A bill to establish aviation accession training programs for the Commissioned Officer Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to prepare students for commissioned service as pilots in the Corps, and for other purposes.

II 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 2910 To establish aviation accession training programs for the Commissioned Offi- cer Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to prepare students for commissioned service as pilots in the Corps, and for other purposes. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES NOVEMBER 20, 2019 Mr. MORAN (for himself and Mr. SCHATZ) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation A BILL To establish aviation accession training programs for the Commissioned Officer Corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to prepare students for com- missioned service as pilots in the Corps, 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. AVIATION ACCESSION TRAINING PROGRAMS 3 FOR COMMISSIONED OFFICER CORPS OF NA- 4 TIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMIN- 5 ISTRATION. 6 (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2910.IS S2910 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 2 •S 2910 IS (1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis- 1 trator’’ means the Under Secretary of Commerce for 2 Oceans and Atmosphere and the Administrator of 3 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- 4 tion. 5 (2) CORPS.—The term ‘‘Corps’’ means the 6 Commissioned Officer Corps of the National Oceanic 7 and Atmospheric Administration. 8 (3) MEMBER OF THE PROGRAM.—The term 9 ‘‘member of the program’’ means a student who is 10 enrolled in the program. 11 (4) PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘program’’ means an 12 aviation accession training program of the Corps es- 13 tablished pursuant to subsection (b). 14 (b) AVIATION ACCESSION TRAINING PROGRAMS.— 15 (1) ESTABLISHMENT AUTHORIZED.—The Ad- 16 ministrator, under regulations prescribed by the Sec- 17 retary of Commerce, shall establish and maintain 18 one or more aviation accession training programs for 19 the Corps at institutions described in paragraph (2). 20 (2) INSTITUTIONS DESCRIBED.—An institution 21 described in this paragraph is an educational institu- 22 tion— 23 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2910.IS S2910 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 3 •S 2910 IS (A) that requests to enter into an agree- 1 ment with the Administrator providing for the 2 establishment of the program at the institution; 3 (B) that has, as a part of its curriculum, 4 a 4-year baccalaureate program of professional 5 flight and piloting instruction that is accredited 6 by the Aviation Accreditation Board Inter- 7 national; 8 (C) that is located— 9 (i) not more than 250 miles from the 10 National Weather Service Training Center; 11 and 12 (ii) in a geographic area that— 13 (I) experiences a wide variation 14 in climate-related activity, including 15 frequent high winds, convective activ- 16 ity (including tornadoes), periods of 17 low visibility, heat, and snow and ice 18 episodes, to provide opportunities for 19 pilots to demonstrate skill in all 20 weather conditions compatible with fu- 21 ture encounters during their service in 22 the Corps; and 23 (II) has a climate that can ac- 24 commodate both primary and ad- 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2910.IS S2910 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 4 •S 2910 IS vanced flight training activity at least 1 75 percent of the year; and 2 (D) at which the Administrator determines 3 that— 4 (i) there will be at least 1 student en- 5 rolled in the program; and 6 (ii) the provisions of this section are 7 otherwise satisfied. 8 (3) LIMITATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH PAR- 9 TICULAR INSTITUTIONS.—The program may not be 10 established or maintained at an institution unless— 11 (A) the senior commissioned officer or em- 12 ployee of the Corps who is assigned as an advi- 13 sor to the program at that institution is given 14 the academic rank of adjunct professor; and 15 (B) the institution fulfills the terms of its 16 agreement with the Administrator. 17 (4) MEMBERSHIP IN CONNECTION WITH STA- 18 TUS AS STUDENT.—At institutions at which the pro- 19 gram is established, the membership of students in 20 the program shall be elective, as provided by State 21 law or the authorities of the institution concerned. 22 (c) MEMBERSHIP.— 23 (1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible for member- 24 ship in the program an individual must— 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2910.IS S2910 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 5 •S 2910 IS (A) be a student at an institution at which 1 the program is established; 2 (B) be a citizen of the United States; 3 (C) contract in writing, with the consent of 4 a parent or guardian if a minor, with the Ad- 5 ministrator, to— 6 (i) accept an appointment, if offered, 7 as a commissioned officer in the Corps; 8 and 9 (ii) to serve in the Corps for not fewer 10 than 4 years; 11 (D) enroll in— 12 (i) a 4-year baccalaureate program of 13 professional flight and piloting instruction; 14 and 15 (ii) other training or education, in- 16 cluding basic officer training, which is pre- 17 scribed by the Administrator as meeting 18 the preliminary requirement for admission 19 to the Corps; and 20 (E) execute a certificate or take an oath 21 relating to morality and conduct in such form 22 as the Administrator prescribes. 23 (2) COMPLETION OF PROGRAM.—A member of 24 the program may be appointed as a regular officer 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2910.IS S2910 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 6 •S 2910 IS in the Corps if the member meets all requirements 1 for appointment as such an officer. 2 (d) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR QUALIFIED MEM- 3 BERS.— 4 (1) EXPENSES OF COURSE OF INSTRUCTION.— 5 (A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a mem- 6 ber of the program who meets such qualifica- 7 tions as the Administrator establishes for pur- 8 poses of this subsection, the Administrator may 9 pay the expenses of the member in connection 10 with pursuit of a course of professional flight 11 and piloting instruction under the program, in- 12 cluding tuition, fees, educational materials such 13 as books, training, certifications, travel, and 14 laboratory expenses. 15 (B) ASSISTANCE AFTER FOURTH ACA- 16 DEMIC YEAR.—In the case of a member of the 17 program described in subparagraph (A) who is 18 enrolled in a course described in that subpara- 19 graph that has been approved by the Adminis- 20 trator and requires more than 4 academic years 21 for completion, including elective requirements 22 of the program, assistance under this sub- 23 section may also be provided during a fifth aca- 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2910.IS S2910 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 7 •S 2910 IS demic year or during a combination of a part 1 of a fifth academic year and summer sessions. 2 (2) ROOM AND BOARD.—In the case of a mem- 3 ber eligible to receive assistance under paragraph 4 (1), the Administrator may, in lieu of payment of all 5 or part of such assistance, pay the room and board 6 expenses of the member, and other educational ex- 7 penses, of the educational institution concerned. 8 (3) FAILURE TO COMPLETE PROGRAM OR AC- 9 CEPT COMMISSION.—A member of the program who 10 receives assistance under this subsection and who 11 does not complete the course of instruction, or who 12 completes the course but declines to accept a com- 13 mission in the Corps when offered, shall be subject 14 to the repayment provisions of subsection (e). 15 (e) REPAYMENT OF UNEARNED PORTION OF FINAN- 16 CIAL ASSISTANCE WHEN CONDITIONS OF PAYMENT NOT 17 MET.— 18 (1) IN GENERAL.—A member of the program 19 who receives or benefits from assistance under sub- 20 section (d), and whose receipt of or benefit from 21 such assistance is subject to the condition that the 22 member fully satisfy the requirements of subsection 23 (c), shall repay to the United States an amount 24 equal to the assistance received or benefitted from if 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2910.IS S2910 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 8 •S 2910 IS the member fails to fully satisfy such requirements 1 and may not receive or benefit from any unpaid 2 amounts of such assistance after the member fails to 3 satisfy such requirements, unless the Administrator 4 determines that the imposition of the repayment re- 5 quirement and the termination of payment of unpaid 6 amounts of such assistance with regard to the mem- 7 ber would be— 8 (A) contrary to a personnel policy or man- 9 agement objective; 10 (B) against equity and good conscience; or 11 (C) contrary to the best interests of the 12 United States. 13 (2) REGULATIONS.—The Administrator may es- 14 tablish, by regulations, procedures for determining 15 the amount of the repayment required under this 16 subsection and the circumstances under which an ex- 17 ception to repayment may be granted. The Adminis- 18 trator may specify in the regulations the conditions 19 under which financial assistance to be paid to a 20 member of the program will not be made if the 21 member no longer satisfies the requirements in sub- 22 section (c) or qualifications in subsection (d) for 23 such assistance. 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S2910.IS S2910 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS 9 •S 2910 IS (3) NATURE OF OBLIGATION.—An obligation to 1 repay the United States under this subsection is, for 2 all purposes, a debt owed the United States. 3 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:18 Nov 26, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S2910.IS S2910 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS