To amend title 49, United States Code, to require the National Transportation Safety Board and individual foreign air carriers to address the needs of families of passengers involved in aircraft accidents involving foreign air carriers.
Public Law 105-148 · H.R. 2476 · 105th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Bill Clinton (D) on Dec 16, 1997 · Transportation and Public Works
Sponsor: Rep. Robert Underwood (D-GU)
Cosponsors (26): Rep. Jimmy Duncan, Rep. William Lipinski,
Passage votes
- HouseVoice vote
- 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.
Amends Federal transportation law to require foreign air carriers to transmit to the Secretary of Transportation and the Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board a plan for addressing the needs of families of passengers involved in aircraft accidents involving foreign air carriers and a significant loss of life.
Requires such a plan to include: (1) publicizing a reliable, toll-free telephone number and staff to take calls from families of passengers involved in such an accident; (2) a process for notifying such families as soon as possible, and in person to the extent practicable, before providing any public notice of the passengers' names; (3) an assurance that each passenger's family will be consulted about the disposition of any remains and personal effects (including return to the family) within the foreign air carrier's control; (4) an assurance of retention by the foreign air carrier of unclaimed possessions for at least 18 months; and (5) an assurance of other specified services.
Makes inclusion of such a plan in the application for a foreign air transportation permit, or request for exemption from the requirement of a permit, a condition for approval.
Declares that a foreign air carrier shall not be liable for damages in any action brought in a Federal or State court arising out of the foreign air carrier's performance in preparing or providing a passenger list pursuant to such a plan, unless the liability was caused by any conduct of the carrier which was grossly negligent or which constituted intentional misconduct.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee · House · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Aviation Subcommittee
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. 14 actions.
- Dec 16, 1997Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 105-148.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Dec 5, 1997PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Nov 13, 1997FloorFloor · Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent.
- Nov 9, 1997FloorFloor · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
- FloorFloor · On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote.
- FloorFloor · Mr. Duncan moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended.
- Oct 31, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Oct 29, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Oct 23, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Sep 29, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Aviation Subcommittee of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- Sep 15, 1997CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
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.