[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4320 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4320
To provide for the establishment of the Bessie Coleman Women in
Aviation Advisory Committee.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 9, 2024
Mr. Peters introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the establishment of the Bessie Coleman Women in
Aviation Advisory Committee.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. BESSIE COLEMAN WOMEN IN AVIATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 6 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish the Bessie Coleman
Women in Aviation Advisory Committee (in this section referred to as
the ``Committee'').
(b) Purpose.--The Committee shall advise the Secretary and the
Administrator on matters and policies related to promoting the
recruitment, retention, employment, education, training, career
advancement, and well-being of women in the aviation industry and
aviation-focused Federal civil service positions.
(c) Form of Directives.--All activities carried out by the
Committee, including special committees, shall be in response to
written terms of work from the Secretary or taskings approved by a
majority of the voting members of the Committee and may not duplicate
the objectives of the Air Carrier Training Aviation Rulemaking
Committee.
(d) Functions.--In carrying out the directives described in
subsection (c), the functions of the Committee are as follows:
(1) Foster industry collaboration in an open and
transparent manner by engaging, as prescribed by this section,
with representatives of the private sector associated with an
entity described in subsection (e)(1)(B).
(2) Make recommendations for strategic objectives,
priorities, and policies that would improve the recruitment,
retention, training, and career advancement of women in
aviation professions.
(3) Evaluate opportunities for the FAA to improve the
recruitment and retention of women in the FAA.
(4) Periodically review and update the recommendations
directed to the FAA and non-FAA entities produced by the
Advisory Board created pursuant to section 612 of the FAA
Reauthorization Act of 2018 (49 U.S.C. 40101 note) to improve
the implementation of such recommendations.
(5) Coordinate with the Office of Civil Rights of the
Department of Transportation and the Federal Women's Program of
the FAA to ensure directives described in subsection (c) do not
duplicate objectives of such office or program.
(e) Membership.--
(1) Voting members.--The Committee shall be composed of the
following members:
(A) The Administrator, or the designee of the
Administrator.
(B) At least 25 individuals, appointed by the
Secretary, representing the following:
(i) Aircraft manufacturers and aerospace
companies.
(ii) Public and private aviation labor
organizations, including collective bargaining
representatives of--
(I) aviation safety inspectors and
safety engineers of the FAA;
(II) air traffic controllers;
(III) certified aircraft
maintenance technicians; and
(IV) commercial airline
crewmembers.
(iii) General aviation operators.
(iv) Air carriers.
(v) Business aviation operators, including
powered-lift operators.
(vi) Unmanned aircraft systems operators.
(vii) Aviation safety management experts.
(viii) Aviation maintenance, repair, and
overhaul entities.
(ix) Airport owners, operators, and
employees.
(x) Institutions of higher education (as
defined in section 101 of the Higher Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)), a postsecondary
vocational institution (as defined in section
102(c) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1002)), or a high school or secondary
school (as such terms are defined in section
8101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801)).
(xi) A flight school that provides flight
training, as defined in part 61 of title 14,
Code of Federal Regulations, or that holds a
pilot school certificate under part 141 of
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
(xii) Aviation maintenance technician
schools governed under part 147 of title 14,
Code of Federal Regulations.
(xiii) Engineering business associations.
(xiv) Civil Air Patrol.
(xv) Nonprofit organizations within the
aviation industry.
(2) Nonvoting members.--
(A) In general.--In addition to the members
appointed under paragraph (1), the Committee shall be
composed of not more than 5 nonvoting members appointed
by the Secretary from among officers or employees of
the FAA, at least 1 of which shall be an employee of
the Office of Civil Rights of the FAA.
(B) Additional nonvoting members.--The Secretary
may invite representatives from the Department of
Education and Department of Labor to serve as nonvoting
members on the Committee.
(C) Duties.--The nonvoting members may--
(i) take part in deliberations of the
Committee; and
(ii) provide subject matter expertise with
respect to reports and recommendations of the
Committee.
(D) Limitation.--The nonvoting members may not
represent any stakeholder interest other than that of
the respective Federal agency of the member.
(3) Terms.--Each voting member and nonvoting member of the
Committee appointed by the Secretary shall be appointed for a
term that expires not later than the date on which the
authorization of the Committee expires under subsection (l).
(4) Committee characteristics.--The Committee shall have
the following characteristics:
(A) The ability to obtain necessary information
from additional experts in the aviation and aerospace
communities.
(B) A membership that enables the Committee to have
substantive discussions and reach consensus on issues
in a timely manner.
(C) Appropriate expertise, including expertise in
human resources, human capital management, policy,
labor relations, employment training, workforce
development, and youth outreach.
(5) Date.--Not later than 9 months after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall make the
appointments described in this subsection.
(f) Chairperson.--
(1) In general.--The Committee shall select a chairperson
from among the voting members of the Committee.
(2) Term.--The Chairperson shall serve a 2-year term.
(g) Meetings.--
(1) Frequency.--The Committee shall meet at least twice
each year at the call of the Chairperson or the Secretary.
(2) Public attendance.--The meetings of the Committee shall
be open and accessible to the public.
(3) Administrative support.--The Secretary shall furnish
the Committee with logistical and administrative support to
enable the Committee to perform the duties of the Committee.
(h) Special Committees.--
(1) Establishment.--The Committee may establish special
committees composed of industry representatives, members of the
public, labor representatives, and other relevant parties in
complying with the consultation and participation requirements
under subsection (d).
(2) Applicable law.--Chapter 10 of title 5, United States
Code, shall not apply to a special committee established by the
Committee.
(i) Personnel Matters.--
(1) No compensation of members.--
(A) Non-federal employees.--A member of the
Committee who is not an officer or employee of the
Government shall serve without compensation.
(B) Federal employees.--A member of the Committee
who is an officer or employee of the Federal Government
shall serve without compensation in addition to the
compensation received for the services of the member as
an officer or employee of the Federal Government.
(2) Death or resignation.--If a member of the Committee
dies or resigns during the term of service of such member, the
Secretary shall designate a successor for the unexpired term of
such member.
(j) Reports.--
(1) Task reports.--The Committee shall submit to the
Secretary and the appropriate committees of Congress annual
reports detailing the completion of each directive summarizing
the--
(A) findings and associated recommendations of the
Committee for any legislative and administrative
actions the Committee considers appropriate to improve
the advancement of women in aviation; and
(B) planned activities of the Committee, as
directed by the Secretary or approved by a majority of
voting members of the Committee, and proposed terms of
work to fulfill each activity.
(2) Additional reports.--The Committee may submit to the
appropriate committees of Congress, the Secretary, and the
Administrator additional reports and recommendations related to
education, training, recruitment, retention, and advancement of
women in the aviation industry as the Committee determines
appropriate.
(k) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the FAA.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--The term
``appropriate committees of Congress'' means the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of
Representatives.
(3) FAA.--The term ``FAA'' means the Federal Aviation
Administration.
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Transportation.
(l) Sunset.--The authorization of the Committee shall expire on
October 1, 2028.
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