administrator shall consult 
with the National Transportation Safety Board in developing 
the report required under this section. 
SEC. 335. FLIGHT ATTENDANT DUTY PERIOD LIMITATIONS AND 
REST REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) MODIFICATION OF FINAL RULE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trans-
portation shall modify the final rule of the Federal Avia-
tion Administration published in the Federal Register on 
August 19, 1994 (59 Fed. Reg. 42974; relating to flight
222 
•HRES 1082 EH 
attendant duty period limitations and rest requirements) 
in accordance with the requirements of this subsection. 
(2) CONTENTS.—The final rule, as modified under 
paragraph (1), shall ensure that— 
(A) a flight attendant scheduled to a duty pe-
riod of 14 hours or less is given a scheduled rest 
period of at least 10 consecutive hours; and 
(B) the rest period is not reduced under any 
circumstances. 
(b) FATIGUE RISK MANAGEMENT PLAN.— 
(1) SUBMISSION OF PLAN BY PART 121 AIR CAR-
RIERS.—Not later than 90 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, each air carrier operating under part 
121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (in this sec-
tion referred to as a ‘‘part 121 air carrier’’), shall sub-
mit to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Admin-
istration for review and acceptance a fatigue risk man-
agement plan for the carrier’s flight attendants. 
(2) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—A fatigue risk manage-
ment plan submitted by a part 121 air carrier under 
paragraph (1) shall include the following: 
(A) Current flight time and duty period limita-
tions. 
(B) A rest scheme consistent with such limita-
tions that enables the management of flight attend-
223 
•HRES 1082 EH 
ant fatigue, including annual training to increase 
awareness of— 
(i) fatigue; 
(ii) the effects of fatigue on flight attend-
ants; and 
(iii) fatigue countermeasures. 
(C) Development and use of a methodology 
that continually assesses the effectiveness of imple-
mentation of the plan, including the ability of the 
plan— 
(i) to improve alertness; and 
(ii) to mitigate performance errors. 
(3) REVIEW.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall review 
and accept or reject each fatigue risk management plan 
submitted under this subsection. If the Administrator re-
jects a plan, the Administrator shall provide suggested 
modifications for resubmission of the plan. 
(4) PLAN UPDATES.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—A part 121 air carrier shall 
update its fatigue risk management plan under 
paragraph (1) every 2 years and submit the update 
to the Administrator for review and acceptance. 
(B) REVIEW.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of submission of a plan update under subpara-
224 
•HRES 1082 EH 
graph (A), the Administrator shall review and ac-
cept or reject the update. If the Administrator re-
jects an update, the Administrator shall provide 
suggested modifications for resubmission of the up-
date. 
(5) COMPLIANCE.—A part 121 air carrier shall 
comply with the fatigue risk management plan of the air 
carrier that is accepted by the Administrator under this 
subsection. 
(6) CIVIL
PENALTIES.—A violation of this sub-
section by a part 121 air carrier shall be treated as a 
violation of chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, 
for purposes of the application of civil penalties under 
chapter 463 of that title. 
SEC. 336. SECONDARY COCKPIT BARRIERS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the 
‘‘Saracini Aviation Safety Act of 2018’’. 
(b) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the 
Federal Aviation Administration shall issue an order requir-
ing installation of a secondary cockpit barrier on each new 
aircraft that is manufactured for delivery to a passenger air 
carrier in the United States operating under the provisions 
of part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
SEC. 337. AIRCRAFT CABIN EVACUATION PROCEDURES. 
(a) REVIEW.—The Administrator of the Federal Avia-
tion Administration shall review— 
(1) evacuation certification of transport-category 
aircraft used in air transportation, with regard to— 
(A) emergency conditions, including impacts 
into water; 
(B) crew procedures used for evacuations 
under actual emergency conditions; 
(C) any relevant changes to passenger demo-
graphics and legal requirements, including the 
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 
12101 et seq.), that affect emergency evacuations; 
and 
(D) any relevant changes to passenger seating 
configurations, including changes to seat width, 
padding, reclining, size, pitch, leg room, and aisle 
width; and 
(2) recent accidents and incidents in which pas-
sengers evacuated such aircraft. 
(b) CONSULTATION; REVIEW OF DATA.—In conducting 
the review under subsection (a), the Administrator shall— 
(1) consult with the National Transportation Safety 
Board, transport-category aircraft manufacturers, air 
carriers, and other relevant experts and Federal agen-
cies, including groups representing passengers, airline
226 
•HRES 1082 EH 
crew members, maintenance employees, and emergency 
responders; and 
(2) review relevant data with respect to evacuation 
certification of transport-category aircraft. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 1 year after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report on 
the results of the review under subsection (a) and related rec-
ommendations, if any, including recommendations for revi-
sions to the assumptions and methods used for assessing 
evacuation certification of transport-category aircraft. 
SEC. 338. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) each air carrier should have in place policies 
and procedures to address sexual misconduct, including 
policies and procedures to— 
(B) facilitate the reporting of sexual mis-
conduct to appropriate law enforcement agencies; 
(C) communicate to personnel and passengers 
of the air carrier the rights of such individuals with 
respect to sexual misconduct; 
(D) train personnel of the air carrier to recog-
nize and respond appropriately to, and to notify the 
appropriate law enforcement agency of, sexual mis-
conduct; and
227 
•HRES 1082 EH 
(E) ensure other appropriate actions are un-
dertaken to respond effectively to sexual mis-
conduct; and 
(2) individuals who perpetrate sexual misconduct 
should be held accountable under all applicable Federal 
and State laws. 
SEC. 339. CIVIL PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE. 
(a) INTERFERENCE WITH CABIN OR FLIGHT CREW.— 
Section 46318(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amend-
ed— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘or sexually’’ after ‘‘physically’’ 
each place it appears; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘$25,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$35,000’’. 
SEC. 339A. NATIONAL IN-FLIGHT SEXUAL MISCONDUCT TASK 
FORCE. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE.—The Secretary 
of Transportation shall establish a task force, to be known 
as the ‘‘National In-Flight Sexual Misconduct Task Force’’ 
(referred to in this section as ‘‘Task Force’’) to— 
(1) review current practices, protocols and require-
ments of air carriers in responding to allegations of sex-
ual misconduct by passengers onboard aircraft, including 
training, reporting and data collection; and 
(2) provide recommendations on training, reporting 
and data collection regarding allegations of sexual mis-
228 
•HRES 1082 EH 
conduct occurring on passenger airline flights that are 
informed by the review of information described in para-
graph (1) and subsection (c)(5) on passengers who have 
experienced sexual misconduct onboard aircraft. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Task Force shall be composed 
of, at a minimum, representatives from— 
(1) Department of Transportation; 
(2) Department of Justice, including the Federal 
Bureau of Investigation, Office of Victims for Crimes, 
and the Office on Violence Against Women; 
(3) National organizations that specialize in pro-
viding services to sexual assault victims; 
(4) labor organizations that represent flight attend-
ants; 
(5) labor organizations that represent pilots; 
(6) airports; 
(7) air carriers; 
(8) State and local law enforcement agencies; and 
(9) such other Federal agencies and stakeholder or-
ganizations as the Secretary of Transportation considers 
appropriate. 
(c) PURPOSE
OF TASK FORCE.—The purpose of the 
Task Force shall be to—
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(1) issue recommendations for addressing allega-
tions of sexual misconduct by passengers onboard air-
craft, including airline employee and contractor training; 
(2) issue recommendations on effective ways for 
passengers involved in incidents of alleged sexual mis-
conduct to report such allegation of sexual misconduct; 
(3) issue recommendations on how to most effec-
tively provide data on instances of alleged sexual mis-
conduct onboard aircraft and to whom the data collected 
should be reported in a manner that protects the privacy 
and confidentiality of individuals involved in incidents of 
alleged sexual misconduct and precludes the release of 
data that publically identifies an individual air carrier to 
enable better understanding of the frequency and sever-
ity of such misconduct; 
(4) issue recommendations for flight attendants, pi-
lots, and other appropriate airline personnel on law en-
forcement notification in incidents of alleged sexual mis-
conduct; 
(5) review and utilize first-hand accounts from pas-
sengers who have experienced sexual misconduct onboard 
aircraft; and 
(6) other matters deemed necessary by the Task 
Force.
230 
•HRES 1082 EH 
(d) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Task Force shall submit a report 
with its recommendations and findings developed pursuant to 
subsection (c) to the Secretary of Transportation. 
(e) PLAN.—Not later than 180 days after receiving the 
report required under subsection (d) the Secretary of Trans-
portation, in coordination with relevant federal agencies, shall 
submit to appropriate committees of Congress a plan to ad-
dress the recommendations in the report required under sub-
section (d). The Secretary of Transportation shall make 
changes to guidance, policies and regulations, as necessary, 
within 1 year of submitting the plan required in this sub-
section. 
(f) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 1 year after submit-
ting the plan required in this subsection, the Secretary of 
Transportation may issue regulations as deemed necessary to 
require each air carrier and other covered entity to develop 
a policy concerning sexual misconduct in accordance with the 
recommendations and findings of the Task Force under sub-
section (c). 
(g) SUNSET.—The Task Force established pursuant to 
subsection (a) shall terminate upon the submission of the re-
port pursuant to subsection (d).
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•HRES 1082 EH 
SEC. 339B. REPORTING PROCESS FOR SEXUAL MISCONDUCT 
ONBOARD AIRCRAFT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than two years after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Attorney General, in 
coordination with relevant Federal agencies, shall establish a 
streamlined process, based on the plan required under section 
339A(e) of this Act, for individuals involved in incidents of 
alleged sexual misconduct onboard aircraft to report such al-
legations of sexual misconduct to law enforcement in a man-
ner that protects the privacy and confidentiality of individuals 
involved in such allegations. 
(b) AVAILABILITY OF REPORTING PROCESS.—The proc-
ess for reporting established under subsection (a) shall be 
made available to the public on the primary Internet websites 
of— 
(1) the Office for Victims of Crime and the Office 
on Violence Against Women of the Department of Jus-
tice; 
(2) the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and 
(3) the Department of Transportation.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
Subtitle B—Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems 
SEC. 341. DEFINITIONS; INTEGRATION OF CIVIL UNMANNED 
AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS INTO NATIONAL AIRSPACE 
SYSTEM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Part A of subtitle VII of title 49, 
United States Code, is amended by inserting after chapter 
447 the following: 
‘‘CHAPTER 448—UNMANNED AIRCRAFT 
SYSTEMS 
‘‘Sec. 
‘‘44801. Definitions. 
‘‘44802. Integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems into national airspace 
system. 
‘‘§ 44801. Definitions 
‘‘In this chapter, the following definitions apply: 
‘‘(1) ACTIVELY
TETHERED
UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT 
SYSTEM.—The term ‘actively tethered unmanned aircraft 
system’ means an unmanned aircraft system in which 
the unmanned aircraft component— 
‘‘(A) weighs 4.4 pounds or less, including pay-
load but not including the tether; 
‘‘(B) is physically attached to a ground station 
with a taut, appropriately load-rated tether that 
provides continuous power to the unmanned aircraft 
and is unlikely to be separated from the unmanned 
aircraft; and
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(C) is controlled and retrieved by such ground 
station through physical manipulation of the tether. 
‘‘(2) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.— 
The term ‘appropriate committees of Congress’ means 
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation of the Senate and the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representa-
tives. 
‘‘(3) ARCTIC.—The term ‘Arctic’ means the United 
States zone of the Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea, and Ber-
ing Sea north of the Aleutian chain. 
‘‘(4) CERTIFICATE
OF
WAIVER; CERTIFICATE
OF 
AUTHORIZATION.—The terms ‘certificate of waiver’ and 
‘certificate of authorization’ mean a Federal Aviation 
Administration grant of approval for a specific flight op-
eration. 
‘‘(5) COUNTER-UAS SYSTEM.—The term ‘counter- 
UAS system’ means a system or device capable of law-
fully and safely disabling, disrupting, or seizing control 
of an unmanned aircraft or unmanned aircraft system. 
‘‘(6) PERMANENT
AREAS.—The term ‘permanent 
areas’ means areas on land or water that provide for 
launch, recovery, and operation of small unmanned air-
craft.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(7) PUBLIC UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEM.—The 
term ‘public unmanned aircraft system’ means an un-
manned aircraft system that meets the qualifications and 
conditions required for operation of a public aircraft. 
‘‘(8) SENSE
AND
AVOID
CAPABILITY.—The term 
‘sense and avoid capability’ means the capability of an 
unmanned aircraft to remain a safe distance from and 
to avoid collisions with other airborne aircraft, structures 
on the ground, and other objects. 
‘‘(9) SMALL
UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT.—The term 
‘small unmanned aircraft’ means an unmanned aircraft 
weighing less than 55 pounds, including the weight of 
anything attached to or carried by the aircraft. 
‘‘(10) TEST RANGE.—The term ‘test range’ means 
a defined geographic area where research and develop-
ment are conducted as authorized by the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration, and includes any 
of the 6 test ranges established by the Administrator 
under section 332(c) of the FAA Modernization and Re-
form Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note), as in effect 
on the day before the date of enactment of the FAA Re-
authorization Act of 2018, and any public entity author-
ized by the Federal Aviation Administration as an un-
manned aircraft system flight test center before January 
1, 2009.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(11) UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT.—The term ‘un-
manned aircraft’ means an aircraft that is operated 
without the possibility of direct human intervention from 
within or on the aircraft. 
‘‘(12) UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT
SYSTEM.—The term 
‘unmanned aircraft system’ means an unmanned aircraft 
and associated elements (including communication links 
and the components that control the unmanned aircraft) 
that are required for the operator to operate safely and 
efficiently in the national airspace system. 
‘‘(13) UTM.—The term ‘UTM’ means an un-
manned aircraft system traffic management system or 
service. 
‘‘§ 44802. Integration of civil unmanned aircraft systems 
into national airspace system 
‘‘(a) REQUIRED PLANNING FOR INTEGRATION.— 
‘‘(1) COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.—Not later than No-
vember 10, 2012, the Secretary of Transportation, in 
consultation with representatives of the aviation indus-
try, Federal agencies that employ unmanned aircraft 
systems technology in the national airspace system, and 
the unmanned aircraft systems industry, shall develop a 
comprehensive plan to safely accelerate the integration 
of civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national air-
space system.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS
OF
PLAN.—The plan required 
under paragraph (1) shall contain, at a minimum, rec-
ommendations or projections on— 
‘‘(A) the rulemaking to be conducted under 
subsection (b), with specific recommendations on 
how the rulemaking will— 
‘‘(i) define the acceptable standards for 
operation and certification of civil unmanned 
aircraft systems; 
‘‘(ii) ensure that any civil unmanned air-
craft system includes a sense-and-avoid capa-
bility; and 
‘‘(iii) establish standards and require-
ments for the operator and pilot of a civil un-
manned aircraft system, including standards 
and requirements for registration and licens-
ing; 
‘‘(B) the best methods to enhance the tech-
nologies and subsystems necessary to achieve the 
safe and routine operation of civil unmanned air-
craft systems in the national airspace system; 
‘‘(C) a phased-in approach to the integration of 
civil unmanned aircraft systems into the national 
airspace system;
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(D) a timeline for the phased-in approach de-
scribed under subparagraph (C); 
‘‘(E) creation of a safe airspace designation for 
cooperative manned and unmanned flight operations 
in the national airspace system; 
‘‘(F) establishment of a process to develop cer-
tification, flight standards, and air traffic require-
ments for civil unmanned aircraft systems at test 
ranges where such systems are subject to testing; 
‘‘(G) the best methods to ensure the safe oper-
ation of civil unmanned aircraft systems and public 
unmanned aircraft systems simultaneously in the 
national airspace system; and 
‘‘(H) incorporation of the plan into the annual 
NextGen Implementation Plan document (or any 
successor document) of the Federal Aviation Ad-
ministration. 
‘‘(3) DEADLINE.—The plan required under para-
graph (1) shall provide for the safe integration of civil 
unmanned aircraft systems into the national airspace 
system as soon as practicable, but not later than Sep-
tember 30, 2015. 
‘‘(4) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than Feb-
ruary 14, 2013, the Secretary shall submit to Congress 
a copy of the plan required under paragraph (1).
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(5) ROADMAP.—Not later than February 14, 
2013, the Secretary shall approve and make available in 
print and on the Administration’s internet website a 5- 
year roadmap for the introduction of civil unmanned air-
craft systems into the national airspace system, as co-
ordinated by the Unmanned Aircraft Program Office of 
the Administration. The Secretary shall update, in co-
ordination with the Administrator of the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration (NASA) and relevant 
stakeholders, including those in industry and academia, 
the roadmap annually. The roadmap shall include, at a 
minimum— 
‘‘(A) cost estimates, planned schedules, and 
performance benchmarks, including specific tasks, 
milestones, and timelines, for unmanned aircraft 
systems integration into the national airspace sys-
tem, including an identification of— 
‘‘(i) the role of the unmanned aircraft sys-
tems test ranges established under subsection 
(c) and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Cen-
ter of Excellence; 
‘‘(ii) performance objectives for unmanned 
aircraft systems that operate in the national 
airspace system; and
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(iii) research and development priorities 
for tools that could assist air traffic controllers 
as unmanned aircraft systems are integrated 
into the national airspace system, as appro-
priate; 
‘‘(B) a description of how the Administration 
plans to use research and development, including 
research 
and 
development 
conducted 
through 
NASA’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Man-
agement initiatives, to accommodate, integrate, and 
provide for the evolution of unmanned aircraft sys-
tems in the national airspace system; 
‘‘(C) an assessment of critical performance 
abilities necessary to integrate unmanned aircraft 
systems into the national airspace system, and how 
these performance abilities can be demonstrated; 
and 
‘‘(D) an update on the advancement of tech-
nologies needed to integrate unmanned aircraft sys-
tems into the national airspace system, including 
decisionmaking by adaptive systems, such as sense- 
and-avoid capabilities and cyber physical systems 
security. 
‘‘(b) RULEMAKING.—Not later than 18 months after the 
date on which the plan required under subsection (a)(1) is
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•HRES 1082 EH 
submitted to Congress under subsection (a)(4), the Secretary 
shall publish in the Federal Register— 
‘‘(1) a final rule on small unmanned aircraft sys-
tems that will allow for civil operation of such systems 
in the national airspace system, to the extent the sys-
tems do not meet the requirements for expedited oper-
ational authorization under section 44807; 
‘‘(2) a notice of proposed rulemaking to implement 
the recommendations of the plan required under sub-
section (a)(1), with the final rule to be published not 
later than 16 months after the date of publication of the 
notice; and 
‘‘(3) an update to the Administration’s most recent 
policy statement on unmanned aircraft systems, con-
tained in Docket No. FAA–2006–25714.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) TABLE OF CHAPTERS.—The table of chapters 
for subtitle VII of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to chapter 
447 the following: 
‘‘448 . Unmanned aircraft systems .......................................................... 44801’’. 
(2) REPEAL.—Section 332 of the FAA Moderniza-
tion and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) 
and the item relating to that section in the table of con-
tents under section 1(b) of that Act are repealed.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
SEC. 342. UPDATE OF FAA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transpor-
tation shall update the comprehensive plan described in sec-
tion 44802 of title 49, United States Code, to develop a con-
cept of operations for the integration of unmanned aircraft 
into the national airspace system. 
(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out the update 
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall consider, at a min-
imum— 
(1) the potential use of UTM and other technologies 
to ensure the safe and lawful operation of unmanned air-
craft in the national airspace system; 
(2) the appropriate roles, responsibilities, and au-
thorities of government agencies and the private sector 
in identifying and reporting unlawful or harmful oper-
ations and operators of unmanned aircraft; 
(3) the use of models, threat assessments, prob-
abilities, and other methods to distinguish between law-
ful and unlawful operations of unmanned aircraft; and 
(4) appropriate systems, training, intergovern-
mental processes, protocols, and procedures to mitigate 
risks and hazards posed by unlawful or harmful oper-
ations of unmanned aircraft systems. 
(c) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall carry out the 
update under subsection (a) in consultation with representa-
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tives of the aviation industry, Federal agencies that employ 
unmanned aircraft systems technology in the national air-
space system, and the unmanned aircraft systems industry. 
(d) PROGRAM ALIGNMENT REPORT.—Not later than 90 
days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, a re-
port that describes a strategy to— 
(1) avoid duplication; 
(2) leverage capabilities learned across programs; 
(3) support the safe integration of UAS into the na-
tional airspace; and 
(4) systematically and timely implement or exe-
cute— 
(A) commercially-operated Low Altitude Au-
thorization and Notification Capability; 
(B) the Unmanned Aircraft System Integration 
Pilot Program; and 
(C) the Unmanned Traffic Management Pilot 
Program. 
SEC. 343. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT TEST RANGES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 448 of title 49, United 
States Code, as added by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following:
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‘‘§ 44803. Unmanned aircraft test ranges 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall carry out and update, as appro-
priate, a program for the use of the test ranges to facilitate 
the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems into the 
national airspace system. 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out the 
program under subsection (a), the Administrator shall— 
‘‘(1) designate airspace for safely testing the inte-
gration of unmanned flight operations in the national 
airspace system; 
‘‘(2) develop operational standards and air traffic 
requirements for unmanned flight operations at test 
ranges; 
‘‘(3) coordinate with, and leverage the resources of, 
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and 
the Department of Defense; 
‘‘(4) address both civil and public unmanned air-
craft systems; 
‘‘(5) ensure that the program is coordinated with 
relevant aspects of the Next Generation Air Transpor-
tation System; 
‘‘(6) provide for verification of the safety of un-
manned aircraft systems and related navigation proce-
dures as it relates to continued development of standards 
for integration into the national airspace system;
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‘‘(7) engage test range operators, as necessary and 
within available resources, in projects for research, devel-
opment, testing, and evaluation of unmanned aircraft 
systems to facilitate the Federal Aviation Administra-
tion’s development of standards for the safe integration 
of unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system, 
which may include solutions for— 
‘‘(A) developing and enforcing geographic and 
altitude limitations; 
‘‘(B) providing for alerts by the manufacturer 
of an unmanned aircraft system regarding any haz-
ards or limitations on flight, including prohibition 
on flight as necessary; 
‘‘(C) sense and avoid capabilities; 
‘‘(D) 
beyond-visual-line-of-sight 
operations, 
nighttime operations, operations over people, oper-
ation of multiple small unmanned aircraft systems, 
and unmanned aircraft systems traffic manage-
ment, or other critical research priorities; and 
‘‘(E) improving privacy protections through the 
use of advances in unmanned aircraft systems tech-
nology; 
‘‘(8) coordinate periodically with all test range oper-
ators to ensure test range operators know which data 
should be collected, what procedures should be followed,
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and what research would advance efforts to safely inte-
grate unmanned aircraft systems into the national air-
space system; 
‘‘(9) streamline to the extent practicable the ap-
proval process for test ranges when processing un-
manned aircraft certificates of waiver or authorization 
for operations at the test sites; 
‘‘(10) require each test range operator to protect 
proprietary technology, sensitive data, or sensitive re-
search of any civil or private entity when using that test 
range without the need to obtain an experimental or spe-
cial airworthiness certificate; 
‘‘(11) allow test range operators to receive Federal 
funding, other than from the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration, including in-kind contributions, from test range 
participants in the furtherance of research, development, 
and testing objectives. 
‘‘(c) WAIVERS.—In carrying out this section the Admin-
istrator may waive the requirements of section 44711 of title 
49, United States Code, including related regulations, to the 
extent consistent with aviation safety. 
‘‘(d) REVIEW OF OPERATIONS BY TEST RANGE OPERA-
TORS.—The operator of each test range under subsection (a) 
shall—
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‘‘(1) review the operations of unmanned aircraft 
systems conducted at the test range, including— 
‘‘(A) ongoing or completed research; and 
‘‘(B) data regarding operations by private and 
public operators; and 
‘‘(2) submit to the Administrator, in such form and 
manner as specified by the Administrator, the results of 
the review, including recommendations to further enable 
private research and development operations at the test 
ranges that contribute to the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration’s safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems 
into the national airspace system, on a quarterly basis 
until the program terminates. 
‘‘(e) TESTING.—The Secretary of Transportation may 
authorize an operator of a test range described in subsection 
(a) to administer testing requirements established by the Ad-
ministrator for unmanned aircraft systems operations. 
‘‘(f) COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH
AND DEVELOPMENT 
AGREEMENTS.—The Administrator may use the other trans-
action authority under section 106(l)(6) and enter into col-
laborative research and development agreements, to direct re-
search related to unmanned aircraft systems, including at any 
test range under subsection (a), and in coordination with the 
Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Systems.
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‘‘(g) USE OF CENTER OF EXCELLENCE FOR UNMANNED 
AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.—The Administrator, in carrying out re-
search necessary to implement the consensus safety standards 
requirements in section 44805 shall, to the maximum extent 
practicable, leverage the research and testing capacity and ca-
pabilities of the Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft 
Systems and the test ranges. 
‘‘(h) TERMINATION.—The program under this section 
shall terminate on September 30, 2023.’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
chapter 448, as added by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘44803. Unmanned aircraft system test ranges.’’. 
SEC. 344. SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT IN THE ARCTIC. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 448 of title 49, United 
States Code, as added by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 44804. Small unmanned aircraft in the Arctic 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Transportation 
shall develop a plan and initiate a process to work with rel-
evant Federal agencies and national and international com-
munities to designate permanent areas in the Arctic where 
small unmanned aircraft may operate 24 hours per day for 
research and commercial purposes. 
‘‘(b) PLAN CONTENTS.—The plan under subsection (a) 
shall include the development of processes to facilitate the
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safe operation of small unmanned aircraft beyond the visual 
line of sight. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS.—Each permanent area designated 
under subsection (a) shall enable over-water flights from the 
surface to at least 2,000 feet in altitude, with ingress and 
egress routes from selected coastal launch sites. 
‘‘(d) AGREEMENTS.—To implement the plan under sub-
section (a), the Secretary may enter into an agreement with 
relevant national and international communities. 
‘‘(e) AIRCRAFT APPROVAL.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), not 
later than 1 year after the entry into force of an agree-
ment necessary to effectuate the purposes of this section, 
the Secretary shall work with relevant national and 
international communities to establish and implement a 
process for approving the use of a small unmanned air-
craft in the designated permanent areas in the Arctic 
without regard to whether the small unmanned aircraft 
is used as a public aircraft, a civil aircraft, or a model 
aircraft. 
‘‘(2) EXISTING PROCESS.—The Secretary may im-
plement an existing process to meet the requirements 
under paragraph (1).’’.
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, as added by this 
Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘44804. Small unmanned aircraft in the Arctic.’’. 
SEC. 345. SMALL UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SAFETY STANDARDS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 448 of title 49, United 
States Code, as added by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 44805. Small Unmanned aircraft safety standards 
‘‘(a) FAA PROCESS FOR ACCEPTANCE AND AUTHORIZA-
TION.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration shall establish a process for— 
‘‘(1) accepting risk-based consensus safety stand-
ards related to the design, production, and modification 
of small unmanned aircraft systems; 
‘‘(2) authorizing the operation of small unmanned 
aircraft system make and model designed, produced, or 
modified in accordance with the consensus safety stand-
ards accepted under paragraph (1); 
‘‘(3) authorizing a manufacturer to self-certify a 
small unmanned aircraft system make or model that 
complies with consensus safety standards accepted under 
paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(4) certifying a manufacturer of small unmanned 
aircraft systems, or an employee of such manufacturer, 
that has demonstrated compliance with the consensus
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safety standards accepted under paragraph (1) and met 
any other qualifying criteria, as determined by the Ad-
ministrator, to alternatively satisfy the requirements of 
paragraph (1). 
‘‘(b) CONSIDERATIONS.—Before accepting consensus 
safety standards under subsection (a), the Administrator of 
the Federal Aviation Administration shall consider the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) Technologies or standards related to geo-
graphic limitations, altitude limitations, and sense and 
avoid capabilities. 
‘‘(2) Using performance-based requirements. 
‘‘(3) Assessing varying levels of risk posed by dif-
ferent small unmanned aircraft systems and their oper-
ation and tailoring performance-based requirements to 
appropriately mitigate risk. 
‘‘(4) Predetermined action to maintain safety in the 
event that a communications link between a small un-
manned aircraft and its operator is lost or compromised. 
‘‘(5) Detectability and identifiability to pilots, the 
Federal Aviation Administration, and air traffic control-
lers, as appropriate. 
‘‘(6) Means to prevent tampering with or modifica-
tion of any system, limitation, or other safety mechanism 
or standard under this section or any other provision of
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law, including a means to identify any tampering or 
modification that has been made. 
‘‘(7) Consensus identification standards under sec-
tion 2202 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security 
Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–190; 130 Stat. 615). 
‘‘(8) To the extent not considered previously by the 
consensus body that crafted consensus safety standards, 
cost-benefit and risk analyses of consensus safety stand-
ards that may be accepted pursuant to subsection (a) for 
newly designed small unmanned aircraft systems. 
‘‘(9) Applicability of consensus safety standards to 
small unmanned aircraft systems that are not manufac-
tured commercially. 
‘‘(10) Any technology or standard related to small 
unmanned aircraft systems that promotes aviation safe-
ty. 
‘‘(11) Any category of unmanned aircraft systems 
that should be exempt from the consensus safety stand-
ards based on risk factors. 
‘‘(e) NONAPPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAWS.—The process 
for authorizing the operation of small unmanned aircraft sys-
tems under subsection (a) may allow for operation of any ap-
plicable small unmanned aircraft systems within the national 
airspace system without requiring—
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‘‘(1) airworthiness certification requirements under 
section 44704 of this title; or 
‘‘(2) type certification under part 21 of title 14, 
Code of Federal Regulations. 
‘‘(f) REVOCATION.—The Administrator may suspend or 
revoke the authorizations in subsection (a) if the Adminis-
trator determines that the manufacturer or the small un-
manned aircraft system is no longer in compliance with the 
standards accepted by the Administrator under subsection 
(a)(1) or with the manufacturer’s statement of compliance 
under subsection (h). 
‘‘(g) REQUIREMENTS.—With regard to an authorization 
under the processes in subsection (a), the Administrator may 
require a manufacturer of small unmanned aircraft systems 
to provide the Federal Aviation Administration with the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) The aircraft system’s operating instructions. 
‘‘(2) The aircraft system’s recommended mainte-
nance and inspection procedures. 
‘‘(3) The manufacturer’s statement of compliance 
described in subsection (h). 
‘‘(4) Upon request, a sample aircraft to be in-
spected by the Federal Aviation Administration to en-
sure compliance with the consensus safety standards ac-
cepted by the Administrator under subsection (a).
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‘‘(h) MANUFACTURER’S STATEMENT
OF COMPLIANCE 
FOR SMALL UAS.—A manufacturer’s statement of compli-
ance shall— 
‘‘(1) identify the aircraft make, model, range of se-
rial numbers, and any applicable consensus safety stand-
ards used and accepted by the Administrator; 
‘‘(2) state that the aircraft make and model meets 
the provisions of the consensus safety standards identi-
fied in paragraph (1); 
‘‘(3) state that the aircraft make and model con-
forms to the manufacturer’s design data and is manufac-
tured in a way that ensures consistency across units in 
the production process in order to meet the applicable 
consensus safety standards accepted by the Adminis-
trator; 
‘‘(4) state that the manufacturer will make avail-
able to the Administrator, operators, or customers— 
‘‘(A) the aircraft’s operating instructions, 
which conform to the consensus safety standards 
identified in paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(B) the aircraft’s recommended maintenance 
and inspection procedures, which conform to the 
consensus safety standards identified in paragraph 
(1);
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(5) state that the manufacturer will monitor safe-
ty-of-flight issues and take action to ensure it meets the 
consensus safety standards identified in paragraph (1) 
and report these issues and subsequent actions to the 
Administrator; 
‘‘(6) state that at the request of the Administrator, 
the manufacturer will provide reasonable access for the 
Administrator to its facilities for the purposes of over-
seeing compliance with this section; and 
‘‘(7) state that the manufacturer, in accordance 
with the consensus safety standards accepted by the 
Federal Aviation Administration, has— 
‘‘(A) ground and flight tested random samples 
of the aircraft; 
‘‘(B) found the sample aircraft performance 
acceptable; and 
‘‘(C) determined that the make and model of 
aircraft is suitable for safe operation. 
‘‘(i) PROHIBITIONS.— 
‘‘(1) FALSE
STATEMENTS
OF
COMPLIANCE.—It 
shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly submit a 
statement of compliance described in subsection (h) that 
is fraudulent or intentionally false. 
‘‘(2) 
INTRODUCTION
INTO
INTERSTATE
COM-
MERCE.—Unless the Administrator determines operation
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•HRES 1082 EH 
of an unmanned aircraft system may be conducted with-
out an airworthiness certificate or permission, authoriza-
tion, or approval under subsection (a), it shall be unlaw-
ful for any person to knowingly introduce or deliver for 
introduction into interstate commerce any small un-
manned aircraft system that is manufactured after the 
date that the Administrator accepts consensus safety 
standards under this section unless— 
‘‘(A) the make and model has been authorized 
for operation under subsection (a); or 
‘‘(B) the aircraft has alternatively received de-
sign and production approval issued by the Federal 
Aviation Administration. 
‘‘(j) EXCLUSIONS.—The Administrator may exempt from 
the requirements of this section small unmanned aircraft sys-
tems that are not capable of navigating beyond the visual line 
of sight of the operator through advanced flight systems and 
technology, if the Administrator determines that such an ex-
emption does not pose a risk to the safety of the national air-
space system.’’. 
(b) UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS RESEARCH FACIL-
ITY.—The Center of Excellence for Unmanned Aircraft Sys-
tems shall establish an unmanned aircraft systems research 
facility to study appropriate safety standards for unmanned 
aircraft systems and to validate such standards, as directed
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by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, 
consistent with section 44805 of title 49, United States Code, 
as added by this section. 
(c) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, as added by this 
Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘44805. Small unmanned aircraft safety standards.’’. 
SEC. 346. PUBLIC UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 448 of title 49, United 
States Code, as added by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 44806. Public unmanned aircraft systems 
‘‘(a) GUIDANCE.—The Secretary of Transportation shall 
issue guidance regarding the operation of a public unmanned 
aircraft system— 
‘‘(1) to streamline and expedite the process for the 
issuance of a certificate of authorization or a certificate 
of waiver; 
‘‘(2) to facilitate the capability of public agencies to 
develop and use test ranges, subject to operating restric-
tions required by the Federal Aviation Administration, 
to test and operate public unmanned aircraft systems; 
and 
‘‘(3) to provide guidance on a public agency’s re-
sponsibilities when operating an unmanned aircraft with-
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out a civil airworthiness certificate issued by the Admin-
istration. 
‘‘(b) AGREEMENTS WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into 
an agreement with each appropriate public agency to 
simplify the process for issuing a certificate of waiver or 
a certificate of authorization with respect to an applica-
tion for authorization to operate a public unmanned air-
craft system in the national airspace system. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—An agreement under paragraph 
(1) shall— 
‘‘(A) with respect to an application described 
in paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(i) provide for an expedited review of the 
application; 
‘‘(ii) require a decision by the Adminis-
trator on approval or disapproval not later 
than 60 business days after the date of sub-
mission of the application; and 
‘‘(iii) allow for an expedited appeal if the 
application is disapproved; 
‘‘(B) allow for a one-time approval of similar 
operations carried out during a fixed period of time; 
and
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‘‘(C) allow a government public safety agency 
to operate an unmanned aircraft weighing 4.4 
pounds or less if that unmanned aircraft is oper-
ated— 
‘‘(i) within or beyond the visual line of 
sight of the operator; 
‘‘(ii) less than 400 feet above the ground; 
‘‘(iii) during daylight conditions; 
‘‘(iv) within Class G airspace; and 
‘‘(v) outside of 5 statute miles from any 
airport, heliport, seaplane base, spaceport, or 
other location with aviation activities. 
‘‘(c) PUBLIC ACTIVELY TETHERED UNMANNED AIR-
CRAFT SYSTEMS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of 
the Federal Aviation Administration shall permit the use 
of, and may issue guidance regarding, the use of public 
actively tethered unmanned aircraft systems that are— 
‘‘(A) operated at an altitude of less than 150 
feet above ground level; 
‘‘(B) operated— 
‘‘(i) within class G airspace; or 
‘‘(ii) at or below the ceiling depicted on 
the Federal Aviation Administration’s pub-
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lished UAS facility maps for class B, C, D, or 
E surface area airspace; 
‘‘(C) not flown directly over non-participating 
persons; 
‘‘(D) operated within visual line of sight of the 
operator; and 
‘‘(E) operated in a manner that does not inter-
fere with and gives way to any other aircraft. 
‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—Public actively tethered un-
manned aircraft systems may be operated — 
‘‘(A) without any requirement to obtain a cer-
tificate of authorization, certificate of waiver, or 
other approval by the Federal Aviation Administra-
tion; 
‘‘(B) without requiring airman certification 
under section 44703 of this title or any rule or reg-
ulation relating to airman certification; and 
‘‘(C) without requiring airworthiness certifi-
cation under section 44704 of this title or any rule 
or regulation relating to aircraft certification. 
‘‘(3) SAFETY STANDARDS.—Public actively tethered 
unmanned aircraft systems operated within the scope of 
the guidance issued pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be 
exempt from the requirements of section 44805 of this 
title.
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‘‘(4) SAVINGS
PROVISION.—Nothing in this sub-
section shall be construed to preclude the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration from issuing new 
regulations for public actively tethered unmanned air-
craft systems in order to ensure the safety of the na-
tional airspace system. 
‘‘(d) FEDERAL AGENCY COORDINATION TO ENHANCE 
THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY CAPABILITIES OF PUB-
LIC UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.—The Administrator 
shall assist Federal civilian Government agencies that operate 
unmanned aircraft systems within civil-controlled airspace, in 
operationally deploying and integrating sense and avoid capa-
bilities, as necessary to operate unmanned aircraft systems 
safely within the national airspace system.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents 
for chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, as 
added by this Act, is further amended by adding at the 
end the following: 
‘‘44806. Public unmanned aircraft systems.’’. 
(2) PUBLIC UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.—Sec-
tion 334 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 
2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) and the item relating to 
that section in the table of contents under section 1(b) 
of that Act (126 Stat. 13) are repealed.
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(3) FACILITATING INTERAGENCY COOPERATION.— 
Section 2204(a) of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Se-
curity Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-190; 130 Stat. 615) 
is amended by striking ‘‘section 334(c) of the FAA Mod-
ernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 
note)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 44806 of title 49, United 
States Code’’. 
SEC. 347. SPECIAL AUTHORITY FOR CERTAIN UNMANNED AIR-
CRAFT SYSTEMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 448 of title 49, United 
States Code, as added by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 44807. Special authority for certain unmanned aircraft 
systems 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other require-
ment of this chapter, the Secretary of Transportation shall 
use a risk-based approach to determine if certain unmanned 
aircraft systems may operate safely in the national airspace 
system notwithstanding completion of the comprehensive plan 
and rulemaking required by section 44802 or the guidance 
required by section 44806. 
‘‘(b) ASSESSMENT
OF
UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT
SYS-
TEMS.—In making the determination under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall determine, at a minimum—
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‘‘(1) which types of unmanned aircraft systems, if 
any, as a result of their size, weight, speed, operational 
capability, proximity to airports and populated areas, op-
eration over people, and operation within or beyond the 
visual line of sight, or operation during the day or night, 
do not create a hazard to users of the national airspace 
system or the public; and 
‘‘(2) whether a certificate under section 44703 or 
section 44704 of this title, or a certificate of waiver or 
certificate of authorization, is required for the operation 
of unmanned aircraft systems identified under para-
graph (1) of this subsection. 
‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS
FOR SAFE OPERATION.—If the 
Secretary determines under this section that certain un-
manned aircraft systems may operate safely in the national 
airspace system, the Secretary shall establish requirements 
for the safe operation of such aircraft systems in the national 
airspace system, including operation related to research, de-
velopment, and testing of proprietary systems. 
‘‘(d) SUNSET.—The authority under this section for the 
Secretary to determine if certain unmanned aircraft systems 
may operate safely in the national airspace system terminates 
effective September 30, 2023.’’. 
(b) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—
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•HRES 1082 EH 
(1) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents 
for chapter 448, as added by this Act, is further amend-
ed by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘44807. Special authority for certain unmanned aircraft systems.’’. 
(2) SPECIAL RULES FOR CERTAIN UNMANNED AIR-
CRAFT SYSTEMS.—Section 333 of the FAA Moderniza-
tion and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) 
and the item relating to that section in the table of con-
tents under section 1(b) of that Act (126 Stat. 13) are 
repealed. 
SEC. 348. CARRIAGE OF PROPERTY BY SMALL UNMANNED AIR-
CRAFT SYSTEMS FOR COMPENSATION OR HIRE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 448 of title 49, United 
States Code, as added by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following: 
‘‘§ 44808. Carriage of property by small unmanned air-
craft systems for compensation or hire 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall 
update existing regulations to authorize the carriage of prop-
erty by operators of small unmanned aircraft systems for 
compensation or hire within the United States. 
‘‘(b) CONTENTS.—Any rulemaking conducted under sub-
section (a) shall provide for the following: 
‘‘(1) Use performance-based requirements.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(2) Consider varying levels of risk to other aircraft 
and to persons and property on the ground posed by dif-
ferent unmanned aircraft systems and their operation 
and tailor performance-based requirements to appro-
priately mitigate risk. 
‘‘(3) Consider the unique characteristics of highly 
automated, small unmanned aircraft systems. 
‘‘(4) Include requirements for the safe operation of 
small unmanned aircraft systems that, at a minimum, 
address— 
‘‘(A) airworthiness of small unmanned aircraft 
systems; 
‘‘(B) qualifications for operators and the type 
and nature of the operations; 
‘‘(C) operating specifications governing the 
type and nature of the unmanned aircraft system 
air carrier operations; and 
‘‘(D) the views of State, local, and tribal offi-
cials related to potential impacts of the carriage of 
property by operators of small unmanned aircraft 
systems for compensation or hire within the com-
munities to be served. 
‘‘(5) SMALL UAS.—The Secretary may amend part 
298 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to update 
existing regulations to establish economic authority for
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the carriage of property by small unmanned aircraft sys-
tems for compensation or hire. Such authority shall only 
require— 
‘‘(A) registration with the Department of 
Transportation; 
‘‘(B) authorization from the Federal Aviation 
Administration to conduct operations; and 
‘‘(C) compliance with chapters 401, 411, and 
417. 
‘‘(6) AVAILABILITY
OF
CURRENT
CERTIFICATION 
PROCESSES.—Pending completion of the rulemaking re-
quired in subsection (a) of this section, a person may 
seek an air carrier operating certificate and certificate of 
public convenience and necessity, or an exemption from 
such certificate, using existing processes.’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
chapter 448 of title 49, United States Code, as added by this 
Act, is further amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘44808. Carriage of property by small unmanned aircraft systems for compensa-
tion or hire.’’. 
SEC. 349. EXCEPTION FOR LIMITED RECREATIONAL OPER-
ATIONS OF UNMANNED AIRCRAFT. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 448 of title 49, United 
States Code, as added by this Act, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following:
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‘‘§ 44809. Exception for limited recreational operations of 
unmanned aircraft 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 
(e), and notwithstanding chapter 447 of title 49, United 
States Code, a person may operate a small unmanned aircraft 
without specific certification or operating authority from the 
Federal Aviation Administration if the operation adheres to 
all of the following limitations: 
‘‘(1) The aircraft is flown strictly for recreational 
purposes. 
‘‘(2) The aircraft is operated in accordance with or 
within the programming of a community-based organiza-
tion’s set of safety guidelines that are developed in co-
ordination with the Federal Aviation Administration. 
‘‘(3) The aircraft is flown within the visual line of 
sight of the person operating the aircraft or a visual ob-
server co-located and in direct communication with the 
operator. 
‘‘(4) The aircraft is operated in a manner that does 
not interfere with and gives way to any manned aircraft. 
‘‘(5) In Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace or 
within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of Class 
E airspace designated for an airport, the operator ob-
tains prior authorization from the Administrator or des-
ignee before operating and complies with all airspace re-
strictions and prohibitions.
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•HRES 1082 EH 
‘‘(6) In Class G airspace, the aircraft is flown from 
the surface to not more than 400 feet above ground level 
and complies with all airspace restrictions and prohibi-
tions. 
‘‘(7) The operator has passed an aeronautical 
knowledge and safety test described in subsection (g) 
and maintains proof of test passage to be made available 
to the Administrator or law enforcement upon request. 
‘‘(8) The aircraft is registered and marked in ac-
cordance with chapter 441 of this title and proof of reg-
istration is made available to the Administrator or a des-
ignee of the Administrator or law enforcement upon re-
quest. 
‘‘(b) OTHER OPERATIONS.—Unmanned aircraft oper-
ations that do not conform to the limitations in subsection 
(a) must comply with all statutes and regulations generally 
applicable to unmanned aircraft and unmanned aircraft sys-
tems. 
‘‘(c) OPERATIONS AT FIXED SITES.— 
‘‘(1) OPERATING PROCEDURE REQUIRED.—Persons 
operating unmanned aircraft under subsection (a) from 
a fixed site within Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace 
or within the lateral boundaries of the surface area of 
Class E airspace designated for an airport, or a commu-
nity-based organization conducting a sanctioned event