President Biden Signs FAA Reauthorization Measure

May 17, 2024

On May 16, President Biden (above) signed a multiyear Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill into law; a measure that provides a total of $105 billion in authorized funding for fiscal years 2024 through 2028.

[Official White House above photo by Oliver Contreras]

“The bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization is a big win for travelers, the aviation workforce, and our economy,” the president said in a statement. “It will expand critical protections for air travelers, strengthen safety standards, and support pilots, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers. I want to thank members of both parties who worked together over many months to pass this long-term reauthorization.”

That signing comes after the House of Representatives passed the reauthorization measure – known as H.R. 3935 – by a vote of 387-26 on May 15. That followed passage of the legislation by the Senate the week before by a vote of 88-4.

Sen. Duckworth. Photo by AASHTO.

[Editor’s note: At the 2024 Washington Briefing held by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in Washington, D.C., Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) – chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation, Operations, and Innovation within the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation – explained why the FAA reauthorization measure is critical to addressing what she described as an ongoing “aviation safety crisis” in the United States.]

The FAA has been operating under a series of short term extensions since expiration of the previous FAA authorization measure on September 30, 2023.

Highlights of the bill include:

  • $66.7 billion for FAA operations and safety programs;
  • $4 billion from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund for the Airport Improvement Program or AIP account each fiscal year of the authorization;
  • $17.8 billion for FAA facilities and equipment;
  • $1.59 billion for FAA research, engineering, and development;
  • $738 million in authorized funding for the National Transportation Safety Board FY 2024 through 2028.

In early May, AASHTO expressed support for this now-signed measure in a letter to the leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

“This legislation is a stellar example of bipartisan collaboration between the House and the Senate,” AASHTO said. “We look forward to its enactment in order to ensure continued investment in and modernization of our nation’s aviation infrastructure and operations.”

Related articles