Congress·Reported·S. 3700

Sen. Cantwell Proposes Independent Expert Panel to Overhaul FAA Safety Systems

FAA SMS Compliance Review Act of 2026

about 1 month ago·View on Congress.gov

Legislative Progress

Senate

House

President

Law

Key Points

This bill creates a special team of experts to look closely at how the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) handles safety. The group will check if the agency’s current safety rules are actually working and if they are being followed correctly across all parts of the organization, from air traffic control to plane inspections.
The review panel will include people from NASA, pilot and air traffic controller unions, and safety experts from the private sector. By bringing in outside voices, the goal is to get an honest look at the FAA’s safety culture and find any weak spots that might be missed by people working inside the agency.
Aviation safety depends on a system that spots risks before they lead to accidents. This bill ensures that the FAA’s own safety system is up to date and that employees feel comfortable reporting concerns without fear of getting in trouble, which is a key part of keeping the skies safe for everyone.
Once the panel is formed, they have about six months to finish their study and give a report to both the FAA and Congress. If the FAA decides not to follow any of the panel's suggestions, they must publicly explain exactly why they disagree, ensuring the process stays transparent for the public.

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Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Milestones

3 milestones3 actions

Feb 12, 2026Senate

Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

Jan 27, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Jan 27, 2026

Introduced in Senate

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

Within 60 days of enactment

Expert review panel convened

Within 60 days of enactment, the FAA Administrator must assemble an independent panel of safety experts, labor representatives, and industry professionals to begin reviewing the agency's safety systems.

Roughly 8 months after enactment

Panel delivers safety findings and recommendations to Congress and the FAA

Within about 8 months of enactment, the panel must publish a report with recommendations for improving FAA safety systems. The FAA must then explain publicly whether it agrees or disagrees with each recommendation.

Related News

3 articles

AVweb·29 days ago

Senate Panel Advances FAA Safety Review

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