49 U.S.C. § 44508 — Research advisory committee

Page 1268 TITLE 49—TRANSPORTATION § 44507 fiscal year 2005, the Administrator of the Federal Avia- tion Administration shall transmit a report to the Sen- ate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor- tation and the House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure that describes the overall air traffic controller staffing plan, including strategies to address anticipated retirement and re- placement of air traffic controllers. ‘‘(b) HUMAN CAPITAL WORKFORCE STRATEGY.— ‘‘(1) DEVELOPMENT.—The Administrator shall de- velop a comprehensive human capital workforce strategy to determine the most effective method for addressing the need for more air traffic controllers that is identified in the June 2002 report of the Gen- eral Accounting Office [now Government Account- ability Office]. ‘‘(2) COMPLETION DATE.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 12, 2003], the Administrator shall complete development of the strategy. ‘‘(3) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the date on which the strategy is completed, the Adminis- trator shall transmit to Congress a report describing the strategy.’’ § 44507. Regions and centers The Civil Aeromedical Institute established by section 106(j) of this title may— (1) conduct civil aeromedical research, in- cluding research related to— (A) the protection and survival of aircraft occupants; (B) medical accident investigation and air- man medical certification; (C) toxicology and the effects of drugs on human performance; (D) the impact of disease and disability on human performance; (E) vision and its relationship to human performance and equipment design; (F) human factors of flight crews, air traf- fic controllers, mechanics, inspectors, air- way facility technicians, and other individ- uals involved in operating and maintaining aircraft and air traffic control equipment; and (G) agency work force optimization, in- cluding training, equipment design, reduc- tion of errors, and identification of can- didate tasks for automation; (2) make comments to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration on human factors aspects of proposed air safety regulations; (3) make comments to the Administrator on human factors aspects of proposed training programs, equipment requirements, standards, and procedures for aviation personnel; (4) advise, assist, and represent the Federal Aviation Administration in the human factors aspects of joint projects between the Adminis- tration and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government, industry, and govern- ments of foreign countries; and (5) provide medical consultation services to the Administrator about medical certification of airmen. (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1179; Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title V, § 524(a), Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3363; Pub. L. 118–63, title II, § 206(h), May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1046.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Revised Section Source (U.S. Code) Source (Statutes at Large) 44507 .......... 49 App.:1353(e). Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 312(e); added Nov. 3, 1988, Pub. L. 100–591, § 5(b), 102 Stat. 3013. In clause (4), the words ‘‘departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government’’ are substituted for ‘‘Government agencies’’ for consist- ency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2024—Pub. L. 118–63 struck out subsec. (a) designation and heading ‘‘Civil Aeromedical Institute’’ at begin- ning of section and struck out subsec. (b). Prior to amendment, text of subsec. (b) read as follows: ‘‘The Secretary of Transportation shall define the roles and responsibilities of the William J. Hughes Technical Center in a manner that is consistent with the defined roles and responsibilities of the Civil Aeromedical In- stitute under subsection (a).’’ See section 106(h) of this title. 2018—Pub. L. 115–254 substituted ‘‘Regions and cen- ters’’ for ‘‘Civil aeromedical research’’ in section catch- line, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading, and added subsec. (b). § 44508. Research advisory committee (a) ESTABLISHMENT AND DUTIES.—(1) There is a research advisory committee in the Federal Aviation Administration. The committee shall— (A) provide advice and recommendations to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Ad- ministration and Congress about needs, objec- tives, plans, approaches, content, and accom- plishments of all aviation research and devel- opment activities and programs carried out, including those under sections 44504, 44505, 44507, 44511–44513, and 44912 of this title; (B) assist in ensuring that the research is co- ordinated with similar research being con- ducted outside the Administration; (C) review the operations of the regional centers of air transportation excellence estab- lished under section 44513 of this title; and (D) annually review the allocation made by the Administrator of the amounts authorized by section 48102(a) of this title among the major categories of research and development activities carried out by the Administration and provide advice and recommendations to the Administrator on whether such allocation is appropriate to meet the needs and objec- tives identified under subparagraph (A). (2) The Administrator may establish subordi- nate committees to provide advice on specific areas of research conducted under sections 44504, 44505, 44507, 44511–44513, and 44912 of this title. (b) MEMBERS, CHAIRMAN, PAY, AND EXPENSES.— (1) The committee is composed of not more than 30 members appointed by the Administrator from among individuals who are not employees of the Administration and who are specially qualified to serve on the committee because of their education, training, or experience. In ap- pointing members of the committee, the Admin- istrator shall ensure that the regional centers of Page 1269 TITLE 49—TRANSPORTATION § 44509 air transportation excellence, universities, cor- porations, associations, consumers, and other departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States Government are represented. (2) The Administrator shall designate the chairman of the committee. (3) A member of the committee serves without pay. However, the Administrator may allow a member, when attending meetings of the com- mittee or a subordinate committee, expenses as authorized under section 5703 of title 5. (c) SUPPORT STAFF, INFORMATION, AND SERV- ICES.—The Administrator shall provide support staff for the committee. On request of the com- mittee, the Administrator shall provide infor- mation, administrative services, and supplies that the Administrator considers necessary for the committee to carry out its duties and pow- ers. (d) NONAPPLICATION.—Section 1013 of title 5 does not apply to the committee. (e) USE AND LIMITATION OF AMOUNTS.—(1) Not more than .1 percent of the amounts made avail- able to conduct research under sections 44504, 44505, 44507, 44511–44513, and 44912 of this title may be used by the Administrator to carry out this section. (2) A limitation on amounts available for obli- gation by or for the committee does not apply to amounts made available to carry out this sec- tion. (f) WRITTEN REPLY.— (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after receiving any recommendation from the re- search advisory committee, the Administrator shall provide a written reply to the research advisory committee that, at a minimum— (A) clearly states whether the Adminis- trator accepts or rejects the recommenda- tion; (B) explains the rationale for the Adminis- trator’s decision; (C) sets forth the timeframe in which the Administrator will implement the rec- ommendation; and (D) describes the steps the Administrator will take to implement the recommendation. (2) TRANSPARENCY.—The written reply to the research advisory committee, when trans- mitted to the research advisory committee, shall be— (A) made publicly available on the re- search advisory committee website; and (B) transmitted to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate. (3) NATIONAL AVIATION RESEARCH PLAN.—The national aviation research plan required under section 44501(c) shall include a summary of all research advisory committee recommenda- tions and a description of the status of their implementation. (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1180; Pub. L. 104–264, title XI, § 1104, Oct. 9, 1996, 110 Stat. 3279; Pub. L. 115–254, div. B, title VII, § 712, Oct. 5, 2018, 132 Stat. 3410; Pub. L. 117–286, § 4(a)(313), Dec. 27, 2022, 136 Stat. 4340; Pub. L. 118–63, title XI, § 1101(l), May 16, 2024, 138 Stat. 1414.) HISTORICAL AND REVISION NOTES Revised Section Source (U.S. Code) Source (Statutes at Large) 44508(a)(1) .. 49 App.:1353(f)(1), (2). Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 312(f); added Nov. 3, 1988, Pub. L. 100–591, § 6, 102 Stat. 3013; Nov. 5, 1990, Pub. L. 101–508, § 9209(b), 104 Stat. 1388–377. 44508(a)(2) .. 49 App.:1353(f)(6) (last sentence). 44508(b) ...... 49 App.:1353(f)(3)–(5). 44508(c) ...... 49 App.:1353(f)(6) (1st sentence), (7). 44508(d) ...... 49 App.:1353(f)(8). 44508(e) ...... 49 App.:1353(f)(9). In subsection (a)(1), before clause (A), the words ‘‘There is a’’ are substituted for ‘‘Not later than 180 days after November 3, 1988, the Administrator shall es- tablish’’ to eliminate obsolete words. In clause (C), the words ‘‘operations of’’ are substituted for ‘‘research and training to be carried out by’’ for consistency with sec- tion 44513 of the revised title. In subsection (a)(2), the words ‘‘to the advisory com- mittee’’ are omitted as surplus. In subsection (b)(1), the words ‘‘departments, agen- cies, and instrumentalities’’ are substituted for ‘‘agen- cies’’ for consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. In subsection (b)(3), the words ‘‘travel or transpor- tation’’ are omitted as surplus. In subsection (e), the words ‘‘for fiscal years begin- ning after September 30, 1988’’ are omitted as obsolete. Editorial Notes AMENDMENTS 2024—Subsecs. (a)(1)(A), (2), (e)(1). Pub. L. 118–63 struck out ‘‘40119,’’ after ‘‘under sections’’. 2022—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 117–286 substituted ‘‘Section 1013 of title 5’’ for ‘‘Section 14 of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 App. U.S.C.)’’. 2018—Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 115–254, § 712(a), amended subpar. (A) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (A) read as follows: ‘‘provide advice and rec- ommendations to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration about needs, objectives, plans, approaches, content, and accomplishments of the avia- tion research program carried out under sections 40119, 44504, 44505, 44507, 44511–44513, and 44912 of this title;’’. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 115–254, § 712(b), added subsec. (f). 1996—Subsec. (a)(1)(D). Pub. L. 104–264 added subpar. (D). Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE OF 1996 AMENDMENT Except as otherwise specifically provided, amend- ment by Pub. L. 104–264 applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1996, and not to be construed as affecting funds made available for a fiscal year end- ing before Oct. 1, 1996, see section 3 of Pub. L. 104–264, set out as a note under section 106 of this title. § 44509. Demonstration projects The Secretary of Transportation may carry out under this chapter demonstration projects that the Secretary considers necessary for re- search and development activities under this chapter. (Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e), July 5, 1994, 108 Stat. 1181.)