Air America Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Grothman
Introduced
Summary
Creates a one-time cash award program for former Air America employees and eligible survivors. The bill would pay set lump-sum awards based on years of documented service and set rules for claims and payments.
Show full summary
- Former U.S. citizen employees with at least five years of qualifying service would receive a $40,000 lump-sum award, plus $8,000 for each full year beyond five. Survivor awards would be split in equal shares among a surviving spouse, dependent, or child.
- The CIA Director would administer claims, rely on Air America, government, or personal records to prove service, and publish procedures for filing, appeals, and payment timing. Director determinations would be final and attorneys' or agents' fees are limited to 25 percent of any award.
- Total awards are capped at $60 million. If claims exceed that amount the Director must seek additional funds from Congress and must report to congressional committees every 180 days on payments and denials until funds are exhausted.
*Authorizes up to $60 million in one-time awards; any additional funding would require congressional appropriation.*
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Cash awards for Air America workers and families
If enacted, the CIA Director would run a one-time award for former Air America workers and their survivors. A person with 5 or more years would get $40,000, plus $8,000 for each full year past five, with partial years prorated. Service must be U.S. citizen work for Air America or listed affiliates from Jan 1, 1950 to Dec 31, 1976, proven by company, government, or verified personal records. Survivors of a qualifying worker or a covered decedent would be paid under set sharing rules. You must file within two years after the rules take effect; the Director would decide in 90 days and pay within 60 days if approved. Total payments would be capped at $60 million, and the Director would ask Congress for more if needed. Some Intermountain Aviation cases could be included case by case. The Director would tell Congress within 30 days if any payment is late.
Cap on lawyer fees for awards
If enacted, no agent or lawyer could take more than 25% of an award for their services. For a $40,000 award, the most they could take is $10,000. Anyone who takes more than 25% could be fined under federal law.
Claim rules and no court appeals
If enacted, the CIA Director would issue claim and appeal rules within 60 days and publish them in the Code of Federal Regulations. These rules would not follow the normal Administrative Procedure Act. The Director would report to Congress every six months on awards, denials, and whether funds are short. Decisions would be final, with no review in federal court. The bill would not make you eligible for other federal retirement, disability, or death benefits.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Grothman
WI • R
Cosponsors
Smith (WA)
WA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Del. Radewagen, Aumua Amata Coleman [R-AS-At Large]
AS • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Gimenez
FL • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Tonko
NY • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Van Orden
WI • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Foster
IL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Jayapal
WA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Foushee
NC • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Tran
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Steil
WI • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Valadao
CA • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Titus
NV • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Sorensen
IL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Bilirakis
FL • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Moore (WI)
WI • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Van Drew
NJ • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Ciscomani
AZ • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Brownley
CA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Frankel, Lois
FL • D
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Salazar
FL • R
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Pocan
WI • D
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Ruiz
CA • D
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Khanna
CA • D
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Kelly (IL)
IL • D
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Moulton
MA • D
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Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Tiffany
WI • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Carter (GA)
GA • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Moore (AL)
AL • R
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Mrvan
IN • D
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Bishop
GA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Nunn (IA)
IA • R
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Huffman
CA • D
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Chu
CA • D
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Timmons
SC • R
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Lee (NV)
NV • D
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Houlahan
PA • D
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Meuser
PA • R
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Ramirez
IL • D
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Johnson (GA)
GA • D
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Thompson (CA)
CA • D
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Feenstra
IA • R
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Garcia (TX)
TX • D
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Costa
CA • D
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Larsen (WA)
WA • D
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Moolenaar
MI • R
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Franklin, Scott
FL • R
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Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
Sponsored 3/18/2025
Westerman
AR • R
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Tenney
NY • R
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Wasserman Schultz
FL • D
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Davis (NC)
NC • D
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Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
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Meeks
NY • D
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Baird
IN • R
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Himes
CT • D
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Tokuda
HI • D
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Panetta
CA • D
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Morelle
NY • D
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Sanchez
CA • D
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Torres (CA)
CA • D
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Williams (GA)
GA • D
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Veasey
TX • D
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Castro (TX)
TX • D
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Golden (ME)
ME • D
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Goldman (NY)
NY • D
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Deluzio
PA • D
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Pettersen
CO • D
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Strickland
WA • D
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Vargas
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Keating
MA • D
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Bonamici
OR • D
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Lynch
MA • D
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Brown
OH • D
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Casten
IL • D
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Carbajal
CA • D
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Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
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Frost
FL • D
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Takano
CA • D
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McBath
GA • D
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Pappas
NH • D
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Landsman
OH • D
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DelBene
WA • D
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Suozzi
NY • D
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Fallon
TX • R
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Barragan
CA • D
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Raskin
MD • D
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Gonzalez, V.
TX • D
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Davids (KS)
KS • D
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Hudson
NC • R
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Kaptur
OH • D
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Stanton
AZ • D
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Amodei (NV)
NV • R
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Mullin
CA • D
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McClain Delaney
MD • D
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Carson
IN • D
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Neguse
CO • D
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Johnson (TX)
TX • D
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Stevens
MI • D
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Bost
IL • R
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Norcross
NJ • D
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Wied
WI • R
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Quigley
IL • D
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Craig
MN • D
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Peters
CA • D
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Schrier
WA • D
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Gomez
CA • D
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Rutherford
FL • R
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Lieu
CA • D
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LaMalfa
CA • R
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Conaway
NJ • D
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Carter (LA)
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Lawler
NY • R
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Vasquez
NM • D
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Vindman
VA • D
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Crow
CO • D
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Budzinski
IL • D
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Dingell
MI • D
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Horsford
NV • D
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Carey
OH • R
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Schakowsky
IL • D
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Matsui
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Meng
NY • D
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Sewell
AL • D
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Randall
WA • D
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Mann
KS • R
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Harder (CA)
CA • D
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Trahan
MA • D
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Ryan
NY • D
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Levin
CA • D
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Soto
FL • D
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Courtney
CT • D
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Ezell
MS • R
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Pou
NJ • D
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Friedman
CA • D
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Morrison
MN • D
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Buchanan
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Amo
RI • D
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Hamadeh (AZ)
AZ • R
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Kim
CA • R
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Garcia (IL)
IL • D
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Bell
MO • D
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Perez
WA • D
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Min
CA • D
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Nehls
TX • R
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Davis (IL)
IL • D
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Wittman
VA • R
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Del. King-Hinds, Kimberlyn [R-MP-At Large]
MP • R
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Salinas
OR • D
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Subramanyam
VA • D
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Hurd (CO)
CO • R
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Schneider
IL • D
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Nadler
NY • D
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Bera
CA • D
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Walkinshaw
VA • D
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Escobar
TX • D
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Gillen
NY • D
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Watson Coleman
NJ • D
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Larson (CT)
CT • D
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Underwood
IL • D
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Omar
MN • D
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Fletcher
TX • D
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Loudermilk
GA • R
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Issa
CA • R
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Stansbury
NM • D
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DeSaulnier
CA • D
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Gottheimer
NJ • D
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Mills
FL • R
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Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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