[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4990 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 4990

To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to 
    review and update Federal Aviation Administration regulations, 
policies, and guidance related to low-altitude airspace safety, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 15, 2026

 Mr. Merkley (for himself, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Gallego, and Mr. 
    Curtis) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
   referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
To require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration to 
    review and update Federal Aviation Administration regulations, 
policies, and guidance related to low-altitude airspace safety, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``McCarty and Heideman Air Safety 
Enhancement Act''.

SEC. 2. REVIEW OF FAA POLICIES AND REGULATIONS RELATED TO LOW-ALTITUDE 
              AIRSPACE SAFETY.

    (a) Review.--
            (1) In general.--Not later than 6 months after the date of 
        enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Federal 
        Aviation Administration (referred to in this section as the 
        ``Administrator''), in consultation with the stakeholders 
        described in paragraph (3), shall review existing Federal 
        Aviation Administration (referred to in this section as 
        ``FAA'') policies and regulations related to low-altitude 
        airspace safety for the purpose of identifying appropriate 
        policy, operational, or technical improvements, such as updated 
        requirements related to markings on slacklines.
            (2) Considerations.--In conducting the review required 
        under paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consider the 
        following:
                    (A) Whether existing FAA policies regarding 
                obstruction marking and lighting clearly identify when 
                slacklines, tight ropes, highlines, wires, and similar 
                temporary obstructions should be marked, lighted, or 
                otherwise identified and whether such policies are 
                effective in reducing the risk of low-altitude aircraft 
                strikes.
                    (B) Whether the FAA can improve Notices to Airmen, 
                obstacle data, or other aeronautical information 
                products to better support consistent digital depiction 
                across flight planning tools, electronic flight bags, 
                avionics systems, and other associated tools utilized 
                by industry, including information related to 
                coordinates, radius-distance, maximum height above 
                ground level, effective dates and times, responsible 
                party information, and any marking, lighting, or 
                identification required by the FAA.
                    (C) Whether the FAA can improve coordination with 
                relevant Federal, State, Tribal, and local land 
                management agencies, including the National Park 
                Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the United 
                States Forest Service, with respect to activities that 
                may create low-altitude aviation hazards.
                    (D) Whether the existing penalties for violations 
                of low-altitude airspace requirements are sufficient to 
                ensure the safety of such airspace.
                    (E) Suggested improvements to FAA outreach to non-
                aviation communities whose activities may create 
                hazards in the national airspace system to improve 
                awareness of, and compliance with, applicable 
                requirements and guidance.
            (3) Consultation.--For purposes of paragraph (1), the 
        stakeholders described in this paragraph are representatives of 
        the following:
                    (A) Helicopter and powered-lift aircraft operators 
                and pilots.
                    (B) Air medical operators.
                    (C) General aviation pilots and aircraft owners.
                    (D) Agricultural aviation operators.
                    (E) Uncrewed aircraft system operators.
                    (F) Aviation safety experts with specific knowledge 
                of vertical flight operations.
                    (G) Any other stakeholder the Administrator 
                determines appropriate.
    (b) Updated Regulations, Guidance, and Policies.--If, upon 
conducting the review required under subsection (a), the Administrator 
determines that the policies described in subsection (a)(2)(A) do not 
adequately identify requirements related to markings or lightings for 
slacklines or other temporary obstructions, the Administrator shall, 
not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, 
update FAA regulations, guidance, or policies as necessary.
    (c) Briefing.--Not later than 90 days after the completion of the 
review required under subsection (a), the Administrator shall brief the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on 
Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of 
Representatives regarding--
            (1) the findings of such review;
            (2) the regulations, guidance, or policies to be updated 
        pursuant to subsection (b); and
            (3) any recommendations for legislative action determined 
        appropriate by the Administrator to improve the safety of low-
        altitude airspace.
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