[House Report 116-67]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
116th Congress } { Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
1st Session } { 116-67
======================================================================
NOTICE TO AIRMEN IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2019
_______
May 16, 2019.--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. 1775]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the bill (H.R. 1775) to establish a task force on
NOTAM improvements, and for other purposes, having considered
the same, report favorably thereon without amendment and
recommend that the bill do pass.
CONTENTS
Page
Purpose of Legislation........................................... 1
Background and Need for Legislation.............................. 2
Hearings......................................................... 2
Legislative History and Consideration............................ 2
Committee Votes.................................................. 3
Committee Oversight Findings..................................... 3
New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures........................ 3
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate........................ 3
Performance Goals and Objectives................................. 4
Duplication of Federal Programs.................................. 4
Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff
Benefits....................................................... 5
Federal Mandates Statement....................................... 5
Preemption Clarification......................................... 5
Advisory Committee Statement..................................... 5
Applicability to Legislative Branch.............................. 5
Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation................... 5
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported............ 6
PURPOSE OF LEGISLATION
The purpose of H.R. 1775 is to establish a task force to
evaluate existing methods for presenting Notices to Airmen
(NOTAMs) to pilots, review associated regulations and policies,
and develop recommendations and identify best practices aimed
at improving the presentation of NOTAMs and flight operations
information to pilots.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
H.R. 1775 directs the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) to establish the FAA Task Force on NOTAM
Improvement to review existing methods for presenting NOTAMs
and flight operations information to pilots and NOTAM policies
and regulations, and determine best practices for organizing,
prioritizing, and presenting flight operations information to
pilots in an optimal manner to help them retain relevant
information.
This legislation is necessary because pilots have found
information contained in NOTAMs--notices from the FAA to pilots
that contain essential, real-time information regarding
abnormal status of the National Airspace System--difficult to
read, understand, and retain. Additionally, NOTAMs can lack
completeness or accuracy, which can endanger flight. In 2018,
the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recognized the
impact NOTAM information can have on the safety of flight,
issuing a safety recommendation (A-18-024) to the FAA to
establish a group of human factors experts to review existing
methods for presenting flight operations information to pilots
and create and publish guidance on best practice for presenting
such information that optimizes pilot review and retention of
information. Identifying methods of improving the accuracy,
organization, display, and understanding of NOTAM information
will aid pilots and improve flight safety in the United States.
HEARINGS
For the purposes of section 103(i) of H. Res. 6 of the
116th Congress, the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation held the following
hearing to develop or consider H.R. 1775:
On March 12, 2019, the Subcommittee held a hearing
titled, ``Looking Forward: Aviation 2050.'' The purpose
of the hearing was to explore the future of U.S.
aviation and the National Airspace System (NAS),
including how the NAS is evolving as a result of new
aviation and aerospace users and technologies.
Witnesses included: David McBride, Director, Armstrong
Flight Research Center, National Aeronautics and Space
Administration; Diana Cooper, Senior Vice President,
Policy and Strategy, PrecisionHawk, Inc.; Eli Dourado,
Head, Global Policy and Communications, Boom; Eric
Allison, Head, Elevate, Uber Technologies, Inc.; and
Joe DePete, President, Air Line Pilots Association,
International.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND CONSIDERATION
H.R. 1775 was introduced in the House on March 14, 2019, by
Mr. Stauber and referred to the Committee on Transportation.
Within the Committee, H.R. 1775 was referred to the
Subcommittee on Aviation.
The Subcommittee on Aviation was discharged from further
consideration of H.R. 1775 on March 27, 2019.
The Full Committee met in open session to consider H.R.
1775 on March 27, 2019, and ordered the measure to be reported
to the House, without amendment, favorably by voice vote, with
a quorum present.
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.
There were no recorded votes taken in connection with
consideration of H.R. 1775.
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
Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives does not apply where a cost estimate and
comparison prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 has been timely submitted prior to the filing of the
report and is included in the report. Such a cost estimate is
included in this report.
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 and section
402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Committee has
received the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1775.
U.S. Congress,
Congressional Budget Office,
Washington, DC, April 15, 2019.
Hon. Peter A. DeFazio,
Chairman, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
House of Representatives, Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Chairman: The Congressional Budget Office has
prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 1775, the Notice
to Airmen Improvement Act of 2019.
If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be
pleased to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Megan
Carroll.
Sincerely,
Keith Hall,
Director.
Enclosure.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
H.R. 1775 would direct the Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) to complete a variety of
administrative tasks related to notices to airmen (NOTAMs),
which convey essential information to personnel concerned with
flight operations. (For example, NOTAMs alert aircraft pilots
of potential hazards along a flight route or other conditions
or situations affecting aeronautical facilities, services, or
procedures that might affect the safety of flight operations.)
H.R. 1775 would require the Administrator to establish a task
force of aviation stakeholders to review existing policies
related to NOTAMs, recommend improvements, and report its
findings to the Congress within one year.
Using information from the FAA, CBO estimates that
implementing H.R. 1775 would not significantly affect the
federal budget. According to the agency, the bill's
requirements are largely consistent with existing activities
related to NOTAMs. As a result, CBO estimates that any change
in federal spending to meet those requirements--which would be
subject to appropriation--would not exceed $500,000.
The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Megan Carroll.
The estimate was reviewed by Theresa Gullo, Assistant Director
for Budget Analysis.
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
identify methods to improve the presentation of NOTAM
information to pilots through the establishment and
recommendations of the FAA Task Force on NOTAM Improvement, and
the comprehensive report developed by such task force and
submitted to Congress.
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. 1775 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
The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of federal
mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform
Act (Public Law 104-4).
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. 1775 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
Sec. 1. Short title
This section provides that this bill may be cited as the
``Notice to Airmen Improvement Act of 2019.``
Sec. 2. FAA Task Force on NOTAM Improvement
This section requires the Administrator of the FAA to
establish the FAA Task Force on NOTAM Improvement. This section
requires the task force to be composed of representatives from
air carriers, labor unions, and general and business aviation,
as well as aviation safety and human factors experts.
This section also establishes the duties of the task force,
which include reviewing existing methods for presenting Notice
to Airmen (NOTAM) and flight operations information to pilots
and associated NOTAM policies and regulations, and determining
best practices for organizing, prioritizing, and presenting
flight operations information to pilots in an optimal manner.
Additionally, this section requires the task force to provide
recommendations to improve the presentation of NOTAM
information, ensure NOTAM accuracy and completeness, identify
best practices to improve NOTAM accuracy and understandability,
and identify ways to work with airspace users and aviation
service providers to implement solutions aligned with any
recommendations of the task force.
Furthermore, this section requires the task force to submit
a report to Congress and describe to the extent to which
implementing any task force recommendations addresses National
Transportation Safety Board Safety Recommendation A-18-024;
sunsets the task force within 18 months of its establishment or
the date of submission of its report to Congress; and provides
the FAA Administrator with the authority necessary to implement
any task force recommendations outlined in its report to
Congress.
Finally, this section exempts the task force from
requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C.
App.).
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
H.R. 1775 makes no changes in existing law.
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