Sponsors (14)
Strengthens Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) safety oversight, expands recruitment and training for air traffic controllers, and increases FAA–Department of Defense (DoD) coordination. It requires new analyses and reports after transport airplane accidents, tightens conflict‑of‑interest and whistleblower handling, mandates ADS‑B In equipage with performance standards, creates independent safety-management reviews, protects FAA staffing levels, and updates statutory hiring language for controllers.
Maintain an Enhanced Air Traffic Collegiate Training Initiative ("Enhanced Initiative") by leveraging the existing Collegiate Training Initiative program under 49 U.S.C. 44506(c) to support recruitment, education, and hiring of well-qualified developmental air traffic controllers.
Include, at a minimum, criteria for the Enhanced Initiative that require: (A) selecting partnerships with accredited institutions that offer an accredited air traffic curriculum to undergraduates; (B) determining participation criteria for accredited institutions; and (C) soliciting applications and providing guidance to interested accredited institutions (including current CTI participants).
Before selecting an institution for participation, evaluate the institution’s air traffic curriculum, including access to air traffic educational resources and proximity/access to air traffic facilities and equipment.
Certify that each institution seeking to participate has a qualified air traffic curriculum that provides at least an equivalent level of education and training to that provided at the FAA Academy.
Certify that all evaluations of students at institutions seeking to participate in the Enhanced Initiative are conducted by FAA-approved and certified evaluators.
Who is affected and how:
Aviation workforce (air traffic controllers, trainees, and instructors): The collegiate training initiative expands recruitment pipelines and creates new certification/selection rules, likely increasing hiring opportunities and training pathways. Changes to controller hiring limits and protections may increase staffing stability.
FAA employees and management: New IG audits, SMS reviews, and additional reporting increase oversight and may change internal procedures; workforce protections restrict certain management actions (hiring freezes, furloughs, reductions in force).
Air carriers and aircraft operators: Carriers required to install and operate ADS‑B In equipment will face capital and maintenance costs, must meet FAA performance standards, and comply with new equipage and operational rules. Smaller operators could feel disproportionate cost pressure.
Department of Defense and military flight operations: Stricter limits on ADS‑B Out exceptions, new DoD definition changes, a joint FAA–DoD council, and required MOUs increase scrutiny of military flight operations in the national airspace and require coordination and data sharing.
Travelers and the general public: Expected safety benefits from stronger accident risk assessments, better FAA SMS performance, and improved FAA–DoD coordination, but some operational changes or equipage requirements may affect airline costs or operations in the short term.
Colleges and higher education programs: Institutions qualifying for the collegiate training initiative will be tasked with meeting selection and certification standards to supply developmental controllers.
Oversight bodies and Congress: GAO and DOT IG are given expanded audit and review work; Congress will receive multiple reports and briefings on TARAM, SMS panel findings, conflict‑of‑interest compliance, and ADS‑B exception use.
Risks and resource considerations:
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Last progress June 5, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 5, 2025 by Maria E. Cantwell