H.R. 8597

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8597 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8597

To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to 
acquire and install certified airborne position reference tools at air 
traffic control towers, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 30, 2026

Mr. Begich (for himself, Ms. Gillen, and Ms. King-Hinds) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to 
acquire and install certified airborne position reference tools at air 
traffic control towers, 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 ``Air Traffic Situational Awareness 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. IMPROVEMENTS TO AIR TRAFFIC SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.

(a) Airborne Position Reference Tool Installation.--Not later than 
1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator 
of the Federal Aviation Administration shall acquire and install 
certified Airborne Position Reference Tools at air traffic control 
towers of the Federal Aviation Administration that are--
(1) operating under contract with the Federal Aviation 
Administration pursuant to section 47124 of title 49, United 
States Code; and
(2) not equipped with Standard Terminal Automation 
Replacement Systems or other situational awareness tools.
(b) Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System Installation 
and Maintenance.--Section 47124(f)(2) of title 49, United States Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
``(2) Installation and maintenance.--For any tower operated 
under the Contract Tower Program that is not equipped with 
Standard Terminal Automation Replacement Systems or other 
situational awareness tools as of the date of enactment of the 
Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act, not later 
than 1 year after such date, the Secretary shall purchase a 
Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System, or any 
equivalent system, and install and maintain such system using 
services directly from an original equipment manufacturer or 
services of the Federal Aviation Administration.''.
(c) Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System Funding.--
Section 47124(f)(3) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``and'' after the 
semicolon; and
(2) by striking subparagraphs (C) through (E) and inserting 
the following:
``(C) shall establish, in consultation with 
contract tower operators, an appropriate training 
program to periodically train air traffic controllers 
employed by such operators to ensure proper and 
efficient integration and use of the situational 
awareness equipment and technology described in 
paragraph (1) into contract tower operations.''.
(d) Retroactivity.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Secretary of Transportation shall provide to any airport sponsor or air 
traffic control tower described in subsection (a)--
(1) reimbursement for any certified situational awareness 
system (including Airborne Position Reference Tools in 
accordance with subsection (a)) that was independently acquired 
and installed prior to the date on which the Administrator 
installs any such system under subsection (a); or
(2) reimbursement or retroactive grant funding in 
accordance with section 47124(b) of title 49, United States 
Code, for any certified situational awareness system (including 
a Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System) that was 
independently acquired and installed prior to the effective 
date of the amendments made by subsection (b).
(e) Authorized Expenditures for Air Navigation Facilities and 
Equipment.--Section 48101(c) of title 49, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
``(10) The acquisition, installation, and annual operating 
expenses of certified Airborne Position Reference Tools at air 
traffic control towers that are operating under contract with 
the Federal Aviation Administration under section 47124 and are 
not equipped with Standard Terminal Automation Replacement 
Systems or other situational awareness tools.''.
<all>