Union Calendar No. 381
117th CONGRESS 2d Session |
[Report No. 117–506]
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require certain air carriers to provide reports with respect to maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations, and for other purposes.
March 31, 2022
Mr. DeFazio (for himself, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Brownley, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. García of Illinois, Mr. Katko, Ms. Malliotakis, Mr. McKinley, Ms. Norton, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Sires, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, and Mr. Van Drew) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
September 28, 2022
Additional sponsors: Ms. Chu, Mr. Cleaver, Mr. Soto, Mr. Joyce of Ohio, Mr. Welch, Ms. Barragán, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Payne, Mr. Garbarino, Ms. Craig, and Ms. Porter
September 28, 2022
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic]
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 31, 2022]
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require certain air carriers to provide reports with respect to maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
This Act may be cited as the “Global Aircraft Maintenance Safety Improvement Act”.
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) the safety of the global aviation system requires the highest standards for aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul work;
(2) the safety of aircraft operated by United States air carriers should not be dependent on the location where maintenance, repair, and overhaul work is performed; and
(3) the Federal Aviation Administration must fully enforce, in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements, Federal Aviation Administration standards for maintenance, repair, and overhaul work at every facility, whether in the United States or abroad, where such work is performed on aircraft operated by United States air carriers.
SEC. 3. FAA oversight of repair stations located outside the United States.
(a) In general.—Section 44733 of title 49, United States Code, is amended—
(2) in subsection (e)—
(B) by inserting “and the applicable laws of the country in which a repair station is located” after “international agreements”; and
(C) by striking the last sentence and inserting “The Administrator may carry out announced or unannounced inspections in addition to the annual unannounced inspection required under this subsection based on identified risks and in a manner consistent with United States obligations under international agreements and with the applicable laws of the country in which a repair station is located.”;
(4) by inserting after subsection (f) the following:
“(g) Data analysis.—
“(1) IN GENERAL.—An air carrier conducting operations under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall provide to the appropriate office of the Administration, not later than every year, a report containing the information described in paragraph (2) with respect to heavy maintenance work on aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engines) performed in the preceding year.
“(2) INFORMATION REQUIRED.—A report under paragraph (1) shall contain the following information:
“(A) The location where any heavy maintenance work on aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engines) was performed outside the United States.
“(3) ANALYSIS.—The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall—
“(A) analyze information made available under paragraph (1) of this subsection and sections 121.703, 121.705, 121.707, and 145.221 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor provisions, to detect safety issues associated with heavy maintenance work on aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engines) performed outside the United States; and
“(h) Applications and requests for renewal.—
“(1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator may not approve any new application under part 145 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, from a person located or headquartered in a country that the Administration, through the International Aviation Safety Assessment program, has classified as Category 2.
“(2) MAINTENANCE IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES AGREEMENT.—The Administrator may elect not to enter into a new maintenance implementation procedures agreement with a country classified as Category 2, for as long as that country remains classified as Category 2, if the Administrator determines that doing so is necessary to comply with the requirements of this subsection.
“(3) CONTINUED HEAVY MAINTENANCE WORK.—No air carrier conducting operations under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, may enter into a new contract for heavy maintenance work with a person located or headquartered in a country that the Administration, through the International Aviation Safety Assessment program, has classified as Category 2, for as long as such country remains classified as Category 2.
“(i) Minimum qualifications for mechanics and others working on U.S. registered aircraft.—
“(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall require that, at each covered repair station—
“(2) AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Administrator shall require any individual who is responsible for authorization of return of an article to service or who is directly in charge of aircraft (including on-wing aircraft engine) maintenance performed on aircraft operated under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, be available for consultation while work is being performed.”.
(b) Definition of covered repair station.—
(c) Conforming amendments.—The analysis for chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by striking the item relating to section 44733 and inserting the following:
“44733. Oversight of repair stations located outside the United States.”.
SEC. 4. International standards for safety oversight of foreign repair stations.
(a) Foreign repair station working group.—Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall convene a foreign repair station working group with other civil aviation authorities (hereinafter referred to as “repair station working group”) to conduct a review of the certification and oversight of foreign repair stations and to identify any future enhancements that might be appropriate to strengthen oversight of such repair stations.
(b) Composition of the repair station working group.—The repair station working group shall consist of—
(c) Consultation.—In conducting the review under this section, the repair station working group shall, as appropriate, consult with relevant experts and stakeholders.
(d) Recommendations.—The repair station working group shall make recommendations with respect to any future enhancements that might be appropriate to—
(e) Reports.—
(1) REPAIR STATION WORKING GROUP REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the first meeting of the repair station working group, the repair station working group shall submit to the Administrator a report containing the findings of the review and each recommendation made under subsection (d).
(2) FAA REPORTS.—
(A) TRANSMISSION OF REPAIR STATION WORKING GROUP REPORT.—The Administrator 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 the report required under paragraph (1) as soon as is practicable after the receipt of such report.
(B) FAA REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not later than 45 days after receipt of the Report under paragraph (1), the Administrator 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 containing—
(i) a statement of whether the Administrator concurs or does not concur with each recommendation contained in the report required under paragraph (1);
(ii) for any recommendation with which the Administrator does not concur, a detailed explanation as to why the Administrator does not concur;
(f) Termination.—The repair station working group shall terminate on the earlier of the date of submission of the report under subsection (e)(1) or on the date that is 2 years after the repair station working group is commissioned under subsection (a).
(g) Definition of foreign repair station.—In this section, the term “foreign repair station” means a repair station located outside of the territory of the country of the civil aviation authority which certificated the repair station, including repair stations certified under part 145 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, which are located outside the United States and the territories of the United States.
SEC. 5. Alcohol and drug testing and background checks.
(a) In general.—Beginning on the date that is 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator may not approve or authorize international travel for any employee of the Federal Aviation Administration until a final rule carrying out the requirements of subsection (b) of section 2112 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 (Public Law 114–190) have been published in the Federal Register.
(b) Rulemaking on assessment requirement.—With respect to any employee not covered under the requirements of section 1554.101 of title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, the Administrator shall initiate a rulemaking that requires a covered repair station to confirm that any such employee has successfully completed an assessment commensurate with a security threat assessment described in subpart C of part 1540 of such title.
(c) Exceptions.—The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply to international travel that is determined by the Administrator on an individual by individual basis to be—
(d) Non-delegation and reporting.—For any determination to make an exception based on the criteria in paragraph (2) or (3) of subsection (c), the Administrator—
(2) shall report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate not later than 3 days after making each determination under subsection (c)—
Union Calendar No. 381 | |||||
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[Report No. 117–506] | |||||
A BILL | |||||
To amend title 49, United States Code, to require certain air carriers to provide reports with respect to maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations, and for other purposes. | |||||
September 28, 2022 | |||||
Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed |