HR 7371
No Flight, No Fight Act of 2026
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Bill overview
This bill, the No Flight, No Fight Act of 2026, aims to improve aviation safety and efficiency by restricting the air transportation of adult roosters. It prohibits most air carriers from knowingly transporting adult roosters as cargo, except for legitimate agricultural purposes originating from or destined for commercial farms that meet specific income requirements. The bill establishes certification requirements for farms seeking an exemption and empowers the Department of Transportation and the FAA to enforce the restrictions and create necessary regulations. It also clarifies definitions related to the prohibited transport.
Key provisions
- Prohibits the transport of adult roosters by air carriers unless an exemption applies.
- Establishes an exemption for the transport of roosters from commercial farms with $350,000 or more in annual gross cash farm income.
- Requires farms seeking an exemption to provide certification demonstrating their commercial farm status.
- Defines ‘adult rooster’ and ‘commercial farm’ for clarity.
- Authorizes the Department of Transportation and FAA to enforce the law and create regulations.
- Specifies civil penalties for violations.
- Prevents state laws from providing greater protections for aviation safety.
Who is affected
- Air carriers
- Commercial poultry farms
- Individuals transporting roosters
- The aviation industry
- The agricultural sector (specifically poultry producers)
Notable changes
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119th CONGRESS — 2d Session
H. R. 7371
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To restrict the air transportation of certain live animals in interstate and foreign commerce to enhance aviation safety, biosecurity, and operational efficiency in civil aviation, and for other purposes.
This Act may be cited as the No Flight, No Fight Act of 2026
.
Congress finds the following:
Civil aviation, including the carriage of cargo by air, is critical to the national transportation system and economy of the United States.
The transportation of certain live animals by air, particularly adult roosters, presents unique challenges to aviation safety, biosecurity, and airline operational efficiency, including risks of stress-induced behavior, potential disease transmission, and disruptions during flight.
Rapid air transport of adult roosters has been associated with facilitating illegal activities, such as cockfighting, which poses additional biosecurity risks through unregulated movement of birds that may carry avian diseases.
Restricting non-essential air shipments of adult roosters, while preserving exemptions for large-scale commercial poultry operations, will promote safer and more efficient air cargo operations without disrupting legitimate agricultural supply chains in the commercial egg and meat industries.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation have authority over the safety and regulation of civil aviation, including the carriage of cargo by aircraft.
Chapter 449 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
Except as provided in subsection (b), no air carrier or other person operating an aircraft in interstate or foreign air transportation shall knowingly transport an adult rooster as cargo.
The prohibition under subsection (a) shall not apply if—
the transport of the adult rooster(s) originates from or is destined for a commercial farm; and
the transport is conducted for legitimate agricultural purposes.
Any person claiming an exemption under subsection (b) shall provide documentation certifying that the originating or destination farm qualifies as a commercial farm, including financial records or attestations consistent with guidelines of the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture to the air carrier prior to the transport of the adult rooster(s). No air carrier may accept an adult rooster for transport without certification.
In this section:
The term adult rooster
means a male chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) that has reached sexual maturity, typically characterized by the development of spurs, a large comb, and crowing behavior, and is at least 6 months of age.
The term air carrier
has the meaning given such term in section 40102.
The term commercial farm
means any farm with $350,000 or more in annual gross cash farm income (including sales of crops and livestock, government payments, and other farm-related income), as classified by the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.
The term interstate or foreign air transportation
has the meaning given the term interstate air transportation
in section 40102, including transportation in foreign air commerce.
The analysis for chapter 449 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
The Secretary of Transportation shall enforce this Act and the amendments made by this Act, in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration, and may promulgate such regulations as are necessary to carry out its provisions. Violations shall be subject to civil penalties under chapter 463 of title 49, United States Code.
Nothing in this Act or the amendments made by this Act shall be construed to preempt any State law that provides greater protections for aviation safety or imposes stricter restrictions on the air transportation of live animals.
This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take effect 180 days after the date of enactment.