The measure was approved on a bipartisan basis – 351 to 69. The Senate has not yet passed its own version of an FAA reauthorization bill. Among a wide range of provisions, the bill directs the FAA to increase hiring targets for air traffic controllers. The bill also raises the retirement age for commercial airline pilots from 65 to 67, among other things. The White House outlined concerns as well, related to issues such as the protection of consumer rights, agency restructuring, standards for airport service workers and age standards for pilots. bill aims to make improvements to efficacy and operations at the agency, expand the workforce for the aviation industry, invest in airport infrastructure and improve the general public’s passenger experience for air travel, it says. The measure also reauthorizes the National Transportation Safety Board through fiscal year 2028, according to the bill. It was passed by the House on Thursday by a vote of 205 to 229, the White House said in a statement of administration policy. It said the bill “would enhance aviation safety; invest in and improve on-the-job safety for our aviation workforce … strengthen passenger rights; and improve our aviation infrastructure,” the statement said. It added that the administration “looks forward to working with the Congress to address the administration’s concerns” The bill was passed on a bipartisanship-based basis, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee said in its statement of policy, and the Senate has yet to pass its version of the bill, it said. The House and Senate are expected to vote on the bill on Thursday night or Friday morning, the committee said in an statement of its policy, which is expected to be a bipartisan effort, and then the Senate on Friday afternoon or Friday afternoon, depending on the timing of the vote, the statement added. It’s not clear if the Senate will pass its own bill, which would be a partisan issue. The issue has crossed partisan lines as some lawmakers argue that adding flights will give consumers more choice and bring down prices, while others say it would increase congestion and delays at the airport. The amendment failed by aVote of 205-229. It would have added seven roundtrip flights daily from Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport. It also would have increased the number of air traffic control officers from 1,000 to 2,000, the measure says. It is not clear whether the measure would have passed the Senate, where it would have been approved by a voice vote, or the House, which could have passed it by a two-to-one vote. The vote was held on a party-line vote, with Republicans in favor and Democrats in favor of the measure in both houses of Congress. It passed by a Vote of 205 – 229, with the House taking the lead in the final tally, with Democrats in second place and Republicans in third place. It will now go to the Senate for a vote on whether to pass the measure, which was expected to take place in the next few days, the panel said.
U.S. House passes Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. House passed bill to reauthorize FAA. House also passes bill to fund National Transportation Safety Board.
