[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1796 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1796

 To amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of 
 the Federal Aviation Authority to continue operation of the Advanced 
        Materials Center of Excellence, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 1, 2023

Mr. Moran (for himself and Ms. Cantwell) introduced the following bill; 
    which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, 
                      Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title 49, United States Code, to direct the Administrator of 
 the Federal Aviation Authority to continue operation of the Advanced 
        Materials Center of Excellence, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Joint Center of Excellence for 
Advanced Materials and Safety Act''.

SEC. 2. ADVANCED MATERIALS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE.

    Section 44518 of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``March 1, 2016'' and 
        all that follows through the period and inserting ``on March 1, 
        2023, which shall focus on applied research and training on the 
        safe use of composites and advanced materials in airframe 
        structures. The Center shall also conduct research and 
        development into aircraft structure crash worthiness and 
        passenger safety, as well as address safe and accessible air 
        travel of individuals with a disability (as defined in section 
        382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or any 
        successor regulation)), including materials required to 
        facilitate safe wheelchair restraint systems on commercial 
        aircraft. The Administrator shall award grants to the Center 
        within 90 days from the date the Grants Officer recommends a 
        proposal for award to the Administrator.'';
            (2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the following:
    ``(b) Responsibilities.--The Center shall--
            ``(1) promote and facilitate collaboration among member 
        universities, academia, the Federal Aviation Administration, 
        the commercial aircraft industry, including manufacturers, 
        commercial air carriers, and suppliers, and other appropriate 
        stakeholders;
            ``(2) establish goals set to advance technology, improve 
        engineering practices, and facilitate continuing education in 
        relevant areas of study, which should include all structural 
        materials, such as carbon fiber polymers and thermoplastic 
        composites, and structural technologies, such as additive 
        manufacturing, to be used in applications within the commercial 
        aircraft industry, including traditional fixed-wing aircraft, 
        rotorcraft, and emerging aircraft types such as advanced air 
        mobility aircraft; and
            ``(3) establish criteria for the safe movement of all 
        passengers, including individuals with a disability (as defined 
        in section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (or 
        any successor regulation)), and individuals using their 
        personal wheelchairs in flight, that takes into account the 
        modeling, engineering, testing, operating, and training issues 
        significant to all passengers and relevant stakeholders.''; and
            (3) in subsection (c), by inserting ``, and not more than 
        $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028,'' after 
        ``2023''.
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