49 U.S.C. § 41309 — Cooperative agreements and requests

Page 1134 TITLE 49—TRANSPORTATION § 41308 SEC. 7. Individuals within the Executive Office of the President shall follow a policy of: (a) refusing to dis- cuss matters relating to the disposition of a case sub- ject to the review of the President under Section 801 with any interested private party, or an attorney or agent for any such party, prior to the decision by the President or his designee; and (b) referring any written communication from an interested private party, or an attorney or agent for any such party, to the appro- priate department or agency outside of the Executive Office of the President. Exceptions to this policy may be made only when the head of an appropriate depart- ment or agency outside of the Executive Office of the President personally finds, on a nondelegable basis, that direct written or oral communication between a private party and a person within the Executive Office of the President is needed for reasons of defense or for- eign policy. SEC. 8. Departments and agencies outside of the Exec- utive Office of the President that regularly make rec- ommendations in connection with the presidential re- view pursuant to Section 801 shall, consistent with ap- plicable law, including the provisions of Chapter 5 of Title 5 of the United States Code: (a) establish public dockets for all written commu- nications (other than those requiring confidential treatment for defense or foreign policy reasons) be- tween their officers and employees and private parties in connection with the preparation of such rec- ommendations; and (b) prescribe such other procedures governing oral and written communications as they deem appropriate. SEC. 9. This Order is intended solely for the internal guidance of the departments and agencies in order to facilitate the presidential review process. This Order does not confer rights on any private parties. SEC. 10. None of the time deadlines specified in this Order shall be construed as a limitation on expedited presidential review of any decision under Section 801. SEC. 11. The provisions of this Order shall become ef- fective upon publication in the Federal Register and shall govern the review of any proposed decisions of the DOT that have not become final prior to that date under Executive Order No. 12547. SEC. 12. References in any Executive order to any pro- vision in Executive Order No. 12547 shall be deemed to refer to the corresponding provision in this Order. RONALD REAGAN. § 41308. Exemption from the antitrust laws (a) DEFINITION.—In this section, ‘‘antitrust laws’’ has the same meaning given that term in the first section of the Clayton Act (15 U.S.C. 12). (b) EXEMPTION AUTHORIZED.—When the Sec- retary of Transportation decides it is required by the public interest, the Secretary, as part of an order under section 41309 or 42111 of this title, may exempt a person affected by the order from the antitrust laws to the extent necessary to allow the person to proceed with the transaction specifically approved by the order and with any transaction necessarily contemplated by the order. (c) EXEMPTION REQUIRED.—In an order under section 41309 of this title approving an agree- ment, request, modification, or cancellation, the Secretary, on the basis of the findings required under section 41309(b)(1), shall exempt a person affected by the order from the antitrust laws to the extent necessary to allow the person to pro- ceed with the transaction specifically approved by the order and with any transaction nec- essarily contemplated by the order. (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1128.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Revised Section Source (U.S. Code) Source (Statutes at Large) 41308 .......... 49 App.:1384. Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, § 414, 72 Stat. 770; restated Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 30(a), 92 Stat. 1731; Feb. 15, 1980, Pub. L. 96–192, § 27, 94 Stat. 47. 49 App.:1551(a)(6) (related to 49 App.:1384). Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 1601(a)(6) (re- lated to § 414); added Oct. 4, 1984, Pub. L. 98–443, § 3(c), 98 Stat. 1704. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(C) (related to 49 App.:1384). Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 1601(b)(1)(C) (related to § 414); added Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 40(a), 92 Stat. 1745; Oct. 14, 1982, Pub. L. 97–309, § 4(b), 96 Stat. 1454; Oct. 4, 1984, Pub. L. 98–443, § 3(a), 98 Stat. 1703. Subsection (a) is substituted for ‘‘the ‘anti-trust laws’ set forth in subsection (a) of section 12 of title 15’’ for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. In subsection (b), reference to 49 App.:1378 and 1379 is omitted as obsolete. § 41309. Cooperative agreements and requests (a) FILING.—An air carrier or foreign air car- rier may file with the Secretary of Transpor- tation a true copy of or, if oral, a true and com- plete memorandum of, an agreement (except an agreement related to interstate air transpor- tation), or a request for authority to discuss co- operative arrangements (except arrangements related to interstate air transportation), and any modification or cancellation of an agree- ment, between the air carrier or foreign air car- rier and another air carrier, a foreign carrier, or another carrier. (b) APPROVAL.—The Secretary of Transpor- tation shall approve an agreement, request, modification, or cancellation referred to in sub- section (a) of this section when the Secretary finds it is not adverse to the public interest and is not in violation of this part. However, the Secretary shall disapprove— (1) or, after periodic review, end approval of, an agreement, request, modification, or can- cellation, that substantially reduces or elimi- nates competition unless the Secretary finds that— (A) the agreement, request, modification, or cancellation is necessary to meet a seri- ous transportation need or to achieve impor- tant public benefits (including international comity and foreign policy considerations); and (B) the transportation need cannot be met or those benefits cannot be achieved by rea- sonably available alternatives that are ma- terially less anticompetitive; or (2) an agreement that— (A) is between an air carrier not directly operating aircraft in foreign air transpor- tation and a carrier subject to subtitle IV of this title; and (B) governs the compensation the carrier may receive for the transportation. (c) NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO RESPOND OR FOR HEARING.—(1) When an agreement, request, modification, or cancellation is filed, the Sec- Page 1135 TITLE 49—TRANSPORTATION § 41310 retary of Transportation shall give the Attorney General and the Secretary of State written no- tice of, and an opportunity to submit written comments about, the filing. On the initiative of the Secretary of Transportation or on request of the Attorney General or Secretary of State, the Secretary of Transportation may conduct a hearing to decide whether an agreement, re- quest, modification, or cancellation is con- sistent with this part whether or not it was ap- proved previously. (2) In a proceeding before the Secretary of Transportation applying standards under sub- section (b)(1) of this section, a party opposing an agreement, request, modification, or cancella- tion has the burden of proving that it substan- tially reduces or eliminates competition and that less anticompetitive alternatives are avail- able. The party defending the agreement, re- quest, modification, or cancellation has the bur- den of proving the transportation need or public benefits. (3) The Secretary of Transportation shall in- clude the findings required by subsection (b)(1) of this section in an order of the Secretary ap- proving or disapproving an agreement, request, modification, or cancellation. (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1129; Pub. L. 104–88, title III, § 308(l), Dec. 29, 1995, 109 Stat. 948; Pub. L. 104–287, § 5(71), Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3396.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES PUB. L. 103–272 Revised Section Source (U.S. Code) Source (Statutes at Large) 41309(a) ...... 49 App.:1382(a)(1). Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 412(a), (b); added Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 28(c), 92 Stat. 1729; Feb. 15, 1980, Pub. L. 96–192, § 11, 94 Stat. 39. 49 App.:1551(a)(6) (related to 49 App.:1382). Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 1601(a)(6) (related to § 412); added Oct. 4, 1984, Pub. L. 98–443, § 3(c), 98 Stat. 1704. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(C) (related to 49 App.:1382(a)). Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 1601(b)(1)(C) (related to § 412(a), (b)); added Oct. 24, 1978, Pub. L. 95–504, § 40(a), 92 Stat. 1745; Oct. 14, 1982, Pub. L. 97–309, § 4(b), 96 Stat. 1454; Oct. 4, 1984, Pub. L. 98–443, § 3(a), 98 Stat. 1703. 41309(b) ...... 49 App.:1382(a)(2)(A). 49 App.:1551(a)(6), (b)(1)(C) (as 1551(a)(6), (b)(1)(C) relates to 49 App.:1382(a)). 41309(c)(1) .. 49 App.:1382(b). 49 App.:1551(a)(6), (b)(1)(C) (as 1551(a)(6), (b)(1)(C) relates to 49 App.:1382(b)). 41309(c)(2) .. 49 App.:1382(a)(2)(B). 41309(c)(3) .. 49 App.:1382(a)(2)(C). 49 App.:1551(a)(6), (b)(1)(C) (as 1551(a)(6), (b)(1)(C) relates to 49 App.:1382(a)). In this section, the word ‘‘contract’’ is omitted as being included in ‘‘agreement’’. In subsection (a), the words ‘‘(whether enforceable by provisions for liquidated damages, penalties, bonds, or otherwise)’’ are omitted as surplus. The words ‘‘(except an agreement related to interstate air transportation)’’ and ‘‘(except arrangements related to interstate air transportation)’’ are added because of 49 App.:1551(a)(6) (related to 49 App.:1382). The word ‘‘working’’ is omit- ted as surplus. The words ‘‘in force on October 24, 1978, or thereafter entered into’’ are omitted as executed. The words ‘‘and any modification or cancellation of an agreement’’ are substituted for ‘‘or any modification or cancellation thereof’’ for clarity and consistency. In subsection (b), before clause (1), the words ‘‘The Board shall by order disapprove any contract, agree- ment, or request . . . that it finds to be adverse to the public interest or in violation of this chapter’’ are omitted as surplus because of the language restated in this subsection that sets out the requirements for ap- proval by the Secretary of Transportation before the antitrust exemption is effective. The words ‘‘whether or not previously approved by it’’ are omitted as sur- plus because of the language in clause (1) requiring periodic review and continuing approval. The words ‘‘by order’’ are omitted as unnecessary because of 5:ch. 5, subch. II. The text of 49 App.:1382(a)(2)(A)(iii) is omit- ted as obsolete because of 49 App.:1551(a)(6) (related to 49 App.:1382). In subsection (c)(1), the words ‘‘in accordance with regulations which it prescribes’’ are omitted as surplus. The words ‘‘in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Board’’ are omitted as surplus. PUB. L. 104–287 This amends 49:41309(b)(2)(B) for consistency in the subsection. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 1996—Subsec. (b)(2)(B). Pub. L. 104–287 substituted ‘‘carrier’’ for ‘‘common carrier’’. 1995—Subsec. (b)(2)(A). Pub. L. 104–88 substituted ‘‘a carrier’’ for ‘‘a common carrier’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1995 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 104–88 effective Jan. 1, 1996, see section 2 of Pub. L. 104–88, set out as an Effective Date note under section 1301 of this title. AIR TRANSPORTATION ARRANGEMENTS IN CERTAIN STATES Pub. L. 107–71, title I, § 116, Nov. 19, 2001, 115 Stat. 624, which related to air transportation arrangements for flights that both originate and terminate at points within the same State, was repealed by Pub. L. 107–273, div. C, title IV, § 14102(g), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1922. § 41310. Discriminatory practices (a) PROHIBITION.—An air carrier or foreign air carrier may not subject a person, place, port, or type of traffic in foreign air transportation to unreasonable discrimination. (b) REVIEW AND NEGOTIATION OF DISCRIMINA- TORY FOREIGN CHARGES.—(1) The Secretary of Transportation shall survey charges imposed on an air carrier by the government of a foreign country or another foreign entity for the use of airport property or airway property in foreign air transportation. If the Secretary of Transpor- tation decides that a charge is discriminatory, the Secretary promptly shall report the decision to the Secretary of State. The Secretaries of State and Transportation promptly shall begin negotiations with the appropriate government to end the discrimination. If the discrimination is not ended in a reasonable time through nego- tiation, the Secretary of Transportation shall establish a compensating charge equal to the discriminatory charge. With the approval of the