Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-431-5970, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, Dec. 18, 2025 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomed today’s passage by the House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee of a bill that would ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic system continues to operate in the event of a future government shutdown.
The Aviation Funding Solvency Act (H.R.6086) – sponsored by T&I Committee Chair Sam Graves (R-6-MO) and Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-02-WA), as well as Aviation Subcommittee Chair Troy Nehls (R-22-TX) and Ranking Member Andre Carson (D-7-IN) – was approved by the panel with broad bipartisan support.
The legislation would allow the FAA to use money already collected from aviation users to pay air traffic controllers and maintain other critical functions any time federal funding lapses.
During the 43-day government shutdown that ended last month, FAA air traffic controllers were not paid, leading to reduced capacity that prompted the Department of Transportation to scale back operations at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports and prohibit general aviation operations at 12 of those airports.
“We thank Chairman Graves, Ranking Member Larsen and the committee for advancing this legislation to ensure that controllers remain focused on their duties, and we prevent operational disruptions to aviation safety and system reliability,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.
In a Dec. 16 letter sent to the committee in support of the bill, Bolen noted that continued, safe, efficient aviation system operations are a national imperative, pointing to the central role of general aviation in the nation’s economic and transportation systems.
“General aviation supports 1.2 million jobs and $340 billion in annual economic impact,” Bolen’s letter states, adding that a lapse in federal funding for FAA operations puts at risk the sector’s diverse range of mission types, and the resulting benefits to citizens, companies and communities nationwide. Review Bolen’s Dec. 16, 2025, letter to the House T&I Committee in support of H.R.6086.
Last month, NBAA and the Modern Skies Coalition urged Congress to pass legislation to shield the FAA from future government closures.
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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 10,000 company and professional members and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at nbaa.org.
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