Standards Addressing Federal Transparency and Oversight With Evolving Recruitment Specifications Act or the SAFE TOWERS Act - Revises Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requirements for the hiring of air traffic controllers.
Directs the FAA Administrator to give preferential consideration in the hiring of air traffic controllers to:
Directs the Administrator to revise FAA hiring practices for air traffic controller applicants with the Department of Transportation (DOT) to eliminate the use of biographical assessments or other personality tests that unduly disqualify applicants.
Changes from discretionary to mandatory the Administrator's authority to maintain the Collegiate Training Initiative program.
Directs the Administrator to establish an Air Traffic Control Education and Training Advisory Committee.
Requires the Administrator to take into consideration any locally developed training initiatives for air traffic controllers for use in establishing best practices nationwide.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5675 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5675
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
revise hiring practices for air traffic controller positions, to
establish an Air Traffic Control Education and Training Advisory
Committee, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 19, 2014
Mr. Hultgren (for himself and Mr. Lipinski) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
revise hiring practices for air traffic controller positions, to
establish an Air Traffic Control Education and Training Advisory
Committee, 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 ``Standards Addressing Federal
Transparency and Oversight With Evolving Recruitment Specifications
Act'' or the ``SAFE TOWERS Act''.
SEC. 2. HIRING OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS.
Section 44506 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(f) Revision of Hiring Practices.--
``(1) Consideration of applicants.--
``(A) Preference for at-cti and vra applicants.--In
appointing individuals to the position of air traffic
controller, the Administrator shall give preferential
consideration to the following applicants:
``(i) An individual who--
``(I) has successfully completed
air traffic controller training and
graduated from an institution
participating in the Collegiate
Training Initiative program maintained
under subsection (c)(1); and
``(II) has received an appropriate
recommendation from the institution.
``(ii) A qualified individual who is
eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment
pursuant to section 4214 of title 38.
``(iii) A qualified individual who is an
eligible veteran, as such term is defined in
section 4211 of title 38, maintaining aviation
experience.
``(B) Consideration of general public applicants.--
The Administrator may consider general public
applicants for the position of air traffic controller
only after completing consideration of the applicants
described in subparagraph (A).
``(2) Elimination of biographical assessments.--
``(A) In general.--The Administrator shall revise
the hiring practices of the Administration that apply
to applicants for the position of air traffic
controller with the Department of Transportation to
eliminate the use of a biographical assessment or any
other personality test that unduly disqualifies
applicants. The revision under this subparagraph shall
not be subject to paragraph (3).
``(B) Reconsideration of applicants disqualified on
the basis of biographical assessments.--
``(i) In general.--If an individual applied
for the position of air traffic controller with
the Department in response to the FG-01 Vacancy
Announcement issued on February 10, 2014, and
was disqualified from the position as the
result of a biographical assessment, the
Administrator shall provide the applicant an
opportunity to reapply as soon as practicable
for the position under the revised hiring
practices.
``(ii) Waiver of age restriction.--The
Administrator shall waive any maximum age
restriction for the position of air traffic
controller with the Department that would
otherwise disqualify an individual from the
position if the individual--
``(I) is reapplying for the
position pursuant to clause (i) on or
before December 31, 2016; and
``(II) met the maximum age
requirement on the date of the
individual's previous application for
the position.
``(3) Participation of cti institutions in revision of
hiring practices.--Before making any revision to the hiring
practices that apply to applicants for the position of air
traffic controller with the Department, the Administrator shall
provide the Air Traffic Control Education and Training Advisory
Committee established under subsection (g) and institutions of
higher education participating in the Collegiate Training
Initiative program with notice of the revision and an
opportunity to comment.''.
SEC. 3. COLLEGIATE TRAINING INITIATIVE.
Section 44506(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in the first sentence by striking ``may maintain'' and
inserting ``shall maintain''; and
(2) in the second sentence by striking ``may establish''
and inserting ``, in consultation with the Air Traffic Control
Education and Training Advisory Committee established under
subsection (g), shall establish''.
SEC. 4. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL EDUCATION AND TRAINING ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
Section 44506 of title 49, United States Code, is further amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(g) Air Traffic Control Education and Training Advisory
Committee.--
``(1) Establishment.--The Administrator shall establish an
Air Traffic Control Education and Training Advisory Committee
(in this subsection referred to as the `Committee').
``(2) Duties.--The Committee shall--
``(A) provide advice and recommendations to the
Administrator about the needs, objectives, plans, and
content of air traffic controller training programs;
``(B) review the operations of the Collegiate
Training Initiative program maintained under subsection
(c)(1);
``(C) establish standardized curriculum, required
outcomes, and accreditation standards for the
Collegiate Training Initiative program; and
``(D) annually review the air traffic controller
training initiatives carried out by the Administration
and provide advice and recommendations to the
Administrator on whether such initiatives are
appropriate to meet the needs of the air traffic
controller workforce.
``(3) Membership.--
``(A) Number and appointment.--The Committee shall
be composed of 9 members appointed by the Administrator
as follows:
``(i) 2 individuals based on
recommendations of the Association of
Collegiate Training Institutions.
``(ii) 2 individuals based on
recommendations of the National Air Traffic
Controllers Association.
``(iii) 2 individuals based on
recommendations of the University Aviation
Association.
``(iv) 3 individuals selected by the
Administrator who meet the requirements of
subparagraph (B).
``(B) Qualifications.--Individuals appointed
pursuant to subparagraph (A)(iv)--
``(i) may not be employees of the Federal
Aviation Administration; and
``(ii) shall be specifically qualified to
serve on the Committee as a result of their
education, training, and experience.
``(C) Terms.--
``(i) In general.--A member shall be
appointed for a term of 2 years.
``(ii) Terms of initial appointees.--As
designated by the Administrator at the time of
appointment--
``(I) 1 of the members first
appointed under each of subparagraphs
(A)(i), (A)(ii), and (A)(iii) shall be
appointed for a term of 3 years; and
``(II) 2 of the members first
appointed under subparagraph (A)(iv)
shall be appointed for terms of 3
years.
``(D) Vacancies.--
``(i) In general.--Any member appointed to
fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration
of the term for which the member's predecessor
was appointed shall be appointed only for the
remainder of that term.
``(ii) Interim service.--A member may serve
after the expiration of that member's term
until a successor has taken office.
``(iii) Manner of appointment.--A vacancy
in the Committee shall be filled in the manner
in which the original appointment was made.
``(E) Pay; travel expenses.--Members shall serve
without pay but may receive travel expenses, including
per diem in lieu of subsistence, when attending
meetings of the Committee in accordance with applicable
provisions under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5.
``(F) Chairperson.--The Chairperson of the
Committee shall be elected by a majority of the
members.
``(G) Meetings.--The Committee shall meet quarterly
and may have additional meetings at the call of the
Chairperson.
``(4) Annual report.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than May 31st of each
year, the Committee shall submit to Congress and the
Administrator an annual report containing--
``(i) the findings and recommendations of
the Committee; and
``(ii) beginning with the second annual
report, an assessment of whether or not the
Administrator has complied with the Committee's
recommendations from the previous year.
``(B) FAA comments.--Not later than 60 days after
the date of submission of an annual report that
includes an assessment described in subparagraph
(A)(ii), the Administrator shall submit to Congress and
the Committee a report containing the Administrator's
written response to the assessment, including an
explanation as to why the Administrator did or did not
comply with each recommendation of the Committee.
``(5) Termination.--Section 14(a)(2)(B) of the Federal
Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.; relating to the
termination of advisory committees) shall not apply to the
Committee.''.
SEC. 5. BEST PRACTICES FOR TRAINING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS.
Section 44506 of title 49, United States Code, is further amended
by adding at the end the following:
``(h) Best Practices for Training.--The Administrator, in
consultation with the Air Traffic Control Education and Training
Advisory Committee established under subsection (g), shall take into
consideration any locally developed training initiatives for air
traffic controllers for use in establishing best practices
nationwide.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line