A Democratic bill with 4 Republican cosponsors · See all 9 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Workforce Innovation for Next-Gen in Skies Act of 2026," seeks to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965. It aims to include certain aviation-related costs in the calculation of a student's cost of attendance. These costs include things like training fees, equipment, and licensing exams. The change applies to qualifying aviation-related programs that award an associate's or bachelor's degree. These updates would take effect on July 1, 2027.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +6
Would students be better off under this?
The bill directly benefits students in aviation programs by increasing the scope of what can be included in their cost of attendance.
- Scored +5
Does this make college cost less?
The bill improves affordability for aviation students by allowing them to include training and licensing costs in their cost of attendance for financial aid purposes.
- Scored +4
Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this?
Young adults pursuing aviation careers will benefit from the ability to cover training costs through financial aid.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Inclusion of Aviation Training Costs: Students enrolled in qualifying aviation-related programs can have reasonable costs for licensure, certification, or training included in their cost of attendance (Section 2(a)(1)(C)). This includes:
- Aviation laboratory training fees (Section 2(a)(1)(C)(A)).
- Instructional hours in an aircraft, simulator, or ground instruction (Section 2(a)(1)(C)(B)).
- Aviation training materials and equipment (Section 2(a)(1)(C)(C)).
- Exam and licensing fees, including practical tests (Section 2(a)(1)(C)(D)).
- Other fees directly incurred as part of aviation training (Section 2(a)(1)(C)(E)).
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Expanded Definitions for Professional Students: The bill amends the definition of a professional student to include those in programs that award a professional degree or provide specific training described in part 141 of title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (Section 3).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would students be better off under this? — The bill directly benefits students in aviation programs by increasing the scope of what can be included in their cost of attendance. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Young adults pursuing aviation careers will benefit from the ability to cover training costs through financial aid. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill increases access to higher education by allowing more costs to be covered by student aid.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to create jobs? — By facilitating aviation training, the bill supports the development of a skilled workforce for the aviation industry. Is this likely to grow the economy? — Supporting aviation training can contribute to long-term economic growth through a more capable workforce.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make college cost less? — The bill improves affordability for aviation students by allowing them to include training and licensing costs in their cost of attendance for financial aid purposes.
- 8/3/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/23/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.
- 8 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
Don BaconRepublican · Nebraska
Shontel BrownDemocrat · Ohio
Brian FitzpatrickRepublican · Pennsylvania
Shomari FiguresDemocrat · Alabama
Adelita GrijalvaDemocrat · Arizona
Zachary NunnRepublican · Iowa
Mike QuigleyDemocrat · Illinois
Elise StefanikRepublican · New York
Frederica WilsonDemocrat · Florida