Cruz Praises Senate Colleagues After FAA Reauthorization Act Passes Upper Chamber

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has released a statement regarding the passage of the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) Reauthorization Act of 2024 in the Senate. The bill is a bipartisan, bicameral effort that reauthorizes the FAA through the 2028 fiscal year.

The bill addresses major concerns in the flight industry with new safety measures as multiple instances of “near-misses” surrounding malfunctioning airplane parts have shocked Americans around the country.

Sen. Cruz said that this bill gives the FAA the “stability” that it needs.

“Today the Senate overwhelmingly passed a major FAA Reauthorization that will modernize and transform our country’s aviation system,” said Sen. Cruz. “It was a privilege to lead this significant piece of bipartisan legislation. It included hundreds of key priorities from across the political spectrum and touching every state in the nation. It ultimately gives the FAA the stability it needs to fulfill its primary mission—advancing aviation safety—while also making travel more convenient and accessible. America’s aviation sector is the most innovative in the world, and this bill takes it to the next level by integrating the technologies of the future into our nation’s aerospace system.”

Furthermore, the Texas senator added that the aviation sector is critical to the Texan and American economy and that this bill moves toward improving it.

“Our country’s aviation sector is the linchpin of our economy. The historic investments and reforms in this legislation will have a significant impact on the daily lives of people across Texas and the nation. My bipartisan legislation will greatly benefit Texas’s thriving aviation industry by enabling testing for various cutting-edge technologies, improving critical infrastructure at airports across the Lone Star State, and making possible a direct flight from San Antonio International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport,” said Cruz.

Finally, Cruz shared his appreciation for his colleagues in the upper chamber as they came together to send the bill through the Senate.

“I am proud to have worked with my Senate colleagues, Chairwoman Cantwell, Aviation Subcommittee Chairwoman Duckworth, and Ranking Member Moran to address the serious challenges facing the FAA and the aviation industry at large, and to advance provisions that will foster the next generation of aviation technology.”

60 votes were needed for the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 to pass. The final tally was 88-4.