July 6, 2016
Contact: Kyle Roerink
Phone: 202-657-3219

Today Representative Dina Titus of Nevada’s First Congressional district and member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee applauded provisions included in a bipartisan short-term extension authorizing the Federal Aviation Administration through 2017. The legislation includes provisions Rep. Titus championed to bolster Nevada’s growing Unmanned Aviation Systems (UAS) industry. 

The legislation ensures that Nevada will remain a leader in developing drone standards and operations by reauthorizing the state as one of six UAS Test Sites through 2020. Authorization for the Nevada UAS Test Range and the other sites was set to expire next year. The bill also includes key safety measures the Congresswoman authored for the development of a low-altitude unmanned traffic management system that will be vital to the commercialization of this important technology. Other provisions include a pilot program for detecting airborne UAS at the nation’s airports and increased authority to prosecute incidents of reckless UAS use. 

“Whether it’s flying millions of people into McCarran International Airport or bringing fresh-caught lobsters to resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, the aviation sector has long been an industry of innovation in Nevada and an integral part of our economy. This bill will continue that distinction by keeping Nevada as a premier hub of growth for the UAS industry while maintaining the valuable partnership between the FAA and the state.” 

BACKGROUND:

The FAA’s funding for operations is scheduled to expire on July 15th. This legislation ensures the FAA will continue its operations under current funding levels until September 2017. The Senate passed FAA reauthorization legislation in April. The House reauthorization legislation stalled because of a Republican-backed attempt to privatize the nation’s air traffic control system. There are no measures to develop or study privatization in the compromise legislation. The compromise legislation is expected to be on President Obama’s desk by next week.