ARSA: Senate FAA Bill Passes, McCaskill Amendments Defeated

ARSA and its members succeeded in ensuring two amendments filed by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) were kept out of the Senate-approved bill. One proposed country-specific bans on foreign repair stations and the other would have prevented the FAA from issuing new foreign repair station certificates unless the agency completed a foreign drug and alcohol testing rulemaking and a pre-employment background check mandate in an expedited manner. These provisions were defeated with the help of swift response from the association's membership - grassroots action to oppose the amendments.

Unfortunately, the legislation still contains ARSA-opposed language that micromanages repair station oversight. The bill requires the FAA to complete its foreign repair station drug and alcohol testing rulemaking in an extremely expedited manner (despite no safety justification) and mandate maintenance companies working on air carrier aircraft conduct extensive pre-employment background checks.

Action now turns to the House of Representatives where leadership must determine whether to move forward with the Transportation & Infrastructure Committee-approved AIRR Act (and its controversial air traffic control provision) or pursue other options. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) has already signaled his unfriendliness toward the Senate-passed bill.

Stay tuned to ARSA as the situation develops.