Neighborhood Skies Act of 2026
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8244
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-09: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-15T16:08:17Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
The Neighborhood Skies Act of 2026 (H.R. 8244) requires the Secretary of Defense to report annually to Congress on the number of Department of Defense (DoD) proficiency flights—training flights pilots use to maintain skills—in the National Capital Region (NCR), the area around Washington, D.C., including parts of Maryland and Virginia.
Key Provisions
- Reporting Requirement: The Secretary must submit a report to Congress no later than one year after enactment, and annually for the next two years (total of three reports).
- Report Content: Each report covers the number of DoD proficiency flights in the NCR during the prior 12-month period.
- Definition: NCR is defined as in 10 U.S.C. § 2655(10), a specific federal statute.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Introduces a new, temporary (three-year) reporting mandate with no prior equivalent in law.
- Does not alter flight operations or regulations; solely adds transparency through reporting.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Minimal administrative burden on DoD for data collection and reporting; enhances congressional oversight of military aviation near the capital.
- Citizens: Increases public accountability for low-altitude training flights over populated areas, potentially addressing local noise or safety concerns.
- International Relations: None apparent.
Main Stakeholders
- Congress: Receives reports for oversight.
- Department of Defense: Responsible for compiling and submitting data.
- Residents of NCR: Indirectly affected, as reports may inform concerns about flights over neighborhoods.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Straightforward mandate under Congress's constitutional authority to oversee military (Article I, Section 8); no new restrictions on executive branch operations.
- Constitutional: Reinforces separation of powers via legislative check on DoD activities.
- Political: Temporary scope (three years) suggests targeted monitoring, possibly in response to local issues; bipartisan introduction (Reps. Vindman and Beyer).
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
Cosponsors (1)
Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-09: Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
- 2026-04-09: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-09: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Neighborhood Skies Act of 2026 — issued 2026-04-09 — PDF (2 pages)