Senate sends FAA authorization to Trump’s desk

The Senate on Wednesday easily cleared a five-year authorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), sending the measure to President Trump’s desk.  

Senators voted 93-6 on the legislation. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) voted “no.”

{mosads}The Senate vote comes after the House passed the bill last week and the Senate needed a one-week stopgap to get it past the Sept. 30 deadline.

The bill provides funding and puts in place new safety regulations, including changes to the rest and duty rules for pilots and flight attendants. 

It also creates minimum dimensions for legroom on commercial flights and bans airlines from involuntarily removing passengers after boarding.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) called the bill a “fulsome reauthorization” of FAA.

“The Senate is … attending to other matters of critical, nationwide importance this week,” he said ahead of the vote.

The legislation provides $1.68 billion in disaster relief for areas impacted by Hurricane Florence.

And it includes the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act, or BUILD Act, which would dramatically increase funding for global development and infrastructure projects. 

“I am thrilled this bill is headed to the president’s desk and I am grateful for the hard work and support of Senator Corker, the administration, and our partners on both sides of the aisle who worked tirelessly to get the BUILD Act across the finish line,” Democratic Sen. Christopher Coons (Del.) who spearheaded the BUILD Act with Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), said.