The Secretary shall provide financial assistance under this part-
(1) to an air carrier in an amount equal to the salaries and benefits reported by the air carrier to the Department of Transportation pursuant to part 241 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, for the period from April 1, 2019, through September 30, 2019; and
(2) to an air carrier that does not transmit reports under such part 241, in an amount that such air carrier certifies, using sworn financial statements or other appropriate data, as the amount of wages, salaries, benefits, and other compensation that such air carrier paid the employees of such air carrier during the period from April 1, 2019, through September 30, 2019; and
(3) to a contractor, in an amount that the contractor certifies, using sworn financial statements or other appropriate data, as the amount of wages, salaries, benefits, and other compensation that such contractor paid the employees of such contractor during the period from April 1, 2019, through September 30, 2019.
Financial assistance provided to an air carrier or contractor under this part shall be in such form, on such terms and conditions (including requirements for audits and the clawback of any financial assistance provided upon failure by a passenger air carrier, cargo air carrier, or contractor to honor the assurances specified in section 9074 of this title), as the Secretary determines appropriate.
The Secretary shall publish streamlined and expedited procedures not later than 5 days after March 27, 2020, for air carriers and contractors to submit requests for financial assistance under this part.
Not later than 10 days after March 27, 2020, the Secretary shall make initial payments to air carriers and contractors that submit requests for financial assistance approved by to the Secretary.
The Secretary shall determine an appropriate method for timely distribution of payments to air carriers and contractors with approved requests for financial assistance from any funds remaining available after providing initial financial assistance payments under paragraph (2).
The Secretary shall have the authority to reduce, on a pro rata basis, the amounts due to air carriers and contractors under the applicable paragraph of section 9072 of this title in order to address any shortfall in assistance that would otherwise be provided under such section.
The Inspector General of the Department of the Treasury shall audit certifications made under subsection (a).
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