On Thursday, the U.S. House voted on a third extension of the FAA Reauthorization bill formally called the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2024.
The extension, which initially expired March 8, will now give lawmakers until May 10 to decide on a long-term bill for the FAA. Approved by the House in a bipartisan 409-13 vote, the bill will now be sent to the Senate and then to the president for final approval.
While the five-year reauthorization overwhelmingly passed the House in July with bipartisan support, the bill has been stalled in the Senate for months, namely over disagreements on the pilot retirement age and training requirements.
Once the Senate considers the bill, Congress can begin hashing out the differences in both versions and pass a long-term resolution.
Several industry groups and members of Congress have expressed frustration with the Senate’s inaction. In a December statement, House leadership said, “The Senate must promptly act on a long-term bill, as a series of short-term extensions hamstrings FAA operations, maintains outdated policies, and fails to provide critical policy updates for aviation safety, efficiency, innovation, and more.”
