The Latest From Washington

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Infrastructure Negotiations with GOP Break Down —New Proposals Now Enter the Mix

Bipartisan negotiations on infrastructure between the White House and a group of Senate Republicans led by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reached an impasse, with both sides pointing fingers at one another...

06/09/2021

Regulatory Alert

Regulatory Alert: FAA Announces Shannetta Griffin as New Associate Administrator for Airports

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E., is the agency’s new Associate Administrator for the Office of Airports.

06/08/2021

Federal Alert

Security Policy Alert: TSA Monthly Conference Call Summary for June 2021

TSA held its monthly conference call for airport stakeholders, led by Alan Paterno, TSA's Airport Industry Engagement Manager in the office of Policy, Plans and Engagement (PPE). This alert summarizes highlights from the call.

06/03/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Biden Administration Releases FY22 Budget Request

The Biden Administration released a $6 trillion budget request for Fiscal Year 2022 that proposes funding for a long list of airport-related initiatives in DOT and DHS.

05/28/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Senate Republicans Unveil Infrastructure Roadmap in Latest Back and Forth with White House

Senate Republicans released their latest offer in the ongoing bipartisan negotiations on infrastructure.

05/27/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Senate Committee Approves 5-Year Surface Transportation Bill

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee unanimously approved a 5-year surface transportation bill that proposes to open the door for airports to use federal loans and loan guarantees for a wider variety of infrastructure projects.

05/26/2021

Regulatory Alert

Regulatory Alert: FAA Downgrades Safety Rating for Mexico's Civil Aviation Authority

FAA announced that Mexico’s civil aviation authority, Agencia Federal de Aviacion Civil (AFAC), does not meet the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) minimum safety standards and, therefore, Mexico’s safety rating has been downgraded..

05/25/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Biden-Harris Team Releases Its Counterproposal for Infrastructure Negotiations

As bipartisan negotiations between the White House and Senate Republicans close in on the Memorial Day deadline set by President Biden, the Biden-Harris team released its counterproposal to the $568 billion Republican framework for infrastructure.

05/21/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Lawmakers Propose to Expand TIFIA For Airports, Reinstate Bond Options to Help Finance Infrastructure

Lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation that would expand TIFIA for more airport-related projects. Meanwhile, Republicans and Democrats are exploring other financing options that could help airports build their infrastructure projects.

05/20/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Bill to Expand Deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuel Introduced in the House

Reps. Brad Schneider (D-IL), Dan Kildee (D-MI) and Julia Brownley (D-CA) today introduced legislation that seeks to reduce carbon emissions in the aviation sector by increasing the production and uptake of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), while...

05/20/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: TSA and DOT Issue Joint Statement on Continued Mask Mandate for Transportation

CDC, TSA and DOT issued a joint statement to clarify that mask requirements remain in place for airports, air carriers, and surface transportation.

05/14/2021

Regulatory Alert

Regulatory Alert: DOT Announces $898.9 Million in AIP Grants for 447 Airports

DOT announced the award of $898.9 million in airport infrastructure and safety grants as part of the fiscal year (FY) 2021 Airport Improvement Program (AIP).

05/13/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Senate Committee Advances COVID-Related and Advanced Air Mobility Legislation

The Senate Commerce Committee met to consider several bills today including two COVID-related bills and one AAM bill. All three bills were favorably reported out of Committee by voice vote and will now advance to the full Senate for...

05/12/2021

Regulatory Alert

Regulatory Alert: FAA Solicits Pre-Applications for Airport Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program

FAA released a notice soliciting pre-applications from eligible airports to participate in the agency’s “Airport Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program,” which provides federal grants for projects that will measurably reduce or mitigate aviation...

05/07/2021

Federal Alert

Security Policy Alert: TSA Monthly Conference Call Summary for May 2021

TSA held its monthly conference call for airport stakeholders, led by Alan Paterno, TSA's Airport Industry Engagement Manager in the office of Policy, Plans and Engagement (PPE). This alert summarizes highlights from the call.

05/06/2021

Federal Alert

Security Policy Alert: TSA Monthly Call Reminder, Information Requested on National Alternative Measure 1542-20-03, and ACC Webinar on PARAS 0028

TSA plans to discuss several items on tomorrow's call, including recent updates to the HSIN, REAL ID, the Rap Back program, a Compliance update, a Safe Skies update, and policy updates, including the status of the National AM 1542-20-03B, which...

05/05/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Travel Restrictions for Republic of India and and Democratic Republic of Congo

The U.S. government has implemented or modified travel restrictions for the Republic of India and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

05/01/2021

Regulatory Alert

Regulatory Alert: FAA Reminds Airports of Deadline to Apply for CRRSAA Airport Coronavirus Response Grants

FAA is reminding airport sponsors that June 30 is the deadline to apply for their share of the $2 billion in grants that have been awarded and made available for airports and eligible concessionaires through the CRRSAA.

04/30/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Face Masks Required in Airports Through September 13, 2021

TSA informed AAAE that they will be extending the requirement for individuals to wear face masks in airports as outlined by SD 1542-21-01A until Sept. 13, 2021, at the direction of the White House COVID-19 Task Force.

04/30/2021

Federal Alert

Security Policy Alert: DHS Extends REAL ID Enforcement Deadline to 2023

DHS Secretary Mayorkas announced that the full enforcement date for REAL ID will be extended once again from October 1, 2021 to May 3, 2023, due to circumstances resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

04/27/2021

Regulatory Alert

Regulatory Alert: EPA Administrator Establishes New Council on PFAS

EPA Administrator Michael Regan issued a memo establishing an “EPA Council on PFAS” (ECP) to help the agency to strategize the best way to use the agency’s authorities, expertise and partnerships to mitigate and reduce the effects from PFAS and...

04/27/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: House Problem Solvers Caucus Introduces Framework for an Infrastructure Package

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan convened a bipartisan Infrastructure Summit of governors, senators and members of the House Problem Solvers Caucus to discuss guiding principles for a federal infrastructure package.

04/23/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Senate Republicans Unveil Counterproposal to Biden Infrastructure Plan

A group of Senate Republicans, led by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), unveiled a basic framework for their counterproposal to President Biden’s $2.3 trillion American Jobs Plan.

04/22/2021

Airport Alert

Airport Alert: Bipartisan Bill to Gradually Raise PFC Cap Introduced in House

Reps. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV) today introduced legislation that proposes to gradually raise the federal cap on local PFCs beginning in 2023.

04/21/2021

Regulatory Alert

Regulatory Alert: FAA to Host Live Qamp;amp;A Webinar on CRSSAA Airport Concessions Relief Grants

FAA Offices of Airports and Civil Rights announced that they will be hosting a webinar event on Apr. 22, at 2 p.m. ET to answer questions on Airport Concessions Relief Grants that have been made available through the CRRSAA.

04/20/2021