The bill will promote public safety and maintain American leadership in aviation

Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Terri Sewell (AL-07) voted to pass the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for five years. The bill will maintain American leadership in aviation safety and aerospace innovation, strengthen and diversify the U.S. aviation workforce, make groundbreaking investments in sustainability and resiliency, and improve consumer protections and accessibility. It passed in the House of Representatives on Thursday by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 351-69.

“Millions of Americans depend on the Federal Aviation Administration for safe and reliable air travel,” said Rep. Sewell. “With this strong, bipartisan legislation, Congress is ensuring that the FAA can continue that essential mission while fostering innovation and providing additional protections for airline passengers. I am particularly excited that this bill authorizes funding to recruit workers from underrepresented communities so that we can build a more diverse and inclusive aviation workforce. I was proud to vote in favor of this bill and thrilled to see it pass the House today!”

The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act will:

• Maintain America’s Gold Standard in Safety:
• America’s aviation system is the safest in the world and the FAA reauthorization will continue to prioritize the safety of the flying public, the aviation workforce, and communities.
• Key provisions will expand ground surveillance at airports to help prevent runway incursions, update evacuation standards for commercial planes, and create a task force on preventing assaults against flight crews.

• Foster Innovation:
• To preserve America’s competitive edge in aviation and deliver for the American people, this bill will create the regulatory environment for innovative companies to develop and deploy emerging technologies.
• Communities can look forward to drones helping first responders to fight wildfires and advanced air mobility (AAM) aircraft improving mobility while reducing carbon and noise pollution.

• Strengthen and Diversify the U.S. Aviation Workforce:
• To ensure our aviation workforce can compete globally in the evolving aviation sector, this bill triples FAA’s aviation workforce development funding to $45 million a year, expanding our talent pipeline of pilots, maintenance technicians, and aviation manufacturing workers among other critical professions.
• Crucially, it funds efforts to recruit and retain people from underrepresented communities in the aviation industry.

• Expand Consumer Protections and Accessibility:
• Consumers deserve reliable air travel, whether that means being reimbursed for costs incurred due to flight disruptions or having peace of mind while traveling with a wheelchair or mobility aid.
• The FAA reauthorization protects consumers from mass cancellations and delays by requiring airlines to plan for reimbursements for hotels and meal costs. It also works to allow young families to sit together at no extra cost.
• It also takes important steps to ensure safe and dignified air travel for passengers by directing airlines to create a roadmap to reduce damage to wheelchairs and improve airline personnel training to better assist these passengers.

• Promote Environmental Sustainability and Resilience:
• The transportation sector is the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the climate crisis in the U.S.
• The bill accelerates the green energy transition and for the first time invests in federal airport funding for airport environmental and noise programs—an important change that will better equip airports to continue to serve communities amid the impacts of climate change. 

Find a section-by-section summary here.