Edward Markey (D-MA)
Safety Starts at the Top Act of 2025
A Democratic bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
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 "Safety Starts at the Top Act of 2025," aims to amend title 49 of the United States Code. It specifically focuses on revising the qualifications required for organization designation authorization (ODA) holders. For entities earning at least $15,000,000,000 in annual gross revenue, the bill mandates specific board of directors requirements. These include having two representatives from labor organizations and two representatives with proven aerospace safety experience. Additionally, the FAA Administrator must rescind delegations from any entity that fails to meet these new standards within 90 days.
Yes· 3 of 5
- Scored +7
Would union members be better off under this?
The bill mandates labor union representation on the boards of major aerospace corporations.
- Scored +5
Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise?
The bill mandates labor organization representation on the boards of large aerospace entities.
- Scored +3
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
Enhanced safety oversight via board requirements may improve consumer safety in aviation.
The opposite
- Scored -3
Would business owners be better off under this?
Large aerospace companies face new regulatory and board composition requirements.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Labor Representation: Entities with at least $15,000,000,000 in annual gross revenue must include two representatives from labor organizations on their board of directors, including one from each labor organization representing employees directly involved in aircraft design and manufacturing (Section 2(a)(B)(i)).
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Enhanced Safety Oversight: The bill requires the inclusion of two board members who possess proven experience in aerospace safety and demonstrable outcomes related to that experience (Section 2(a)(B)(ii)).
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Accountability for ODA Holders: The FAA Administrator is required to rescind any existing delegation of authority from any entity that does not meet these new qualification requirements within 90 days of the act's enactment (Section 2(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated 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.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise? — The bill mandates labor organization representation on the boards of large aerospace entities. Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — Enhanced safety oversight via board requirements may improve consumer safety in aviation.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands the regulatory requirements imposed by the FAA Administrator on large entities. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — Requiring labor and safety experts on boards increases oversight and accountability.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would union members be better off under this? — The bill mandates labor union representation on the boards of major aerospace corporations. Would business owners be better off under this? — Large aerospace companies face new regulatory and board composition requirements.
- 4/2/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.