Other names for this bill
This bill may be referred to as FESSA - the acronym for FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act.
What this bill does
This bill extended funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through September 2017 (the end of the 2017 fiscal year).
It includes provisions such as increased security and regulations regarding unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).
Air Traffic Control remains a function of government
Just as notable as what the bill contains is what it doesn't contain.
An earlier version of a bill to extend FAA funding would have turned Air Traffic Control operations over to a private corporation. This bill does not contain that provision, meaning the federal government will continue to control air traffic over the United States.
Airport security is increased
Security-related measures include...
o Increasing the maximum fine for aiming the beam of a laser pointer at an aircraft to $25,000
o Increasing standards for vetting aviation employees.
o Working to decrease wait times at security checkpoints with increased marketing efforts for TSA PreCheck.
More information
You can find more details about this bill at GovTrack.us.