Aviation Humanitarian Crisis Act of 2017

Bill: 115-hr-3951
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10]
Introduced: 2017-10-04
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports

Disaster relief and insurance

Transportation costs

User charges and fees
Latest action: action_date: 2017-10-05
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management.

Summaries:
action_date: 2017-10-04
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Aviation Humanitarian Crisis Act of 2017</b></p> <p>This bill authorizes the Department of Transportation (DOT) to declare an aviation humanitarian crisis at airports serving areas in which a federally-declared major disaster or emergency exists. For each such humanitarian crisis, DOT shall identify the airports subject to the disaster declaration and the time period during which the declaration applies.</p>  <p>The bill limits the ability of air carriers to impose an excess charge for any seat on a flight or a passenger facility charge during the period of such crisis. </p> <ul> </ul>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 3951 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 4, 2017 Mr. Payne introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Transportation to declare that an aviation humanitarian crisis exists for airports impacted by a major disaster or emergency, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Aviation Humanitarian Crisis Act of 2017 . 2. Aviation humanitarian crisis declarations (a) Authority To declare If the President declares that a major disaster or emergency exists with respect to an area under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act ( 42 U.S.C. 5170 ), the Secretary of Transportation may declare, with respect to airports serving the area, that an aviation humanitarian crisis exists. (b) Contents of declaration For each aviation humanitarian crisis declared to exist, the Secretary shall identify— (1) the airports subject to the declaration; and (2) the time period during which the declaration applies. (c) Results of declaration If the Secretary declares that an aviation humanitarian crisis exists with respect to an airport, during the time period to which the declaration applies— (1) an air carrier that provides a flight in air transportation to or from the airport may not charge for any seat on the flight an amount that exceeds the median amount charged with respect to all seats on all flights of the carrier traveling the same route during the 1-year period ending on the date on which the crisis was declared to exist; and (2) an entity that imposes, with respect to the airport, a passenger facility charge authorized by the Secretary under section 40117 of title 49, United States Code, shall suspend imposing the charge.