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US Congress · H.R. 3196 · In committee

Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025

Introduced
Moved
Reached a final decision
Introduced 2025-05-05
Derived from the official record below.

Officially: “Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025 Read the full text

Transportation and Public Works

What it does

Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025 This bill generally prohibits the operation of a civil helicopter within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument in New York, New York. The bill includes an exception for flights carried out for the purposes of (1) public health and safety (e.g., for law enforcement or the provision of medical services), or (2) heavy-lift operations in support of construction and infrastructure maintenance. The Federal Aviation Administration must issue or update regulations to carry out the requirements of this bill.
Summary by the Congressional Research Service, from the official record. Plain-language version below. Not legal advice.

Read it in plain language

AI plain language3 sections
Written by AI from the complete official bill text and independently fact-checked against it. Not legal advice.
1Short title

This section would let the Act be cited as the Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025.

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Official text, verbatim from the record

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Improving Helicopter Safety Act of 2025 .

2Prohibition on helicopter flights near Statue of Liberty National Monument

This section would add a new section 44749 to chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code. Starting not later than 60 days after this Act becomes law, no person could operate a civil helicopter in covered airspace, except for flights that fall under one of two listed exceptions. The first exception covers flights carried out for public health and safety purposes, including law enforcement, emergency response, disaster response, the provision of medical services, and other services for the benefit of the general public, including flights carried out for research or for official purposes by a news organization. The second exception covers flights carried out for heavy-lift operations in support of construction and infrastructure maintenance. Covered airspace would be defined as the airspace within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. This section would also add a matching entry to the table of sections for chapter 447 of title 49 to list the new section 44749.

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Official text, verbatim from the record

2. Prohibition on helicopter flights near Statue of Liberty National Monument (a) In general Chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 44749. Prohibition on helicopter flights near Statue of Liberty National Monument (a) In general Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this section, no person may operate a civil helicopter in covered airspace except as provided for under subsection (b). (b) Exceptions (1) Public health and safety The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply to a flight carried out for purposes of public health and safety, including— (A) law enforcement; (B) emergency response; (C) disaster response; (D) the provision of medical services; and (E) providing other services for the benefit of the general public, including flights carried out for research or for official purposes by a news organization. (2) Infrastructure maintenance The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply to a flight carried out for purposes heavy-lift operations in support of construction and infrastructure maintenance. (c) Covered airspace defined In this section, the term covered airspace means the airspace within a 20-mile radius of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. . (b) Conforming amendment The table of sections for chapter 447 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following: 44749. Prohibition on helicopter flights near Statue of Liberty National Monument. .

3Helicopter flight routes near Statue of Liberty National Monument

This section would require the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, not later than 90 days after this Act becomes law, to issue or update the regulations necessary to carry out the requirements of section 2.

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Official text, verbatim from the record

3. Helicopter flight routes near Statue of Liberty National Monument Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall issue or update such regulations as are necessary to carry out the requirements of section 2.

AI plain languageRead the whole bill in plain language, 3 sections

Where it is

Introduced · 2025-05-05

In the House.

Committee, then floor votes in both chambers · next · the next step

Official documents

The on-site text is shown verbatim from the GovInfo publication, captured 2026-07-12. The same version at GovInfo.

The numbers

2%
of bills introduced became law in the 118th Congress, 2023 to 2024 (n=16,213)
8
sponsors, out of 218 needed to pass
Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record. Last action: Referred to the Subcommittee on Aviation. (2025-05-05).