AIR Act of 2020

Bill: 116-hr-7800
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Introduced: 2020-07-27
Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
Subjects: Aviation and airports

Transportation programs funding

Transportation safety and security
Latest action: action_date: 2020-07-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-07-27
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Airport Infrastructure Readiness Act of 2020 or the</b> <b>AIR Act of 2020</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Department of Transportation (DOT) to apportion Airport Improvement Program funding for FY2022 and FY2023 to an airport sponsor based on the number of passenger boardings at such airport that would result in the highest apportioned amount during either calendar year 2018, calendar year 2019, or the full calendar year prior to the current fiscal year.</p> <p>Additionally, DOT shall not calculate a benefit-to-cost ratio with respect to an air traffic control tower participating in the Contract Tower Program on the basis of an annual aircraft traffic decrease in FY2020 and FY2021. Under the Contract Tower Program, air traffic control towers are staffed by employees of private companies rather than by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees. The FAA is required to perform a benefit-cost analysis to determine eligibility for participation in the program.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7800 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 27, 2020 Mr. Cohen (for himself, Mr. Young , Mr. Sires , Mr. Smith of Nebraska , and Mr. Johnson of Georgia ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To provide certainty for airport funding.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Airport Infrastructure Readiness Act of 2020 or the AIR Act of 2020 . 2. Airport improvement program apportionments to primary airports Section 47114(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: (J) Special rule for fiscal years 2022 and 2023 Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) and the absence of scheduled passenger aircraft service at an airport, the Secretary shall apportion in fiscal years 2022 and 2023 to the sponsor of the airport an amount based on the number of passenger boardings at the airport during whichever of the following years that would result in the highest apportioned amount: (i) Calendar year 2018. (ii) Calendar year 2019. (iii) The prior full calendar year prior to the current fiscal year. . 3. Air traffic control contract program Notwithstanding section 47124(d)(1)(B) of title 49, United States Code, the Secretary of Transportation shall not calculate a benefit-to-cost ratio with respect to an air traffic control tower participating in the Contract Tower Program on the basis of an annual aircraft traffic decrease in fiscal years 2020 and 2021.