On Tuesday, the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) released its priorities for the 2025 fiscal year’s Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill which include the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) re-authorization.
AIA urged Congress to continue to invest in the FAA as a way to ensure American leadership in the aviation and aerospace industries.
“Our industry is constantly on the cutting edge of technology. We develop, create, and deliver safe and reliable aviation. From advanced air mobility and next-generation air travel to space systems that will push us into a new era of space flight, the aerospace and defense industry will propel the United States into the future,” Vice President of Civil Aviation Di Reimold said. “AIA and our members have continually advocated for robust investments in the FAA to develop the proper policy framework and build the workforce that will continually enhance safety and efficiency and unleash innovative technologies to ensure U.S. leadership in this critical industry remains unchallenged.”
In a letter to the Senate and House Transportation, House and Urban Development and Related Agencies Committee, AIA informed U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and U.S. Reps. Steve Womack (R-AR) and Mike Quigley (D-IL) that it was pleased to see the investment in operations that Congress was willing to make, with some caveats.
“AIA is pleased to see a meaningful increase to FAA’s Operations appropriation when the overall cap on discretionary spending is so tight,” AIA said in the letter. “However, AIA notes that, under the proposed budget, FAA’s Aircraft Certification Service would receive a disproportionately low amount of the increase. As you know, Congress enacted legislation in December 2020 that required significantly higher staffing, training, and overall resources from the Aircraft Certification Service. Furthermore, it is likely that Congress will pass additional legislation affecting the certification process this year. Consequently, in FY25 we believe the Aircraft Certification Service should receive no less of an increase than provided to the agency’s overall operating budget.”
AIA urged the bicameral leadership to increase the requested authorization for aircraft certification service by $10 million.
Oher AIA priorities included funding for the advance air mobility infrastructure pilot program, funding for an aviation and aerospace talent development program, funding for the Office of Commercial Space Transportation, funding for the FAA’s Environment and Energy Program and funding for workforce grants programs.