FAA Research, Engineering, and Development Authorization Act of 1998
PL 105-155 (H.R.1271), enacted 02/11/1998

PUBLIC LAW 105-155—FEB. 11, 1998 
112 STAT. 5 
Public Law 105-155 
105th Congress 
An Act 
To authorize the Federal Aviation Administration's research, engineering, and 
Feb. 11, 1998 
development programs for fiscal years 1998 and 1999, and for other purposes. 
[H.R. 1271] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
F
A
A Research, 
Engineering, and 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
Development 
Authorization 
This Act may be cited as the "FAA Research, Engineering, Act of 1998. 
and Development Authorization Act of 1998". 
49 USC 40101 
note. 
SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
Section 48102(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended— 
(1) by striking "and" at the end of paragraph (2)(J); 
(2) by striking the period at the end of paragraph (3)(J) 
and inserting in Heu thereof a semicolon; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
"(4) for fiscal year 1998, $226,800,000, including— 
"(A) $16,379,000 for system development and infra-
structure projects and activities; 
"(B) $27,089,000 for capacity and air traffic manage-
ment technology projects and activities; 
"(C) $23,362,000 for communications, navigation, and 
surveillance projects and activities; 
"(D) $16,600,000 for weather projects and activities; 
"(E) $7,854,000 for airport technology projects and 
activities; 
"(F) $49,202,000 for aircraft safety technology projects 
and activities; 
"(G) $53,759,000 
for 
system 
security 
technology 
projects and activities; 
"(H) $26,550,000 for human factors and aviation medi-
cine projects and activities; 
"(I) $2,891,000 for environment and energy projects 
and activities; and 
"(J) $3,114,000 for innovative/cooperative 
research 
projects and activities; and 
"(5) for fiscal year 1999, $229,673,000.". 
SEC. 3. RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM INVOLVING UNDERGRADUATE 
STUDENTS. 
(a) PROGRAM.—Section 48102 of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
"(h) RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM INVOLVING UNDERGRADUATE 
STUDENTS.— 
112 STAT. 6 
PUBLIC LAW 105-155—FEB. 11, 1998 
Federal Register, 
publication. 
49 u s e 48102 
note. 
"(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Administrator of the Federal 
Aviation Administration shall establish a program to utilize 
undergraduate and technical colleges, including Historically 
Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institu-
tions, in research on subjects of relevance to the Federal Avia-
tion Administration. Grants may be awarded under this sub-
section for— 
"(A) research projects to be carried out at primarily 
undergraduate institutions and technical colleges; 
"(B) research projects that combine research at pri-
marily undergraduate institutions and technical colleges 
with other research supported by the Federal Aviation 
Administration; or 
"(C) research on future training requirements on pro-
jected changes in regulatory requirements for aircraft 
maintenance and power plant licensees. 
"(2) NOTICE OF CRITERIA.—Within 6 months after the date 
of the enactment of the FAA Research, Engineering, and 
Development Authorization Act of 1998, the Administrator of 
the Federal Aviation Administration shall establish and publish 
in the Federal Register criteria for the submittal of proposals 
for a grant under this subsection, and for the awarding of 
such grants. 
"(3) PRINCIPAL CRITERIA.—The principal criteria for the 
awarding of grants under this subsection shall be— 
"(A) the relevance of the proposed research to technical 
research needs identified by the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration; 
"(B) the scientific and technical merit of the proposed 
research; and 
"(C) the potential for participation by undergraduate 
students in the proposed research. 
"(4) COMPETITIVE, MERIT-BASED EVALUATION.—Grants shall 
be awarded under this subsection on the basis of evaluation 
of proposals through a competitive, merit-based process.". 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 48102(a) of 
title 49, United States Code, as amended by this Act, is further 
amended by inserting ", of which $750,000 shall be for carrying 
out the grant program established under subsection (h)" after 
"projects £ind activities" in paragraph (4)(J). 
SEC. 4. NOTICES. 
(a) REPROGRAMMING.—If any funds authorized by the amend-
ments made by this Act are subject to a reprogramming action 
that requires notice to be provided to the Appropriations Commit-
tees of the House of Representatives and the Senate, notice of 
such action shall concurrently be provided to the Committees on 
Science and Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 
Transportation of the Senate. 
(b) NOTICE OF REORGANIZATION.—The Administrator of the Fed-
eral Aviation Administration shall provide notice to the Committees 
on Science, Transportation and Infrastructure, and Appropriations 
of the House of Representatives, and the Committees on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation and Appropriations of the Senate, not 
later than 30 days before any major reorganization (as determined 
PUBLIC LAW 105-155—FEB. 11, 1998 
112 STAT. 7 
by the Administrator) of any program of the Federal Aviation 
Administration for which fiinds are authorized by this Act. 
SEC. 5. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON THE YEAR 2000 PROBLEM. 
With the year 2000 fast approaching, it is the sense of Congress 
that the Federal Aviation Administration should— 
(1) give high priority to correcting all 2-digit date-related 
problems in its computer systems to ensure that those systems 
continue to operate effectively in the year 2000 and beyond; 
(2) assess immediately the extent of the risk to the oper-
ations of the Federal Aviation Administration posed by the 
problems referred to in paragraph (1), and plan and budget 
for achieving Year 2000 compliance for all of its mission-critical 
systems; and 
(3) develop contingency plans for those systems that the 
Federal Aviation Administration is unable to correct in time. 
Approved February 11, 1998. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 1271: 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 105-61 (Comm. on Science). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 105-152 (Comm. on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
tation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 143 (1997): Apr. 29, considered and passed House. 
Nov. 13, considered and passed Senate, amended. 
Vol. 144 (1998): Feb. 3, House concurred in Senate amendments. 
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