Aviation Insurance Reauthorization Act of 1997
Public Law 105-137 · S. 1193 · 105th Congress · began in the Senate
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Dec 2, 1997 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Sen. Slade Gorton (R-WA)
Cosponsors (3): Sen. John McCain, Sen. Fritz Hollings,
Passage votes
- HouseUnanimous consent
- SenateUnanimous consent
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Aviation Insurance Reauthorization Act of 1997 - Amends Federal law governing aviation insurance programs to require the Secretary of Transportation to determine the values of aircraft insurance and maximum insured amounts in accordance with reasonable business practices in the commercial aviation insurance industry.
Provides that if an indemnity agreement made between the Secretary and a designated agency head is countersigned by the President (or the President's designee), it shall constitute a determination that continuation of the pertinent aircraft operations is necessary to implement U.S. foreign policy.
Authorizes binding arbitration of claims for insurance policies issued by the Secretary.
Extends the Secretary's authority to provide aviation insurance and reinsurance through December 31, 1998.
Treats as a public aircraft any aircraft owned by the U.S. Government and operated by any person for purposes related to crew training, equipment development, or demonstration.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 13 actions.
- Dec 2, 1997Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-137.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 21, 1997PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 13, 1997FloorFloor · A similar measure H.R. 2036 was laid on the table without objection.
- FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On passage Passed without objection.
- FloorFloor · Considered by unanimous consent.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Armey asked unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table and consider.
- Nov 8, 1997FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 6, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Sep 23, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- Sep 18, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the Senate
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.