H. R. 636—21 
(iii) national security; or 
(iv) homeland security. 
(D) OPPORTUNITY FOR RESUBMISSION.—If an application 
is denied, and the applicant can reasonably address the 
reason for the denial, the Administrator may allow the 
applicant to reapply for designation. 
(c) PUBLIC INFORMATION.—Designations under subsection (a) 
shall be published by the Federal Aviation Administration on a 
publicly accessible website. 
(d) SAVINGS CLAUSE.—Nothing in this section may be construed 
as prohibiting the Administrator from authorizing operation of an 
aircraft, including an unmanned aircraft system, over, under, or 
within a specified distance from that fixed site facility designated 
under subsection (b). 
SEC. 2210. OPERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CRITICAL INFRASTRUC-
TURE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Any application process established under 
section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 
(49 U.S.C. 40101 note) shall allow for a person to apply to the 
Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to operate 
an unmanned aircraft system, for purposes of conducting an activity 
described in subsection (b)— 
(1) beyond the visual line of sight of the individual oper-
ating the unmanned aircraft system; and 
(2) during the day or at night. 
(b) ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED.—The activities described in this sub-
section are— 
(1) activities for which manned aircraft may be used to 
comply with Federal, State, or local laws, including— 
(A) activities to ensure compliance with Federal or 
State regulatory, permit, or other requirements, including 
to conduct surveys associated with applications for permits 
for new pipeline or pipeline systems construction or mainte-
nance or rehabilitation of existing pipelines or pipeline 
systems; and 
(B) activities relating to ensuring compliance with— 
(i) parts 192 and 195 of title 49, Code of Federal 
Regulations; and 
(ii) the requirements of any Federal, State, or local 
governmental or regulatory body, or industry best prac-
tice, pertaining to the construction, ownership, oper-
ation, maintenance, repair, or replacement of covered 
facilities; 
(2) activities to inspect, repair, construct, maintain, or pro-
tect covered facilities, including for the purpose of responding 
to a pipeline, pipeline system, or electric energy infrastructure 
incident; and 
(3) activities in response to or in preparation for a natural 
disaster, manmade disaster, severe weather event, or other 
incident beyond the control of the applicant that may cause 
material damage to a covered facility. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section, the following definitions 
apply: 
(1) 
COVERED
FACILITY.—The 
term 
‘‘covered 
facility’’ 
means— 
(A) a pipeline or pipeline system;
H. R. 636—22 
(B) an electric energy generation, transmission, or dis-
tribution facility (including a renewable electric energy 
facility); 
(C) an oil or gas production, refining, or processing 
facility; or 
(D) any other critical infrastructure facility. 
(2) CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.—The term ‘‘critical infra-
structure’’ has the meaning given that term in section 2339D 
of title 18, United States Code. 
(d) DEADLINES.— 
(1) CERTIFICATION TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 90 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a certifi-
cation that a process has been established to facilitate applica-
tions for unmanned aircraft systems operations described in 
this section. 
(2) FAILURE
TO
MEET
CERTIFICATION
DEADLINE.—If the 
Administrator cannot provide a certification under paragraph 
(1), the Administrator, not later than 180 days after the dead-
line specified in paragraph (1), shall update the process under 
section 333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 
(49 U.S.C. 40101 note) to facilitate applications for unmanned 
aircraft systems operations described in this section. 
(e) EXEMPTIONS.—In addition to the operations described in 
this section, the Administrator may authorize, exempt, or otherwise 
allow other unmanned aircraft systems operations under section 
333 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 
40101 note) that are conducted beyond the visual line of sight 
of the individual operating the unmanned aircraft system or during 
the day or at night. 
SEC. 2211. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS RESEARCH AND DEVELOP-
MENT ROADMAP. 
Section 332(a)(5) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act 
of 2012 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended— 
(1) by inserting ‘‘, in coordination with the Administrator 
of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 
and relevant stakeholders, including those in industry and 
academia,’’ after ‘‘update’’; and 
(2) by inserting after ‘‘annually.’’ the following: ‘‘The 
roadmap shall include, at a minimum— 
‘‘(A) cost estimates, planned schedules, and perform-
ance benchmarks, including specific tasks, milestones, and 
timelines, for unmanned aircraft systems integration into 
the national airspace system, including an identification 
of— 
‘‘(i) the role of the unmanned aircraft systems test 
ranges established under subsection (c) and the 
Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence; 
‘‘(ii) performance objectives for unmanned aircraft 
systems that operate in the national airspace system; 
and 
‘‘(iii) research and development priorities for tools 
that could assist air traffic controllers as unmanned 
aircraft systems are integrated into the national air-
space system, as appropriate;
H. R. 636—23 
‘‘(B) a description of how the Administration plans 
to use research and development, including research and 
development conducted through NASA’s Unmanned Air-
craft Systems Traffic Management initiatives, to accommo-
date, integrate, and provide for the evolution of unmanned 
aircraft systems in the national airspace system; 
‘‘(C) an assessment of critical performance abilities nec-
essary to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the 
national airspace system, and how these performance abili-
ties can be demonstrated; and 
‘‘(D) an update on the advancement of technologies 
needed to integrate unmanned aircraft systems into the 
national airspace system, including decisionmaking by 
adaptive systems, such as sense-and-avoid capabilities and 
cyber physical systems security.’’. 
SEC. 2212. UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS-MANNED AIRCRAFT COLLI-
SION RESEARCH. 
(a) RESEARCH.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Administrator’’), 
in continuation of ongoing work, shall coordinate with the Adminis-
trator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to 
develop a program to conduct comprehensive testing or modeling 
of unmanned aircraft systems colliding with various sized aircraft 
in various operational settings, as considered appropriate by the 
Administrator, including— 
(1) collisions between unmanned aircraft systems of various 
sizes, traveling at various speeds, and jet aircraft of various 
sizes, traveling at various speeds; 
(2) collisions between unmanned aircraft systems of various 
sizes, traveling at various speeds, and propeller-driven aircraft 
of various sizes, traveling at various speeds; 
(3) collisions between unmanned aircraft systems of various 
sizes, traveling at various speeds, and rotorcraft of various 
sizes, traveling at various speeds; and 
(4) collisions between unmanned aircraft systems and var-
ious parts of the aforementioned aircraft, including— 
(A) windshields; 
(B) noses; 
(C) engines; 
(D) radomes; 
(E) propellers; and 
(F) wings. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator shall transmit to the Committee 
on Science, Space, and Technology and the Committee on Transpor-
tation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate 
a report summarizing the costs and results of research under this 
section. 
SEC. 2213. PROBABILISTIC METRICS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT 
STUDY. 
(a) STUDY.—Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administra-
tion shall enter into an arrangement with the National Academies 
to study the potential use of probabilistic assessments of risks 
by the Administration to streamline the integration of unmanned
H. R. 636—24 
aircraft systems into the national airspace system, including any 
research and development necessary. 
(b) COMPLETION DATE.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall provide the results 
of the study to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology 
and the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the 
House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, 
and Transportation of the Senate. 
Subtitle C—Time Sensitive Aviation 
Reforms 
SEC. 2301. SMALL AIRPORT RELIEF FOR SAFETY PROJECTS. 
Section 47114(c)(1)(F) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(F) SPECIAL RULE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017.—Notwith-
standing subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall apportion 
to a sponsor of an airport under that subparagraph for 
fiscal year 2017 an amount based on the number of pas-
senger boardings at the airport during calendar year 2012 
if the airport— 
‘‘(i) had 10,000 or more passenger boardings during 
calendar year 2012; 
‘‘(ii) had fewer than 10,000 passenger boardings 
during the calendar year used to calculate the appor-
tionment for fiscal year 2017 under subparagraph (A); 
and 
‘‘(iii) had scheduled air service at any point during 
the calendar year used to calculate the apportionment 
for fiscal year 2017 under subparagraph (A).’’. 
SEC. 2302. USE OF REVENUES AT PREVIOUSLY ASSOCIATED AIRPORT. 
Section 40117 of title 49, United States Code, is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(n) USE OF REVENUES AT PREVIOUSLY ASSOCIATED AIRPORT.— 
Notwithstanding the requirements relating to airport control under 
subsection (b)(1), the Secretary may authorize use of a passenger 
facility charge under subsection (b) to finance an eligible airport- 
related project if— 
‘‘(1) the eligible agency seeking to impose the new charge 
controls an airport where a $2.00 passenger facility charge 
became effective on January 1, 2013; and 
‘‘(2) the location of the project to be financed by the new 
charge is at an airport that was under the control of the 
same eligible agency that had controlled the airport described 
in paragraph (1).’’. 
SEC. 2303. WORKING GROUP ON IMPROVING AIR SERVICE TO SMALL 
COMMUNITIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall estab-
lish a working group— 
(1) to identify obstacles to attracting and maintaining air 
transportation service to and from small communities; and
H. R. 636—25 
(2) to develop recommendations for maintaining and 
improving air transportation service to and from small commu-
nities. 
(b) OUTREACH.—In carrying out subsection (a), the working 
group shall consult with— 
(1) interested Governors; 
(2) representatives of State and local agencies, and other 
officials and groups, representing rural States and other rural 
areas; 
(3) other representatives of relevant State and local agen-
cies; and 
(4) members of the public with experience in aviation 
safety, pilot training, economic development, and related issues. 
(c) CONSIDERATIONS.—In carrying out subsection (a), the 
working group shall— 
(1) consider whether funding for, and the terms of, current 
or potential new programs are sufficient to help ensure continu-
ation of or improvement to air transportation service to small 
communities, including the essential air service program and 
the small community air service development program; 
(2) identify initiatives to help support pilot training and 
aviation safety to maintain air transportation service to small 
communities; 
(3) consider whether Federal funding for airports serving 
small communities, including airports that have lost air 
transportation services or had decreased enplanements in 
recent years, is adequate to ensure that small communities 
have access to quality, affordable air transportation service; 
(4) identify innovative State or local efforts that have estab-
lished public-private partnerships that are successful in 
attracting and retaining air transportation service in small 
communities; and 
(5) consider such other issues as the Secretary considers 
appropriate. 
(d) COMPOSITION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The working group shall be facilitated 
through the Secretary or the Secretary’s designee. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP.—Members of the working group shall 
be appointed by the Secretary and shall include representatives 
of— 
(A) State and local government, including State and 
local aviation officials; 
(B) State Governors; 
(C) aviation safety experts; 
(D) economic development officials; and 
(E) the traveling public from small communities. 
(e) REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 1 year 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit 
to the appropriate committees of Congress a report, including— 
(1) a summary of the views expressed by the participants 
in the outreach under subsection (b); 
(2) a description of the working group’s findings, including 
the identification of any areas of general consensus among 
the non-Federal participants in the outreach under subsection 
(b); and
H. R. 636—26 
(3) any recommendations for legislative or regulatory action 
that would assist in maintaining and improving air transpor-
tation service to and from small communities. 
SEC. 2304. COMPUTATION OF BASIC ANNUITY FOR CERTAIN AIR 
TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 8415(f) of title 5, United States Code, 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(f) The annuity of an air traffic controller or former air traffic 
controller retiring under section 8412(a) is computed under sub-
section (a), except that if the individual has at least 5 years of 
service in any combination as— 
‘‘(1) an air traffic controller as defined by section 
2109(1)(A)(i); 
‘‘(2) a first level supervisor of an air traffic controller as 
defined by section 2109(1)(A)(i); or 
‘‘(3) a second level supervisor of an air traffic controller 
as defined by section 2109(1)(A)(i); 
so much of the annuity as is computed with respect to such type 
of service shall be computed by multiplying 1 7/10 percent of the 
individual’s average pay by the years of such service.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by subsection (a) 
shall be deemed to be effective on December 12, 2003. 
(c) PROCEDURES REQUIRED.—The Director of the Office of Per-
sonnel Management shall establish such procedures as are nec-
essary to provide for— 
(1) notification to each annuitant affected by the amend-
ments made by this section; 
(2) recalculation of the benefits of affected annuitants; 
(3) an adjustment to applicable monthly benefit amounts 
pursuant to such recalculation, to begin as soon as is prac-
ticable; and 
(4) a lump-sum payment to each affected annuitant equal 
to the additional total benefit amount that such annuitant 
would have received had the amendment made by subsection 
(a) been in effect on December 12, 2003. 
SEC. 2305. REFUNDS FOR DELAYED BAGGAGE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall issue final 
regulations to require an air carrier or foreign air carrier to 
promptly provide to a passenger an automated refund for any 
ancillary fees paid by the passenger for checked baggage if— 
(1) the air carrier or foreign air carrier fails to deliver 
the checked baggage to the passenger— 
(A) not later than 12 hours after the arrival of a 
domestic flight; or 
(B) not later than 15 hours after the arrival of an 
international flight; and 
(2) the passenger has notified the air carrier or foreign 
air carrier of the lost or delayed checked baggage. 
(b) EXCEPTION.—If, as part of the rulemaking, the Secretary 
makes a determination on the record that a requirement under 
subsection (a) is not feasible and would adversely affect consumers 
in certain cases, the Secretary may modify 1 or both of the deadlines 
specified in subsection (a)(1) for such cases, except that— 
(1) the deadline relating to a domestic flight may not exceed 
18 hours after the arrival of the domestic flight; and
H. R. 636—27 
(2) the deadline relating to an international flight may 
not exceed 30 hours after the arrival of the international flight. 
SEC. 2306. CONTRACT WEATHER OBSERVERS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
a report, which includes public and stakeholder input— 
(1) examining the safety risks, hazard effects, and efficiency 
and operational effects for airports, airlines, and other stake-
holders that could result from a loss of contract weather 
observer service at the 57 airports targeted for the loss of 
the service; 
(2) detailing how the Federal Aviation Administration will 
accurately report rapidly changing severe weather conditions 
at the airports, including thunderstorms, lightning, fog, visi-
bility, smoke, dust, haze, cloud layers and ceilings, ice pellets, 
and freezing rain or drizzle, without contract weather observers; 
(3) indicating how airports can comply with applicable Fed-
eral Aviation Administration orders governing weather observa-
tions given the current documented limitations of automated 
surface observing systems; and 
(4) identifying the process through which the Federal Avia-
tion Administration analyzed the safety hazards associated with 
the elimination of the contract weather observer program. 
(b) CONTINUED USE OF CONTRACT WEATHER OBSERVERS.—The 
Administrator may not discontinue the contract weather observer 
program at any airport until October 1, 2017. 
SEC. 2307. MEDICAL CERTIFICATION OF CERTAIN SMALL AIRCRAFT 
PILOTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration shall issue or revise regulations to ensure that 
an individual may operate as pilot in command of a covered aircraft 
if— 
(1) the individual possesses a valid driver’s license issued 
by a State, territory, or possession of the United States and 
complies with all medical requirements or restrictions associ-
ated with that license; 
(2) the individual holds a medical certificate issued by 
the Federal Aviation Administration on the date of enactment 
of this Act, held such a certificate at any point during the 
10-year period preceding such date of enactment, or obtains 
such a certificate after such date of enactment; 
(3) the most recent medical certificate issued by the Federal 
Aviation Administration to the individual— 
(A) indicates whether the certificate is first, second, 
or third class; 
(B) may include authorization for special issuance; 
(C) may be expired; 
(D) cannot have been revoked or suspended; and 
(E) cannot have been withdrawn; 
(4) the most recent application for airman medical certifi-
cation submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration by 
the individual cannot have been completed and denied; 
(5) the individual has completed a medical education course 
described in subsection (c) during the 24 calendar months before
H. R. 636—28 
acting as pilot in command of a covered aircraft and dem-
onstrates proof of completion of the course; 
(6) the individual, when serving as a pilot in command, 
is under the care and treatment of a physician if the individual 
has been diagnosed with any medical condition that may impact 
the ability of the individual to fly; 
(7) the individual has received a comprehensive medical 
examination from a State-licensed physician during the pre-
vious 48 months and— 
(A) prior to the examination, the individual— 
(i) completed the individual’s section of the check-
list described in subsection (b); and 
(ii) provided the completed checklist to the physi-
cian performing the examination; and 
(B) the physician conducted the comprehensive medical 
examination in accordance with the checklist described in 
subsection (b), checking each item specified during the 
examination and addressing, as medically appropriate, 
every medical condition listed, and any medications the 
individual is taking; and 
(8) the individual is operating in accordance with the fol-
lowing conditions: 
(A) The covered aircraft is carrying not more than 
5 passengers. 
(B) The individual is operating the covered aircraft 
under visual flight rules or instrument flight rules. 
(C) The flight, including each portion of that flight, 
is not carried out— 
(i) for compensation or hire, including that no pas-
senger or property on the flight is being carried for 
compensation or hire; 
(ii) at an altitude that is more than 18,000 feet 
above mean sea level; 
(iii) outside the United States, unless authorized 
by the country in which the flight is conducted; or 
(iv) at an indicated air speed exceeding 250 knots. 
(b) COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL EXAMINATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall develop a 
checklist for an individual to complete and provide to the physi-
cian performing the comprehensive medical examination 
required in subsection (a)(7). 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The checklist shall contain— 
(A) a section, for the individual to complete that con-
tains— 
(i) boxes 3 through 13 and boxes 16 through 19 
of the Federal Aviation Administration Form 8500– 
8 (3–99); and 
(ii) a signature line for the individual to affirm 
that— 
(I) the answers provided by the individual on 
that checklist, including the individual’s answers 
regarding medical history, are true and complete; 
(II) the individual understands that he or she 
is prohibited under Federal Aviation Administra-
tion regulations from acting as pilot in command, 
or any other capacity as a required flight crew
H. R. 636—29 
member, if he or she knows or has reason to know 
of any medical deficiency or medically disqualifying 
condition that would make the individual unable 
to operate the aircraft in a safe manner; and 
(III) the individual is aware of the regulations 
pertaining to the prohibition on operations during 
medical deficiency and has no medically disquali-
fying conditions in accordance with applicable law; 
(B) a section with instructions for the individual to 
provide the completed checklist to the physician performing 
the comprehensive medical examination required in sub-
section (a)(7); and 
(C) a section, for the physician to complete, that 
instructs the physician— 
(i) to perform a clinical examination of— 
(I) head, face, neck, and scalp; 
(II) nose, sinuses, mouth, and throat; 
(III) ears, general (internal and external 
canals), and eardrums (perforation); 
(IV) eyes (general), ophthalmoscopic, pupils 
(equality and reaction), and ocular motility (associ-
ated parallel movement, nystagmus); 
(V) lungs and chest (not including breast 
examination); 
(VI) heart (precordial activity, rhythm, sounds, 
and murmurs); 
(VII) vascular system (pulse, amplitude, and 
character, and arms, legs, and others); 
(VIII) abdomen and viscera (including hernia); 
(IX) anus (not including digital examination); 
(X) skin; 
(XI) G–U system (not including pelvic exam-
ination); 
(XII) upper and lower extremities (strength 
and range of motion); 
(XIII) spine and other musculoskeletal; 
(XIV) identifying body marks, scars, and tat-
toos (size and location); 
(XV) lymphatics; 
(XVI) neurologic (tendon reflexes, equilibrium, 
senses, cranial nerves, and coordination, etc.); 
(XVII) 
psychiatric 
(appearance, 
behavior, 
mood, communication, and memory); 
(XVIII) general systemic; 
(XIX) hearing; 
(XX) vision (distant, near, and intermediate 
vision, field of vision, color vision, and ocular align-
ment); 
(XXI) blood pressure and pulse; and 
(XXII) anything else the physician, in his or 
her medical judgment, considers necessary; 
(ii) to exercise medical discretion to address, as 
medically appropriate, any medical conditions identi-
fied, and to exercise medical discretion in determining 
whether any medical tests are warranted as part of 
the comprehensive medical examination;