[House Report 117-458]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
117th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session } { 117-458
======================================================================
NATIONAL AVIATION PREPAREDNESS PLAN ACT OF 2022
_______
September 13, 2022.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on
the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______
Mr. DeFazio, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 884]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 884) to direct the Secretary of
Transportation to establish a national aviation preparedness
plan for communicable disease outbreaks, and for other
purposes, having considered the same, reports favorably thereon
with an amendment and recommends that the bill as amended do
pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose of Legislation........................................... 3
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 3
Hearings......................................................... 4
Legislative History and Consideration............................ 5
Committee Votes.................................................. 6
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 7
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................ 7
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................ 8
Performance Goals and Objectives................................. 8
Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 8
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits....................................................... 8
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 8
Preemption Clarification......................................... 8
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 9
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 9
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 9
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 10
The amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``National Aviation Preparedness Plan
Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. NATIONAL AVIATION PREPAREDNESS PLAN.
(a) In General.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation, in coordination with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, the Secretary of Homeland
Security, and the heads of such other Federal departments or agencies
as the Secretary of Transportation considers appropriate, shall develop
a national aviation preparedness plan for communicable disease
outbreaks.
(b) Contents of Plan.--The plan developed under subsection (a) shall,
at a minimum--
(1) provide airports and air carriers with an adaptable and
scalable framework with which to align the individual plans,
including the emergency response plans, of such airports and
air carriers and provide guidance as to each individual plan;
(2) improve coordination among airports, air carriers, U.S.
Customs and Border Protection, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, other appropriate Federal entities, and State
and local governments and health agencies with respect to
preparing for and responding to communicable disease outbreaks;
(3) to the extent practicable, improve coordination among
relevant international entities;
(4) create a process to identify appropriate personal
protective equipment, if any, for covered employees to reduce
the likelihood of exposure to a covered communicable disease,
and thereafter issue recommendations for the equipage of such
employees;
(5) create a process to identify appropriate techniques,
strategies, and protective infrastructure, if any, for the
cleaning, disinfecting, and sanitization of aircraft and
enclosed facilities owned, operated, or used by an air carrier
or airport, and thereafter issue recommendations pertaining to
such techniques, strategies, and protective infrastructure;
(6) identify and assign Federal agency roles in the
deployment of emerging and existing technologies and solutions
to reduce covered communicable diseases in the aviation
ecosystem;
(7) clearly delineate the responsibilities of the sponsors
and operators of airports, air carriers, and Federal agencies
in responding to a covered communicable disease;
(8) incorporate, as appropriate, the recommendations made by
the Comptroller General of the United States to the Secretary
of Transportation contained in the report titled ``Air Travel
and Communicable Diseases: Comprehensive Federal Plan Needed
for U.S. Aviation System's Preparedness'', issued in December
2015 (GAO-16-127);
(9) consider the latest peer-reviewed scientific studies that
address communicable disease with respect to air
transportation; and
(10) consider funding constraints.
(c) Consultation.--When developing the plan under subsection (a), the
Secretary of Transportation shall consult with aviation industry and
labor stakeholders, including representatives of--
(1) air carriers, which shall include domestic air carriers
consisting of major air carriers, low-cost carriers, regional
air carriers and cargo carriers;
(2) airport operators, including with respect to large hub,
medium hub, small hub, and nonhub commercial service airports;
(3) labor organizations that represent airline pilots, flight
attendants, air carrier airport customer service
representatives, and air carrier maintenance, repair, and
overhaul workers;
(4) the labor organization certified under section 7111 of
title 5, United States Code, as the exclusive bargaining
representative of air traffic controllers of the Federal
Aviation Administration;
(5) the labor organization certified under such section as
the exclusive bargaining representative of airway
transportation systems specialists and aviation safety
inspectors of the Federal Aviation Administration;
(6) trade associations representing air carriers and
airports;
(7) aircraft manufacturing companies; and
(8) such other stakeholders as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(d) Report.--Not later than 30 days after the plan is developed under
subsection (a), the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and
the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a
report that includes such plan.
(e) Review of Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the date on which a
report is submitted under subsection (d), and again not later than 5
years thereafter, the Secretary shall review the plan included in such
report and, after consultation with aviation industry and labor
stakeholders, make changes by rule as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
(f) GAO Study.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Comptroller General shall conduct and submit to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation of the Senate a study assessing the national aviation
preparedness plan developed under subsection (a), including--
(1) whether such plan--
(A) is responsive to any previous recommendations
relating to aviation preparedness with respect to an
outbreak of a covered communicable disease or global
health emergency made by the Comptroller General; and
(B) meets the obligations of the United States under
international conventions and treaties; and
(2) the extent to which the United States aviation system is
prepared to respond to an outbreak of a covered communicable
disease.
(g) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Covered employee.--The term ``covered employee'' means--
(A) an individual whose job duties require
interaction with air carrier passengers on a regular
and continuing basis and who is an employee of--
(i) an air carrier;
(ii) an air carrier contractor;
(iii) an airport; or
(iv) the Federal Government; or
(B) an air traffic controller or systems safety
specialist of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(2) Covered communicable disease.--The term ``covered
communicable disease'' means a communicable disease that has
the potential to cause a future epidemic or pandemic of
infectious disease that would constitute a public health
emergency of international concern as declared, after the date
of enactment of this Act, by the Secretary of Health and Human
Services under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42
U.S.C. 247d).
PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 884, as amended, is to direct the U.S.
Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), in collaboration with
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to develop a National
Aviation Preparedness Plan. The plan, at a minimum, must
delineate the responsibilities of airports, air carriers, and
government entities in responding to future pandemics; improve
coordination among aviation stakeholders, and federal and
international entities in preparing for future pandemics; and
identify appropriate equipment to protect front-line aviation
employees from future communicable diseases, among other
things.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
In 2015, the Government Accountability Office (GAO)
recommended that the U.S. DOT, in coordination with relevant
stakeholders, develop a national aviation preparedness plan for
communicable disease outbreaks. Though this recommendation was
issued in response to the Ebola epidemic and focused
particularly on improving the U.S. aviation sector's
preparedness for future communicable disease threats from
abroad, the recent coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic
further exposed the U.S. aviation sector's vulnerabilities in
responding to a communicable disease outbreak. Even though more
than two years have passed since the Federal Government
declared COVID-19 a national emergency and more than seven
years have passed since the 2014 Ebola epidemic, the U.S. DOT
has yet to ensure air carriers have the instructions they need
to respond to communicable disease threats in a coordinated
manner with other air carriers and public-health officials. In
fact, a 2020 GAO report examining the status of Federal efforts
to develop a national plan for air travel and communicable
diseases concluded that ``the absence of a national plan
undermined the ability of the public-health and aviation
sectors to coordinate on a response or to provide consistent
guidance to airlines and airports.''
Moreover, GAO noted in its 2020 report that had the U.S.
DOT implemented a national aviation preparedness plan prior to
the COVID-19 outbreak, it ``could have improved coordination
between public-health and aviation sectors during COVID-19 to
address issues like passenger screening.'' This was reiterated
at a Committee hearing in July 2021, with the GAO testifying
that ``[t]he COVID-19 pandemic [had] highlighted once again the
need for a national aviation preparedness plan to coordinate
aviation and public health sector efforts, and ensure
safeguards are in place to limit the spread of communicable
disease threats from abroad, while minimizing any unnecessary
disruptions with travel and trade.'' H.R. 884 requires the U.S.
DOT to act on the 2015 GAO recommendation, while also ensuring
the U.S. fulfills international aviation treaty provisions that
obligate member states to develop such a plan.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of rule XIII, clause 3(c)(6)(A) of the
117th Congress, the following hearings were used to develop or
consider H.R. 884:
On February 4, 2021, the Committee held a hearing titled
``Protecting Transportation Workers and Passengers from COVID:
Gaps in Safety, Lessons Learned, and Next Steps.'' The
Committee received testimony from Dr. David Michaels,
Professor, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health,
Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington
University; Ms. Sara Nelson, International President,
Association of Flight Attendants-CWA; Mr. William ``Lewie''
Pugh, Executive Vice President, Owner-Operator Independent
Drivers Association; Mr. Ismael Rivera, Bus Operator, Lynx, on
behalf of Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 1596; Dr.
William P. Bahnfleth, Professor, Architectural Engineering, The
Pennsylvania State University, on behalf of the American
Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning
Engineers; and the Hon. Joe Buscaino, Councilman, Los Angeles
City Council, Los Angeles, California, on behalf of the
National League of Cities.
This hearing examined the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on
transportation workers and related issues within the
Committee's jurisdiction. Members heard about how the COVID-19
pandemic continued to impact the health, safety, and working
conditions of transportation industry workers; ongoing gaps;
lessons learned; and next steps to protect transportation
workers and passengers from COVID-19.
On March 2, 2021, the Subcommittee on Aviation held a
hearing titled ``COVID-19's Effects on U.S. Aviation and the
Flight Path to Recovery.'' The Subcommittee received testimony
from Ms. Heather Krause, Director, Physical Infrastructure,
U.S. Government Accountability Office; Mr. Nicholas E. Calio,
President and Chief Executive Officer, Airlines for America;
Mr. Joe DePete, President and Chief Executive Officer, Air Line
Pilots Association; Mr. Peter Bunce, President and Chief
Executive Officer, General Aviation Manufacturers Association;
Mr. Lance Lyttle, Managing Director, Aviation Division, Port of
Seattle, Washington, on behalf of American Association of
Airport Executives; and Mr. Edward M. Bolen, President and
Chief Executive Officer, National Business Aviation
Association.
This hearing examined the continuing effects of the COVID-
19 pandemic on the U.S. aerospace industry, what the industry
will look like post-pandemic, and how best to aid in the
recovery.
On July 29, 2021, the Committee held a hearing titled
``Assessing the Federal Government's COVID-19 Relief and
Response Efforts and its Impact.'' The Committee received
testimony from two panels of witnesses: Panel I: Hon. Michael
E. Horowitz, Chair, Pandemic Response Accountability Committee;
Ms. Heather Krause, Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues,
Government Accountability Office; Mr. Chris P. Currie,
Director, Homeland Security and Justice Issues, Government
Accountability Office; Hon. Eric J. Soskin, Inspector General,
Department of Transportation; and, Mr. James R. Izzard,
Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, Department of
Homeland Security. Panel II: Mr. Paul Skoutelas, President and
Chief Executive Officer, American Public Transportation
Association; Mr. Juan Manuel Ortiz, Director of Homeland
Security and Emergency Management, City of Austin, TX, on
behalf of the International Association of Emergency Managers;
Dr. Michael J. Boskin, T.M. Friedman Professor of Economics and
Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University; Dr.
Wendy Edelberg, Director, The Hamilton Project, The Brookings
Institution; and, Mr. John Samuelsen, International President,
Transport Workers Union of America.
This hearing examined the federal response to the COVID-19
pandemic, efforts to provide oversight of that response, areas
for improvement, and the impact of pandemic relief efforts on
the transportation and infrastructure sectors and their
workers.
On September 30, 2021, the Committee held a hearing titled
``Assessing the Federal Government's COVID-19 Relief and
Response Efforts and its Impact--Part II.'' The Committee
received testimony from Mr. Paul P. Skoutelas, President and
Chief Executive Officer, American Public Transportation
Association; Mr. Juan Manuel Ortiz, Director, Homeland Security
and Emergency Management, City of Austin, TX, on behalf of the
International Association of Emergency Managers; Dr. Michael J.
Boskin, T.M. Friedman Professor of Economics and Senior Fellow,
Hoover Institution, Stanford University; Dr. Wendy Edelberg,
Director, The Hamilton Project, The Brookings Institution; and,
Mr. Gregory R. Regan, President, Transportation Trades
Department, AFL-CIO.
This hearing examined the federal response to the COVID 19
pandemic and the impact of pandemic relief efforts on the
transportation and infrastructure sectors and their workers.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND CONSIDERATION
H.R. 884, the ``National Aviation Preparedness Plan Act of
2021'', was introduced in the House on February 5, 2021, by Mr.
Larsen of Washington, Mr. Beyer, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Ms.
Norton, and Mr. Carson and referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure. Within the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure, H.R. 884 was referred to the
Subcommittee on Aviation.
The Subcommittee on Aviation was discharged from further
consideration of H.R. 884 on July 20, 2022.
The Committee considered H.R. 884 on July 20, 2022, and
ordered the measure to be favorably reported to the House, as
amended, by a record vote of 57 yeas and 2 nays (Roll Call No.
98).
The following amendments were offered:
An Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute to H.R. 884,
offered by Mr. Larsen of Washington was AGREED TO by voice
vote.
An amendment to the Amendment in the Nature of a Substitute
to H.R. 884, offered by Mr. Perry (#1); was NOT AGREED TO by a
record vote of 21 yeas and 36 nays (Roll Call No. 98).
Page 1, strike line 1 and all that follows through page 7, line 4, and
insert the following: Sec. 1. Short Title
COMMITTEE VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires each committee report to include the
total number of votes cast for and against on each record vote
on a motion to report and on any amendment offered to the
measure or matter, and the names of those members voting for
and against.
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Roll Call No. 98
On: Agreeing to Amendment #1 offered by Mr. Perry (732)
Not Agreed to: 21 yeas and 36 nays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Member Vote Member Vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. DeFazio..................................... Nay Mr. Graves of MO.................. Yea
Ms. Norton...................................... Nay Mr. Crawford...................... Yea
Ms. Johnson of TX............................... Nay Mr. Gibbs......................... Yea
Mr. Larsen of WA................................ Nay Mr. Webster....................... Yea
Mrs. Napolitano................................. Nay Mr. Massie........................ ............
Mr. Cohen....................................... Nay Mr. Perry......................... Yea
Mr. Sires....................................... Nay Mr. Rodney Davis of IL............ Yea
Mr. Garamendi................................... Nay Mr. Katko......................... ............
Mr. Johnson of GA............................... Nay Mr. Babin......................... Yea
Mr. Carson...................................... Nay Mr. Graves of LA.................. Yea
Ms. Titus....................................... Nay Mr. Rouzer........................ Yea
Mr. Maloney of NY............................... Nay Mr. Bost.......................... Yea
Mr. Huffman..................................... Nay Mr. Weber of TX................... Yea
Ms. Brownley.................................... Nay Mr. LaMalfa....................... Yea
Ms. Wilson of FL................................ Nay Mr. Westerman..................... ............
Mr. Payne....................................... Nay Mr. Mast.......................... Yea
Mr. Lowenthal................................... Nay Mr. Gallagher..................... Yea
Mr. DeSaulnier.................................. Nay Mr. Fitzpatrick................... Nay
Mr. Lynch....................................... Nay Miss Gonzalez-Colon............... ............
Mr. Carbajal.................................... Nay Mr. Balderson..................... Yea
Mr. Brown of MD................................. Nay Mr. Stauber....................... Yea
Mr. Malinowski.................................. Nay Mr. Burchett...................... ............
Mr. Stanton..................................... Nay Mr. Johnson of SD................. Nay
Mr. Allred...................................... ............ Mr. Van Drew...................... ............
Ms. Davids of KS................................ Nay Mr. Guest......................... ............
Mr. Garcia of IL................................ Nay Mr. Nehls......................... Yea
Mr. Pappas...................................... Nay Ms. Mace.......................... ............
Mr. Lamb........................................ Nay Ms. Malliotakis................... Yea
Mr. Moulton..................................... Nay Ms. Van Duyne..................... Yea
Mr. Auchincloss................................. ............ Mr. Gimenez....................... Yea
Ms. Bourdeaux................................... Nay Mrs. Steel........................ Yea
Mr. Kahele...................................... Nay
Ms. Strickland.................................. Nay
Ms. Williams of GA.............................. ............
Ms. Newman...................................... Nay
Mr. Carter of LA................................ Nay
Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormack........................ Nay
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Roll Call No. 99
On: H.R. 884, to be favorably reported to the House, as
amended.
Agreed to: 57 yeas and 2 nays
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Member Vote Member Vote
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mr. DeFazio..................................... Yea Mr. Graves of MO.................. Yea
Ms. Norton...................................... Yea Mr. Crawford...................... Yea
Ms. Johnson of TX............................... Yea Mr. Gibbs......................... Yea
Mr. Larsen of WA................................ Yea Mr. Webster....................... Yea
Mrs. Napolitano................................. Yea Mr. Massie........................ ............
Mr. Cohen....................................... Yea Mr. Perry......................... Nay
Mr. Sires....................................... Yea Mr. Rodney Davis of IL............ Yea
Mr. Garamendi................................... Yea Mr. Katko......................... ............
Mr. Johnson of GA............................... Yea Mr. Babin......................... Yea
Mr. Carson...................................... Yea Mr. Graves of LA.................. Yea
Ms. Titus....................................... Yea Mr. Rouzer........................ Yea
Mr. Maloney of NY............................... Yea Mr. Bost.......................... Yea
Mr. Huffman..................................... Yea Mr. Weber of TX................... Yea
Ms. Brownley.................................... Yea Mr. LaMalfa....................... Yea
Ms. Wilson of FL................................ Yea Mr. Westerman..................... ............
Mr. Payne....................................... Yea Mr. Mast.......................... Yea
Mr. Lowenthal................................... Yea Mr. Gallagher..................... Yea
Mr. DeSaulnier.................................. Yea Mr. Fitzpatrick................... Yea
Mr. Lynch....................................... Yea Miss Gonzalez-Colon............... Yea
Mr. Carbajal.................................... Yea Mr. Balderson..................... Yea
Mr. Brown of MD................................. Yea Mr. Stauber....................... Yea
Mr. Malinowski.................................. Yea Mr. Burchett...................... ............
Mr. Stanton..................................... Yea Mr. Johnson of SD................. Yea
Mr. Allred...................................... ............ Mr. Van Drew...................... ............
Ms. Davids of KS................................ Yea Mr. Guest......................... Nay
Mr. Garcia of IL................................ Yea Mr. Nehls......................... Yea
Mr. Pappas...................................... Yea Ms. Mace.......................... ............
Mr. Lamb........................................ Yea Ms. Malliotakis................... Yea
Mr. Moulton..................................... Yea Ms. Van Duyne..................... Yea
Mr. Auchincloss................................. ............ Mr. Gimenez....................... Yea
Ms. Bourdeaux................................... Yea Mrs. Steel........................ Yea
Mr. Kahele...................................... Yea
Ms. Strickland.................................. Yea
Ms. Williams of GA.............................. ............
Ms. Newman...................................... Yea
Mr. Carter of LA................................ Yea
Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormack........................ Yea
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in this report.
NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND TAX EXPENDITURES
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(2) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and section
308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and with respect
to requirements of clause (3)(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules
of the House of Representatives and section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has requested
but not received a cost estimate for this bill from the
Director of Congressional Budget Office. The Committee has
requested but not received from the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office a statement as to whether this bill
contains any new budget authority, spending authority, credit
authority, or an increase or decrease in revenues or tax
expenditures. The Chairman of the Committee shall cause such
estimate and statement to be printed in the Congressional
Record upon its receipt by the Committee.
CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE COST ESTIMATE
With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, a cost
estimate provided by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant
to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 was not
made available to the Committee in time for the filing of this
report. The Chairman of the Committee shall cause such estimate
to be printed in the Congressional Record upon its receipt by
the Committee.
PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
performance goal and objective of this legislation is to
provide for the U.S. DOT, in collaboration with the HHS and
DHS, to develop a National Aviation Preparedness Plan--a clear,
comprehensive plan of action for future communicable disease
outbreaks.
DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS
Pursuant to clause 3(c)(5) of rule XIII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, the Committee finds that no provision
of H.R. 884 establishes or reauthorizes a program of the
federal government known to be duplicative of another federal
program, a program that was included in any report from the
Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to
section 21 of Public Law 111-139, or a program related to a
program identified in the most recent Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance.
CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND LIMITED TARIFF
BENEFITS
In compliance with clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the
House of Representatives, this bill, as reported, contains no
congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff
benefits as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), or 9(g) of the rule
XXI.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
An estimate of federal mandates prepared by the Director of
the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 423 of the
Unfunded Mandates Reform Act was not made available to the
Committee in time for the filing of this report. The Chairman
of the Committee shall cause such estimate to be printed in the
Congressional Record upon its receipt by the Committee.
PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION
Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local,
or tribal law. The Committee finds that H.R. 884 does not
preempt any state, local, or tribal law.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this
legislation.
APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (Public Law
104-1).
SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION
Section 1. Short title
This section provides that this bill may be cited as the
``National Aviation Preparedness Plan Act of 2022''.
Sec. 2. National Aviation Preparedness Plan
Subsection a. In General
This subsection instructs the Secretary of Transportation,
in collaboration with HHS and DHS to develop a National
Aviation Preparedness Plan for future communicable disease
outbreaks, no later than two years after enactment.
Subsection b. Contents of Plan
This subsection mandates that, at a minimum, such a
National Aviation Preparedness Plan shall:
Improve coordination between federal
agencies, industries, and nations when preparing for
and responding to covered communicable disease
outbreaks;
Establish a process for the identification
and issuance of personal protective equipment for
aviation employees who interact regularly with air
carrier passengers;
Establish a process for the identification
of techniques, strategies, and protective
infrastructure for the cleaning, disinfecting, and
sanitization of aircraft and airports;
Identify opportunities to develop and deploy
emerging technologies and solutions to reduce
communicable disease transmission; and
Clearly delineate the responsibilities of
the sponsors and operators of airports, air carriers,
and federal agencies in responding to a covered
communicable disease.
Subsection c. Consultation
This subsection directs the U.S. DOT to work with the U.S.
air carriers, airports, labor unions representing aviation
workers, and key aviation stakeholders, including air carriers,
airports, aircraft manufacturers, and representatives of the
general aviation community, among others, on the development of
such a plan.
Subsection d. Report
This subsection directs the U.S. DOT to submit a report on
such a plan to the House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science
and Transportation, no later than 30 days after the plan is
developed.
Subsection e. Review of Plan
This subsection requires the U.S. DOT to review the plan
one year after the report is submitted to Congress and no later
than five years thereafter. After consultation with aviation
and labor stakeholders, the U.S. DOT is authorized to make
changes, through rulemaking, as the Secretary considers
appropriate.
Subsection f. GAO Study
This subsection states that not later than 18 months after
enactment, calls for a GAO assessment of the plan to determine
whether it aligns with public health recommendations, meets the
nation's obligations under international conventions and
treaties, and to what extent U.S. aviation is prepared for
future public health emergencies.
Subsection g. Definitions
This section defines the terms used in this Act.
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
As reported by the Committee, H.R. 884 makes no changes in
existing law.
[all]