Title: FLIGHT Act
Policy area: Armed Forces and National Security

Summary:
Fostering Leadership and Inclusion by Growing HBCU Training Act of 2020 or the FLIGHT Act
This bill directs the Department of Defense to carry out two five-year pilot programs to

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 3953 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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116th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 3953

 To require pilot programs in connection with Senior Reserve Officers' 
 Training Corps units at Historically Black Colleges and Universities 
           and minority institutions, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 11, 2020

 Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Scott of South Carolina, and 
  Mr. Carper) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
              referred to the Committee on Armed Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require pilot programs in connection with Senior Reserve Officers' 
 Training Corps units at Historically Black Colleges and Universities 
           and minority institutions, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Fostering Leadership and Inclusion 
by Growing HBCU Training Act of 2020'' or the ``FLIGHT Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) The Fiscal Year 2018 Population Representation in the 
        Military Services report found that while minorities comprise 
        38 percent of the national population, they comprise only 23 
        percent of the active component commissioned officer corps.
            (2) The Fiscal Year 2018 Population Representation in the 
        Military Services report further found that African Americans 
        only comprised 8 percent of the active component commissioned 
        officer corps, while more than 12 percent of the general 
        population is African American.
            (3) The Fiscal Year 2018 Population Representation in the 
        Military Services report further found that African American 
        and Hispanic cadets were recipients of a Reserve Officers' 
        Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship at a rate of half of their 
        representation in the general population.
            (4) A 2018 RAND study titled ``Understanding Demographic 
        Differences in Undergraduate Pilot Training Attrition'' found 
        that ``[candidates for pilot training from Reserve Officers' 
        Training Corps program] with more hours of flying experience 
        were also less likely to be eliminated from Initial Flight 
        Training and Primary Pilot Training''.
            (5) In 2020, Air Education and Training Command, in 
        partnership with the University of Texas-San Antonio, conducted 
        a study that reinforced, including within the Pilot Candidate 
        Selection Method, the number of flight hours a candidate 
        accumulates before attending undergraduate pilot training.
            (6) The United States Air Force has acknowledged that 
        ``flight hours . . . can be difficult to obtain for potential 
        candidates depending on their socio-economic background''.

SEC. 3. PILOT PROGRAMS IN CONNECTION WITH SROTC UNITS AND CSPI PROGRAMS 
              AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND 
              MINORITY INSTITUTIONS.

    (a) Pilot Programs Required.--The Secretary of Defense shall carry 
out two pilot programs as follows:
            (1) A pilot program, with elements as provided for in 
        subsection (c), at covered institutions in order to assess the 
        feasibility and advisability of mechanisms to reduce barriers 
        to participation in the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps 
        at such institutions by creating partnerships between satellite 
        or extension Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps units at 
        such institutions and military installations.
            (2) In consultation with the Secretary of Homeland 
        Security, a pilot program, with elements as provided for in 
        subsection (d), in order to assess the feasibility and 
        advisability of the provision of financial assistance to 
        members of the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, and 
        members of the Coast Guard College Student Pre-Commissioning 
        Initiative, at covered institutions for participation in flight 
        training.
    (b) Duration.--The duration of each pilot program under subsection 
(a) may not exceed five years.
    (c) Pilot Program on Partnerships Between Satellite or Extension 
SROTC Units and Military Installations.--
            (1) Participating institutions.--The Secretary of Defense 
        shall carry out the pilot program required by subsection (a)(1) 
        at not fewer than five covered institutions selected by the 
        Secretary for purposes of the pilot program.
            (2) Requirements for selection.--Each covered institution 
        selected by the Secretary for purposes of the pilot program 
        under subsection (a)(1) shall--
                    (A) currently maintain a satellite or extension 
                Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps unit under 
                chapter 103 of title 10, United States Code, that is 
                located more than 20 miles from the host unit of such 
                unit; or
                    (B) establish and maintain a satellite or extension 
                Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps unit that meets 
                the requirements in subparagraph (A).
            (3) Preference in selection of institutions.--In selecting 
        covered institutions under this subsection for participation in 
        the pilot program under subsection (a)(1), the Secretary shall 
        give preference to covered institutions that are located within 
        20 miles of a military installation of the same Armed Force as 
        the host unit of the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps of 
        the covered institution concerned.
            (4) Partnership activities.--The activities conducted under 
        the pilot program under subsection (a)(1) between a satellite 
        or extension Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps unit and 
        the military installation concerned shall include such 
        activities designed to reduce barriers to participation in the 
        Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps at the covered 
        institution concerned as the Secretary considers appropriate, 
        including measures to mitigate travel time and expenses in 
        connection with receipt of Senior Reserve Officers' Training 
        Corps instruction.
    (d) Pilot Program on Financial Assistance for SROTC and CSPI 
Members for Flight Training.--
            (1) Eligibility for participation by srotc and cspi 
        members.--A member of a Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps 
        unit, or a member of a Coast Guard College Student Pre-
        Commissioning Initiative program, at a covered institution may 
        participate in the pilot program under subsection (a)(2) if the 
        member meets such academic requirements at the covered 
        institution, and such other requirements, as the Secretary 
        shall establish for purposes of the pilot program.
            (2) Preference in selection of participants.--In selecting 
        members under this subsection for participation in the pilot 
        program under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall give a 
        preference to members who will pursue flight training under the 
        pilot program at a covered institution.
            (3) Financial assistance for flight training.--
                    (A) In general.--The Secretary may provide any 
                member of a Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps 
                unit or a College Student Pre-Commissioning Initiative 
                program who participates in the pilot program under 
                subsection (a)(2) financial assistance to defray, 
                whether in whole or in part, the charges and fees 
                imposed on the member for flight training.
                    (B) Flight training.--Financial assistance may be 
                used under subparagraph (A) for a course of flight 
                training only if the course meets Federal Aviation 
                Administration standards and is approved by the Federal 
                Aviation Administration and the applicable State 
                approving agency.
                    (C) Use.--Financial assistance received by a member 
                under subparagraph (A) may be used only to defray the 
                charges and fees imposed on the member as described in 
                that subparagraph.
                    (D) Cessation of eligibility.--Financial assistance 
                may not be provided to a member under subparagraph (A) 
                as follows:
                            (i) If the member ceases to meet the 
                        academic and other requirements established 
                        pursuant to paragraph (1).
                            (ii) If the member ceases to be a member of 
                        the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps or 
                        the College Student Pre-Commissioning 
                        Initiative, as applicable.
    (e) Evaluation Metrics.--The Secretary of Defense shall establish 
metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot programs under 
subsection (a).
    (f) Reports.--
            (1) Initial report.--Not later than 180 days after the 
        commencement of the pilot programs under subsection (a), the 
        Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
        Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
        report on the pilot programs. The report shall include the 
        following:
                    (A) A description of each pilot program, including 
                in the case of the pilot program under subsection 
                (a)(2) the requirements established pursuant to 
                subsection (d)(1).
                    (B) The evaluation metrics established under 
                subsection (e).
                    (C) Such other matters relating to the pilot 
                programs as the Secretary considers appropriate.
            (2) Annual report.--Not later than 90 days after the end of 
        each fiscal year in which the Secretary carries out the pilot 
        programs, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Armed 
        Services of the Senate and the House of Representatives a 
        report on the pilot programs during such fiscal year. Each 
        report shall include, for the fiscal year covered by such 
        report, the following:
                    (A) In the case of the pilot program required by 
                subsection (a)(1), a description of the partnerships 
                between satellite or extension Senior Reserve Officers' 
                Training Corps units and military installations under 
                the pilot program.
                    (B) In the case of the pilot program required by 
                subsection (a)(2), the following:
                            (i) The number of members of Senior Reserve 
                        Officers' Training Corps units, and the number 
                        of members of Coast Guard College Student Pre-
                        Commissioning Initiative programs, at covered 
                        institutions selected for purposes of the pilot 
                        program, including the number of such members 
                        participating in the pilot program.
                            (ii) The number of recipients of financial 
                        assistance provided under the pilot program, 
                        including the number who--
                                    (I) completed a ground school 
                                course of instruction in connection 
                                with obtaining a private pilot's 
                                certificate;
                                    (II) completed flight training, and 
                                the type of training, certificate, or 
                                both received;
                                    (III) were selected for a pilot 
                                training slot in the Armed Forces;
                                    (IV) initiated pilot training in 
                                the Armed Forces; or
                                    (V) successfully completed pilot 
                                training in the Armed Forces.
                            (iii) The amount of financial assistance 
                        provided under the pilot program, broken out by 
                        covered institution, course of study, and such 
                        other measures as the Secretary considers 
                        appropriate.
                    (C) Data collected in accordance with the 
                evaluation metrics established under subsection (e).
            (3) Final report.--Not later than 180 days prior to the 
        completion of the pilot programs, the Secretary shall submit to 
        the Committees on Armed Services of the Senate and the House of 
        Representatives a report on the pilot programs. The report 
        shall include the following:
                    (A) A description of the pilot programs.
                    (B) An assessment of the effectiveness of each 
                pilot program.
                    (C) A description of the cost of each pilot 
                program, and an estimate of the cost of making each 
                pilot program permanent.
                    (D) An estimate of the cost of expanding each pilot 
                program throughout all eligible Senior Reserve 
                Officers' Training Corps units and College Student Pre-
                Commissioning Initiative programs.
                    (E) Such recommendations for legislative or 
                administrative action as the Secretary considers 
                appropriate in light of the pilot programs, including 
                recommendations for extending or making permanent the 
                authority for each pilot program.
    (g) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) The term ``covered institution'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 262(g)(2) of the National Defense 
        Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 (Public Law 116-92).
            (2) The term ``flight training'' means a course of 
        instruction toward obtaining any of the following:
                    (A) A private pilot's certificate.
                    (B) A commercial pilot certificate.
                    (C) A certified flight instructor certificate.
                    (D) A multi-crew pilot's license.
                    (E) A flight instrument rating.
                    (F) Any other certificate, rating, or pilot 
                privilege the Secretary considers appropriate for 
                purposes of this section.
            (3) The term ``military installation'' means an 
        installation of the Department of Defense for the regular 
        components of the Armed Forces.
    (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section.
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