To amend title 49, United States Code, to ensure that functions relating to the air traffic control system are carried out directly by the United States Government.

April 10, 2003

Mr. OBERSTAR (for himself, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. DEFAZIO, and Mr. QUINN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

To amend title 49, United States Code, to ensure that functions relating to the air traffic control system are carried out directly by the United States Government.

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 `Air Traffic Control System Integrity Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. LIMITATION ON DELEGATION OF DUTIES AND POWERS RELATED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM.

Section 44502(a)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--

(1) by striking `(3) The Secretary' and inserting the following:

`(3) DELEGATION OF POWERS AND DUTIES-

`(A) IN GENERAL- The Secretary'; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

`(B) LIMITATIONS- The Secretary shall not authorize the conversion of any of the following facilities or functions of the air traffic control system, as defined in section 40102, to a private entity or a public entity other than the United States Government:

`(i) A facility controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration.

`(ii) Operations performed, on the date of enactment of this subparagraph, by Federal employees at a facility controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration.

`(iii) Maintenance, engineering, or oversight functions performed, on or after the date of enactment of this subparagraph, at a facility controlled by the Federal Aviation Administration.

`(C) APPLICABILITY OF LIMITATIONS-

`(i) CONTRACT TOWER PROGRAM- Subparagraphs (B)(i) and (B)(ii) shall not apply to a Federal Aviation Administration airport traffic control tower operated under the contract tower program on the date of enactment of this subparagraph.

`(ii) EXISTING MAINTENANCE AND ENGINEERING AGREEMENTS- Subparagraph (B)(iii) shall not apply to the renewal or replacement of a maintenance or engineering agreement in effect on the date of enactment of this subparagraph.'.

END