S.Amdt. 3510

SA 3510. Mr. SCHUMER (for himself and Mrs. Gillibrand) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill H.R. 636, to amend
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permanently extend increased
expensing

[[Page S1766]]

limitations, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the
table; as follows:

Strike section 3205 and insert the following:

SEC. 3205. WORKING GROUP ON IMPROVING AIR SERVICE TO SMALL
COMMUNITIES.

(a) In General.--Not later than 120 days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation
and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration
shall establish a working group--
(1) to identify obstacles to attracting and maintaining air
transportation service to and from small communities; and
(2) to develop recommendations for maintaining and
improving air transportation service to and from small
communities.
(b) Outreach.--In carrying out the requirements under
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a), the working group
shall consult with--
(1) interested Governors;
(2) representatives of State and local agencies, and other
officials and groups, representing rural States and other
rural areas;
(3) other representatives of relevant State and local
agencies; and
(4) members of the public with experience in aviation
safety, economic development, and related issues.
(c) Considerations.--In carrying out the requirements under
paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a), the working group
shall--
(1) consider whether funding for, and terms of, current or
potential new programs is sufficient to help ensure
continuation of or improvement to air transportation service
to small communities, including the Essential Air Service
Program and the Small Community Air Service Development
Program;
(2) consider whether Federal funding for airports serving
small communities, including airports that have lost air
transportation services or had decreased enplanements in
recent years, is adequate to ensure that small communities
have access to quality, affordable air transportation
service;
(3) identify innovative State or local efforts that have
established public-private partnerships that are successful
in attracting and retaining air transportation service in
small communities;
(4) identify programs and initiatives that would encourage
young people to pursue careers as pilots; and
(5) consider such other issues as the Secretary and
Administrator consider appropriate.
(d) Composition.--
(1) In general.--The working group shall be facilitated
through the Administrator or the Administrator's designee.
(2) Membership.--Members of the working group shall be
appointed by the Administrator and shall include
representatives of--
(A) State and local government, including State and local
aviation officials;
(B) State governors;
(C) aviation safety experts;
(D) economic development officials;
(E) air carrier pilots; and
(F) the traveling public from small communities.
(e) Report and Recommendations.--The working group shall
submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report,
including--
(1) a summary of the views expressed by the participants in
the outreach under subsection (b);
(2) a description of the working group's findings,
including the identification of any areas of general
consensus among the non-Federal participants in the outreach
under subsection (b); and
(3) any recommendations for legislative or regulatory
action that would assist in maintaining and improving air
transportation service to and from small communities.
(f) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be
construed to support weakening the pilot qualification
standards for first officers, as in effect on the day before
the date of the enactment of this Act.
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