H.R. 8408: Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act

116th Congress · introduced 2020-09-29 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-09-29 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act

Plain summary

Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act This bill addresses certain safety standards relating to the aircraft certification process. Among other things, the bill requires the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to direct U.S. aircraft and aerospace industry manufacturers to adopt safety management systems consistent with international standards and practices; convene an expert panel to review organizations that design and produce transport airplanes and make recommendations for improvements; require manufacturers to disclose to the FAA certain safety-critical information related to an aircraft; conduct a comprehensive review of each manufacturing Organization Designation Authorization holder's capability to meet FAA regulations based on the holder's organizational structures, requirements applicable to officers and employees, and safety culture; establish an appeal process to review decisions regarding a manufacturer's compliance with applicable design regulations; revise and improve its process of issuing amended type certificates for modifying an aircraft; initiate a call to action safety review of pilot certification standards in order to bring stakeholders together to share lessons learned, best practices, and implement actions to address any safety issues identified; and conduct an evaluation of tools and methods that support the better integration of human factors and system safety assessments of aircraft flight deck and flight control systems into the FAA's certification process.

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Aircraft Certification Reform and Accountability Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] · 3 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Sam Graves (R-MO), Rick Larsen (D-WA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (3)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Passed House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hr8408.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hr>

Record fed-us-cong116-hr8408 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116