Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Fund FAA Through Shutdowns 

On Thursday, legislation was introduced into the House of Representatives aimed at establishing an additional funding pathway that would allow the FAA to keep all of its programs running in the event of a government shutdown. 

The Aviation Funding Stability Act is sponsored by Representative Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), former ranking member of the House Aviation Subcommittee, and cosponsored by Representative André Carson (D-Indiana), current subcommittee member. The bill would authorize the FAA to draw funding from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF) for 30 days while a shutdown persists. 

Funds generated by the AATF from the domestic passenger ticket tax, commercial fuel tax, general aviation gasoline tax, and cargo tax would be enough to fund FAA programs during a shutdown, according to the lawmakers. 

“The aviation system is too critical to be caught up in Washington’s budget battles,” said Cohen in a news release. “This bill would allow the FAA to tap into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to keep essential operations running, so planes stay in the air, safety inspections continue, and modernization projects don’t grind to a halt. At a time with continued government uncertainty, this measure is a no-brainer and just makes sense.”

This isn’t the first time members of Congress have introduced legislation designed to fund the FAA throughout a government shutdown. In 2021, retired Oregon Democratic congressman Peter DeFazio and then-Aviation Subcommittee Chair Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) presented identical legislation that, after being placed on the Union Calendar, has received no actions since late 2022.

On the Senate side, Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) has been a champion of sorts for similar legislative efforts, introducing bills on two separate occasions to keep the FAA funded. First in 2019, and most recently in March, Moran has put forth continued funding initiatives for the agency if an appropriations bill is not enacted before the new fiscal year begins. 

“Critical functions at the FAA can be suspended during a shutdown, causing significant issues for aircraft manufacturers and regional airports, and—importantly—passengers needing to get to their next destination quickly and safely,” Moran said in a 2019 statement. “Previous shutdowns have affected every function of aviation and air travel and have specifically harmed regional airports and put a strain on air traffic controllers nationwide.”

Last week’s introduction of the Aviation Funding Stability Act comes at a precarious time for Congress as a real government shutdown looms if lawmakers on both sides cannot reach an agreement before federal funding expires on September 30. 

Currently, the Aviation Funding Stability Act has been referred to the Transportation and Infrastructure and the Ways and Means committees in the House. While it’s unlikely the bill will make any headway before a spending deal is reached, it does give proponents momentum in highlighting continued FAA funding during a shutdown once an agreement eventually comes to fruition.