- December 16, 2025
The following is adapted from a press release from U.S. Rep. John Mica's office:
Long-term FAA legislation sponsored by Transportation Committee Chairman John L. Mica was approved by the Senate Feb. 6. That's one more step in the process to allow Palm Coast to enter the competitive bid system to potentially keep its FAA training facility in town, saving up to 110 jobs.
Click here for previous coverage and background of the training facility.
The bill has broad national implications. The FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 (H.R. 658), a bill Mica introduced in the House, includes reforms that eliminate several airports as well as high airline passenger ticket subsidies, some of which are $3,720 per ticket. The Senate did not go along with this and allowed for a partial shutdown of the FAA for two weeks.
“Cutting outrageous ticket subsidies helped bring negotiators to the table to finally complete this long-term FAA bill,” Mica said. The House-Senate agreement includes further reforms to the small community airline ticket subsidy program by prohibiting new communities from joining, further eliminating subsidies to airports that have fewer than 10 passengers each day that are within 175 miles of a large or medium hub, and reducing federal taxpayer funding for the program.
“For nearly five years, federal policy for this industry that accounts for as much as 11% of the nation’s economic activity was left behind,” Mica said. “This legislation sets the blueprint for modernizing our air traffic control system from pre-WWII technology to the GPS-based NextGen system. This will reduce air traffic delays, cut down on emissions and pollution, and lower costs for consumers.
“This legislation also aids veterans coming home from Afghanistan and Iraq with employment preference,” Mica said.
Now, the bill goes to the president for his signature.
