S.Amdt. 507

SA 507. Mr. COLEMAN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 1268, Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2005, to establish and rapidly implement regulations for State driver's license and identification document security standards, to prevent terrorists from abusing the asylum laws of the United States, to unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal, to ensure expeditious construction of the San Diego border fence, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

On page 231, between lines 3 and 4, insert the following:

report on improving air safety of members of the united states armed forces serving in afghanistan

Sec. 6047. (a) Congress makes the following findings:

(1) The operation by the Department of Defense of aircraft between Europe and Afghanistan involves travel through an area of mountainous, hostile, and remote terrain along an air corridor that possesses minimal or no air safety capabilities.

(2) Recent aircraft crashes in Afghanistan involving members of the United States Armed Forces have claimed over 100 lives, and more than 40 other incidents have been documented in which maneuvers were required to avoid collisions.

(3) The United States Government has facilitated for several NATO allies the acquisition of important air safety improvement technologies that could be used to improve the safety of air routes between Europe and Afghanistan and within Afghanistan.

(b) Not later than September 1, 2005, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives a comprehensive report containing a detailed plan, timeline, and budget for significantly improving the air safety of aircraft carrying members of the United States Armed Forces between Europe and Afghanistan and within Afghanistan.