What This Bill Does
The bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator to create a program that gives money to pilot schools to help veterans become commercial pilots. The program will provide grants to help pay for pilot training, education and related costs for veterans pursuing pilot careers. (Sec. 2(a))
Who It Affects
Veterans seeking pilot training, pilot schools and provisional pilot schools that want to participate in the program, the FAA Administrator, the Secretary of Education and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Key Provisions
• The FAA Administrator must work with the Secretary of Education and Secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a grant program for pilot schools that train veterans to become commercial aviators. (Sec. 2(a))
• Schools that receive grants must hold an Air Agency Certificate and have an employment agreement with at least one airline company operating under federal aviation rules. (Sec. 2(b))
• Grant money can pay for administrative costs up to 10 percent of the award, pilot training services including tuition and flight fees, books and training materials, and reports documenting training completion. (Sec. 2(d))
• If a veteran already receives education benefits from the Veterans Affairs department, those benefits must cover their costs first before grant money is used. (Sec. 2(e))
• The government is authorized to spend $5,000,000 for each year from 2024 through 2029 to run this program. (Sec. 2(f))
What Changes
A new grant program begins that pays pilot schools to train veterans. Schools can use grant money to cover tuition, flight training fees, books, materials and equipment for veterans earning pilot certificates and ratings.
Important Definitions
The bill defines "eligible entity" as a pilot school or provisional pilot school that holds an Air Agency Certificate and has a job placement agreement with at least one airline. (Sec. 2(b))
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 748
To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to
establish a pilot program to provide veterans with pilot training services.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 9, 2023
Ms. BALDWIN (for herself and Mr. HOEVEN) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation
A BILL
To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Admin-
istration to establish a pilot program to provide veterans
with pilot training services.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
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tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
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SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
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This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Aviator
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Act’’.
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SEC. 2. PILOT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE VETERANS WITH
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PILOT TRAINING SERVICES.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the Federal
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Aviation Administration (in this section referred to as the
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‘‘Administrator’’), in consultation with the Secretary of
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Education and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, shall es-
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tablish a program to provide assistance in the form of
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grants to eligible entities that provide pilot training activi-
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ties and related education to support a pathway for vet-
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erans to become commercial aviators.
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(b) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—For purposes of this section,
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the term ‘‘eligible entity’’ means a pilot school or provi-
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sional pilot school that—
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(1) holds an Air Agency Certificate under part
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145 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations; and
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(2) has an established employment pathway
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with at least 1 air carrier operating under part 121
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or 135 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
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(c) PRIORITY APPLICATION.—In selecting eligible en-
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tities to award grants to under this section, the Adminis-
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trator shall give priority to eligible entities that meet the
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following criteria:
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(1) The eligible entity is accredited (as defined
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in section 61.1 of title 14, Code of Federal Regula-
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tions) by an accrediting agency recognized by the
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Secretary of Education.
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(2) The eligible entity holds a letter of author-
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ization issued in accordance with section 61.169 of
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title 14, Code of Federal Regulations.
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(d) USE OF FUNDS.—Amounts from a grant received
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by an eligible entity under the pilot program shall be used
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for the following:
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(1) Administrative costs related to implementa-
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tion of the program, not to exceed 10 percent of the
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amount awarded.
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(2) To provide guidance and pilot training serv-
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ices, including tuition and flight training fees for
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veterans enrolled with the eligible entity and any
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training required to reach proficiency, to the vet-
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erans enrolled to support them in obtaining any of
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the following pilot certificates and ratings:
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(A) Private pilot certificate.
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(B) Instrument rating.
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(C) Commercial pilot certificate.
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(D) Multi-engine rating.
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(E) Certificated flight instructor single en-
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gine certificate, if applicable to degree sought.
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(F) Certificated flight instructor multi-en-
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gine certificate, if applicable to degree sought.
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(G) Certificated flight instructor instru-
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ment certificate, if applicable to degree sought.
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(3) To provide books, training materials, and
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equipment to support pilot training activities and re-
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lated education for veterans enrolled with the eligible
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entity.
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(4) To provide periodic reports to the Adminis-
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trator on use of the grant funds, including docu-
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mentation of training completion of the certificates
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and ratings described in subparagraphs (A) through
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(G) of paragraph (2).
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(e) COORDINATION WITH VETERANS EDUCATION
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BENEFITS.—In the event a veteran participates in the
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pilot program who is entitled to educational assistance for
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veterans under the laws administered by the Secretary of
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Veterans Affairs—
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(1) any costs of the veteran in participation in
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the pilot program that are covered by such edu-
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cational assistance shall be borne by the veteran
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using such educational assistance; and
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(2) any costs incurred by the veteran in partici-
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pation in the pilot program that are not covered by
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such educational assistance, including the cost of a
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private or commercial pilot license, may be borne by
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the eligible entity concerned using grant amounts
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awarded to the eligible entity for purposes of the
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pilot program.
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(f) APPROPRIATIONS.—To carry out this section,
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there is authorized to be appropriated $5,000,000 for each
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of the fiscal years 2024 through 2029.
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Æ
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