§ 41304. Effective periods and amendments, modifications, suspensions, and revocations of permits

• (a) The Secretary of Transportation may prescribe the period during which a permit issued under section 41302 of this title is in effect. After notice and an opportunity for a hearing, the Secretary may amend, modify, suspend, or revoke the permit if the Secretary finds that action to be in the public interest.
• (b) Without a hearing, but subject to the approval of the President, the Secretary—
  • (1) may suspend summarily the permits of foreign air carriers of a foreign country, or amend, modify, or limit the operations of the foreign air carriers under the permits, when the Secretary finds—
    • (A) the action is in the public interest; and
    • (B) the government, an aeronautical authority, or a foreign air carrier of the foreign country, over the objection of the United States Government, has—
      • (i) limited or denied the operating rights of an air carrier; or
      • (ii) engaged in unfair, discriminatory, or restrictive practices that have a substantial adverse competitive impact on an air carrier related to air transportation to, from, through, or over the territory of the foreign country; and
  • (2) to make this subsection effective, may restrict operations between the United States and the foreign country by a foreign air carrier of a third country.
• (c) The Secretary—
  • (1) in consultation with appropriate departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the Government, shall reexamine immediately the fitness of a foreign air carrier that—
    • (A) violates the laws and regulations of the United States related to the illegal importation of a controlled substance; or
    • (B) does not adopt available measures to prevent the illegal importation of a controlled substance into the United States on its aircraft; and
  • (2) when appropriate, shall amend, modify, suspend, or revoke the permit of the carrier issued under this chapter.
• (d) An interested person may file a response with the Secretary opposing or supporting the amendment, modification, suspension, or revocation of a permit under subsection (a) of this section.