Senate passes FAA reauthorization bill that includes new flights out of Reagan National

The Senate passed its Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill in a bipartisan vote on Thursday, which includes the controversial addition of five new flights to the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

Four senators from Maryland and Virginia have spoken out against adding the new flights in recent weeks, citing safety concerns and that it would cause more delays at the local airport. DCA has typically hosted national flights that travel less than 2,000 miles, and saved international or more long-distance flights for the Dulles International Airport, which is also located in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area.

The new bill, which will go to the House for final passage next week, passed in a 88-4 vote on Thursday night, a day before its Friday deadline. The bill is one of the last major legislative packages that need to pass before fall, according to The Hill. It was opposed by Maryland Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen, and Virginia Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, all of whom are Democrats.

“The Senate abdicated its responsibility to protect the safety of the 25 million people who fly through DCA every year,” Kaine and Warner said in a statement. “They didn’t want to show the American people that they care more about a few lawmakers’ desire for direct flights than they care about the safety and convenience of the traveling public. That is shameful and an embarrassment.”

The passage was praised by Democratic leadership, who had attempted to calm the local senators' fears by adding an amendment that would give final say on the slots to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. But Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who helped craft the bill on the Republican side, blocked the amendment because it would take more time.

“After months of painstaking work, the FAA reauthorization is passing the Senate today,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. “Aviation safety has been front of mind for millions of Americans recently, and this FAA bill is the best thing Congress can do to give Americans the peace of mind they deserve.” 

The final bill includes a new requirement for the FAA to hire and train up to 3,000 new air traffic controllers, a provision to increase the cockpit voice recorder length from two to 25 hours, and an increase to the time frame that individuals can use travel credits to at least five years.

The bill does not include an increase in a pilot's retirement from 65 to 67, or a provision that allows members of Congress, judges, or cabinet members a security escort if they face legitimate safety threats, both of which had been floated in discussions about the bill.