,i #aacth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #efge ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #ai1 #bjad ,mr4 ,hultgren 7for himself and ,mr4 ,lipinski7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,administrator of the ,federal ,aviation ,administration to revise hiring practices for air traffic controller positions1 to establish an ,air ,traffic ,control ,education and ,training ,advisory ,committee1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,standards ,addressing ,federal ,transparency and ,oversight ,with ,evolving ,recruitment ,specifications ,act or the ,,safe ,,towers ,act4 #b4 ,hiring of air traffic controllers ,section #ddejf of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,revision of hiring practices 7#a7 ,consideration of applicants 7,a7 ,preference for ,,at-,,cti and ,,vra applicants ,in appointing individuals to the position of air traffic controller1 the ,administrator shall give preferential consideration to the following applicants3 7i7 ,an individual who-- 7,i7 has successfully completed air traffic controller training and graduated from an institution participating in the ,collegiate ,training ,initiative program maintained under subsection 7c77#a72 and 7,,ii7 has received an appropriate recommendation from the institution4 7ii7 ,a qualified individual who is eligible for a veterans recruitment appointment pursuant to section #dbad of title #ch4 7iii7 ,a qualified individual who is an eligible veteran1 as such term is defined in section #dbaa of title #ch1 maintaining aviation experience4 7,b7 ,consideration of general public applicants ,the ,administrator may consider general public applicants for the position of air traffic controller only after completing consideration of the applicants described in subparagraph 7,a74 7#b7 ,elimination of biographical assessments 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall revise the hiring practices of the ,administration that apply to applicants for the position of air traffic controller with the ,department of ,transportation to eliminate the use of a biographical assessment or any other personality test that unduly disqualifies applicants4 ,the revision under this subparagraph shall not be subject to paragraph 7#c74 7,b7 ,reconsideration of applicants disqualified on the basis of biographical assessments 7i7 ,in general ,if an individual applied for the position of air traffic controller with the ,department in response to the ,,fg-#ja ,vacancy ,announcement issued on ,february #aj1 #bjad1 and was disqualified from the position as the result of a biographical assessment1 the ,administrator shall provide the applicant an opportunity to reapply as soon as practicable for the position under the revised hiring practices4 7ii7 ,waiver of age restriction ,the ,administrator shall waive any maximum age restriction for the position of air traffic controller with the ,department that would otherwise disqualify an individual from the position if the individual-- 7,i7 is reapplying for the position pursuant to clause 7i7 on or before ,december #ca1 #bjaf2 and 7,,ii7 met the maximum age requirement on the date of the individual's previous application for the position4 7#c7 ,participation of ,,cti institutions in revision of hiring practices ,before making any revision to the hiring practices that apply to applicants for the position of air traffic controller with the ,department1 the ,administrator shall provide the ,air ,traffic ,control ,education and ,training ,advisory ,committee established under subsection 7g7 and institutions of higher education participating in the ,collegiate ,training ,initiative program with notice of the revision and an opportunity to comment4 4 #c4 ,collegiate ,training ,initiative ,section #ddejf7;c77#a7 of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 in the first sentence by striking may maintain and inserting shall maintain2 and 7#b7 in the second sentence by striking may establish and inserting 1 in consultation with the ,air ,traffic ,control ,education and ,training ,advisory ,committee established under subsection 7g71 shall establish4 #d4 ,air ,traffic ,control ,education and ,training ,advisory ,committee ,section #ddejf of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 7g7 ,air ,traffic ,control ,education and ,training ,advisory ,committee 7#a7 ,establishment ,the ,administrator shall establish an ,air ,traffic ,control ,education and ,training ,advisory ,committee 7in this subsection referred to as the ,committee74 7#b7 ,duties ,the ,committee shall-- 7,a7 provide advice and recommendations to the ,administrator about the needs1 objectives1 plans1 and content of air traffic controller training programs2 7,b7 review the operations of the ,collegiate ,training ,initiative program maintained under subsection 7c77#a72 7,c7 establish standardized curriculum1 required outcomes1 and accreditation standards for the ,collegiate ,training ,initiative program2 and 7,d7 annually review the air traffic controller training initiatives carried out by the ,administration and provide advice and recommendations to the ,administrator on whether such initiatives are appropriate to meet the needs of the air traffic controller workforce4 7#c7 ,membership 7,a7 ,number and appointment ,the ,committee shall be composed of #i members appointed by the ,administrator as follows3 7i7 #b individuals based on recommendations of the ,association of ,collegiate ,training ,institutions4 7ii7 #b individuals based on recommendations of the ,national ,air ,traffic ,controllers ,association4 7iii7 #b individuals based on recommendations of the ,university ,aviation ,association4 7iv7 #c individuals selected by the ,administrator who meet the requirements of subparagraph 7,b74 7,b7 ,qualifications ,individuals appointed pursuant to subparagraph 7,a77iv7-- 7i7 may not be employees of the ,federal ,aviation ,administration2 and 7ii7 shall be specifically qualified to serve on the ,committee as a result of their education1 training1 and experience4 7,c7 ,terms 7i7 ,in general ,a member shall be appointed for a term of #b years4 7ii7 ,terms of initial appointees ,as designated by the ,administrator at the time of appointment-- 7,i7 #a of the members first appointed under each of subparagraphs 7,a77i71 7,a77ii71 and 7,a77iii7 shall be appointed for a term of #c years2 and 7,,ii7 #b of the members first appointed under subparagraph 7,a77iv7 shall be appointed for terms of #c years4 7,d7 ,vacancies 7i7 ,in general ,any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall be appointed only for the remainder of that term4 7ii7 ,interim service ,a member may serve after the expiration of that member's term until a successor has taken office4 7iii7 ,manner of appointment ,a vacancy in the ,committee shall be filled in the manner in which the original appointment was made4 7,e7 ,pay2 travel expenses ,members shall serve without pay but may receive travel expenses1 including per diem in lieu of subsistence1 when attending meetings of the ,committee in accordance with applicable provisions under subchapter ,i of chapter #eg of title #e4 7,f7 ,chairperson ,the ,chairperson of the ,committee shall be elected by a majority of the members4 7,g7 ,meetings ,the ,committee shall meet quarterly and may have additional meetings at the call of the ,chairperson4 7#d7 ,annual report 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than ,may #cast of each year1 the ,committee shall submit to ,congress and the ,administrator an annual report containing-- 7i7 the findings and recommendations of the ,committee2 and 7ii7 beginning with the second annual report1 an assessment of whether or not the ,administrator has complied with the ,committee's recommendations from the previous year4 7,b7 ,,faa comments ,not later than #fj days after the date of submission of an annual report that includes an assessment described in subparagraph 7,a77ii71 the ,administrator shall submit to ,congress and the ,committee a report containing the ,administrator's written response to the assessment1 including an explanation as to why the ,administrator did or did not comply with each recommendation of the ,committee4 7#e7 ,termination ,section #ad7;a77#b77;,b7 of the ,federal ,advisory ,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app42 relating to the termination of advisory committees7 shall not apply to the ,committee4 4 #e4 ,best practices for training air traffic controllers ,section #ddejf of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is further amended by adding at the end the following3 7h7 ,best practices for training ,the ,administrator1 in consultation with the ,air ,traffic ,control ,education and ,training ,advisory ,committee established under subsection 7g71 shall take into consideration any locally developed training initiatives for air traffic controllers for use in establishing best practices nationwide4 4