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Senate’s FAA Reauthorization Bill Met with Support from Aviation Groups

Sen. John Thune (R-SD) (center, during a visit to Sioux Falls in 2016) introduced the Senate's FAA reauthorization bill, which would not privatize ATC. John Thune/Facebook
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Key Takeaways:

  • The FAA's authorization is set to expire, leading both the House and Senate to propose reauthorization bills with contrasting approaches.
  • The House bill advocates for the privatization of air traffic control (ATC), a measure backed by President Trump but largely opposed by major aviation organizations like AOPA, EAA, NBAA, and NATA.
  • Conversely, the Senate's proposal explicitly excludes ATC privatization, focusing instead on enhancing safety, improving the existing FAA-managed system, boosting rural air access, and introducing new consumer protections, receiving strong support from key aviation groups.
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With a little more than a month left before the Senate and House enjoy their August recess, the clock is ticking for FAA reauthorization. The agency’s current deal will expire at the end of September, and so both the House and Senate are seeking to pass long-term plans that would finally solve, or at least begin to solve, some of the real issues affecting U.S. aviation. The most prominent issue has been ATC privatization, which is backed by President Donald Trump and was included in the House’s 21st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization Act, introduced by Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA) on Wednesday.

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