FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018

FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018
Name	FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018
Enacted by	115th United States Congress
Effective date	December 12, 2018
Public law	115–254
Signed by	Donald Trump
Introduced in	United States House of Representatives
Introduced by	Bill Shuster
Committees	House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

Contents

FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 was a multiyear statutory renewal that amended aviation law and funded Federal Aviation Administration operations, modernization, and safety programs, following prior measures such as the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 and procedural precedents set by the Aviation and Transportation Security Act. The law, negotiated amid lobbying by entities including Air Line Pilots Association, International, Airlines for America, and National Air Traffic Controllers Association, aimed to balance interests represented by lawmakers such as Roger Wicker, Maria Cantwell, and Bill Shuster while reflecting policy debates from the 2016 United States presidential election and oversight from the Government Accountability Office.

Background and Legislative History

Congress debated reauthorization amid capacity and safety concerns highlighted by incidents involving carriers like Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Legislative activity involved markups in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and hearings in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with testimony from representatives of Boeing, Airbus, General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and National Transportation Safety Board. Negotiations paralleled discussions in the Congressional Budget Office about budget scoring and followed precedents from temporary continuing resolutions and prior reauthorizations such as those enacted during the Barack Obama administration. Final passage in the 115th United States Congress culminated in signature by Donald Trump on December 12, 2018.

Major provisions included extensions of FAA funding, reforms to Federal Aviation Administration workforce and accountability measures, updates to certification processes affecting manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus, and mandates for pilot training and fatigue research involving institutions such as National Institutes of Health-funded centers and the National Academy of Medicine. The statute addressed consumer protections espoused by groups including Airline Passenger Rights advocates, made changes to the Airport Improvement Program, and created grant authorities impacting authorities like the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The act authorized multiyear funding levels for Federal Aviation Administration operations, the Air Traffic Control system, and capital programs such as the Next Generation Air Transportation System modernization, with appropriations scored by the Congressional Budget Office and oversight from the Office of Management and Budget. Funding streams affected federal entities including the Department of Transportation and influenced contract obligations for aerospace contractors such as Honeywell International and Raytheon Technologies. The law adjusted excise tax collections impacting carriers like Delta Air Lines and American Airlines through changes in aviation fuel and ticket tax structures debated alongside appropriations for Airport Improvement Program grants.

Safety reforms included mandates for improved screening and maintenance oversight coordinated with the National Transportation Safety Board, updates to pilot training standards influenced by Air Line Pilots Association, International, and directives for maintenance record transparency responding to incidents investigated by Transportation Safety Board-style agencies. The act expanded research on fatigue and mental health with involvement from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and required new rulemaking affecting certification authorities such as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency in transatlantic regulatory coordination. It also included provisions for whistleblower protections parallel to protections overseen by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

The legislation contained significant UAS provisions addressing commercial operators like Amazon (company) and UPS, recreational users tied to advocacy from Academy of Model Aeronautics, and public safety agencies such as Federal Emergency Management Agency. It mandated rulemaking for remote identification, operator registration overseen by the Transportation Security Administration, and phased integration of unmanned aircraft into the National Airspace System with reference to technology standards from organizations including ASTM International and RTCA, Inc.. Provisions also allocated grant funding for counter-UAS research involving contractors and institutions such as MIT, Stanford University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Reauthorization supported continued implementation of NextGen (National Airspace System) programs, funding for modernization projects at major hubs including Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, and Chicago O'Hare International Airport, and procurement authorities affecting equipment suppliers like Northrop Grumman. It addressed modernization governance debated in comparisons to Air Traffic Organization reform proposals and included measures for cybersecurity in systems coordinated with Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency priorities.

Implementation required rulemaking by the Federal Aviation Administration and coordination with international partners such as the European Commission and International Civil Aviation Organization. Compliance efforts have engaged labor groups including Transport Workers Union of America and regulatory review by the Government Accountability Office, influencing airline policies at carriers including JetBlue Airways and Alaska Airlines. The act’s impact has been assessed in reports by academic centers like the Brookings Institution and RAND Corporation analyzing congestion, safety metrics, and industry costs.

Controversies included debates over privatization analogies referencing prior proposals in the 2016 United States presidential election, disputes about pilot training exemptions championed by regional carriers such as SkyWest Airlines and scrutiny over UAS privacy implications raised by civil liberties groups like the American Civil Liberties Union. Subsequent amendments and riders were proposed in the 116th United States Congress and litigated matters engaged courts including the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and administrative reviews by the Department of Justice.