This Act may be cited as the Airship Improvement Research for Safety and Humanitarian Innovation Projects Act or the AIRSHIP Act.

(a) Sense of Congress It is the sense of Congress that— (1) airships could contribute to sustainable and clean air cargo transportation; (2) airships may one day find much needed applications in supporting disaster response efforts or delivering humanitarian aid to those in need and to areas that may be inaccessible; and (3) advances in airship design and technology could enable and reintroduce the world to practical, economical, and environmentally friendly airship transportation. (b) Research and development Section 40112 of title 51, United States Code, is amended— (1) in subsection (c)— (A) by striking The Administrator and inserting the following: (1) Objective The Administrator; (B) in paragraph (1), as so designated, by inserting, airship, after rotorcraft; and (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2) Approach The Administrator may establish a program of competitively awarded grants available to teams of researchers that may include the participation of individuals from universities, industry, and government for the conduct of this research.; and (2) in subsection (e)— (A) by striking The Administrator and inserting the following: (1) Objective The Administrator; (B) in paragraph (1), as so designated, in the first sentence, by inserting, airship, after fixed wing vehicles; and (C) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2) Approach The Administrator may establish a program of competitively awarded grants available to teams of researchers that may include the participation of individuals from universities, industry, and government for the conduct of this research..