The House of Representative’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will begin consideration of the 2023 FAA reauthorization bill June 13, 2023.
H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, is bipartisan legislation that reauthorizes the FAA for the next five years, as well as gives the agency its “marching orders” from lawmakers.
Work on the bill follows a series of hearings that were held this year on various aviation issues, as well as input from the aviation community.
The bill “takes important steps to ensure the United States maintains its status as the ‘Gold Standard’ in aviation safety, addresses airport infrastructure needs, and provides a number of provisions to improve and streamline FAA programs,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-Missouri).
“For over a century, the United States has led the world in aviation safety and innovation, but our ‘Gold Standard’ status is being threatened by increasing global competition, rapid developments in technology, a shortage of aviation professionals, and FAA’s own inefficiency,” he said.
“Not only does this legislation provide long-term stability and funding for the FAA, it also authorizes the important safety work of the National Transportation Safety Board,” he added.
Lawmakers noted that, if approved, the bill will:
- Improve FAA Efficiency and Operations by making targeted changes to the organizational structure of the FAA to improve overall efficiency, allow for innovation, and streamline the regulatory process.
- Strengthens America’s General Aviation Sector, with lawmakers noting that “most of our aviation professionals, including pilots and mechanics, get their start in GA. This bill recognizes that the success of the United States aviation system is built upon a strong GA foundation and includes the first-ever general aviation title to secure our aviation industry’s long-term success.”
- Grows the Aviation Workforce by removing barriers to pursuing aviation careers, expanding the aviation workforce pipeline, improving training standards, and more.
- Invests in Airport Infrastructure by authorizing “robust funding for airport infrastructure, including prioritizing investments for small and GA airports.”
- Encourages Aviation Innovation: “America has been a leader in aviation innovation. Unfortunately, due to bureaucratic hurdles, endless research, and pilot programs that are not leading to the development and incorporation of new technologies, China and other countries are beginning to surpass the United States,” lawmakers said. “The bill encourages the safe yet more efficient testing and integration of new technologies, such as drones and Advanced Air Mobility into the airspace.”
You can read the entire bill (all 773 pages) here.
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