FAA Reauthorization Act of 2009

Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Signed

Currently IN_COMMITTEE. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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The Frame

What this does

This legislation dictates the multi-billion dollar budget for national aviation infrastructure and sets new legal standards for airline passenger rights, including requirements for emergency deplaning and prohibitions on in-flight mobile voice communications.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Air carriers

Must comply with new passenger service requirements, reporting mandates, and training standards.

Airport operators

Required to submit emergency contingency plans and may adjust passenger facility charges.

FAA employees

Subject to new staffing models, training requirements, and oversight procedures.

Air passengers

Subject to new rules regarding mobile device usage and potential changes to passenger facility charges.

What changed

Current stage: IN_COMMITTEE.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This bill authorizes funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from 2009 through 2012 to improve aviation safety, modernize air traffic control systems, and enhance consumer protections. It establishes new requirements for emergency contingency plans, increases passenger facility charges, and mandates research into new aviation technologies.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I be able to use my cell phone for voice calls on a plane?

No, the bill explicitly prohibits voice communications using mobile devices on scheduled passenger flights.

What happens if my flight is stuck on the tarmac for a long time?

The bill requires air carriers and airports to submit emergency contingency plans that include provisions for food, water, restroom access, and deplaning passengers during excessive delays.

How does this bill affect airport fees?

It increases the maximum that airports can collect from passengers to as much as $7.00.

Why It Matters

This legislation dictates the multi-billion dollar budget for national aviation infrastructure and sets new legal standards for airline passenger rights, including requirements for emergency deplaning and prohibitions on in-flight mobile voice communications.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift100% confidence

Shift in Customer Service Philosophy

The bill mandates a shift in FAA policy to stop referring to regulated air carriers as 'customers,' emphasizing that the only true customers are the traveling public.

Federal Aviation Administration

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance95
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy40
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment20
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz30
Current news / social attention level