Senate Passes Five-Year FAA Reauthorization Bill

The $105 billion bipartisan bill was overwhelmingly approved in a vote of 88-4.

Amelia Walsh

Friday, May 10, 2024 at 01:14 PM ET

Verified

FAA Reauthorization is considered the last “must pass” measure for Congress before this fall. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

The U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved a five-year, $105 billion bipartisan reauthorization bill for the FAA, just one day before its expiration, and sent it to the House for a final vote.
The legislation aims to strengthen aviation safety standards, grow the air traffic controller and safety inspector workforce, and implement new safety technology.
Key provisions include increasing cockpit voice recorder length from two to 25 hours, but it does not include an amendment to raise the pilot retirement age.
The bill, considered a "must-pass" measure, faced prior delays in the Senate primarily due to provisions concerning increased flights into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The U.S. Senate approved a five-year reauthorization of the FAA on Thursday, just one day ahead of its expiration date.

The $105 billion bipartisan bill, dubbed the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, was overwhelmingly passed in an 88-4 vote. Following its passage, the Senate also approved a one-week extension to ensure the House had enough time to vote on the bill before it is sent to the President Joe Biden’s desk for final approval.