House Headed Towards Final Passage on FAA Bill

July 19, 2023

House lawmakers today opened debate on a bipartisan FAA reauthorization bill and overwhelmingly rejected an amendment that would have reduced funding for FAA programs and ratcheted back a proposed increase for AIP funding from $4 billion to $3.8 billion. A proposal to eliminate Essential Air Service funding was also defeated.
 
The House rifled through more than 80 amendments of the slightly more than 100 that are up for debate. Leaders conveniently grouped more than 70 amendments into four separate blocs. The House quickly approved the first three groups of amendments by voice vote and considered more than 20 standalone amendments during today's session.
 
During a late-night voting session, the House rejected a controversial plan to increase the number of slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport by seven round trips daily. Lawmakers also adopted an amendment to strike a provision in the bill that would have allowed pilots to count 150 hours of simulator time toward the 1,500-hour requirement. 
 
Considering the good progress on the floor today, the House is on track to approve the FAA bill tomorrow. Lawmakers have one bloc of amendments remaining and only a few standalone proposals to get through before completing action on the bipartisan bill. The House reconvenes tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.
 
First Bloc of Amendments

Bean/Spaceport (245): The underlying bill would allow 'airports that are spaceports to AIP funds to repave the entire length and width of their runway' depending on need. Rep. Aaron Bean (R-FL) has an amendment that would expand eligibility to include connecting taxiways.

Cammack/Catchment Area Analyses (303): Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) has an amendment that would make catchment area analyses AIP eligible.
 
Castro/DBE Awards (304): Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) has an amendment that would require DOT 'to make publicly available the Uniform report of DBE awards commitments and payment for each airport sponsor beginning with fiscal year 2024.'
 
Donalds/Emergency Response Plans (327): Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) has an amendment that would require the DOTIG to 'consult with FAA-certified airports and industry stakeholders to evaluate the airports' emergency response plans and determine whether such plans appropriately assess electricity-related considerations relating to primary power source disruption events stemming from natural disasters.'
 
Eschoo/Community Collaboration Program (136): The underlying bill includes a provision that would require the FAA to create a 'Community Collaboration Program to harmonize policies and procedures across the Agency relating to community engagement, including establishing the Airport Community of Interest Task Force.' Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) has an amendment that would require the FAA 'to solicit feedback from communities impacted by aircraft noise as part of the Community Collaboration Program.'
 
Second Bloc of Amendments
 
Feenstra/EAS (57): Rep. Randy Feenstra's (R-IA) amendment directs DOT to respond with an approval or denial of any EAS application 'to the greatest extent practicable no later than 6 months after receiving such application.'

Hageman/Weather Observations (263): Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY) has an amendment that would require the FAA to 'provide easily accessible and streamlined non-federal weather observer training to airport personnel' so they can 'provide weather observations when automated surface observing systems and automated weather observing systems experience outages and errors.'

Hoyle/Safety Materials (102): Rep. Val Hoyle (D-OR) filed an amendment that would require the FAA 'to develop and publish safety training materials for airport ground crew workers (including supervisory employees) to help prevent accidents involving aircraft engine ingestion and jet blast hazards.'
 
Huizenga/Runway Length (234): Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-MI) has an amendment that would prevent DOT 'from requiring that an airport shorten or narrow their runway, apron, or taxiway as a condition for funding if the airport supports an Air Force or Air National Guard base at the airport, regardless of stationing of military aircraft.'
 
Johnson/Expedited Environmental Review (60): The underlying bill 'reforms and expands the applicability of FAA's expedited environmental review process and implements the major components of One Federal Decision.' The amendment by Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) encourages the FAA to use 'cloud-based, interactive digital platforms to meet community engagement and agency coordination requirements in the environmental review process.'
 
Kilmer/Resiliency (218): Rep. Derek Kilmer's (D-WA) amendment 'revises the expansion of AIP for resiliency improvements to include Incident Support Bases….'
 
Lynch/Community Collaboration Program (82): Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) has an amendment that 'ensures deliberate engagement with local community groups for the Community Collaboration Program.'
 
Lynch/Community Collaboration Program (192): Rep. Lynch has another amendment that 'revises the representative on the task force on Aviation and Airport Community Engagement to ensure that multiple airport communities and communities around airports are included.'
 
Third Bloc of Amendments
 
Magaziner/Cybersecurity (122): Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-RI) has an amendment that would allow airports to used AIP funds 'for projects to comply with cybersecurity standards and recommendations from the Civil Aviation Cybersecurity Rulemaking Committee.'
 
Meng/Noise (17): Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) filed an amendment that 'clarifies that as part of the Part 150 Noise Standard Update, feedback should be solicited from individuals living in overflight communities.'

Neguse/Community Collaboration Program (180): Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) filed an amendment that would require the proposed Community Collaboration Program to directly interview impacted residents.

Peltola/Runway Extensions (219): The underlying bill would prohibit DOT from requiring an airport to shorten a runway or prevent an airport from 'reconstructing and rehabilitating a primary runway on the basis that the airport does not have a sufficient number of aircraft operations.' Rep. Mary Peltola (D-AK) has an amendment that would broaden that section by prohibiting DOT from preventing airports from extending their runways. 

Standalone Amendments

Perry/FAA and AIP Funding (333): The House overwhelmingly rejected an amendment from Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) to cut funding for the FAA operations, research and development, and AIP accounts. If adopted, the amendment would have reduced AIP funding from the proposed $4 billion to $3.8 billion annually. We strongly oppose the amendment, and a coalition of groups, including AAAE and ACI-NA sent a letter opposing these cuts. The vote was 52-381.
 
Graves-Larsen/Manager's Amendment (354): Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves (R-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) offered a manager's amendment that includes a long list of policy and technical changes. The amendment would reduce the 'turnback' for large and medium hubs that impose PFCs above $3 from 75 percent to 40 percent. It also states that AIP funds 'shall not be subject to any notice of funding opportunity requirement.' The House approved the amendment by voice vote. 
 
Langworthy/Simulator Training (546): The underlying bill would allow 'a person applying for an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate to obtain up to 150 additional hours of the total aeronautical experience requirement in a full flight simulator representing an airplane that provides six-degrees of freedom motion.' The House approved an amendment offered by Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY) to strike that provision by a vote of 243 to 191.
 
Donalds/Apprenticeship (36): Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) offered an amendment that directs the FAA 'to consult with Part 141 flight schools and industry stakeholders to establish an apprenticeship program to bolster the qualified pilot pipeline.' The House adopted it by voice vote.
 
Feenstra/EMTs (326): The House rejected an amendment by Rep. Feenstra that would have exempted 'nonhub airports from the requirement to have at least one individual who maintains certification as an emergency medical technician during air carrier operations.' The vote was 203-231.
 
Issa/NOTAM (346): The House narrowly rejected an amendment by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) that would have require the FAA to 'make an objective, independent assessment of a NOTAM request when the request comes from outside the FAA.' The vote was 214-219.
 
McClintock-Perry/EAS (328): The House overwhelmingly rejected an amendment by Reps. Tom McClintock (R-CA) and Rick Perry that would have eliminated authorized funding for EAS. The vote was 49 to 386.

Miller/DEI (207): The House defeated an amendment by Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) offered that would have prevented any funds in the bill from being used to 'hire any diversity, equity, and inclusion officials or conduct training on diversity, equity, and inclusion.' The vote was 181-254.
 
Obernolte/Unleaded Avgas (240): The House approved an amendment by Rep. Jay Obernolte (R-CA) to clarify that nothing in the bill should be misconstrued to 'prevent an airport or any retail fuel seller from selling unleaded aviation gasoline that has been approved by the FAA and has an industry consensus standard for use in lieu of leaded aviation gasoline…..' The vote was 229-205.

Owens/Slots (356): By a vote of 205-229, the House rejected an amendment by Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) that would have added "7 new roundtrip in-and-beyond perimeter slots to DCA split between the 7 airlines servicing the airport.' 

Perry/Vertiport (344): The House rejected another amendment by Rep. Perry offered to strike a provision in the bill that would make vertiports AIP eligible. The vote was 45 to 387.
 
Amendments Not Offered
 
Brecheen/DBE-ACDBE (176): Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) did not offer his amendment that would have prohibited 'funding for the Airport Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program and the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program.'