U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $22.42 billion FY 2026 FAA budget with directives on privatization, SMS, trade balance, and hypersonics.
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The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee overwhelmingly approved the transportation, housing, and urban development (THUD) fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding bill yesterday, recommending $22.42 billion for the FAA. Passed by a 27 to 1 vote, the THUD bill would provide about $1 billion less than the $23.3 billion included in the House funding package but would still mark a $1.4 billion jump over current-year funding.
In addition, the Senate version includes $13.8 billion for FAA operations—versus the $13.75 billion House recommendation—representing a $335 million increase over FY2025. The facilities and equipment (F&E) recommendation was down $1 billion from the House at $4 billion. However, this still represents an $800 million boost from FY2025.
Airport Improvement Program funding would remain stable at $4 billion from the aviation trust fund, but would receive another $320 million general fund contribution, and research, engineering, and development would receive $290 million. Senate appropriators note that AIP and F&E are collectively set to receive an additional $5 billion from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed in 2021.
Also, similar to the House, the Senate bill states that the committee “does not support” any effort to privatize the air traffic control system. Among the many other provisions is language encouraging the FAA to expand the safety management system rules to other organizations, including MROs, and “encourages the DOT and the FAA to support efforts that sustain this leadership through workforce investment, certification improvements, and expansion of a trade policy that has supported U.S. dominance.”
The bill further addresses inspector training, hiring, workforce support, medical certification improvements, adoption of safety-enhancing equipment, and creation of a hypersonic testing corridor. Like the House, the bill supports hiring 2,500 controllers in FY2026.
The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee overwhelmingly approved the transportation, housing, and urban development (THUD) fiscal year (FY) 2026 funding bill yesterday, recommending $22.42 billion for the FAA. Passed by a 27 to 1 vote, the THUD bill would provide about $1 billion less than the $23.3 billion included in the House funding package but would still mark a $1.4 billion jump over current-year funding.
In addition, the Senate version includes $13.8 billion for FAA operations—versus the $13.75 billion House recommendation—representing a $335 million increase over FY2025. The facilities and equipment (F&E) recommendation was down $1 billion from the House at $4 billion. However, this still represents an $800 million boost from FY2025.
Airport Improvement Program funding would remain stable at $4 billion from the aviation trust fund, but would receive another $320 million general fund contribution, and research, engineering, and development would receive $290 million.
Also, similar to the House, the Senate bill states that the committee “does not support” any effort to privatize the air traffic control system. Among the many other provisions is language encouraging the FAA to expand the safety management system rules to other organizations, including MROs, and “encourages the DOT and the FAA to support efforts that sustain this leadership through workforce investment, certification improvements, and “expansion of a trade policy that has supported U.S. dominance.”