Biden signs sweeping $105B aviation safety, infrastructure bill
May 17 (UPI) -- President Joe Biden has signed a sweeping $105 billion bipartisan bill to improve aviation safety and invest in airport infrastructure that he called "a big win for travelers, the aviation workforce and our economy."
Biden signed the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024 on Thursday, according to a statement from the White House, after the bill passed the House a day earlier in a 387-26 vote and the Senate 88-4 on May 9.
"This bill delivers big wins to Americans," Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, said in a statement earlier this week after the bill she led was sent to Biden's desk.
The massive bill includes more than %105 billion for the FAA until 2028, and incudes nearly $67 billion to fund safety programs, including aircraft certification reform and air carrier oversight; more than $19 billion for FAA infrastructure improvement grants to support 3,300 airports across the country; and nearly $18 billion to modernize technologies and systems for FAA facilities.
On top of the funding, it also sets clear standards for airlines over refunds, prohibits fees for family seating and guarantees passengers have round-the-clock access to customer service.
It also sets out to correct the shortage of some 3,000 air traffic controllers by directing the FAA to improve staffing standards and to set maximum hiring targets to increase staffing.
Biden said the bill will improve the travel experience for airline passengers while affirming the Department of Transportation's rule that mandated automatic refunds when flights are cancelled or significantly delayed.
"Passengers shouldn't have to jump through endless hoops just to get the refunds that they are owed, and corporations shouldn't rip off hardworking Americans through hidden junk fees," he said.
