US Senate passes FAA authorisation with $20bn for airport construction

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, US. (Image: Adobe Stock)

The measure passed 88-4, with lawmakers taking the vote to the 11^th hour over disagreements regarding adding ten new arrival and departure slots to a Washington DC airport.

Increased funding for the program could assist continued growth in the US airport construction segment, which has witnessed increased activity in recent years.

Included in the almost $20 billion for the AIP is $3.4 billion for the remaining fiscal year in 2024, and $4 billion per year for (fiscal years) 2025 to 2028. The figures represent an approximately 20% increase over the FAA’s last multiyear bill.

The AIP offers grants to public and private agencies for the planning and development of public-use airports. Last year, through 11 September, the US Department of Transportation – the governing body of the FAA – said it awarded more than $3 billion for improvements to airports across the country.

Projects range from construction of new runways and terminal, infrastructure, and ultility improvements.

What’s next for the US FAA measure?

The bill is not yet law, as the Senate’s passage puts the vote in the hands of the US House of Representatives.

The existing FAA authorisation expired at the end of 10 May, but prior to the Senate’s 9 May approval, both bodies of the US Congress had approved a stopgap funding resolution for the FAA.

The stopgap gives the House an additional week to approve the measure. If passed, the bill would move to the US president’s office to sign into law.