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H.R. 6049House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Air America Act of 2023

Sponsored by Glenn GrothmanRep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI)
Introduced October 25, 2023

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 12:29 PM UTC

The Air America Act of 2023 creates a one‑time cash award for former Air America employees and their survivors who provided support to the United States between 1950 and 1976. The award is $40,000, with an extra $8,000 for each full year of service beyond five years, and is limited to a total of $60 million. The CIA Director administers the program, sets claim procedures, and reports to Congress. The law applies only to qualifying service as defined and does not create any other federal benefits.

Key Provisions

  • Eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens who worked for Air America or its listed affiliates from 1950‑1976 for at least five years, or to survivors of such employees or of those killed in service (covered decedents).
  • Qualified individuals or their survivors receive a $40,000 lump‑sum award; an additional $8,000 is paid for each full year of service beyond five years (pro‑rated for partial years).
  • The total amount of awards cannot exceed $60 million; if more funds are needed, the Director must request additional appropriations from Congress.
  • Claims must be filed within two years after the Director’s regulations take effect; the Director must decide eligibility within 90 days and pay approved awards within 60 days.
  • The Director must issue regulations within 60 days of enactment, publish them in the Code of Federal Regulations, and is not subject to certain civil service rules.
  • Attorney or agent fees may not exceed 25 % of any award; violations are punishable by fine.
  • The Director’s award determinations are final and not subject to judicial review, and semi‑annual reports on awards and denials must be sent to the appropriate congressional committees.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select).

Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee

October 25, 2023

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

October 25, 2023

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Intelligence (Permanent Select).

Intelligence (Permanent Select) Committee

October 25, 2023

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued October 25, 2023

I

118th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 6049

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

October 25, 2023

Mr. Grothman (for himself, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Norton, Mr. Waltz, Mr. Trone, Ms. Salazar, Mr. Tiffany, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. LaMalfa, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Williams of Georgia, Mr. Valadao, Mr. Garamendi, Mr. Takano, Ms. Escobar, Ms. Tenney, Mr. Bost, Mr. Costa, Ms. Titus, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Mrvan, Mr. Gimenez, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Nadler, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Pappas, Mr. Carson, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. Brownley, and Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence

A BILL

To award payments to employees of Air America who provided support to the United States from 1950 to 1976, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Air America Act of 2023.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following:

(1)

Air America and its affiliated companies, in coordination with the Central Intelligence Agency, provided direct and indirect support to the United States Government from 1950 to 1976.

(2)

The service and sacrifice of employees of Air America included—

(A)

suffering a high rate of casualties in the course of service;

(B)

saving thousands of lives in search and rescue missions for downed United States airmen and allied refugee evacuations; and

(C)

serving lengthy periods under challenging circumstances abroad.

3.

Definitions

In this Act:

(1)

Affiliated company

The term affiliated company, with respect to Air America, includes Air Asia Company Limited, CAT Incorporated, Civil Air Transport Company Limited, and the Pacific Division of Southern Air Transport.

(2)

Air America

The term Air America means Air America, Incorporated.

(3)

Appropriate congressional committees

The term appropriate congressional committees means—

(A)

the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and

(B)

the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.

(4)

Child; dependent; widow; widower

The terms child, dependent, widow, and widower have the meanings given those terms in section 8341(a) of title 5, United States Code, except that section shall be applied by substituting individual who performed qualifying service for employee or Member.

(5)

Covered decedent

The term covered decedent means an individual who was killed in Southeast Asia while supporting operations of the Central Intelligence Agency during the period beginning on January 1, 1950, and ending on December 31, 1976, as a United States citizen employee of Air America or an affiliated company.

(6)

Director

The term Director means the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.

(7)

Qualifying service

The term qualifying service means service that—

(A)

was performed by a United States citizen as an employee of Air America or an affiliated company during the period beginning on January 1, 1950, and ending on December 31, 1976; and

(B)

is documented in—

(i)

the corporate records of Air America or an affiliated company;

(ii)

records possessed by the United States Government; or

(iii)

the personal records of a former employee of Air America or an affiliated company that are verified by the United States Government.

(8)

Survivor

The term survivormeans—

(A)

the widow or widower of—

(i)

an individual who performed qualifying service; or

(ii)

a covered decedent; or

(B)

an individual who, at any time during or since the period of qualifying service, or on the date of death of a covered decedent, was a dependent or child of—

(i)

the individual who performed such qualifying service; or

(ii)

the covered decedent.

4.

Award authorized to eligible persons

(a)

In general

Subject to the limitation in subsection (d), the Director shall provide an award payment of $40,000 under this section—

(1)

to an individual who performed qualifying service for a period of greater than or equal to 5 years or to a survivor of such individual; or

(2)

to the survivor of a covered decedent.

(b)

Requirements

(1)

In general

To be eligible for a payment under this subsection, an individual who performed qualifying service or survivor (as the case may be) must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Director that the individual whose qualifying service upon which the payment is based meets the criteria of paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a).

(2)

Reliance on records

In carrying out this subsection, in addition to any evidence provided by such an individual or survivor, the Director may rely on records possessed by the United States Government.

(c)

Additional payment

If an individual, or in the case of a survivor, the individual whose qualifying service upon which the payment is based, can demonstrate to the Director that the qualifying service of the individual exceeded 5 years, the Director shall pay to such individual or survivor an additional $8,000 for each full year in excess of 5 years (and a proportionate amount for a partial year).

(d)

Survivors

In the case of an award granted to a survivor under this section, the payment shall be made—

(1)

to the surviving widow or widower; or

(2)

if there is no surviving widow or widower, to the surviving dependent or child, in equal shares.

5.

Funding limitation

(a)

In general

The total amount of awards granted under this Act may not exceed $60,000,000.

(b)

Requests for additional funds

If, at the determination of the Director, the amount of funds required to satisfy all valid applications for payment under this Act exceeds the limitation set forth in subsection (a), the Director shall submit to Congress a request for sufficient funds to fulfill all remaining payments.

(c)

Awards to employees of Intermountain Aviation

The Director may determine, on a case-by-case basis, to award amounts to individuals who performed service consistent with the definition of qualifying service as employees of Intermountain Aviation.

6.

Time limitation

(a)

In general

To be eligible for an award payment under this Act, a claimant must file a claim for such payment with the Director not later than 2 years after the effective date of the regulations prescribed by the Director in accordance with section 7.

(b)

Determination

Not later than 90 days after receiving a claim for an award payment under this section, the Director shall determine the eligibility of the claimant for payment.

(c)

Payment

(1)

In general

If the Director determines that the claimant is eligible for the award payment, the Director shall pay the award payment not later than 60 days after the date of such determination.

(2)

Lump-sum payment

The Director shall issue each payment as a one-time lump sum payment contingent upon the timely filing of the claimant under this section.

(3)

Notice and delays

The Director shall notify the appropriate congressional committees of any delays in making an award payment not later than 30 days after the date such payment is due.

7.

Application procedures

(a)

In general

The Director shall prescribe procedures to carry out this Act, which shall include processes under which—

(1)

claimants may submit claims for payment under this Act;

(2)

the Director will award the amounts under section 4; and

(3)

claimants can obtain redress and appeal determinations under section 6.

(b)

Other matters

Such procedures—

(1)

shall be—

(A)

prescribed not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act; and

(B)

published in the Code of Federal Regulations; and

(2)

shall not be subject to chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code.

8.

Rule of construction

Nothing in this Act shall be construed to—

(1)

entitle any person to Federal benefits, including retirement benefits under chapter 83 or 84 of title 5, United States Code, and disability or death benefits under chapter 81 of such title;

(2)

change the legal status of the former Air America corporation or any affiliated company; or

(3)

create any legal rights, benefits, or entitlements beyond the one-time award authorized by this Act.

9.

Attorneys’ and agents’ fees

(a)

In general

It shall be unlawful for more than 25 percent of an award paid pursuant to this Act to be paid to, or received by, any agent or attorney for any service rendered to a person who receives an award under section 4, in connection with the award under this Act.

(b)

Violation

Any agent or attorney who violates subsection (a) shall be fined under title 18, United States Code.

10.

No judicial review

A determination by the Director pursuant to this Act is final and conclusive and shall not be subject to judicial review.

11.

Reports to Congress

Until the date that all funds available for awards under this Act are expended, the Director shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a semiannual report describing the numbers of award payments made and denied during the 180 days preceding the submission of the report, including the rationales for any denials, and if, at the determination of the Director, the amount of funds provided to carry out this Act are insufficient to satisfy any remaining or anticipated claims.