Federal airport funds redirected to U.S. territories under 1978 eligibility test

What it does

This bill amends federal airport funding rules to expand which airports qualify for a special cost-sharing subsidy. It adds a new category: airports in U.S. territories that were eligible for federal air-service support as of 1978. The change allows these airports to receive a higher federal share of project costs, reducing the local/state funding burden.

Why we flagged it

The bill expands federal cost-sharing eligibility for a narrow class of airports (U.S. territories meeting a 1978 test), functioning as a geographically targeted subsidy that increases federal spending on those specific projects.

What the text implies

• The bill references a 1978 eligibility test under the Federal Aviation Act but does not restate which territories or airports qualify, making the actual scope of the expansion dependent on historical FAA records not included in this text.
• No new appropriations are mentioned; the expanded federal share may come from reallocation within existing airport-funding pools, potentially reducing federal cost-sharing for airports in other regions.
• The phrase 'and for other purposes' in the title is boilerplate, but the bill's actual scope is limited to amending one subsection of one statute.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill directs federal funds to a specific subset of airports (those in territories meeting a historical eligibility test), which may improve air service and economic development in those communities. However, the benefit is geographically narrow and the bill does not clarify whether the expanded federal share comes from new appropriations or reallocation from other airport projects, creating uncertainty about net public benefit.

Who stands to gain

• U.S. territory airports meeting 1978 FAA eligibility criteria
• territorial and local governments (reduced capital-project costs)

Named in the bill

49 U.S.C. § 47109(f), 49 U.S.C. § 417 (subchapter II), Federal Aviation Act of 1958, § 419, U.S. territories, essential air service

Where it stands

6 cosponsors: 5 Republicans, 1 Democrats.

• Dec 4, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Dec 4, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure”
• Sep 15, 2026 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
• Sep 15, 2026 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by Voice Vote”

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