The Latest Airport Legislation from Washington
Airport Alert
Action Alert: Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) to Offer Amendment Contact T&I Committee Members to Urge Support NOW!
We need your help now to urge House T&I committee members to back an amendment from Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) to strike AOPA-backed provisions (Section 105) in the modified Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act.
03/25/2026
Airport Alert
Hearing Report: House Homeland Security Committee Holds Hearing on the Harmful Impacts of the Current DHS Shutdown
The House Homeland Security Committee holds a hearing to discuss the harmful impacts of the DHS funding lapse and any potential security gaps.
03/25/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Mullin Confirmed as Next DHS Secretary
The Senate confirms Markwayne Mullin to be the ninth Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
03/24/2026
Airport Alert
Action Alert: House Committee to Consider Revised Aviation Safety Bill with PAPA Provisions Thursday
The leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has just announced that it will consider a modified version of the aviation safety bill known as the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act on Thursday.
03/24/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: More Than 100 Airport Leaders Call for the Immediate End to DHS Shutdown
More than 100 airport leaders and the heads of AAAE and ACI-NA wrote to congressional leaders urging an immediate end to the DHS shutdown.
03/23/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: ICE to be Deployed to Airports Beginning March 23
President Trump posts that he planned to deploy ICE agents to airports where “they will do security…including the immediate arrest of all illegal immigrants who have come into our Country."
03/22/2026
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: DOT Releases NOFO for FY24 Small Community Air Service Development Program Grants
DOT releases the notice of funding opportunity that outlines how communities can apply for a share of up to $12 million in Fiscal Year 2024 discretionary funds under the Small Community Air Service Development Program.
03/20/2026
Airport Alert
Hearing Report: Senator Mullin’s Nomination to be DHS Secretary Advances to Full Senate
The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee favorably advances Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s nomination to be the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to the full Senate floor for consideration.
03/19/2026
Airport Alert
Hearing Report: Confirmation Hearing Held for Senator Mullin to Become the Next DHS Secretary
The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee held a confirmation hearing with Sen. Markwayne Mullin, who President Trump has nominated to be the next Secretary of DHS.
03/18/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: AAAE Implores Congress to End the DHS Shutdown and Restore Pay for Critical Federal Employees
AAAE President and CEO, Todd Hauptli, and ACI-NA President and CEO, Kevin Burke, send a letter to House and Senate leadership imploring them to work with the administration to end the funding impasse for the Department of Homeland Security.
03/17/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: AAAE and ACI-NA Seeking Individual Airport Leader Signatures on Joint Letter Calling for an End to the DHS Shutdown
As a follow up to the joint letter sent by AAAE and ACI-NA earlier today calling on congressional leaders to end the DHS shutdown, we are seeking the signatures of individual airport leaders on a joint airport letter to Capitol Hill with the same message.
03/17/2026
Airport Alert
ACTION ALERT: House Committee Planning to Consider Revised Aviation Safety Bill With PAPA Provisions Next Week
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is planning to mark up a modified aviation safety bill next week, and we expect that it will include a variation of the PAPA Act – an AOPA-backed proposal that would prevent airports from using ADS-B to collect takeoff and landing fees.
03/13/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Global Entry Resumes at Airports; AAAE Continues to Press for an End to the DHS Shutdown
According to multiple press reports, Global Entry has resumed operations.
03/11/2026
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: AAAE Responds to FAA’s Proposed Aircraft Altimeter Retrofit Requirements
AAAE submits comments in response to FAA's proposed rule that would require all legacy aircraft equipped with radio altimeters to upgrade or retrofit their altimeters to ensure they can withstand potential interference from 5G and other advanced wireless signals.
03/10/2026
Airport Alert
Action Alert: Airport Input Needed ASAP to Stop Addition of AOPA-Backed PAPA to House Aviation Safety Bill
House Transportation and Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) recently announced that the committee plans to consider broad aviation safety legislation known as the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act next week.
03/09/2026
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: DOT/FAA Announce Eight Projects for New eVTOL Integration Pilot Program
DOT and FAA announce eight projects selected for the Advanced Air Mobility and Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing Integration Pilot Program (eIPP).
03/09/2026
Security Alert
Security Policy Alert: Kristi Noem Out as DHS Secretary
In a post on Truth Social, President Trump announced that he plans to nominate Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin as the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
03/05/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: ROTOR Act Fails in House; Committee Action on ALERT Act Could Come as Soon as Next Week
The House of Representatives fails to provide the two-thirds majority needed to approve the Senate-passed Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act.
02/24/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: DHS Halts PreCheck and Global Entry
In an early morning press release, the Department of Homeland Security announced that effective 6 am Eastern, it has closed all TSA PreCheck lanes, eliminated courtesy escorts, and halted all Global Entry arrival processing at participating airports.
02/22/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: Status Update About TSA PreCheck Lanes
This morning, TSA held a call with AAAE and other aviation industry associations to provide additional information about DHS’ announcement that they were closing PreCheck lanes.
02/22/2026
Regulatory Alert
Regulatory Alert: FAA Releases Updated Airport Compliance Manual
FAA releases an update to FAA Order 5190.6, known as the “Airport Compliance Manual."
02/20/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House to Consider ROTOR Act Next Week
When the House of Representatives returns next week, lawmakers are set to vote on Senate-passed aviation safety legislation (S. 2503) known as the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act.
02/19/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: House Committee Leaders Unveil Broad Aviation Safety Bill
The bipartisan leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the House Armed Services Committee have released the text of their broad aviation safety bill, known as the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act.
02/19/2026
Airport Alert
Airport Alert: DHS Shutdown Very Likely After February 13
The Senate failed to vote to proceed to the House-passed H.R.7147, Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026.
02/12/2026
Airport Alert
Hearing Report: NTSB Chair Discusses DCA Crash and Endorses PAPA Bill in Senate Commerce Hearing
The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing regarding the NTSB’s investigation into the January 2025 DCA midair collision involving American Eagle flight 5342 and a U.S. Army helicopter.
02/12/2026
