,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #gabh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #h1 #bjbj,mr4 ,case introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,transportation and ,infrastructure ,a ,,bill ,to ensure the safety of air passengers and the public by authorizing ,states to implement reasonable guidelines and restrictions on passenger air travel1 to amend title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,air ,travel ,public ,health ,emergency ,protection ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds the following3 7#a7 ,passenger air travel is or can be a major vector in the spread of certain communicable diseases such as ,,covid-#ai4 7#b7 ,air passengers who have been infected by such communicable diseases1 especially during a declared national public health emergency1 present a serious public health risk not only to their fellow passengers but to all who come in contact with them at their destinations and upon their return4 7#c7 ,further1 such air passengers present a serious negative economic consequence to the airlines on which they fly and to the destinations at which they arrive1 especially destinations reliant on the travel and tourism industry1 as they destroy public confidence in the health and safety of air travel and of such destinations4 7#d7 ,the best mechanism to address these negative consequences during a declared national public health emergency is for potential air passengers to be tested for symptoms of the relevant communicable disease before boarding airlines and to be denied boarding if such symptoms are indicated4 7#e7 ,the ,federal ,aviation ,administration has taken the position that it does not have existing statutory authority to impose a public health-related requirement on passenger airlines that they test all potential air passengers for symptoms of the relevant communicable disease before boarding airlines and deny boarding if such symptoms are indicated1 and further that individual ,states are not authorized to impose such requirements in the exercise of their police power to protect the public health and foster economic and social stability4 7#f7 ,as a result1 some ,states1 in furtherance of those goals1 have been required to adopt far more risky and less effective methods which consume scarce resources1 including a post-arrival self-policing quarantine which is widely disregarded4 #c4 ,purpose ,the purpose of this ,act shall be to authorize any ,state to impose reasonable public health-protective conditions on the boarding of any passenger on a passenger airline at the point of origin of a direct flight to such ,state during a public health emergency4 #d4 ,public health accommodations 7a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator of the ,federal ,aviation ,administration shall allow ,states1 territories of the ,united ,states1 and ,indian ,tribes to implement reasonable guidelines and restrictions to ensure the public health and safety of air passengers and the public4 7b7 ,amendments to title #di ,title #di of the ,united ,states ,code is amended-- 7#a7 in section #djajc-- 7,a7 in subsection 7a77#b7 by striking ,a citizen and inserting ,except as provided in subsection 7f71 a citizen2 and 7,b7 by adding at the end the following3 7f7 ,public health emergency exception ,during a public health emergency1 the ,administrator shall allow ,states1 territories of the ,united ,states1 and ,indian ,tribes to implement and enforce reasonable restrictions on air passengers at the point of origin of a direct flight to such ,state1 territory1 or ,indian ,tribe jurisdiction in accordance with requirements and restrictions determined by the ,state1 territory1 or ,indian ,tribe at the point of destination which may include1 a temperature or other rapid check for any communicable disease which is the subject of the public health emergency1 and which requirements and restrictions may include denial of boarding if such intended passenger is indicated for such disease4 ,such reasonable restrictions shall be implemented at the expense of the air carrier as determined necessary by a ,state1 territory1 or ,indian ,tribe4 7g7 ,definitions ,for purposes of this section1 the following definitions apply3 7#a7 ,public health emergency ,the term public health emergency means a declaration under section #cai7;a7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7a77 related to a communicable disease4 7#b7 ,reasonable restriction ,the term reasonable restriction means any good faith restriction or condition imposed or implemented on intended passengers prior to boarding a plane by a ,state1 territory of the ,united ,states1 or ,indian ,tribe to prevent the spread of a communicable disease during a public health emergency4 2 and 7#b7 in section #dgajg by adding at the end the following3 7x7 ,waiver of requirements 7#a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding the requirements of this section1 during a public health emergency1 the ,secretary shall waive any grant assurance that conflicts with a reasonable restriction implemented by a ,state1 territory1 or ,indian ,tribe as set forth in section #djajc7;f7 without an airport owner or operator submitting a request for such a waiver4 7#b7 ,definitions ,for purposes of this subsection1 the following definitions apply3 7,a7 ,public health emergency ,the term public health emergency means a declaration under section #cai7;a7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #bdg;d7a77 related to a communicable disease4 7,b7 ,reasonable restriction ,the term reasonable restriction means any good faith restriction or condition imposed or implemented on intended passengers prior to boarding a plane by a ,state1 territory of the ,united ,states1 or ,indian ,tribe to prevent the spread of a communicable disease during a public health emergency4 4