The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) applauded the U.S. Congress for approving a long-term FAA Reauthorization bill (H.R. 3945), which provides important direction and stability to the FAA. GAMA President and CEO, Pete Bunce, issued the following statement regarding the approval of the bill:
“It is vitally important for the entire aviation ecosystem to finally have Congress pass a long-term FAA Reauthorization bill. The final bill contains many of the important provisions that GAMA strongly advocated for throughout the process, including during our Capitol Hill Day last week, when our board members met with over 120 lawmakers while the Senate was finalizing the bill. Overall, the bill supports safety, innovation, infrastructure investment, sustainability and the aviation workforce.
“Key provisions include establishing a new Assistant Administrator for Rulemaking and Regulatory Improvement, requiring a review of the rulemaking process to reduce bureaucratic delays, strengthening the current workforce development grants for pilots and maintenance technicians by including eligibility for manufacturing workers, furthering air traffic and airport operations through pilot programs for mobile delivery of air traffic clearances and electric aircraft infrastructure, fostering future improvements in certification and production oversight, expanding sustainability research programs, and following through on initiatives focused on a safe transition to unleaded avgas. It will also increase the effectiveness of aviation safety bilateral agreements to support the acceptance of safety enhancing technologies and new products including Advanced Air Mobility.
“It has been a long journey to get to this point, and we are thankful for the hard work of Representatives Sam Graves, Rick Larsen, Garret Graves and Steve Cohen, and Senators Maria Cantwell, Ted Cruz, Tammy Duckworth and Jerry Moran, and their staffs, to build the bipartisan support to get this bill across the finish line. The final bill will help strengthen the FAA and facilitate the general aviation sector’s future path towards increasing levels of safety, innovation and transportation options for communities of all sizes.”
