What This Bill Does
This bill requires the Secretary of Transportation to create and publish an annual report about complaints from passengers with disabilities who fly on airplanes. The report must detail what types of problems passengers experienced and how quickly the Department of Transportation handled each complaint.
Who It Affects
The Secretary of Transportation, the Department of Transportation, passengers with disabilities who fly on airplanes, airline companies, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Transportation Security Administration.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary of Transportation must submit a report to Congress and make it publicly available starting within one year after the bill becomes law, then every year after that. (Sec. 2(a))
- Each report must include the number of disability-related aviation complaints filed over the most recent five calendar years. (Sec. 2(b)(1))
- Each report must describe the types of complaints, including issues with airline staff training, mistreatment of passengers with disabilities, problems with accessibility equipment, and difficulties communicating with airline staff. (Sec. 2(b)(2))
- Each report must show how fast the Department started reviewing complaints and how fast complaints were resolved. (Sec. 2(b)(4) and (5))
- Each report must include how many complaints were referred to the Department of Justice, Federal Aviation Administration, or Transportation Security Administration for further action. (Sec. 2(b)(7), (8), and (9))
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, the Department of Transportation will begin producing detailed annual reports about disability-related passenger complaints that Congress and the public can review. The reports will track response times, complaint types, and which agencies received referrals for enforcement action.
Important Definitions
Passengers with a disability means people who meet the definition of "qualified individual with a disability" under federal regulations. (Sec. 2(c)(2))
Effective Date
The first report is due within one year after the bill becomes law, then annually after that. (Sec. 2(a))
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION H. R. 1445
To require the Secretary of Transportation to annually report on aviation
consumer complaints related to passengers with a disability.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 8, 2023
Mr. COHEN (for himself and Mr. FITZPATRICK) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To require the Secretary of Transportation to annually report
on aviation consumer complaints related to passengers
with a disability.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Prioritizing Account-
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ability and Accessibility for Aviation Consumers Act of
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2023’’.
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•HR 1445 IH
SEC. 2. ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF TRANS-
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PORTATION ON AVIATION CONSUMER COM-
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PLAINTS RELATED TO PASSENGERS WITH A
3
DISABILITY.
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(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after
5
the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter,
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the Secretary of Transportation shall submit a report on
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aviation consumer complaints related to passengers with
8
a disability filed with the Department of Transportation
9
to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transpor-
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tation of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation
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and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives, and
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shall make each report publicly available.
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(b) REPORT.—Each report submitted under sub-
14
section (a) shall include, but not be limited to, the fol-
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lowing:
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(1) The number of aviation consumer com-
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plaints related to passengers with a disability filed
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with the Department of Transportation during the 5
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most recent calendar years.
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(2) The nature of such complaints, such as re-
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ported issues with—
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(A) an air carrier, including an air car-
23
rier’s staff training or lack thereof;
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(B) mishandling of passengers with a dis-
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ability or their accessibility equipment;
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•HR 1445 IH
(C) the accessibility of in-flight services for
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passengers with a disability;
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(D) difficulties experienced by passengers
3
with a disability in communicating with an air
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carrier or staff of an air carrier;
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(E) difficulties experienced by passengers
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with a disability in being moved, handled, or
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having their schedule changed without consent;
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(F) issues experienced by passengers with
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a disability traveling with a service animal; and
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(G) such other issues as the Secretary of
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Transportation deems appropriate.
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(3) An overview of the review process for such
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complaints received during such period.
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(4) How quickly review for each such complaint
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was initiated.
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(5) How quickly each such complaint was re-
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solved or otherwise addressed.
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(6) Of the complaints that were found to violate
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section 41705 of title 49, United States Code, (com-
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monly known as the ‘‘Air Carrier Access Act of
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1986’’)—
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(A) the number of such complaints for
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which a formal enforcement order was issued;
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and
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•HR 1445 IH
(B) the number of such complaints for
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which a formal enforcement order was not
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issued.
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(7) How many aviation consumer complaints re-
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lated to passengers with a disability were referred to
5
the Department of Justice for an enforcement action
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under—
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(A) section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
8
of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794);
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(B) the Americans with Disabilities Act of
10
1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.); or
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(C) any other provision of law.
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(8) How many aviation consumer complaints re-
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lated to passengers with a disability filed with the
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Department of Transportation that involved airport
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staff, or other matters under the jurisdiction of the
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Federal Aviation Administration, were referred to
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the Federal Aviation Administration.
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(9) How many aviation consumer complaints re-
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lated to passengers with a disability filed with the
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Department of Transportation that involved Trans-
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portation Security Administration staff, or other
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matters under the jurisdiction of the Transportation
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Security Administration, were referred to the Trans-
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•HR 1445 IH
portation Security Administration or the Depart-
1
ment of Homeland Security.
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(c) DEFINITIONS.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The definitions set forth in
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section 40102 of title 49, United States Code, and
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section 382.3 of title 14, Code of Federal Regula-
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tions, apply to any term defined in such sections
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that is used in this section.
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(2) PASSENGERS
WITH
A
DISABILITY
DE-
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FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘passengers with
10
a disability’’ has the meaning given the term ‘‘quali-
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fied individual with a disability’’ in section 382.3 of
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title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
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(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is
14
authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary
15
to carry out this section.
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Æ
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