S. 320 – NextGen Accountability Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 12:24 PM UTC

The NextGen Accountability Act directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to create yearly performance goals for the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) and to track progress toward those goals. It also ties the Chief NextGen Officer’s performance evaluation and bonus to meeting the established goals. The bill affects the FAA, the Chief NextGen Officer, and any public or private stakeholders involved in NextGen planning.

Key Provisions

The FAA must set annual NextGen performance goals for each metric identified in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act, consulting with public and private stakeholders and the NextGen Advisory Committee.
FAA reports must now include a description of progress toward these annual goals, adding a new reporting element to the Vision 100–Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act.
The Chief NextGen Officer’s performance evaluation and eligibility for a bonus will consider progress toward the annual NextGen goals, and the officer’s agreement must contain quantifiable objectives for efficiency, productivity, capacity, and safety.

Legislative Activity

Stay on top of the latest movement without scrolling through every action

1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S746-747; text of measure as introduced: CR S747)

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

February 6, 2017

View full timeline

SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

February 6, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S746-747; text of measure as introduced: CR S747)

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

February 6, 2017

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 320 on the floor

1 Republican

Sen. Steve DainesR-MT · Feb 6, 2017

Mr. President, in 2003, Congress mandated the Next Generation Air Transportation System known as NextGen, transitioning our radar-based system with radio communication to a satellite-based one, to…

Sen. Steve DainesR-MT · Feb 6, 2017

Mr. President, in 2003, Congress mandated the Next Generation Air Transportation System known as NextGen, transitioning our radar-based system with radio communication to a satellite-based one, to…

Bill Text

Latest available legislative text

Reading Mode

Raw Text PDF XML

Introduced in SenateIssued February 6, 2017

II

115th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 320

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

February 6, 2017

Mr. Daines (for himself and Mr. Booker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To require the Federal Aviation Administration to establish annual performance objectives and to hold the Chief NextGen Officer accountable for meeting such objectives.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the NextGen Accountability Act.

2.

NextGen annual performance goals

Section 214 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–95; 49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended—

(1)

by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and

(2)

by inserting after subsection (c) the following:

(d)

Annual performance goals

The Administrator shall establish annual NextGen performance goals for each of the performance metrics set forth in subsection (a) to meet the performance metric baselines identified under subsection (b). Such goals shall be established in consultation with public and private NextGen stakeholders, including the NextGen Advisory Committee.

.

3.

NextGen metrics report

Section 710(e)(2) of the Vision 100—Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act (Public Law 108–176; 49 U.S.C. 40101 note) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (D), by striking and at the end;

(2)

in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(F)

a description of the progress made in meeting the annual NextGen performance goals relative to the performance metrics established under section 214 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–95; 49 U.S.C. 40101 note).

.

4.

Chief NextGen Officer

Section 106(s) of title 49, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (2)(B), by adding at the end the following: In evaluating the performance of the Chief NextGen Officer for the purpose of awarding a bonus under this subparagraph, the Administrator shall consider the progress toward meeting the NextGen performance goals established pursuant to section 214(d) of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (Public Law 112–95; 49 U.S.C. 40101 note); and

(2)

in paragraph (3), by adding at the end the following: The annual performance goals set forth in the agreement shall include quantifiable NextGen airspace performance objectives regarding efficiency, productivity, capacity, and safety, which shall be established in consultation with public and private NextGen stakeholders, including the NextGen Advisory Committee..