House passes in-flight cell phone ban; Senate takes a crack

The US House of Representatives has passed FAA reauthorization legislation that includes an amendment to formally ban the in-flight use of wireless devices for voice communications in the USA. In short, they don't want you to gab away on your cell phone and piss people off.

Now I'm all for reauthorizing the FAA. Bloody hell, lawmakers have taken long enough on this one. But what I don't think is right or fair or decent is DeFazio's ugly amendment, Section 423, which was included in the basic FAA reauthorization bill when it was introduced in February.

So what's next? Well the House FAA reauthorization bill HR.915 with the ban (Section 423) will go to the Senate. The Senate is working on its own version of the bill, and will introduce it in June after the week-long Memorial Day recess. 

That means there is still a chance that this ban won't go through. A chance. Hopefully the Senate will take a more balanced look.