Better Foreign Policy Through Better Pet Policy Act
This bill authorizes the federal government to pay a foreign air carrier to transport a pet accompanying a federal employee's international travel in certain situations.
Under current law, the official air transportation of federal employees, their dependents, and their property must be purchased from a U.S. flag air carrier (or authorized affiliate), subject to limited exceptions.
Under this bill, if no U.S. flag air carrier is willing or able to a transport a pet accompanying a federal employee's international travel, the federal government may pay a foreign air carrier to provide for the transportation of the traveling employee, their accompanying dependents and property, and up to three pets. The bill caps such payments at the amount that would have been paid to a U.S. flag air carrier for the same travel and specifies that the federal employee must pay any difference.
Dogs and cats are covered under this bill, with other animals subject to the approval of the Department of Transportation.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3384 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3384
To amend title 49, United States Code, to permit the use of Federal
funds to pay for travel costs of Federal personnel and their pets, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 16, 2023
Mr. Phillips (for himself, Mr. Green of Tennessee, Ms. Titus, Ms.
Salazar, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. Norton, and Mr. Castro of Texas) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, to permit the use of Federal
funds to pay for travel costs of Federal personnel and their pets, 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 ``Better Foreign Policy Through Better
Pet Policy Act''.
SEC. 2. FLY AMERICA ACT EXCEPTION.
Section 40118 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding
at the end the following:
``(h) Certain Transportation of Domesticated Animals.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (c),
an appropriation to any department, agency, or instrumentality
of the United States Government may be used to pay for the
transportation of Federal personnel, dependent of the Federal
personnel, and in-cabin or accompanying checked baggage or
cargo, by a foreign air carrier when--
``(A) the transportation is from a place--
``(i) outside the United States to a place
in the United States;
``(ii) in the United States to a place
outside the United States; or
``(iii) between two places outside the
United States; and
``(B) no air carrier holding a certificate under
section 41102 is willing and able to transport up to
three domesticated animals accompanying such Federal
personnel or dependent.
``(2) Limitation.--An amount paid pursuant to paragraph (1)
for transportation by a foreign air carrier may not be greater
than the amount that would otherwise have been paid had the
transportation been on an air carrier holding a certificate
under section 41102 had that carrier been willing and able to
provide such transportation. If the amount that would otherwise
have been paid to such an air carrier is less than the cost of
transportation on the applicable foreign air carrier, the
Federal personnel shall pay the difference of such amount.
``(3) Definition.--In this subsection:
``(A) Domesticated animal.--The term `domesticated
animal' means a dog or a cat, or any other animal the
Secretary deems appropriate for reimbursement under
this section.
``(B) Federal personnel.--The term `Federal
personnel' means any officer or employee of the United
States Government, including any member of the
uniformed services (as that term is defined in section
2101 of title 5), the Foreign Service, and any Peace
Corp volunteer.
``(C) Peace corps volunteer.--The term `Peace Corps
volunteer' means an individual described in section
5(a) of the Peace Corps Act (22 U.S.C. 2504(a)).''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
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