Aviation Funding Solvency Act

The bill would establish an automatic continuing-appropriations mechanism for the FAA during any lapse in federal funding. When no regular appropriations bill or continuing resolution is in effect at the start of a fiscal year, the FAA Administrator could draw from the Aviation Insurance Revolving Fund — defined as the fund's balance minus a $1 billion reserve — to continue programs, projects, and activities at no more than the prior year's rate of operations. If funds prove insufficient to sustain all activities, the bill would require the Administrator to prioritize paying employees of the Air Traffic Organization, which includes air traffic controllers. The funding would remain available until a regular appropriations law or a continuing resolution takes effect.

The bill would not guarantee indefinite FAA operations — it is capped by the fund's balance above $1 billion, meaning a prolonged shutdown could exhaust available amounts. Separately, the bill would permanently extend the FAA's Non-premium War Risk Insurance Program by striking the existing sunset provision in federal statute, removing the expiration date that currently applies to the program.

The Federal Aviation Administration and its workforce — particularly air traffic controllers, who would be prioritized for compensation payments if the fund runs low. Air carriers operating under federal contracts for national security or foreign-policy purposes would benefit from the permanent extension of the non-premium war risk insurance program. Airline passengers and the broader aviation system would be indirectly affected by provisions aimed at preventing FAA shutdowns.

Government shutdowns have historically threatened FAA operations and placed air traffic controllers in the position of working without pay. This bill would give the FAA a dedicated financial cushion to continue operating and ensure controllers are compensated even when Congress fails to pass appropriations on time, reducing the risk that funding lapses disrupt air traffic control and aviation safety nationwide.

The bill would be self-executing: when a lapse in appropriations begins, the FAA Administrator would gain immediate access to covered amounts in the Aviation Insurance Revolving Fund without additional action from Congress. The Administrator would be responsible for determining whether available funds are sufficient to sustain all programs or whether the prioritization rule — compensating Air Traffic Organization employees first — must be applied. Expenditures made under this mechanism would later be charged against the applicable appropriation once a regular funding bill is enacted. The war-risk insurance extension requires no additional implementation; it takes effect by removing the statutory sunset clause.