The House voted Thursday to pass legislation that would reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration, the agency that oversees commercial airlines and airports, for the next five years.
Lawmakers approved the bill, called the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, which included a provision to raise the retirement age for pilots from 65 to 67 amid a major pilot shortage, in a 351-69 vote.
The effort to raise the retirement age was met with some opposition within the chamber from lawmakers who thought the move could endanger pilot standards and passenger safety. But the Rules Committee blocked an amendment that would have stopped the change.
"America has always been the gold standard in aviation, and this bill ensures that we remain the world leader," House Transportation Committee Chairman Sam Graves, R-Mo., said in a statement.
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