S. 1759 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, May 14, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryAllows supersonic flights over U.S. land
Right now, the FAA bans regular commercial planes from going supersonic (faster than the speed of sound) over the U.S. because of the shock waves they create. This bill would tell the FAA to change that rule and allow supersonic flights over land, but only if the sonic boom doesn't reach the ground. Airlines wouldn't need special permission from the FAA each time they want to fly supersonic, as long as they meet the no-ground-boom requirement.
How it affects you
This mainly affects aircraft companies and airlines that want to operate faster planes. If you live under typical flight paths, you might eventually see changes in how fast planes can travel, though only if the technology prevents sonic booms from disturbing people below.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, May 14, 2025)
Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act
This bill directs the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to allow civil aircraft to operate at speeds above Mach 1 (i.e., supersonic) over land in the United States under certain conditions.
Specifically, the FAA must issue or revise regulations to allow for the operation of civil aircraft at speeds greater than Mach 1 in the national airspace system without a special authorization, so long as no sonic boom reaches the ground in the United States.
Current regulations prohibit civil aircraft from operating above Mach 1 speeds over land in the United States without a special flight authorization issued by the FAA.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 1759
A BILL
Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act
Sponsor: Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC) · Introduced May 14, 2025 · Transportation and Public Works · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jul 22, 2026: “Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.”