Pilot's Bill of Rights

Bill: 112-s-1335
Sponsor: Sen. Inhofe, James M. [R-OK]
Introduced: 2011-07-06 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Advisory bodies
Aviation and airports
Government information and archives
Government studies and investigations
Health information and medical records
Judicial review and appeals
Licensing and registrations
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
Transportation employees
Transportation safety and security

Summary:
action_date: 2011-07-06
text: 
Pilot's Bill of Rights - Requires National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) proceedings for the review of decisions of the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to deny, amend, modify, suspend, or revoke an airman's certificate to be conducted, to the extent practicable, in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence.
 
Requires the Administrator to: (1) advise the subject of an investigation involving the approval, denial, suspension, modification, or revocation of an airman certificate of specified information pertinent to the investigation; and (2) provide him or her with access to relevant air traffic data.
 
Allows an individual to elect to file an appeal of a certificate denial, a punitive civil action, or an emergency order of revocation in the U.S. district court in which individual resides, in which the action in question occurred, or the district court for the District of Columbia. Allows an adversely affected individual who elects not to file an appeal in a federal district court to file such appeal with the NTSB.
 
Directs the Administrator to begin a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) Improvement Program to improve the system of providing airmen with pertinent and timely information before a flight in the national airspace system.
 
Makes Flight Service Station briefings and other air traffic services performed by Lockheed Martin or any other government contractor available to airmen under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
 
Requires the Administrator to review the FAA system for the medical certification of airmen in order to: (1) revise the medical application form, (2) align medical qualification policies with present-day qualified medical judgment and practices, and (3) publish objective medical standards to advise the public of the criteria determining an airman's medical certificate eligibility.
 
 

action_date: 2012-06-29
text: 
Pilot's Bill of Rights - Requires National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) proceedings for the review of decisions of the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to deny, amend, modify, suspend, or revoke an airman's certificate to be conducted, to the extent practicable, in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence.
 
Requires the Administrator to: (1) provide timely, written notification to the subject of an investigation involving the approval, denial, suspension, modification, or revocation of an airman certificate of specified information pertinent to the investigation; and (2) provide him or her with access to relevant air traffic data. Authorizes the Administrator to delay such notification if it threatens the integrity of the investigation.
 
Allows a substantially affected individual to elect to file an appeal of a certificate denial, a punitive civil action, or an emergency order of revocation in the U.S. district court in which individual resides, in which the action in question occurred, or the district court for the District of Columbia. Allows a substantially affected individual who elects not to file an appeal in a U.S. district court to file such appeal in the appropriate U.S. court of appeals.
 
Directs the Administrator to begin a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) Improvement Program to improve the system of providing airmen with pertinent and timely information before a flight in the national airspace system. Requires the Administrator to establish a NOTAM Improvement Panel composed of representatives of relevant nonprofit and not-for-profit general aviation pilot groups to advise the Administrator in carrying out program goals.
 
 Requires the Comptroller General to: (1) assess the FAA process for the medical certification of airmen; and (2) report to Congress on revisions to the medical application form, the alignment of medical qualification policies with present-day qualified medical judgment and practices, and steps that could be taken to promote the public's understanding of the medical requirements determining an airman's medical certificate eligibility. 

action_date: 2012-07-23
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on June 29, 2012. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Pilot's Bill of Rights - Requires National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) proceedings for the review of decisions of the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to deny, amend, modify, suspend, or revoke an airman's certificate to be conducted, to the extent practicable, in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence.
 
Requires the Administrator to: (1) provide timely, written notification to the subject of an investigation involving the approval, denial, suspension, modification, or revocation of an airman certificate of specified information pertinent to the investigation; and (2) provide him or her with access to relevant air traffic data. Authorizes the Administrator to delay such notification if it threatens the integrity of the investigation.
 
Allows a substantially affected individual to elect to file an appeal of a certificate denial, a punitive civil action, or an emergency order of revocation in the U.S. district court in which individual resides, in which the action in question occurred, or the district court for the District of Columbia. Allows a substantially affected individual who elects not to file an appeal in a U.S. district court to file such appeal in the appropriate U.S. court of appeals.
 
Directs the Administrator to begin a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) Improvement Program to improve the system of providing airmen with pertinent and timely information before a flight in the national airspace system. Requires the Administrator to establish a NOTAM Improvement Panel composed of representatives of relevant nonprofit and not-for-profit general aviation pilot groups to advise the Administrator in carrying out program goals.
 
 Requires the Comptroller General to: (1) assess the FAA process for the medical certification of airmen; and (2) report to Congress on revisions to the medical application form, the alignment of medical qualification policies with present-day qualified medical judgment and practices, and steps that could be taken to promote the public's understanding of the medical requirements determining an airman's medical certificate eligibility.

action_date: 2012-08-03
text: 

(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the Senate on June 29, 2012. The summary of that version is repeated here.)

 
Pilot's Bill of Rights - Requires National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) proceedings for the review of decisions of the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to deny, amend, modify, suspend, or revoke an airman's certificate to be conducted, to the extent practicable, in accordance with the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Evidence.
 
Requires the Administrator to: (1) provide timely, written notification to the subject of an investigation involving the approval, denial, suspension, modification, or revocation of an airman certificate of specified information pertinent to the investigation; and (2) provide him or her with access to relevant air traffic data. Authorizes the Administrator to delay such notification if it threatens the integrity of the investigation.
 
Allows a substantially affected individual to elect to file an appeal of a certificate denial, a punitive civil action, or an emergency order of revocation in the U.S. district court in which individual resides, in which the action in question occurred, or the district court for the District of Columbia. Allows a substantially affected individual who elects not to file an appeal in a U.S. district court to file such appeal in the appropriate U.S. court of appeals.
 
Directs the Administrator to begin a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) Improvement Program to improve the system of providing airmen with pertinent and timely information before a flight in the national airspace system. Requires the Administrator to establish a NOTAM Improvement Panel composed of representatives of relevant nonprofit and not-for-profit general aviation pilot groups to advise the Administrator in carrying out program goals.
 
 Requires the Comptroller General to: (1) assess the FAA process for the medical certification of airmen; and (2) report to Congress on revisions to the medical application form, the alignment of medical qualification policies with present-day qualified medical judgment and practices, and steps that could be taken to promote the public's understanding of the medical requirements determining an airman's medical certificate eligibility.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2012-08-03
text: Became Public Law No: 112-153.
action_date: 2012-08-03
text: Became Public Law No: 112-153.
action_date: 2012-08-03
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2012-08-03
text: Signed by President.
action_date: 2012-07-26
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2012-07-26
text: Presented to President.
action_date: 2012-07-23
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2012-07-23
text: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H5100-5101)
action_date: 2012-07-23
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by voice vote.(text: CR H5100-5101)
action_date: 2012-07-23
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on S. 1335.
action_date: 2012-07-23
text: Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H5100-5102)
action_date: 2012-07-23
text: Mr. Bucshon moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
action_date: 2012-06-29
text: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
action_date: 2012-06-29
text: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
action_date: 2012-06-29
text: Received in the House.
action_date: 2012-06-29
text: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2012-06-29
text: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2012-06-29
text: Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent. (consideration: CR S4733-4735)
action_date: 2012-06-29
text: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2012-06-29
text: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation discharged by Unanimous Consent.
action_date: 2011-07-06
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2011-07-06
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4400-4401)
action_date: 2011-07-06
text: Introduced in Senate

Enacted as: number: 112-153