As the U.S. Senate focuses on FAA reauthorization legislation, members of the AMA Government Affairs team have met with senators and their staff in Washington D.C. in recent months to share the importance of the Special Rule for Model Aircraft (Section 336). This past weekend, we traveled to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to participate in EAA’s Airventure and talk about the latest UAS regulation proposals with our members. While there, we had the opportunity to meet with Senator Jim Inhofe (OK) and discuss model aviation and paths to preserve the hobby as the nation moves forward with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) integration.
Senator Inhofe is the senior senator from Oklahoma and a ranking majority member. A long-time supporter of community-based safety programming for model aircraft operators, his assistance was instrumental when Congress passed Section 336 in the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012. We thank Senator Inhofe for speaking with us and for his continued support of model aviation, all while seeking to protect hobbyists in future legislation.
As you are aware, the U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the FAA Reauthorization in April 2018. Our meetings with senators have allowed us to build upon the positive language contained in the House bill to further strengthen and protect model aviation. In the coming weeks, we expect the Senate bill, which includes Section 336, to be brought to the floor for vote. Once passed, it and the House bill will be sent to a Joint Committee to determine the final version of the legislation. You can view how the Special Rule for Model Aircraft legislation is moving through Congress here.
We thank you for your support and all you do to protect model aviation. As the Senate works on their language, we may ask for your help to engage with your senators on the importance of the hobby. Please continue to monitor your emails and social media. You can find the latest advocacy information on our website at modelaircraft.org/gov and we encourage you to reach out with any questions.
Sincerely,
AMA Government Affairs Team
