Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016

Bill: 114-s-2658
Sponsor: Sen. Thune, John [R-SD]
Introduced: 2016-03-09 in the Senate
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Accidents
Accounting and auditing
Administrative law and regulatory procedures
Administrative remedies
Advisory bodies
Air quality
Alternative and renewable resources
Arizona
Atmospheric science and weather
Aviation and airports
Child health
Child safety and welfare
Civil actions and liability
Competition and antitrust
Competitiveness, trade promotion, trade deficits
Computer security and identity theft
Computers and information technology
Congressional oversight
Consumer affairs
Crime victims
Department of Transportation
Disability and paralysis
Drug, alcohol, tobacco use
Emergency medical services and trauma care
Emergency planning and evacuation
Employee hiring
Employee performance
Employment and training programs
Employment discrimination and employee rights
Energy efficiency and conservation
Energy storage, supplies, demand
Executive agency funding and structure
Federal officials
Fires
First responders and emergency personnel
Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management
Government information and archives
Government liability
Government studies and investigations
Government trust funds
Health promotion and preventive care
Health technology, devices, supplies
Human trafficking
Infectious and parasitic diseases
Infrastructure development
Intellectual property
International law and treaties
International organizations and cooperation
Internet and video services
Internet, web applications, social media
Judicial review and appeals
Land use and conservation
Law enforcement administration and funding
Licensing and registrations
Marketing and advertising
Marshall Islands
Materials
Medical education
Medical tests and diagnostic methods
Mental health
Micronesia
Mining
Motor fuels
Motor vehicles
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)
Neurological disorders
Nevada
Noise pollution
Palau
Parks, recreation areas, trails
Performance measurement
Personnel records
Prescription drugs
Public transit
Research administration and funding
Research and development
Right of privacy
Roads and highways
Rural conditions and development
Small towns
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations
Solid waste and recycling
Spacecraft and satellites
Trade restrictions
Transportation costs
Transportation employees
Transportation programs funding
Transportation safety and security
User charges and fees
Violent crime
Worker safety and health

Summary:
action_date: 2016-03-09
text: 

Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016

 
This bill reauthorizes through FY2017 the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and specified FAA programs.
 
The bill revises requirements for the airport improvement program and pilot program for passenger facility charges at nonhub airports.
 
The Government Accountability Office shall review privacy issues and concerns associated with the operation of unmanned aircraft (drones) in the national airspace system.
 
The National Institute of Standards and Technology and the FAA shall initiate a process to develop risk-based, consensus industry airworthiness standards for the safe integration of drones into the system.
 
The Department of Transportation (DOT) shall issue guidance for the operation of public drones.
 
The FAA shall carry out a pilot program for airspace hazard mitigation at airports and other critical infrastructure.
 
The bill requires the FAA to have a Senior Advisor for Unmannned Aircraft Systems Integration.
 
DOT shall establish a Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory Committee.
 
 The FAA shall issue a final rule reorganizing the certification, and streamlining the approval of safety advancements, of small airplanes.
 
The FAA shall establish:
 
 
 the FAA Task Force on Flight Standards Reform, and
 
a Regulatory Consistency Communications Board.
 
 
 The FAA shall review and revise its safety workforce training strategy.
 
DOT shall take appropriate actions to promote U.S. aerospace standards, products, and services abroad.
 
The FAA shall:
 
 
take specified actions to improve airline passenger safety,
 
update automated weather observing systems, and
 
appoint a Designated Agency Safety and Health Officer.
 
 

Pilot's Bill of Rights 2

 
The bill directs the FAA to issue or revise medical certification regulations to ensure that an individual may operate as a pilot of certain small aircraft if the flight and the individual meet certain criteria.
 
The FAA may not take enforcement action against a pilot for not holding a valid third-class medical certificate for a flight in a covered aircraft, in a good faith effort, if the pilot and the flight meets those requirements, unless the FAA has published final medical certification regulations in the Federal Register.
 
The Pilot's Bill of Rights is amended to authorize an individual adversely affected by an FAA decision to suspend or revoke an airman certificate to file an appeal in the U.S. district court or the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
 
The bill prescribes certain requirements with respect to improving passenger air service.
 
 The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 is amended to extend through FY2017 the DOT's Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection.
 
The bill reauthorizes through FY2017 the essential air service program and the small community air service development program.
 
The FAA shall conduct a return on investment assessment on each Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) program.
 
The bill prescribes requirements regarding:
 
 
treatment of essential FAA employees during a furlough, and 
 
maximum age limits for hiring of air traffic controllers.
 
 
The bill revises requirements for overflights of National Parks. 
 
The FAA shall develop an Advanced Materials Center of Excellence.

action_date: 2016-12-07
text: 

Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016

 
This bill reauthorizes through FY2017 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations and specified FAA programs.
 
The bill revises requirements for the airport improvement program and pilot program for passenger facility charges at nonhub airports.
 
The Government Accountability Office shall review privacy issues and concerns associated with the operation of unmanned aircraft (drones) in the national airspace system.
 
The National Institute of Standards and Technology and the FAA shall initiate a process to develop risk-based, consensus industry airworthiness standards for the safe integration of drones into the system.
 
The Department of Transportation (DOT) shall issue guidance for the operation of public drones.
 
The FAA shall carry out a pilot program for airspace hazard mitigation at airports and other critical infrastructure.
 
DOT shall issue a final rule authorizing the carriage of property by small drones for compensation or hire.
 
The FAA shall establish a Collegiate Training Initiative program for drones.
 
The bill requires the FAA to have a Senior Advisor for Unmanned Aircraft Systems Integration.
 
DOT shall establish a Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory Committee.
 
 The FAA shall issue a final rule reorganizing the certification, and streamlining the approval of safety advancements, of small airplanes.
 
The FAA shall establish:
 
 
 the FAA Task Force on Flight Standards Reform, and
 
a Regulatory Consistency Communications Board.
 
 
 The FAA shall review and revise its safety workforce training strategy.
 
DOT shall take appropriate actions to promote U.S. aerospace standards, products, and services abroad.
 
The FAA shall:
 
 
take specified actions to improve airline passenger safety,
 
update automated weather observing systems, and
 
appoint a Designated Agency Safety and Health Officer.
 
 

Pilot's Bill of Rights 2

 
The bill directs the FAA to issue or revise medical certification regulations to ensure that an individual may operate as a pilot of certain small aircraft if the flight and the individual meet certain criteria.
 
The FAA may not take enforcement action against a pilot for not holding a valid third-class medical certificate unless the FAA has published final medical certification regulations in the Federal Register.
 
The bill amends the Pilot's Bill of Rights to authorize an individual adversely affected by an FAA decision to deny, suspend or revoke an airman certificate to file an appeal in the U.S. district court for a de novo hearing.
 
The bill establishes passenger air service improvements and consumer protections.
 
 The bill amends the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 to extend through FY2017 DOT's Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protection.
 
DOT may issue regulations to prohibit certain cell phone voice communications during the flight of an aircraft.
 
The bill reauthorizes through FY2017 the essential air service program and the small community air service development program.
 
The FAA shall conduct a return on investment assessment on each Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) program.
 
The bill prescribes requirements regarding:
 
 
treatment of essential FAA employees during a furlough, and 
 
maximum age limits for hiring of air traffic controllers.
 
 
The bill applies federal civil service requirements to leave used by disabled armed forces veterans in the FAA personnel management system. 
 
The bill revises requirements for overflights of National Parks. 
 
The FAA shall continue operation of the Advanced Materials Center of Excellence.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-12-20
text: By Senator Thune from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report under authority of the order of the Senate of 12/10/2016. Report No. 114-428. Additional views filed.
action_date: 2016-12-20
text: By Senator Thune from Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation filed written report under authority of the order of the Senate of 12/10/2016. Report No. 114-428. Additional views filed.
action_date: 2016-12-07
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 715.
action_date: 2016-12-07
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-12-07
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Reported by Senator Thune with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2016-03-16
text: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2016-03-10
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 114-635.
action_date: 2016-03-09
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
action_date: 2016-03-09
text: Introduced in Senate