House sends FAA reauthorization bill to President Biden’s desk

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - A bill that reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration is now headed to the president’s desk after passing the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

The major aviation bill will renew the F.A.A.’s authority over the skies for five years and was passed just days before it was set to expire.

“This is a good bill that enhances safety and that also increases jobs in all of our states,” said Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), the top Republican on the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee who pushed to get the bill passed.

The $105 billion bill passed in the House 387-26 after it went through several extensions.

The reauthorization includes several safety measures including requiring the FAA to hire more air traffic controllers amid a chronic shortage.

“When you’re looking at what’s been delaying our travel, a lot of it comes down to our traffic controllers and our traffic controller workforce, and also the safety component of this I think is really important,” said Rep. Colin Allred (D-TX).

Other significant parts of the bill include mandating refunds for delayed and canceled flights and improving runway safety.

“This bill makes major investments, number one, in aviation safety, the number one priority when it comes to aviation is making sure your family is safe, my family is safe,” said Sen. Cruz.

The bill also :

• Includes the right for families with small children to be seated together without paying a fee.
• Modernizes airport infrastructure.
• Mandates 25-hour cockpit voice recordings for safety.
• Turbocharges funding to pay for flights to small and rural communities, benefiting places like parts of Alaska.

“Aviation is so important to Alaska; more than any other state by far. As you know, we have over 230 communities that are not connected by roads. So aviation, you know, more pilots per capita, critical for our state,” said Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK).

The bill also adds longer distance flights at Reagan National Airport, serving Washington DC. The flights were the subject of bitter debate but were ultimately included.

Sen. Cruz says that will benefit communities in his state like San Antonio.

“San Antonio has an enormous military population, both active duty military and veterans. So much so that its nickname is Military City, USA. Reagan Airport is right next to the Pentagon for people coming up and needing to go to meetings at the Pentagon. It’s about a mile away from Arlington Memorial Cemetery. And so I led the way, fighting for San Antonio to get a new direct flight to Reagan,” he said.

The bill is next off to President Biden and he is expected to sign it into law.

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