To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the National Transportation Safety Board for fiscal years 2003 through 2006, and for other purposes.

April 1, 2003

Mr. YOUNG of Alaska (for himself, Mr. MICA, Mr. OBERSTAR, and Mr. DEFAZIO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

To amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize appropriations for the National Transportation Safety Board for fiscal years 2003 through 2006, 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 `National Transportation Safety Board Reauthorization Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) FISCAL YEARS 2003-2006- Section 1118(a) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by striking `and'; and

(2) by striking `such sums to' and inserting the following: `$73,325,000 for fiscal year 2003, $78,757,000 for fiscal year 2004, $83,011,000 for fiscal year 2005, and $87,539,000 for fiscal year 2006. Such sums shall'.

(b) EMERGENCY FUND- Section 1118(b) of such title is amended by striking the second sentence and inserting the following: `In addition, there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to increase the fund to, and maintain the fund at, a level of not to exceed $6,000,000.'.

(c) NTSB ACADEMY- Section 1118 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(c) ACADEMY- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Board for necessary expenses of the National Transportation Safety Board Academy, not otherwise provided for, $3,347,000 for fiscal year 2003, $4,896,000 for fiscal year 2004, $4,995,000 for fiscal year 2005, and $5,200,000 for fiscal year 2006. Such sums shall remain available until expended.'.

SEC. 3. ACCIDENT AND SAFETY DATA CLASSIFICATION AND PUBLICATION.

Section 1119 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(c) APPEALS-

`(1) NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS- In any case in which an employee of the Board determines that an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft constitutes an accident, the employee shall notify the owner or operator of that aircraft of the right to appeal that determination to the Board.

`(2) PROCEDURE- The Board shall establish and publish the procedures for appeals under this subsection.

`(3) LIMITATION ON APPLICABILITY- This subsection shall not apply in the case of an accident that results in a loss of life.'.

SEC. 4. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION'S RESPONSES TO SAFETY RECOMMENDATIONS.

Section 1135(d) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:

`(d) REPORTING REQUIREMENTS-

`(1) ANNUAL SECRETARIAL REGULATORY STATUS REPORTS- On February 1 of each year, the Secretary shall submit a report to Congress and the Board containing the regulatory status of each significant safety recommendation made by the Board to the Secretary (or to an Administration within the Department). The Secretary shall continue to report on the regulatory status of each such recommendation in the report due on February 1 of subsequent years until final regulatory action is taken on that recommendation or the Secretary (or an Administration within the Department) determines and states in such a report that no action should be taken.

`(2) FAILURE TO REPORT- If on March 1 of each year the Board has not received the Secretary's report required by this subsection, the Board shall notify the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate of the Secretary's failure to submit the required report.

`(3) SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RECOMMENDATION DEFINED- For the purposes of this subsection, the term `significant safety recommendation' means a recommendation included in the Board's `most wanted list'.

`(4) TERMINATION- This subsection shall cease to be in effect after the report required to be filed on February 1, 2008, is filed.'.

SEC. 5. ASSISTANCE TO FAMILIES OF PASSENGERS INVOLVED IN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENTS.

(a) RELINQUISHMENT OF INVESTIGATIVE PRIORITY- Section 1136 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(j) RELINQUISHMENT OF INVESTIGATIVE PRIORITY-

`(1) GENERAL RULE- This section (other than subsection (g)) shall not apply to an aircraft accident if the Board has relinquished investigative priority under section 1131(a)(2)(B) and the Federal agency to which the Board relinquished investigative priority is willing and able to provide assistance to the victims and families of the passengers involved in the accident.

`(2) BOARD ASSISTANCE- If this section does not apply to an aircraft accident because the Board has relinquished investigative priority with respect to the accident, the Board shall assist, to the maximum extent possible, the agency to which the Board has relinquished investigative priority in assisting families with respect to the accident.'.

(b) REVISION OF MOU- Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shall revise their 1977 agreement on the investigation of accidents to take into account the amendments made by this section and shall submit a copy of the revised agreement to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate.

SEC. 6. TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

Section 1131(a)(2) of title 49, United States Code, is amended by moving subparagraphs (B) and (C) 4 ems to the left.

END