In The News

To ensure the United States remains the gold standard of Aviation, Rep. Troy E. Nehls (R-TX), Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, wrote an op-ed in The Washington Times on the need to eliminate restrictive red tape and help maintain America’s global competitiveness, while highlighting the importance of modernizing America’s ATC systems.

Unleash American innovation: Lift the ban on supersonic flight

The supersonic aviation race is this generation’s space race.

To ensure America remains the world’s leader in supersonic aviation, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order that ensures the United States is the world’s leader in supersonic aviation.

This executive order initiates the repeal of a 1973 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulation that prohibits civil supersonic flights over land in the United States. 14 CFR 91.817 dictates that no person may operate a civil aircraft in the United States at a speed of Mach 1 or higher, effectively prohibiting non-military-related supersonic flight over the United States. By taking action to eliminate this restrictive red tape, the Trump administration is ensuring that America’s aviation industry remains strategically competitive against our foreign adversaries.

Chinese state-owned Comac is already making strides to develop a supersonic jet called the C949. While Comac revealed its blueprints for its supersonic jet in March 2025, American companies, such as Boom Supersonic, have already developed aircraft designed to fly faster than the speed of sound, with no sonic boom reaching the ground.

The United States of America is home to the only flying civil supersonic aircraft. Boom’s supersonic demonstrator, XB-1, broke the sound barrier six times earlier this year without exhibiting an audible sonic boom. This revolutionary innovation will help maintain America’s competitiveness on the world stage, all the while protecting the safety of the flying public and civilians on American soil.

Before President Trump’s executive order, I joined my Senate colleague, Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., in introducing the Supersonic Aviation Modernization (SAM) Act, which would direct the FAA to issue or revise regulations, within one year of enactment, to allow for the operation of civil aviation aircraft to operate at speeds of Mach 1 or higher without requiring special authorization, so long as no sonic boom reaches the ground.

My legislation codifies this important provision in President Trump’s executive order to ensure that outdated regulations don’t hinder the Golden Age of American air travel. Congress must supersonically pass my legislation and send it to President Trump’s desk to then sign into law.

I am proud to serve as the House Aviation Subcommittee Chairman for the 119th Congress. Following the devastating DCA plane crash, which took the lives of 67 individuals, my subcommittee has held several hearings evaluating the current state of our nation’s aviation operations, including our nation’s air traffic control system, staffing, and the implementation of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

Further, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s portion of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes a $12.5 billion investment in our ATC system. This investment provides a significant down payment to modernize the system and make our ATC system the envy of the world.

Furthermore, as chairman of the House Subcommittee on Aviation, I am hosting multiple, bipartisan roundtables that allow key stakeholders from across the aviation industry to share their perspectives and provide valuable insights on the issues currently facing America’s aviation industry.

Let me be clear: Safety remains our top priority. But now, thanks to the leadership of President Trump, we have an opportunity to usher in a new age of American-made aviation innovation that we can’t let pass us by.

We must seize this moment and encourage and support further innovation in the aviation industry while not compromising safety.

By lifting the ban on supersonic flight, we are ensuring America will remain the world’s leader in the aviation industry.

Rep. Troy E. Nehls represents the 22nd Congressional District of Texas. In the 119th Congress, Rep. Nehls serves as the chairman of the House Aviation Subcommittee. He previously served as the chairman of the House Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee. Prior to serving in Congress, Rep. Nehls served in law enforcement for nearly 30 years.