,,ii #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 #ciec ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #aa1 #bjbj,mr4 ,coons 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,tillis1 ,mr4 ,scott of ,south ,carolina1 and ,mr4 ,carper7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,armed ,services ,a ,,bill ,to require pilot programs in connection with ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps units at ,historically ,black ,colleges and ,universities and minority institutions1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,fostering ,leadership and ,inclusion by ,growing ,,hbcu ,training ,act of #bjbj or the ,,flight ,act4 #b4 ,findings ,congress makes the following findings3 7#a7 ,the ,fiscal ,year #bjah ,population ,representation in the ,military ,services report found that while minorities comprise #ch percent of the national population1 they comprise only #bc percent of the active component commissioned officer corps4 7#b7 ,the ,fiscal ,year #bjah ,population ,representation in the ,military ,services report further found that ,african ,americans only comprised #h percent of the active component commissioned officer corps1 while more than #ab percent of the general population is ,african ,american4 7#c7 ,the ,fiscal ,year #bjah ,population ,representation in the ,military ,services report further found that ,african ,american and ,hispanic cadets were recipients of a ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps 7,,rotc7 scholarship at a rate of half of their representation in the general population4 7#d7 ,a #bjah ,,rand study titled ,understanding ,demographic ,differences in ,undergraduate ,pilot ,training ,attrition found that candidates for pilot training from ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps program with more hours of flying experience were also less likely to be eliminated from ,initial ,flight ,training and ,primary ,pilot ,training4 7#e7 ,in #bjbj1 ,air ,education and ,training ,command1 in partnership with the ,university of ,texas-,san ,antonio1 conducted a study that reinforced1 including within the ,pilot ,candidate ,selection ,method1 the number of flight hours a candidate accumulates before attending undergraduate pilot training4 7#f7 ,the ,united ,states ,air ,force has acknowledged that flight hours ''' can be difficult to obtain for potential candidates depending on their socio-economic background4 #c4 ,pilot programs in connection with ,,srotc units and ,,cspi programs at ,historically ,black ,colleges and ,universities and minority institutions 7a7 ,pilot programs required ,the ,secretary of ,defense shall carry out two pilot programs as follows3 7#a7 ,a pilot program1 with elements as provided for in subsection 7c71 at covered institutions in order to assess the feasibility and advisability of mechanisms to reduce barriers to participation in the ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps at such institutions by creating partnerships between satellite or extension ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps units at such institutions and military installations4 7#b7 ,in consultation with the ,secretary of ,homeland ,security1 a pilot program1 with elements as provided for in subsection 7d71 in order to assess the feasibility and advisability of the provision of financial assistance to members of the ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps1 and members of the ,coast ,guard ,college ,student ,pre-,commissioning ,initiative1 at covered institutions for participation in flight training4 7b7 ,duration ,the duration of each pilot program under subsection 7a7 may not exceed five years4 7c7 ,pilot program on partnerships between satellite or extension ,,srotc units and military installations 7#a7 ,participating institutions ,the ,secretary of ,defense shall carry out the pilot program required by subsection 7a77#a7 at not fewer than five covered institutions selected by the ,secretary for purposes of the pilot program4 7#b7 ,requirements for selection ,each covered institution selected by the ,secretary for purposes of the pilot program under subsection 7a77#a7 shall-- 7,a7 currently maintain a satellite or extension ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps unit under chapter #ajc of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code1 that is located more than #bj miles from the host unit of such unit2 or 7,b7 establish and maintain a satellite or extension ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps unit that meets the requirements in subparagraph 7,a74 7#c7 ,preference in selection of institutions ,in selecting covered institutions under this subsection for participation in the pilot program under subsection 7a77#a71 the ,secretary shall give preference to covered institutions that are located within #bj miles of a military installation of the same ,armed ,force as the host unit of the ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps of the covered institution concerned4 7#d7 ,partnership activities ,the activities conducted under the pilot program under subsection 7a77#a7 between a satellite or extension ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps unit and the military installation concerned shall include such activities designed to reduce barriers to participation in the ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps at the covered institution concerned as the ,secretary considers appropriate1 including measures to mitigate travel time and expenses in connection with receipt of ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps instruction4 7d7 ,pilot program on financial assistance for ,,srotc and ,,cspi members for flight training 7#a7 ,eligibility for participation by ,,srotc and ,,cspi members ,a member of a ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps unit1 or a member of a ,coast ,guard ,college ,student ,pre-,commissioning ,initiative program1 at a covered institution may participate in the pilot program under subsection 7a77#b7 if the member meets such academic requirements at the covered institution1 and such other requirements1 as the ,secretary shall establish for purposes of the pilot program4 7#b7 ,preference in selection of participants ,in selecting members under this subsection for participation in the pilot program under subsection 7a77#b71 the ,secretary shall give a preference to members who will pursue flight training under the pilot program at a covered institution4 7#c7 ,financial assistance for flight training 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary may provide any member of a ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps unit or a ,college ,student ,pre-,commissioning ,initiative program who participates in the pilot program under subsection 7a77#b7 financial assistance to defray1 whether in whole or in part1 the charges and fees imposed on the member for flight training4 7,b7 ,flight training ,financial assistance may be used under subparagraph 7,a7 for a course of flight training only if the course meets ,federal ,aviation ,administration standards and is approved by the ,federal ,aviation ,administration and the applicable ,state approving agency4 7,c7 ,use ,financial assistance received by a member under subparagraph 7,a7 may be used only to defray the charges and fees imposed on the member as described in that subparagraph4 7,d7 ,cessation of eligibility ,financial assistance may not be provided to a member under subparagraph 7,a7 as follows3 7i7 ,if the member ceases to meet the academic and other requirements established pursuant to paragraph 7#a74 7ii7 ,if the member ceases to be a member of the ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps or the ,college ,student ,pre-,commissioning ,initiative1 as applicable4 7e7 ,evaluation metrics ,the ,secretary of ,defense shall establish metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the pilot programs under subsection 7a74 7f7 ,reports 7#a7 ,initial report ,not later than #ahj days after the commencement of the pilot programs under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary of ,defense shall submit to the ,committees on ,armed ,services of the ,senate and the ,house of ,representatives a report on the pilot programs4 ,the report shall include the following3 7,a7 ,a description of each pilot program1 including in the case of the pilot program under subsection 7a77#b7 the requirements established pursuant to subsection 7d77#a74 7,b7 ,the evaluation metrics established under subsection 7e74 7,c7 ,such other matters relating to the pilot programs as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 7#b7 ,annual report ,not later than #ij days after the end of each fiscal year in which the ,secretary carries out the pilot programs1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committees on ,armed ,services of the ,senate and the ,house of ,representatives a report on the pilot programs during such fiscal year4 ,each report shall include1 for the fiscal year covered by such report1 the following3 7,a7 ,in the case of the pilot program required by subsection 7a77#a71 a description of the partnerships between satellite or extension ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps units and military installations under the pilot program4 7,b7 ,in the case of the pilot program required by subsection 7a77#b71 the following3 7i7 ,the number of members of ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps units1 and the number of members of ,coast ,guard ,college ,student ,pre-,commissioning ,initiative programs1 at covered institutions selected for purposes of the pilot program1 including the number of such members participating in the pilot program4 7ii7 ,the number of recipients of financial assistance provided under the pilot program1 including the number who-- 7,i7 completed a ground school course of instruction in connection with obtaining a private pilot's certificate2 7,,ii7 completed flight training1 and the type of training1 certificate1 or both received2 7,,iii7 were selected for a pilot training slot in the ,armed ,forces2 7,,iv7 initiated pilot training in the ,armed ,forces2 or 7,v7 successfully completed pilot training in the ,armed ,forces4 7iii7 ,the amount of financial assistance provided under the pilot program1 broken out by covered institution1 course of study1 and such other measures as the ,secretary considers appropriate4 7,c7 ,data collected in accordance with the evaluation metrics established under subsection 7e74 7#c7 ,final report ,not later than #ahj days prior to the completion of the pilot programs1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committees on ,armed ,services of the ,senate and the ,house of ,representatives a report on the pilot programs4 ,the report shall include the following3 7,a7 ,a description of the pilot programs4 7,b7 ,an assessment of the effectiveness of each pilot program4 7,c7 ,a description of the cost of each pilot program1 and an estimate of the cost of making each pilot program permanent4 7,d7 ,an estimate of the cost of expanding each pilot program throughout all eligible ,senior ,reserve ,officers' ,training ,corps units and ,college ,student ,pre-,commissioning ,initiative programs4 7,e7 ,such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the ,secretary considers appropriate in light of the pilot programs1 including recommendations for extending or making permanent the authority for each pilot program4 7g7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,the term covered institution has the meaning given that term in section #bfb7;g77#b7 of the ,national ,defense ,authorization ,act for ,fiscal ,year #bjbj 7,public ,law #aaf-ib74 7#b7 ,the term flight training means a course of instruction toward obtaining any of the following3 7,a7 ,a private pilot's certificate4 7,b7 ,a commercial pilot certificate4 7,c7 ,a certified flight instructor certificate4 7,d7 ,a multi-crew pilot's license4 7,e7 ,a flight instrument rating4 7,f7 ,any other certificate1 rating1 or pilot privilege the ,secretary considers appropriate for purposes of this section4 7#c7 ,the term military installation means an installation of the ,department of ,defense for the regular components of the ,armed ,forces4 7h7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section4