[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5847 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5847
To amend title 49, United States Code, with respect to requirements for
air carriers to disclose certain exposures to toxic fumes, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 28, 2025
Mr. Espaillat introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title 49, United States Code, with respect to requirements for
air carriers to disclose certain exposures to toxic fumes, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Airline Travelers Right to Know
Act''.
SEC. 2. AIRLINE TOXIC FUME DISCLOSURE.
(a) In General.--Subpart III of part A of subtitle VII of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
``CHAPTER 455--TOXIC FUME DISCLOSURE
``Sec. 45401. Definition of Administrator.
``Sec. 45402. Toxic fume disclosure.
``Sec. 45403. Passenger notification prior to ticket purchase and
check-in.
``Sec. 45404. Immediate notification of toxic fume events aboard
aircraft.
``Sec. 45405. Crew notification of toxic fume events.
``SEC. 45401. DEFINITION OF ADMINISTRATOR.
``In this chapter, the term `Administrator' means the Administrator
of the Federal Aviation Administration.
``SEC. 45402. TOXIC FUME DISCLOSURE.
``(a) In General.--Not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this section, the Administrator shall implement and
enforce a right to know of potential toxic fume exposure policy to
inform air carrier passengers, pilots, and cabin crew employees of the
potential exposure to toxic fumes that cause permanent health or brain
damage that such passengers, pilots, or employees may encounter onboard
passenger-carrying aircraft operating under part 121 of title 14, Code
of Federal Regulations.
``(b) Requirements.--The right to know of potential toxic fume
exposure policy under subsection (a) shall--
``(1) be made available in all pilot and crew member
contracts;
``(2) be made available to all air carrier passengers
immediately after purchasing a ticket for transportation by
such air carrier or a third party ticket booking entity;
``(3) include details on the potential for acute or chronic
impairment relating to such fumes to an individual;
``(4) include details on chemicals known to cause cancer,
birth defects, and other reproductive harm that may be present
in jet engine exhaust, fumes from jet fuel, and exhaust from
equipment used to service airplanes, while making clear that
sometimes such chemicals enter the jet bridge and are present
throughout the duration of the flight;
``(5) provide information on safety management systems in
place that could protect individuals from such exposure;
``(6) provide information on safety management systems to
use if exposed to toxic fumes such as oxygen therapy; and
``(7) provide that passengers of air carriers and air
carrier crew members have a right to use cabin oxygen masks in
response to a toxic fume event.
``(c) Civil Penalty.--The Administrator shall impose a civil
penalty under section 46301 for each violation of the disclosure
required pursuant to subsection (a).
``SEC. 45403. PASSENGER NOTIFICATION PRIOR TO TICKET PURCHASE AND
CHECK-IN.
``Beginning on the date of enactment of this section, operators of
passenger-carrying aircraft operating under part 121 of title 14, Code
of Federal Regulations, shall require passengers to indicate an
understanding of potential toxic fume exposure onboard such aircraft in
ticket purchase process.
``SEC. 45404. IMMEDIATE NOTIFICATION OF TOXIC FUME EVENTS ABOARD
AIRCRAFT.
``Beginning on the date of enactment of this section, the
Administrator shall notify all affected customers, flight attendants,
pilots, and aircraft maintenance technicians of any exposure to toxic
fumes aboard aircraft as soon as an air carrier confirms to the
Administrator toxic fumes were detected onboard such aircraft.
``SEC. 45405. CREW NOTIFICATION OF TOXIC FUME EVENTS.
``(a) In General.--Operators of passenger-carrying aircraft under
part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, shall inform all
crewmembers of such aircraft of the most recent toxic fume exposure on
such aircraft, whether the issue that led to the exposure has been
resolved, and if any crewmembers have requested treatment for such
exposure.
``(b) Right To Decline Assignment.--Operators under subsection (a)
shall provide crewmembers with an option to decline an assignment
onboard an aircraft covered under subsection (a) if the issue that led
to an exposure reported under such subsection has not been resolved,
without penalizing such crewmember.
``SEC. 45406. CIVIL PENALTY FOR FALSE STATEMENT, MISREPRESENTATION,
IMPARTING, OR CONVEYING FALSE INFORMATION.
``(a) In General.--The Administrator shall impose a civil penalty
under section 46301 for each specified violation.
``(b) Specified Violation.--In this section, the term `specified
violation' means any false statement, misrepresentation, impart, or
conveyance of false information by an operator of an aircraft under
section 45404 or 45405 demonstrated by a confirmed illness of a
customer or employee of a flight provided by such operator.
``SEC. 45407. PENALTY FOR MISSING REPORTS.
``If an operator of passenger-carrying aircraft under part 121 of
title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, that is required to report
information under this chapter is missing any such report on inspection
by the Secretary of Transportation, the operator shall be liable to the
United States Government for a civil penalty of $100,000.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The analysis for subtitle VII of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to
chapter 453 the following:
``455. Toxic Fume Disclosure''.
(c) Regulation.--The Administrator of the Federal Aviation
administration shall issue such regulations as are necessary to amend
section 13.18 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to include
violations under section 45402 of title 49, United States Code, under
the procedures for civil penalties under such section 13.18.
(d) Toxic Fume Sensors.--Not later than 15 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall issue such
regulations as are necessary to--
(1) require operators of passenger-carrying aircraft under
part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to install
sensors that detect toxic fumes onboard such aircraft; and
(2) amend section 13.18 of title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations, to include violations of the regulations issued
under paragraph (1) under the procedures for civil penalties
under such section 13.18.
(e) Oxygen for Crewmembers.--Not later than 15 days after the date
of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall issue
such regulations as are necessary to require operators of passenger-
carrying aircraft under part 121 of title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations, to procure and make available to all crewmembers on such
aircraft mobile oxygen masks for crewmembers assisting passengers with
oxygen masks in the case of a toxic fume event.
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