SENSE OF CONGRESS ON JOINT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON CONFLICT AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION.

SEC. 1036. SENSE OF CONGRESS ON JOINT DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE-FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON CONFLICT AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION.(a) Findings.—Congress makes the following findings:(1) Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) of the Department of Defense, like the Predator and the Global Hawk, have become a critical component of military operations. Unmanned aerial systems are indispensable in the conflict against terrorism and the campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.(2) Unmanned aerial systems of the Department of Defense must operate in the National Airspace System (NAS) for training, operational support to the combatant commands, and support to domestic authorities in emergencies and national disasters.(3) The Department of Defense has been lax in developing certifications of airworthiness for unmanned aerial systems, qualifications for operators of unmanned aerial systems, databases on safety matters relating to unmanned aerial systems, and standards, technology, and procedures that are necessary for routine access of unmanned aerial systems to the National Airspace System.(4) As recognized in a Memorandum of Agreement for Operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the National Airspace System signed by the Deputy Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration in September 2007, it is vital for the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration to collaborate closely to achieve progress in gaining access for unmanned aerial systems to the National Airspace System to support military requirements.(5) The Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration have jointly and separately taken significant actions to improve the access of unmanned aerial systems of the Department of Defense to the National Airspace System, but overall, the pace of progress in access of such systems to the National Airspace System has been insufficient and poses a threat to national security.(6) Techniques and procedures can be rapidly acquired or developed to temporarily permit safe operations of unmanned aerial systems in the National Airspace System until permanent safe operations of such systems in the National Airspace System can be achieved.(7) Identifying, developing, approving, implementing, and monitoring the adequacy of these techniques and procedures may require the establishment of a joint Department of Defense-Federal Aviation Administration executive committee reporting to the highest levels of the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration on matters relating 122 STAT. 4597 to the access of unmanned aerial systems of the Department of Defense to the National Airspace System.(8) Joint management attention at the highest levels of the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration may also be required on other important issues, such as type ratings for aerial refueling aircraft.(b) Sense of Congress.—It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary of Defense should seek an agreement with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to jointly establish within the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration a joint Department of Defense–Federal Aviation Administration executive committee on conflict and dispute resolution which would—(1) act as a focal point for the resolution of disputes on matters of policy and procedures between the Department of Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration with respect to—(A) airspace, aircraft certifications, and aircrew training; and(B) other issues brought before the joint executive committee by the Department of Defense or the Department of Transportation;(2) identify solutions to the range of technical, procedural, and policy concerns arising in the disputes described in paragraph (1); and(3) identify solutions to the range of technical, procedural, and policy concerns arising in the integration of Department of Defense unmanned aerial systems into the National Airspace System in order to achieve the increasing, and ultimately routine, access of such systems into the National Airspace System.