Duckworth Tells AeroClub: Senate Considering FAA Bill; Continuing Resolution Likely

Sept. 28, 2023

With FAA funding set to expire Sept. 30, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) told the AeroClub of Washington, DC, she is hopeful a continuing resolution (CR) will pass to keep funding in place at current levels through the end of the year, as the Senate hammers out its version of a multi-year FAA reauthorization bill.

Duckworth, who chairs the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation’s Aviation Subcommittee, said, “There’s a lot of good stuff in the bill,” but it won’t advance as long as the “pilot rule is under attack.” Duckworth is an advocate of the 1,500-hour rule and believes safety would be compromised if that rule were relaxed.

The House of Representatives passed its version of the FAA reauthorization bill this summer, with support from NBAA and other aviation organizations.

Regarding the looming government shutdown, Duckworth said she thinks the Senate will pass a CR to keep the government as a whole running past Sept. 30, though she’s unsure the House would act on it by the deadline.

“There is a very high likelihood of a shutdown,” she said, adding neither party in the Senate wants the shutdown and only a handful of House members are in favor of it. When asked what this means for aviation specifically, Duckworth noted that if anyone is getting on a plane next Monday, they should know air traffic controllers are working without pay.

As for a hearing on Michael Whitaker, who has been nominated to head the FAA, Duckworth said she’s had great conversations with him and there’s a confirmation hearing scheduled for next week.

Duckworth also addressed the need to bolster the aviation workforce, particularly with women who make up less than 10% of licensed pilots and 2.6% of aviation maintenance technicians. She noted that the FAA bill would include provisions for increasing the workforce, such as through grants and making training less expensive.

“We need to grow that,” she said. “If we want to continue to lead on a global scale, we have to bring in our entire population.”