Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act
Bill: S.516 | Sponsor: Sen. Moran, Jerry (R-KS)
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works

Summary:
Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act
This act directs the Department of Transportation to establish an Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) interagency working group to plan and coordinate efforts related to the safety, infrastructure, physical security, cybersecurity, and federal investment necessary to bolster the AAM ecosystem, particularly passenger-carrying aircraft, in the United States. Advanced Air Mobility  refers to an air transportation system that moves people and cargo between places using new aircraft designs that are integrated into existing airspace operations as well as operated in local, regional, intraregional, rural, and urban environments.
Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must study and report to Congress on the interests, roles, and responsibilities of federal, state, local, and tribal governments affected by AAM aircraft and operations.

[117th Congress Public Law 203]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



[[Page 136 STAT. 2227]]

Public Law 117-203
117th Congress

                                 An Act


 
 To plan for and coordinate efforts to integrate advanced air mobility 
       aircraft into the national airspace system, and for other 
             purposes. <<NOTE: Oct. 17, 2022 -  [S. 516]>> 

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, <<NOTE: Advanced Air 
Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act.>> 
SECTION <<NOTE: 49 USC 40101 note.>>  1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Advanced Air Mobility Coordination 
and Leadership Act''
SEC. <<NOTE: Deadlines. 49 USC 40101 note.>>  2. ADVANCED AIR 
                    MOBILITY WORKING GROUP.

    (a) <<NOTE: Establishment.>>  In General.--Not later than 120 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation 
shall establish an advanced air mobility interagency working group (in 
this section referred to as the ``working group'').

    (b) Purpose.--Advanced Air Mobility represents a key area of 
sustainable transportation and economic growth for the United States and 
it is imperative that the Federal Government foster leadership and 
interagency collaboration in the adoption and deployment of this 
technology. <<NOTE: Plan. Coordination.>> The purpose of the working 
group established under this section shall be to plan for and coordinate 
efforts related to safety, operations, infrastructure, physical security 
and cybersecurity, and Federal investment necessary for maturation of 
the AAM ecosystem in the United States, particularly passenger-carrying 
aircraft, in order to--
            (1) grow new transportation options;
            (2) amplify economic activity and jobs;
            (3) advance environmental sustainability and new 
        technologies; and
            (4) support emergency preparedness and competitiveness.

    (c) <<NOTE: Designations.>> Membership.--Not later than 60 days 
after the establishment of the working group under subsection (a), the 
Secretary of Transportation shall--
            (1) <<NOTE: Appointment.>> appoint the Under Secretary of 
        Transportation for Policy to chair the working group;
            (2) designate not less than 1 additional representative to 
        participate on the working group from each of--
                    (A) the Department of Transportation; and
                    (B) the Federal Aviation Administration; and
            (3) invite the heads of each of the following departments or 
        agencies to designate not less than 1 representative to 
        participate on the working group, including--
                    (A) the National Aeronautics and Space 
                Administration;
                    (B) the Department of Commerce;

[[Page 136 STAT. 2228]]

                    (C) the Department of Defense;
                    (D) the Department of Energy;
                    (E) the Department of Homeland Security;
                    (F) the Department of Agriculture;
                    (G) the Department of Labor;
                    (H) the Federal Communications Commission; and
                    (I) such other departments or agencies as the 
                Secretary of Transportation determines appropriate.

    (d) Coordination.--
            (1) <<NOTE: Determination.>>  In general.--The working group 
        shall engage with State, local, and Tribal governments, aviation 
        industry and labor stakeholders, stakeholder associations, and 
        others determined appropriate by the Secretary of Transportation 
        and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, 
        including--
                    (A) manufacturers of aircraft, avionics, propulsion 
                systems, structures, and air traffic management systems;
                    (B) commercial air carriers, commercial operators, 
                unmanned aircraft system operators, and general aviation 
                operators, including helicopter operators;
                    (C) intended operators of AAM aircraft;
                    (D) airports, heliports, fixed-base operators;
                    (E) certified labor representatives for pilots 
                associations, air traffic control specialists employed 
                by the Federal Aviation Administration, aircraft 
                mechanics, and aviation safety inspectors;
                    (F) State, local, and Tribal officials or public 
                agencies, with representation from both urban and rural 
                areas;
                    (G) first responders;
                    (H) groups representing environmental interests;
                    (I) electric utilities, energy providers and energy 
                market operators;
                    (J) academia with experience working with industry 
                on new technology and commercialization;
                    (K) groups representing the telecommunications 
                industry; and
                    (L) aviation training and maintenance providers.
            (2) Advisory committees.--The Secretary of Transportation 
        and Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may use 
        such Federal advisory committees as may be appropriate to 
        coordinate with the entities listed in paragraph (1).

    (e) Review and Examination.--Not later than 1 year after the working 
group is established under subsection (a), the working group shall 
complete a review and examination of, at a minimum--
            (1) the steps that will mature AAM aircraft operations, 
        concepts, and regulatory frameworks beyond initial operations;
            (2) the air traffic management and safety concepts that 
        might be considered as part of evolving AAM to higher levels of 
        traffic density;
            (3) current Federal programs and policies that could be 
        leveraged to advance the maturation of the AAM industry;
            (4) infrastructure, including aviation, cybersecurity, 
        telecommunication, multimodal, and utility infrastructure, 
        necessary to accommodate and support expanded operations of AAM 
        after initial implementation;

[[Page 136 STAT. 2229]]

            (5) steps needed to ensure a robust and secure domestic 
        supply chain;
            (6) anticipated benefits associated with AAM aircraft 
        operations, including economic, environmental, emergency and 
        natural disaster response, and transportation benefits;
            (7) the interests, roles, and responsibilities of Federal, 
        State, local, and Tribal governments affected by AAM aircraft 
        operations; and
            (8) other factors that may limit the full potential of the 
        AAM industry, including community acceptance or restrictions of 
        such operations.

    (f) AAM National Strategy.--Based on the review and examination 
performed under subsection (e), the working group shall develop an AAM 
National Strategy that includes--
            (1) <<NOTE: Recommenda- tions.>>  recommendations regarding 
        the safety, operations, security, infrastructure, air traffic 
        concepts, and other Federal investment or actions necessary to 
        support the evolution of early AAM to higher levels of activity 
        and societal benefit; and
            (2) <<NOTE: Plan.>> a comprehensive plan detailing the roles 
        and responsibilities of each Federal department and agency, and 
        of State, local, and Tribal governments, necessary to facilitate 
        or implement the recommendations developed under paragraph (1).

    (g) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the completion of the 
review and examination performed under subsection (e), the working group 
shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report--
            (1) detailing findings from the review and examination 
        performed under subsection (e); and
            (2) providing the AAM National Strategy, including the plan 
        and associated recommendations developed under subsection (f).

    (h) <<NOTE: Notification.>> Evaluation of Termination of Working 
Group.--Not later than 30 days after the date on which the working group 
submits the report required under subsection (g), the Secretary of 
Transportation shall evaluate and decide whether to terminate the 
working group and shall notify the appropriate committees of Congress of 
such decision.

    (i) Definitions.--For purposes of this section and section 3:
            (1) Advanced air mobility; aam.--The terms ``advanced air 
        mobility'' and ``AAM'' mean a transportation system that 
        transports people and property by air between two points in the 
        United States using aircraft with advanced technologies, 
        including electric aircraft or electric vertical take-off and 
        landing aircraft, in both controlled and uncontrolled airspace.
            (2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term 
        ``appropriate committees of Congress'' means--
                    (A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
                Transportation of the Senate; and
                    (B) the Committee on Transportation and 
                Infrastructure of the House of Representatives.
            (3) Electric aircraft.--The term ``electric aircraft'' means 
        an aircraft with a fully electric or hybrid (fuel and electric) 
        driven propulsion system used for flight.
            (4) Fixed-base operator.--The term ``fixed-base operator'' 
        means a business granted the right by an airport sponsor or 
        heliport sponsor to operate on an airport or heliport and

[[Page 136 STAT. 2230]]

        provide aeronautical services, including fueling and charging, 
        aircraft hangaring, tiedown and parking, aircraft rental, 
        aircraft maintenance, and flight instruction.
            (5) State.--The term ``State'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 47102 of title 49, United States Code.
            (6) Vertical take-off and landing.--The term ``vertical 
        take-off and landing'' means an aircraft with lift/thrust units 
        used to generate powered lift and control and with two or more 
        lift/thrust units used to provide lift during vertical take-off 
        or landing.
SEC. 3. GAO STUDY AND REPORT.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall--
            (1) conduct a study on the interests, roles, and 
        responsibilities of Federal, State, local, and Tribal 
        governments affected by AAM aircraft and operations; and
            (2) submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
        report on the study, including the Comptroller General's 
        findings and conclusions.

    (b) <<NOTE: Review.>> Requirements.--In conducting the study 
required under subsection (a), the Comptroller General shall review the 
following:
            (1) The state of the law as of the enactment of this Act 
        with respect to Federal authority over operations of AAM 
        aircraft systems in the national airspace system.
            (2) The state of the law as of the enactment of this Act 
        with respect to State, local, and Tribal authority over 
        operations of AAM aircraft in the national airspace system.
            (3) Potential gaps between authorities under paragraphs (1) 
        and (2).
            (4) Proposals to facilitate the safe and financially viable 
        growth and development of the AAM industry and integration of 
        AAM aircraft into the national airspace system.

    Approved October 17, 2022.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY--S. 516 (H.R. 1339):
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOUSE REPORTS: No. 117-158 (Comm. on Transportation and Infrastructure) 
accompanying H.R. 1339.
SENATE REPORTS: No. 117-53 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation).
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 168 (2022):
            Mar. 23, considered and passed Senate.
            June 13, 14, considered and passed House, amended.
            Sept. 21, Senate concurred in House amendment.

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