The Latest From Washington
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Senate Appropriations Unveils FY26 DHS Bill With Several Airport Wins
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) releases the text for the Fiscal Year 2026 DHS Appropriations bill and its accompanying report.
12/20/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Releases Updated Guidelines on Airport Contract Provisions
FAA releases updated guidelines on contract provisions that airport sponsors, as grant recipients, must include in any procurement and contract documents associated with certain projects.
12/19/2025
Security Alert
Security Policy Alert: TSA Issues Two Proposed National Amendments for Notice and Comment
TSA has posted two proposed Airport Security Program national amendments related to Trusted Agents and Social Security Number collection and verification for notice and comment.
12/18/2025
Security Alert
Security Policy Alert: TSA Shares Security Operations Plan for Winter Holiday Travel
TSA has shared with AAAE its 2025 Winter Holiday Travel Security Operations Plan, often referred to as their placemat.
12/18/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House Committee Clears Bill to Protect Aviation During Government Shutdown
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee clears several bills by voice vote including a bipartisan plan to protect federal aviation workers and prevent disruptions in the National Airspace System during a government shutdown.
12/18/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House Passes the SPEED Act, a Bipartisan NEPA Reform Bill
The House of Representatives passes the “Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development Act,” known as the SPEED Act, by a vote of 221 to 196.
12/18/2025
Security Alert
Security Policy Alert: TSA Shares Additional Information about TSA ConfirmID
TSA has shared with AAAE additional information about TSA ConfirmID, the alternative identify verification service.
12/17/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: DOT Releases National Strategy for Accelerating AAM Implementation
DOT releases its long-awaited Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) National Strategy, which lays out a roadmap and strategy for the federal government to support AAM development and implementation over the next decade.
12/17/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Senate Clears ROTOR Act, House Committee to Consider Bill to Protect Aviation During Government Shutdown
Congress is trying to wrap up as much work as possible before lawmakers leave town for the holidays.
12/17/2025
Airport Alert
Hearing Report: FAA Administrator Testifies at House Aviation Hearing to Discuss ATC Modernization and Safety
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee holds a hearing entitled, “The State of American Aviation," with FAA Administrator Brian Bedford as the only witness.
12/16/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Drone Mitigation Authorities Included for State and Local Law Enforcement in Defense Authorization Bill
House Armed Services Committee releases a 3,000-plus-page National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference agreement.
12/08/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Releases Notice of Funding Opportunity for FY26 Airport Terminal Program Grants
FAA releases the NOFO that outlines how airport sponsors can apply for a share of approximately $1 billion in FY26 discretionary funds under the Airport Terminal Program.
12/08/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Announces Deadlines for Use of FY26 AIP Entitlement Funds
FAA announces deadlines for airport sponsors to submit a notice of intent and final grant application for the use of primary, cargo, and nonprimary entitlement funds that are available under AIP for FY26.
12/05/2025
Security Alert
AAAE Security Policy Alert: TSA to Charge $45 to Travelers without a REAL ID
TSA announced that, beginning on February 1, 2026, the agency will refer all passengers who do not present a REAL ID compliant driver’s license or other acceptable form of ID but still want to fly to use a modernized alternative identity verification system now known as TSA Confirm.ID.
12/01/2025
Security Alert
Security Policy Alert: TSA Prepares for Peak Thanksgiving Travel
TSA has shared with AAAE the agency’s 2025 Thanksgiving Day Travel Security Operations Plan.
11/20/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House Natural Resources Committee Advances NEPA Reform Bill
The House Natural Resources Committee advances the SPEED Act, during a committee markup by a vote of 25 to 18.
11/20/2025
Airport Alert
Hearing Report: Lawmakers and Aviation Stakeholders Examine Impact of Government Shutdown
During a hearing before the Senate Aviation Subcommittee, aviation stakeholders discussed how the recent 43-day government shutdown impacted the aviation system.
11/19/2025
Security Alert
Security Policy Alert: TSA To Introduce New Alternative Identity Verification Program
TSA has shared preliminary plans for a rollout of an alternative identity verification program at security checkpoints nationwide in January 2026.
11/18/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA to Terminate Order Restricting Air Carrier Operations at 40 Airports
FAA announces that the agency will terminate its emergency order—which has required air carriers to reduce operations at 40 different “high impact airports."
11/16/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House Passes Bill to End Shutdown
By a vote of 222 to 209, the House of Representatives tonight passed a continuing resolution to reopen the government and provide funding to keep it operating until January 30, 2026.
11/12/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Releases Updated Guidance on NEPA CATEX for Projects with Limited Federal Financial Assistance
FAA has released updated guidance on the National Environmental Policy Act categorical exclusion that applies to any project receiving limited federal financial assistance.
11/10/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Senate Passes Bill to End Shutdown, Provide Federal Funding to Late January
The Senate late Monday passed a bill – the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act of 2026 – to reopen the government and provide funding to keep it operating until January 30, 2026.
11/10/2025
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Senate Clears Procedural Hurdle That Sets Path to Ending Government Shutdown
The Senate late Sunday cleared a procedural hurdle that appears to put lawmakers on the path to ending the government shutdown.
11/09/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Issues Emergency Order Restricting Air Carrier Operations at 40 Airports
FAA issues an emergency order requiring air carriers to reduce their total daily scheduled domestic operations by 10 percent at 40 different “high impact airports.”
11/06/2025
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: DOT and FAA to Reduce Capacity and Operations at 40 Airports
DOT Secretary Sean Duffy and FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford announced that effective 11/7, the FAA will begin to reduce capacity by 10 percent at 40 “high traffic” airports unless a deal is reached to end the government shutdown.
11/06/2025
