Congressman Begich Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Cut Red Tape for Rural and Small Airports

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Dec. 5, 2025 - Washington, D.C. - Congressman Nick Begich (R-AK), a member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and Aviation Subcommittee, introduced H.R. 6427, the Airport Regulatory Relief Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation to reduce regulatory burdens on small and rural airports and lower the cost of airfield pavement projects across the country. Congressman Begich is leading this bill alongside Congressman Ed Case (D-HI), Congressman David Taylor (R-OH), and Congresswoman Jill Takuda (D-HI).

"Small airports serve as lifelines for rural America. In Alaska, airports are critical for our residents who rely on air travel as their main method of transportation. Many of Alaska's rural communities simply have no other option. Outdated federal regulations make even basic runway projects far more expensive and complicated than they need to be. The Airport Regulatory Relief Act reduces costs and gives our state aviation leaders the flexibility they need without compromising safety," said Congressman Begich. "This is a commonsense, bipartisan solution that will deliver real benefits to rural airports in Alaska and across the country."

BACKGROUND:

Under current law, the FAA requires small airports to follow the same strict pavement specifications used for major commercial airports-even when building runways used only by light aircraft. This regulatory mismatch often drives up costs, extends construction timelines, and places unnecessary burdens on small airports that already operate with limited staffing and tight budgets.

This legislation would allow states to use their own state highway construction standards for certain runway and taxiway pavement projects at non-primary airports serving aircraft under 60,000 pounds. This bill would ensure safety by requiring FAA approval before state specifications are used.

The Airport Regulatory Relief Act of 2025 will help small airports by providing regulatory relief that reduces project costs and shorten timelines - allowing airports to better manage limited resources.

The National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), representing state aviation agencies nationwide, strongly supports the legislation.

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