“Airport and Airway Trust Fund Integrity Act”

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Restore funding to the FAA

AKA “Airway Trust Restoration Act”


Which agency/agencies promulgated the regulation? *
• U.S. Congress (via 49 U.S.C. § 9502) • Department of Transportation (DOT) / Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Which title, parts, and/or sections of the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) should be rescinded? *
• 49 U.S.C. § 9502(c) – the diversion clause that directs a portion of aviation excise taxes away from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund into the U.S. Treasury’s General Fund.
What is your name?
—OPTIONAL--
Is your proposed rescission a notice of proposed rulemaking, final rule, direct final rule, interim final rule, or interpretive rule? *
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
What is the name of the regulation being rescinded, if applicable? *
“Airport and Airway Trust Fund Integrity Act”
Please provide a short summary of the justifications for the rescission. *
Each year, roughly 15–20 percent of ticket taxes is siphoned from the Trust Fund under § 9502(c), starving FAA operations and capital programs of $3–4 billion in dedicated revenue. Ending that diversion ensures every penny of aviation excise tax flows back into safety inspections, controller staffing, and NextGen modernization.
Please insert the address of the agency. [NPRM, DFR, and IFR only]
U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee 2165 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 U.S. Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee 513 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510
Please insert the contact information for the agency. *
(202) 225-9446
What is the background for the regulation being rescinded? *
Since 1982, Congress has levied excise taxes on passenger tickets, fuel, and cargo to fund the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF). Section 9502(c) was added to allow annual diversions into the General Fund, intended for budget flexibility but now chronically underfunding FAA’s core mission.
Explain the reasons for the rescission. *
Removing § 9502(c) restores 100 percent of aviation taxes to the AATF, providing a predictable $3–4 billion boost each year that directly supports hiring air-traffic controllers, funding runway maintenance grants, and accelerating safety-critical technology deployments.
Describe the text of the relevant C.F.R. provisions as it will exist after the rescission. *
— 49 U.S.C. § 9502(c) deleted; all passenger ticket, segment, fuel, and cargo taxes deposit into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund without diversion. All other sections of 49 U.S.C. § 9502 remain in effect, ensuring continued authorization of the Trust Fund.
Please insert the name of the current agency head. *
Sean Duffy
Please insert the title of the agency head. *
Secretary of Transportation

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