S. 3969: Aircraft Safety and Certification Reform Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-06-16 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2020-06-16 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably. 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 Safety and Certification Reform Act of 2020

Plain summary

Aircraft Safety and Certification Reform Act of 2020 This bill revises the aircraft certification process of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Among other requirements, the FAA must require certain aircraft manufacturers to have in place a safety management system that is consistent with the standards established by the International Civil Aviation Organization; initiate a review of its existing regulations and policies to integrate and emphasize human factors and human system integration, particularly those related to pilot and aircraft interfaces; address the integration of human factors in the design and certification of transport category aircraft; develop a Center of Excellence focused on flight automation and human factors in aircraft that are intended for use in air transportation; revise existing policies for manufacturers of large transport category airplanes that are expected to be operated for passenger air transportation to ensure that pilot operational evaluations use pilots from foreign and domestic air carriers; establish an Office of Continuing Education to provide continuing education and training to FAA personnel who hold positions involving aircraft and flight standards certification, including engineers and inspectors; and maintain a safety reporting program for FAA employees to anonymously and voluntarily report instances where they have identified safety concerns during the certification process.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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 Safety and Certification Reform Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

AI explanation – may be wrong, check the official text

No AI explanation yet. It takes up to a minute to write and is then saved for everyone.

Limited to a few requests an hour per person.

The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Arguments against (opponents)

Needs sources: no published arguments on this side yet. We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

Alternatives

Needs sources: no published alternatives yet (for example a different bill, a law instead of an amendment, or keeping current law). We only show items backed by a published source. Suggest one.

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] · 1 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Maria Cantwell (D-WA)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] reported raising $306,823 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (2)

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 (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116s3969.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s3969 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116