Collins Statement on Passage of FAA Reauthorization Agreement
Washington, D.C.—Today, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 3935, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, as amended following a nearly one-year negotiation with the Senate.
Representative Mike Collins, a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, issued the following statement as the legislation heads to President Biden for his signature:
"America leads, and the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 will ensure it stays that way. By improving safety, modernizing the FAA, expanding the aviation workforce, investing in our nation's airports, bolstering our general aviation community, and so much more, this bill will keep us on the cutting edge of innovation while maintaining the world's safest skies. I am proud to have been part of crafting this legislation as a member of the Transportation Committee, and that my amendment to clear the runway for commercial hypersonic travel in the future was included in the final version of the bill.
"Thank you to Chairman Sam Graves, Ranking Member Rick Larsen, Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Garret Graves, and Ranking Member Steve Cohen for your leadership throughout this process. This bill, which is the product of the hard work of so many people, is a big win for the aviation community, the traveling public, and our country as a whole."
Background
The FAA reauthorization will reauthorize Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs for the next five years and:
- Provide long-term stability across the aviation system
- Improve efficiency and operations at the FAA
- Bolster the General Aviation (GA) sector
- Encourage growth in the aviation workforce with an emphasis on pilots and mechanics
- Invest in critical airport infrastructure across America
- Maintain U.S. leadership in safety
- Improve the travel experience for passengers
Rep. Collins's Hypersonic Amendment:
The United States is in a tight race to lead in the new field of hypersonic aviation against adversaries like China and Russia. The challenge facing hypersonic manufacturers is that the FAA has yet to implement a policy framework for the incorporation of hypersonic aircraft into the national airspace system. This has led to concerns that the agency will not be prepared to certify and regulate hypersonic aircraft when the technology is ready to be deployed.
Rep. Collins' amendment mandates the FAA to study and create that framework and to coordinate with NASA to determine at what altitude sonic booms caused by hypersonic aircraft are inaudible on the ground and then authorize flights at or above that level.
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