Aviation Humanitarian Crisis Act of 2019

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 3480 To authorize the Secretary of Transportation to declare that an aviation humanitarian crisis exists for airports impacted by a major disaster or emergency, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUNE 25, 2019 Mr. PAYNE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure A BILL To authorize the Secretary of Transportation to declare that an aviation humanitarian crisis exists for airports im- pacted by a major disaster or emergency, and for other purposes. 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 ‘‘Aviation Humanitarian 4 Crisis Act of 2019’’. 5 SEC. 2. AVIATION HUMANITARIAN CRISIS DECLARATIONS. 6 (a) AUTHORITY TO DECLARE.—If the President de- 7 clares that a major disaster or emergency exists with re- 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:29 Jul 02, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3480.IH H3480 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •HR 3480 IH spect to an area under section 401 of the Robert T. Staf- 1 ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 2 U.S.C. 5170), the Secretary of Transportation may de- 3 clare, with respect to airports serving the area, that an 4 aviation humanitarian crisis exists. 5 (b) CONTENTS OF DECLARATION.—For each aviation 6 humanitarian crisis declared to exist, the Secretary shall 7 identify— 8 (1) the airports subject to the declaration; and 9 (2) the time period during which the declara- 10 tion applies. 11 (c) RESULTS OF DECLARATION.—If the Secretary 12 declares that an aviation humanitarian crisis exists with 13 respect to an airport, during the time period to which the 14 declaration applies— 15 (1) an air carrier that provides a flight in air 16 transportation to or from the airport may not charge 17 for any seat on the flight an amount that exceeds 18 the median amount charged with respect to all seats 19 on all flights of the carrier traveling the same route 20 during the 1-year period ending on the date on 21 which the crisis was declared to exist; and 22 (2) an entity that imposes, with respect to the 23 airport, a passenger facility charge authorized by the 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:29 Jul 02, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H3480.IH H3480 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •HR 3480 IH Secretary under section 40117 of title 49, United 1 States Code, shall suspend imposing the charge. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 04:29 Jul 02, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H3480.IH H3480 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS