H.R. 7371: No Flight, No Fight Act of 2026

This bill, titled the No Flight, No Fight Act of 2026, aims to improve aviation safety and biosecurity by limiting the transport of certain live animals, specifically adult roosters, by air. Here’s a summary of key provisions:

Purpose of the Bill

The bill is introduced in response to concerns about the transportation of adult roosters, which can lead to:

• Operational challenges for airlines, including stress-induced behavior in the animals.
• Potential health risks due to disease transmission.
• Facilitation of illegal activities, such as cockfighting, which can further amplify biosecurity threats.

The bill seeks to restrict non-essential air shipments of adult roosters while allowing exemptions for legitimate agricultural operations to maintain the integrity of commercial poultry supply chains.

Key Provisions

Restriction on Air Transportation

The bill introduces a prohibition on air carriers transporting adult roosters unless specific conditions are met. It establishes the following:

• Air carriers and other operators are prohibited from transporting adult roosters as cargo, effective from the date of enactment.
• There are exemptions for transport that involves adult roosters going to or coming from a commercial farm, provided it is for legitimate agricultural purposes.

Certification Requirement

To qualify for the exemption, individuals or entities must:

• Provide documentation certifying the farm as a commercial operation.
• Submit financial records or attestations that meet guidelines set by the Economic Research Service of the United States Department of Agriculture.

No air carrier can accept adult roosters for transport without this certification.

Definitions

For clarity, the bill defines several terms:

• Adult Rooster: A male chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) that has reached sexual maturity (at least 6 months old).
• Air Carrier: The standard definition as used in aviation law.
• Commercial Farm: A farm with an annual gross cash income of $350,000 or more.
• Interstate or Foreign Air Transportation: Defined as in current aviation laws, covering both domestic and international shipments.

Enforcement

The Secretary of Transportation will be responsible for enforcing the provisions of this bill in coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). They will be allowed to create regulations as necessary, and violations can result in civil penalties as indicated in aviation law.

State Law Consideration

The bill specifies that it does not preempt any state laws that may impose stricter regulations on the air transportation of live animals or provide enhanced safety measures.

Effective Date

The provisions of the bill would come into effect 180 days after it is signed into law.

Relevant Companies

• None found