The House today -- on a 267-151 vote -- passed an FAA reauthorization bill, HR 2881, containing a number of strong passenger rights provisions. Usually, bills get weaker as they go through Congress; this bill got better before it went to the floor. That's no doubt due to the growing demands from citizens and victims across the country organized into the Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights. (See previous blog). Here's a statement on passage from Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), chief sponsor of the Airline Passengers Bill of Rights proposal (R 1303). Much of that proposed bill was added into the final FAA bill. Congress probably would not have acted except that thousands of citizens complained about being treated worse than cattle by the airlines. The Senate's companion FAA bill, which includes some passenger rights language but also some more controversial provisions related to funding for its core purpose of modernizing air traffic control, must now go to the Senate floor.