Congress and Federal Authority
This branch of the U.S. government establishes aviation statutes, authorizes the FAA, and oversees national aviation policy.
What is the United States Congress?
This federal agency regulates civil aviation, manages air traffic, and ensures aviation safety in the United States.
What is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)?
This independent agency investigates civil aviation accidents and issues safety recommendations.
What is the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)?
These non-regulatory documents provide interpretive guidance to airports and industry stakeholders.
What are Advisory Circulars (ACs)?
Through these periodic bills, Congress renews the FAA’s authority and funding for programs such as AIP.
What are FAA reauthorization acts?
This program identifies airports significant to national air transportation and eligible for AIP funding.
What is the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS)?
This agency enforces workplace safety standards that apply to airport employees and contractors.
What is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)?
This database tool compiles information on federally obligated airports, their agreements, and compliance status.
What is the FAA Airports Compliance Database?
This type of federal tax on tickets, fuel, and cargo helps fund the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
What are aviation excise taxes?
This FAA grant program provides financial assistance for planning and capital improvements at public-use airports.
What is the Airport Improvement Program (AIP)?
This Department of Homeland Security agency manages customs, immigration, and passenger screening at airports.
What is U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)?
This program requires sponsors to comply with assurances in exchange for receiving federal airport grants.
What are Airport Sponsor Assurances?
These congressional committees—one in the House and one in the Senate—hold primary oversight of aviation matters.
What are the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation?
This FAA enforcement process investigates airport-sponsor compliance with federal grant assurances.
What is a Part 16 Complaint?
This federal agency within the Department of Transportation sponsors and manages the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP).
What is the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)?
This FAA office manages the day-to-day oversight of airport funding, planning, and compliance at the regional level.
What is the FAA Office of Airports?
This specific fund, supported by aviation excise taxes, finances FAA operations and airport development projects.
What is the Airport and Airway Trust Fund?
This FAA order serves as the primary policy document guiding airport-sponsor compliance with federal obligations.
What is FAA Order 5190.6B, Airport Compliance Manual?
This federal department houses the FAA and oversees overall transportation policy and funding.
What is the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)?
This guidance tool, replacing informal letters of interpretation, provides standardized FAA policy explanations.
What are FAA Policy and Procedures Memoranda (PPMs)?