FAA Authorization Extended Through December 31, 2023: Now What?

The U.S. Congress has passed the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 to avert a government shutdown and fund the government through November 17, 2023.  Included was a measure to extend FAA Authorization  – set to expire 9/30 – through December 31, 2023.

The House of Representatives  Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO), Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA), issued the following statement on the FAA Extension:

“Reauthorizing the FAA is vital to ensuring the safe and efficient operation of America’s aviation system. Though the House overwhelmingly passed a bill in July to reauthorize the FAA for five years, the Senate needs additional time to consider and reach final agreement on a multi-year FAA bill, thus, passing a short-term extension in order to ensure all FAA programs continue to function while negotiations continue is necessary. But make no mistake, enacting a long-term bill as soon as possible is a top priority, as a series of short-term extensions will be detrimental to the FAA, airport infrastructure improvements, and the aviation industry.”

The moves averted the potential of major disruption in the aviation sector: if the government shutdown had occurred along with the expiration of the FAA Reauthorization Bill of 2018, the compounding effect could have been dire as thousands of employees were furloughed and essential staff required to work without pay.  While the extension solves the immediate problem of funding, it does not provide the roadmap of priorities and deadlines for the agency that a full 5-year FAA Reauthorization package offers.

While the House has passed a package, the Senate has struggled to get agreement on a number of issues.  As other priorities crowd the schedule, stakeholders fear that a long term FAA Reauthorization may get pushed to the back burner.  (The 2012 FAA Reauthorization took 5 years: there were 18 extensions before the 2018 FAA Reauthorization was passed.)

In addition, the Senate must confirm President Biden’s pick for FAA Administrator, Mike Whitaker, before he can take the position.  The current Acting FAA Administrator, Polly Trottenberg, must by law vacate the seat on October 25, 2023.

Without a long term funding package, which comes with clear priorities and deadlines, and a long term leader, the FAA is handicapped in moving forward on the long-term work that must be done to ensure that advanced unmanned aircraft can be safely integrated into the NAS.

Michael Robbins, Chief Advocacy Officer of leading drone advocacy organization AUVSI, made the following statement: