Sponsors (12)
The bill transfers three historic F‑14D aircraft to museums/nonprofits to expand public access and preservation while shifting restoration costs, safety risks, and compliance burdens (and waiving U.S. liability) onto the recipients and visitors.
Taxpayers and the federal budget face lower direct costs because the receiving Commission must pay all conveyance, compliance, operation, and maintenance costs for the aircraft.
Museums, visitors, and educational institutions will receive three historic F‑14D aircraft for public display and airshows, increasing public access to U.S. naval aviation heritage and opportunities for education and tourism.
Qualified nonprofit contractors and preservation organizations gain work and mission-related activity because they are allowed to restore the aircraft, supporting nonprofit technical-restoration capacity and preservation efforts.
Nonprofits, visitors, and the public lose federal liability protection because the United States is barred from liability for post-conveyance deaths, injuries, or property damage, shifting legal and financial risk onto recipients and visitors.
Nonprofits and receiving institutions inherit restoration and safety burdens because conveyances are made 'as‑is' and the Secretary is not required to repair the aircraft, leaving restoration costs and potential safety liabilities to the Commission.
Nonprofits and museums face ongoing restrictions and compliance costs because strict demilitarization, export-control, and reversion conditions limit how the aircraft can be used or transferred and complicate long-term stewardship.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows the Navy to convey three F‑14D Tomcats to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission under conditions requiring demilitarization, recipient payment of costs, and compliance with export/aviation laws.
Official title: To authorize the conveyance by the Secretary of the Navy to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission in Huntsville, Alabama, of certain F-14D Tomcat aircraft, and for other purposes.
Introduced April 16, 2026 by Abraham J. Hamadeh · Last progress April 16, 2026
Authorizes the Secretary of the Navy to transfer ownership of three F‑14D Tomcat aircraft to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center Commission in Huntsville, Alabama as conditional deeds of gift. The recipient must pay all costs, accept the aircraft “as‑is,” demilitarize them to remove combat capability, comply with FAA and federal export/control laws, and is allowed to restore or display the aircraft (including by contracting with qualified nonprofits) subject to reversion and other protective terms.