S.Amdt. 3682

SA 3682. Mr. INHOFE submitted an amendment intended to be proposed to
amendment SA 3464 submitted by Mr. Thune (for himself and Mr. Nelson)
to the bill H.R. 636, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to
permanently extend increased expensing limitations, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

Strike section 5023 and insert the following:

SEC. 5023. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY OF
INTERNATIONAL AIR CARRIER ALLIANCES.

(a) In General.--The Comptroller General of the United
States shall conduct a study of

[[Page S1980]]

certain cooperative agreements between United States air
carriers and non-United States air carriers (referred to in
this section as ``alliances'') that--
(1) have been created pursuant to section 41309 of title
49, United States Code; and
(2) have been exempted from antitrust laws (as defined in
the first section of the Clayton Act ( 15 U.S.C. 12))
pursuant to section 41308 of title 49, United States Code.
(b) Scope.--In conducting the study under subsection (a),
the Comptroller General shall assess--
(1) the public benefits to consumers of alliances and the
consequences of alliances, if any, to competition, pricing,
and new entry into markets served by alliances;
(2) the representations made by air carriers to the
Secretary of Transportation for the necessity of an antitrust
exemption;
(3) the Department of Transportation's expectations of
public benefits resulting from alliances, including whether
such expected benefits were actually achieved;
(4) the Department of Transportation's role in the approval
and monitoring of alliances;
(5) whether there has been sufficient transparency in the
approval of alliances, including opportunities for public
review and feedback;
(6) the role of the Department of Justice in the oversight
of alliances;
(7) whether there are alternatives to antitrust immunity
that could be conferred that would also produce public
benefits; and
(8) the level of competition between alliances.
(c) Recommendations.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General
shall submit to Congress the results of the study conducted
under subsection (a).
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