States can build small airport runways using highway rules if feds approve.

What it does

This bill lets states use highway building standards for runways at small airports. States must tell the federal government about their standards. The Secretary of Transportation has six months to decide. The Secretary can ask for more time. If approved, states can build and fix runways using highway rules.

Who it affects

Small airports and state transportation departments gain a new option. Rural and regional airports may save money on construction.

One thing to notice

The bill does not say what counts as unsafe. The Secretary has broad power to approve or reject standards.

From the analysis of the bill text, linked under Primary records below.

Where it stands

3 cosponsors: 2 Democrats, 1 Republicans.

• Dec 4, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Dec 4, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure”
• Dec 18, 2025 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
• Dec 18, 2025 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote”
• Mar 24, 2026 — Passed the House · Congress.gov: “On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. (text: CR H2658)”
• Mar 24, 2026 — Floor vote scheduled · Congress.gov: “Mr. Taylor moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

4 groups reported lobbying about this bill. They filed 4 reports from Mar 2026 to Jun 2026.

Those reports show $1,992,301 in lobbying spending. Each report lists about 30 bills. So that money was not all for this bill.

More groups named this bill than 72% of bills with any report.

Nicholas Begich, who sponsored the bill, received $1,039,127 from PACs for the 2026 election.

• American Association of Airport Executives — $1,172,100 in 1 report
• Airports Council International -- North America — $775,201 in 1 report
• National Association of State Aviation Officials — $30,000 in 1 report
• Greenville-spartanburg Airport — $15,000 in 1 report

Lobbying is legal. These reports show who lobbied about this bill, not what changed.

Words to know

• Secretary of Transportation — The federal official who leads the transportation department and approves safety standards.
• small airports — Airports that serve planes under 60,000 pounds, not major commercial hubs.
• lobbying — Trying to influence lawmakers about a bill. Companies and groups pay people to do this.
• PACs — Groups that collect money and give it to candidates for office.
• sponsored — To sponsor a bill is to introduce it in Congress and put your name on it.