[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 66 Reported in Senate (RS)]
<DOC>
Calendar No. 282
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 66
To establish a task force on improvements for notices to air missions,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 25, 2023
Ms. Klobuchar (for herself, Mr. Moran, and Mrs. Capito) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation
December 13, 2023
Reported by Ms. Cantwell, with an amendment
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed
in italic]
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a task force on improvements for notices to air missions,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>
<DELETED> This Act may be cited as the ``NOTAM Improvement Act of
2023''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>SEC. 2. FAA TASK FORCE ON NOTAM IMPROVEMENT.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration shall establish a task force to be known as the FAA Task
Force on NOTAM Improvement (in this section referred to as the ``Task
Force'').</DELETED>
<DELETED> (b) Composition.--The Task Force shall consist of members
appointed by the Administrator, including at least one member of each
of the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) Air carrier representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) Airport representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) Labor union representatives of airline
pilots.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) Labor union representatives of aircraft
dispatchers.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (5) The labor union certified under section 7111
of title 5, United States Code, to represent FAA air traffic
control specialists assigned to the United States NOTAMs
Office.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (6) The labor union certified under section 7111
of title 5, United States Code, to represent FAA aeronautical
information specialists.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (7) General and business aviation
representatives.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (8) Aviation safety experts with knowledge of
NOTAMs.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (9) Human factors experts.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (10) Computer system architecture and
cybersecurity experts.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (c) Duties.--The duties of the Task Force shall include--
</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) reviewing existing methods for presenting
NOTAMs and flight operations information to pilots;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) reviewing regulations and policies relating to
NOTAMs, including their content and presentation to
pilots;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) evaluating and determining best practices to
organize, prioritize, and present flight operations information
in a manner that optimizes pilot review and retention of
relevant information; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) providing recommendations for--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (A) improving the presentation of NOTAM
information in a manner that prioritizes or highlights
the most important information, and optimizes pilot
review and retention of relevant information;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (B) ways to ensure that NOTAMs are
complete, accurate, and contain the proper
information;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (C) any best practices that the FAA should
consider to improve the accuracy and understandability
of NOTAMs and the display of flight operations
information;</DELETED>
<DELETED> (D) ways to work with air carriers, other
airspace users, and aviation service providers to
implement solutions that are aligned with the
recommendations under this paragraph; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (E) ensuring the stability, resiliency,
and cybersecurity of the NOTAM computer
system.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
establishment of the Task Force, the Task Force 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 detailing--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the results of the reviews and evaluations of
the Task Force under paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection
(c);</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the best practices identified and
recommendations provided by the Task Force under subsection
(c)(4);</DELETED>
<DELETED> (3) any recommendations of the Task Force for
additional regulatory or policy actions to improve the
presentation of NOTAMs; and</DELETED>
<DELETED> (4) the degree to which implementing the
recommendations of the Task Force described under paragraph (2)
will address National Transportation Safety Board Safety
Recommendation A-18-024.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (e) Applicable Law.--The Federal Advisory Committee Act (5
U.S.C. App.) shall not apply to the Task Force.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (f) Sunset.--The Task Force shall terminate on the later
of--</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) the date on which the Task Force submits the
report required under subsection (d); or</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) the date that is 18 months after the date on
which the Task Force is established under subsection
(a).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (g) Authority.--The Administrator shall have the authority
to carry out the recommendations of the Task Force detailed in the
report required under subsection (d).</DELETED>
<DELETED> (h) Definitions.--In this section:</DELETED>
<DELETED> (1) FAA.--The term ``FAA'' means the Federal
Aviation Administration.</DELETED>
<DELETED> (2) NOTAM.--The term ``NOTAM'' means notices to
air missions required by international or domestic regulation
or law, as described in FAA Order 7930.2S.</DELETED>
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``NOTAM Improvement Act of 2023''.
SEC. 2. FAA TASK FORCE ON NOTAM IMPROVEMENT.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation
Administration shall establish a task force to be known as the FAA Task
Force on NOTAM Improvement (in this section referred to as the ``Task
Force'').
(b) Composition.--The Task Force shall consist of members appointed
by the Administrator, including at least one member of each of the
following:
(1) Air carrier representatives.
(2) Airport representatives.
(3) Labor union representatives of airline pilots.
(4) Labor union representatives of aircraft dispatchers.
(5) The labor union certified under section 7111 of title
5, United States Code, to represent FAA air traffic control
specialists assigned to the United States NOTAMs Office.
(6) The labor union certified under section 7111 of title
5, United States Code, to represent FAA aeronautical
information specialists.
(7) General and business aviation representatives.
(8) Aviation safety experts with knowledge of NOTAMs.
(9) Human factors experts.
(10) Computer system architecture and cybersecurity
experts.
(c) Duties.--The duties of the Task Force shall include--
(1) reviewing existing methods for publishing NOTAMs and
flight operations information to pilots;
(2) reviewing regulations, policies, systems, and
international standards relating to NOTAMs, including their
content and presentation to pilots;
(3) evaluating and determining best practices to organize,
prioritize, and present flight operations information in a
manner that optimizes pilot review and retention of relevant
information; and
(4) providing recommendations for--
(A) improving the publication and delivery of NOTAM
information in a manner that prioritizes or highlights
the most important information, and optimizes pilot
review and retention of relevant information;
(B) ways to ensure that NOTAMs are complete,
accurate, timely, relevant to safe flight operations,
and contain pertinent information;
(C) any best practices that the FAA should consider
to improve the accuracy and understandability of NOTAMs
and the display of flight operations information;
(D) ways to work with air carriers, other airspace
users, and aviation service providers to implement
solutions that are aligned with the recommendations
under this paragraph; and
(E) ways to ensure the stability, resiliency, and
cybersecurity of the NOTAM computer system.
(d) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
establishment of the Task Force, the Task Force 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 detailing--
(1) the results of the reviews and evaluations of the Task
Force under paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (c);
(2) the best practices identified and recommendations
provided by the Task Force under subsection (c)(4);
(3) any recommendations of the Task Force for additional
regulatory or policy actions to improve the publication of
NOTAMs; and
(4) the degree to which implementing the recommendations of
the Task Force described under paragraph (2) will address
National Transportation Safety Board Safety Recommendation A-
18-024.
(e) Applicable Law.--Chapter 10 of title 5, United States Code,
shall not apply to the Task Force.
(f) Sunset.--The Task Force shall terminate on the later of--
(1) the date on which the Task Force submits the report
required under subsection (d); or
(2) the date that is 18 months after the date on which the
Task Force is established under subsection (a).
(g) Authority.--The Administrator shall have the authority to carry
out the recommendations of the Task Force detailed in the report
required under subsection (d).
(h) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be construed
to require the FAA to duplicate any prior, ongoing, or planned efforts
related to the improvement of NOTAMs, including any efforts related to
implementing any previously enacted requirements.
(i) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) FAA.--The term ``FAA'' means the Federal Aviation
Administration.
(2) NOTAM.--The term ``NOTAM'' means a notice containing
information (which is not known sufficiently in advance to
publicize by other means) concerning the establishment,
condition, or change in any component (including a facility,
service, or procedure thereof) or hazard in the National
Airspace System, the timely knowledge of which is essential to
personnel concerned with flight operations.
SEC. 3. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS.
Not later than September 30, 2024, the Administrator of the Federal
Aviation Administration shall make the following improvements:
(1) Complete implementation of a Federal NOTAM System (in
this section referred to as a ``FNS'').
(2) Implement a back-up system to the FNS.
(3) Brief the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the
Senate on a plan to enhance the capability to deliver
information through the FNS that is machine-readable,
filterable, and in the format used by the International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO) to promote further global
harmonization among neighboring Air Navigation Service
Providers (ANSPs) and provide users of the National Airspace
System with one consistent format for domestic and
international operations.
Calendar No. 282
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 66
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a task force on improvements for notices to air missions,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
December 13, 2023
Reported with an amendment