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HR 4146 119th Congress House Transportation and Public Works

PAPA Act of 2025

Introduced: January 21, 2026 Introduced by: Onder, Robert F. Republican · Missouri See on congress.gov
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 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 26, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.
Jun 25, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
Jun 25, 2025
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act or the PAPA Act of 2025

This bill limits how Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data may be used by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and other government agencies. The bill also establishes disclosure requirements for certain user fees imposed on general aviation aircraft at public-use airports and limits the purposes for which the fees may be used.

As background, ADS-B transmits information (e.g., location and weather information) between aircraft and air traffic control.

The bill prohibits a person or government agency from using ADS-B data to identify an aircraft in order to impose a charge on the aircraft owner or operator.

The bill also specifies that air traffic controllers may only use ADS-B data to assist in tracking aircraft and improving air traffic safety and efficiency, or for other purposes determined appropriate by the Department of Transportation after notice and public comment.

Further, the bill prohibits any federal, state, local, territorial, or tribal official from initiating an investigation (excluding a criminal investigation) of a person based exclusively on ADS-B data. Under current law, this prohibition only applies to the FAA. 

In addition, owners and operators of public-use airports must publicly disclose financial information about certain expenses and cost estimates for airside safety projects (e.g., runway or taxiway safety improvements) prior to charging landing or takeoff fees for general aviation aircraft (e.g., aircraft used for personal, recreational, or flight training purposes). Further, any revenue from these fees may only be used for airside safety projects.

What's happening now June 26, 2025

Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Lobbying activity 53

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

See all 53 filings →
 Cosponsors 9
All 9 Republican 9
R
Harrigan, Pat
North Carolina · Mar 4, 2026
 R
Yakym, Rudy
Indiana · Feb 24, 2026
 R
Begich, Nicholas J.
Alaska · Feb 13, 2026
 R
Johnson, Dusty
South Dakota · Feb 9, 2026
 R
Franklin, Scott
Florida · Jan 21, 2026
 R
Hern, Kevin
Oklahoma · Jan 15, 2026
 R
Westerman, Bruce
Arkansas · Dec 23, 2025
 R
Moore, Barry
Alabama · Oct 31, 2025
 R
Collins, Mike
Georgia · Jul 23, 2025
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4146: PAPA Act of 2025. 119th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-4146/
MLA
"H.R. 4146: PAPA Act of 2025." 119th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-4146/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4146, 119th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-4146/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4146: PAPA Act of 2025](https://openamerica.io/bill/119-HR-4146/)
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