NBAA Marks Passing of Former Senator, GA Champion Nancy Kassebaum

Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-431-5970, [email protected]

Washington, DC, Aug. 24, 2026 - National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen marked the passing of former Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS) by reflecting on her steadfast effort and commitment to revitalizing the nation's general aviation manufacturing industry, which led to passage of the landmark General Aviation Revitalization Act (GARA) of 1994.

"Sen. Kassebaum paired her tenaciousness on Capitol Hill brought with her firsthand understanding of general aviation's importance in Kansas and across the U.S. to ensure the passage of GARA, positioning the industry for the promising future it continues to enjoy today," said Bolen, who considered the senator a friend and mentor.

Kassebaum was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1978 and served in that chamber for 18 years. In 1986, she introduced her first bill aimed at reinvigorating general aviation (GA) manufacturing after some OEMs halted production of their propeller-driven GA aircraft and laid off thousands of workers, citing the daunting costs driven by escalating product liability lawsuits following GA aircraft accidents.

While Kassebaum's initial measure and several subsequent bills failed to advance in the upper chamber, her legislation was soon refined to specifically address the onerous requirements that held GA aircraft manufacturers legally responsible in accidents involving legacy aircraft, even those that had flown safely for 40 years or longer.

A resulting bill narrowing the period of repose to 18 years advanced in the 103rd Congress. The House of Representatives passed the final version of GARA on June 26, 1994, and sent it to the White House. President Bill Clinton signed the measure into law in an Oval Office ceremony.

"GARA would not have survived were it not for Sen. Kassebaum's persistence and commitment to working in a bipartisan fashion to accomplish important things," Bolen continued. "She was tough, but also fair. Even those opposed to the measure were willing to hear her out, and in that spirit, they were successful in finding compromise and making real progress. May that continue to be her legacy."

In addition to her advocacy for general aviation, Kassebaum also served as chair of the Senate Subcommittee on African Affairs and Senate Labor Committee. She opted not to seek reelection in 1996, but continued to remain active, including in her capacity as chair of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

At the request of President Clinton, in 1997 Kassebaum joined former Vice President Walter Mondale in a bipartisan effort to advance campaign finance reform. Three years later, she was appointed as co-chair of The Presidential Appointee Initiative Advisory Board that delivered reform recommendations to the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee.

Most recently, Kassebaum served as an advisory board member for the Partnership for a Secure America, a not-for-profit organization aimed at reestablishing the bipartisan center in American national security and foreign policy.

Kassebaum received an honorary doctorate from Kansas State University in 2015. KSU continues to offer the Kassebaum Scholarship that recognizes up to five students annually who aspire to careers in public service.

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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents 10,000 company and professional members and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world's largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at nbaa.org.

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