The Latest From Washington
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Facial Recognition Bill Pulled from Senate Commerce Business Meeting
The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee pulled S. 1691, the Traveler Privacy Protection Act, from consideration at its business meeting.
08/30/2025
Airport Alert
Action Alert: Urge Your Senators to Oppose Legislation Limiting Facial Recognition Technology at Checkpoints
The Senate Commerce Committee is scheduled to consider troubling bipartisan legislation – S.1691, the Traveler Privacy Protection Act – that would limit the TSA’s use of facial recognition technology at security checkpoints.
07/28/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: More Details Emerge on Senate Version of FY26 DOT/FAA Spending Bill
The Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday overwhelmingly approved a Fiscal Year 2026 transportation spending bill that includes $4 billion for the Airport Improvement Program and an additional $319.4 million for airport earmarks and supplemental AIP grants.
07/25/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Senate Committee Clears FY26 DOT/FAA Spending Bill; Proposes $4 Billion for AIP
The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved a Fiscal Year 2026 transportation spending bill by a vote of 27 to 1 that includes $4 billion for the Airport Improvement Program.
07/24/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Key House Committee Advances FY26 DOT/FAA Funding Bill
After a marathon session, the House Appropriations Committee on a party-line vote today approved its proposed FY26 spending bill for DOT and FAA.
07/17/2025
Airport Alert
Hearing Report: DOT Secretary Duffy Discusses ATC Modernization and Other Issues During House Transportation Committee Hearing
DOT Secretary Sean Duffy appeared before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee today for an oversight hearing on the Department’s policies, programs, and budget priorities.
07/16/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Requests Comments on AIP Handbook Update
The FAA requested comments from industry stakeholders on recommended changes to the agency’s AIP Handbook, which is also known as FAA Order 5100.38D.
07/16/2025
Airport Alert
Hearing Report: House Committee Stresses It Is Time to Pass Expanded Counter-UAS Legislation
The House Homeland Security Committee’s Transportation and Maritime Security Subcommittee held a hearing titled “Surveillance, Sabotage, and Strikes: Industry Perspectives on How Drone Warfare Abroad Is Transforming Threats at Home” this morning.
07/15/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House Subcommittee Approves FY26 DOT/FAA Spending Bill With $4 Billion for AIP
The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies met late this afternoon and approved its version of the Fiscal Year 2026 DOT/FAA spending bill on a party-line vote of 9 to 7.
07/14/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House Committee Unveils FY26 DOT/FAA Spending Bill; Proposes $4 Billion For AIP
The House Appropriations Committee unveiled its FY26 transportation spending bill, and the measure proposes $4 billion for the traditional AIP account and slightly more than $313.7 million in supplemental AIP funding.
07/13/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Releases $674.3 Million in FY25 AIP Grants for Projects at 323 Airports
The FAA released a list of over $674 million in infrastructure grant awards as part of the FY25 Airport Improvement Program, including $397.4 million in entitlement grants and $276.8 million in discretionary grants.
07/11/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Releases $397.6 Million in FY25 AIP Grants for Projects at 248 Airports
The FAA released a list of over $397 million in infrastructure grant awards as part of the FY25 AIP, including $270.0 million in entitlement grants and $127.5 million in discretionary grants.
07/09/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Senate Confirms Bryan Bedford As FAA Administrator
The Senate voted to confirm Bryan Bedford to be the next Administrator of the FAA.
07/09/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: AAAE Seeks Feedback on Updated DOT/FAA NEPA Implementation Guidance
AAAE is seeking feedback from our members on recently released guidance documents from the DOT and FAA that implement their responsibilities under NEPA.
07/09/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: DOT and FAA Provide Opportunity for Comments on Updated NEPA Implementation Guidance
DOT and FAA published notices and provided an opportunity for public comments on their updated guidance documents that implement NEPA, which the department and agency released earlier this week.
07/03/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House Approves Reconciliation Package
After a marathon session, the House passed H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act – a massive budget reconciliation package that extends the 2017 tax cuts and contains $12.5 billion for air traffic control modernization.
07/03/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: DOT and FAA Release Updated NEPA Implementation Guidance; Orders Take Effect Immediately
The DOT released significant updates to the guidance documents that implement NEPA for the department and FAA, including a long-awaited update to FAA Order 1050.1.
07/01/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Senate Commerce Committee Advances Bedford Nomination
The Senate Commerce Committee approved Bryan Bedford to be the Administrator of the FAA.
06/25/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Releases $364 Million in FY25 AIP Grants for Projects at 289 Airports
The FAA released a list of over $364 million in infrastructure grant awards as part of the FY25 AIP, including $268.0 million in entitlement grants and $96.6 million in discretionary grants.
06/25/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House Committee Advances FY26 DHS/TSA/CBP Spending Bill
The House Appropriations Committee approved on a party-line vote of 36-27 its version of the fiscal year 2026 spending bill for DHA and its component agencies, including TSA and CBP.
06/24/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Rodney Scott Confirmed as CBP Commissioner
The Senate confirmed Rodney Scott as the CBP Commissioner.
06/18/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: AAAE Supports DOT Proposal to Limit New Mandates in Guidance Documents
AAAE expressed support to DOT for a proposed rule that would implement department policies and procedures to govern the issuance of new regulations and guidance documents by its operating administrations, including the FAA.
06/17/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: FY26 DHS Appropriations Report Released, More Good News for Airports
In advance of consideration of the FY26 funding bill for DHS by the full House Appropriations Committee tomorrow morning, the Committee released its FY26 report.
06/11/2025
Airport Alert
Hearing Report: Lawmakers Question Bedford about ATC Reform and 1,500-Hour Rule
Lawmakers questioned Bryan Bedford about air traffic control reform, the 1,500-hour pilot training rule, and small community issues at a Senate Commerce Committee nomination hearing.
06/11/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House DHS Subcommittee Unveils FY26 Funding Recommendations; Key Priorities Addressed
The House Appropriations Subcommittee unveiled its proposed FY26 spending bill for DHS and its component agencies, including TSA and CBP.
06/08/2025
