The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved 10 bills by voice vote at a September 15 markup, advancing legislation that would mandate drone safety disclosures at device activation, ban in-flight voice calls, tighten advanced air mobility certification timelines and require the FAA to publish medication guidance for aviation professionals.

Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) chaired the session. Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA) said the committee continued its "streak of bipartisan lawmaking" on aviation safety, security resources for religious and nonprofit organizations and disaster recovery.

Drone safety disclosure

The Drone Safety Statement Modernization Act, introduced Sept. 8 by Rep. James Gallagher (R-CA), requires drone manufacturers to provide operators with clear safety guidance upon initial device activation, explaining applicable laws, airspace restrictions and potential consequences for unlawful operations. Operators would have to electronically acknowledge they have read and understand the information before first use. The FAA would also have to periodically update the safety-statement requirements.

The bill lands against a backdrop of measurable enforcement activity and documented operational disruption. During the World Cup, federal authorities seized more than 700 unauthorized drones at U.S. venues and fan zones; federal officials later said none of the seized aircraft was weaponized. The record on interference is more consequential. During the Palisades fire in California, a recreational drone struck a firefighting aircraft and temporarily grounded it. Drone interference during the Dixie fire also disrupted aerial firefighting operations.

A separate regulatory track is already moving. In June 2025, President Donald Trump directed the FAA to repeal the longstanding prohibition on most civil supersonic flight over the United States and establish a noise-based standard. The FAA has since proposed replacing the speed-based prohibition with a performance standard that would allow qualifying supersonic operations if sonic boom overpressure at the surface does not exceed 0.11 pounds per square foot. The administration also established a Federal Task Force to Restore American Airspace Sovereignty and directed the FAA to move forward with a proposed rule restricting drone operations over certain fixed-site facilities — implementing a mandate Congress first enacted in 2016.

In-flight calls and contract towers

The Quiet Skies Act, sponsored by Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-MI) with Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ) among its cosponsors, requires the Department of Transportation to issue a final rule prohibiting passengers from making voice calls on cellphones or other electronic devices during scheduled passenger flights. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA has supported a permanent prohibition on in-flight voice calls.

H.R. 8597, the Air Traffic Situational Awareness Enhancement Act, introduced by Rep. Nicholas Begich (R-AK), would require the FAA to acquire and install approved situational-awareness tools at federal contract air traffic control towers and reimburse qualifying towers that have already purchased such equipment. The Regional Airline Association has said the legislation would give controllers at contract towers tools that could improve situational awareness and safety.

Certification and medical transparency

The Aviation Innovation and Global Competitiveness Act, sponsored by Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX), targets the FAA's type-certification process for advanced air mobility aircraft, aiming to make it more predictable through clearer timelines and procedures. Aviation manufacturers and industry organizations seeking greater certainty in the certification process have backed the measure. An amendment offered by Nehls was approved by voice vote during the markup.

The Aviation Medication Transparency Act, introduced by Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL), directs the FAA to publicly identify medications aviation professionals can safely use, medications they should not use while performing aviation duties, and how long professionals may need to limit their duties while adjusting to certain medications.

Airports, cybersecurity and disaster relief

The Rural Airport Infrastructure Support Act, introduced by Delegate Kimberlyn King-Hinds (R-MP), would cut the local match for Airport Improvement Program projects from 10% to 5% for economically distressed communities that previously qualified for Essential Air Service but have since lost that eligibility. An amendment in the nature of a substitute was approved by voice vote. For small airports that have already lost subsidized air service, the change would halve the local funding burden on airside projects.

The Marine Transportation System Cybersecurity Budget and Evaluation Report Act, sponsored by Rep. Addison McDowell (R-NC), directs the Government Accountability Office to assess whether the Coast Guard has sufficient workforce, resources and tools to carry out its maritime cybersecurity mission. The GAO would also examine the Coast Guard's ability to enforce cybersecurity requirements, evaluate industry compliance and provide guidance to maritime stakeholders. FDD Action endorsed the legislation in February.

The Post-Disaster Protection Act, introduced by Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL), extends the window for applicants to appeal FEMA disaster-assistance decisions from 60 to 90 days, matching the period the agency has to respond to an appeal. Rep. Mike Ezell (R-MS) and Delegate King-Hinds are among the cosponsors. "When disaster strikes, people should not have to race against the clock to prove that they need help," Frost said. Ezell said communities recovering from disasters should not face unnecessary administrative hurdles.

The Strengthening Oversight in Public Buildings Act, introduced by Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) on Sept. 8, modifies public-building reforms enacted in the Thomas R. Carper Water Resources Development Act of 2024. It requires the Office of Management and Budget and General Services Administration to provide space-utilization data to the GAO and Public Buildings Reform Board, and requires agencies with independent leasing authority to report office-space lease data to congressional committees. The legislation arrives as the Trump administration pursues reductions in the federal government's real estate footprint.

The Pray Safe Act of 2025, introduced by Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), would establish a Department of Homeland Security clearinghouse giving nonprofit and faith-based organizations centralized access to safety and security resources, best practices and recommendations.

The committee also approved General Services Administration Capital Investment and Leasing Program resolutions en bloc, authorizing leases and building improvements at federal facilities, including projects supporting veterans' health care and repairs and alterations to federal buildings.

All 10 bills now move to the House floor, where the drone disclosure mandate and the AAM certification timelines — if enacted — would set new compliance obligations for manufacturers already working through FAA rulemaking on supersonic noise standards and fixed-site drone restrictions.