John Rose Co-Sponsoring SONG Act To Improve Concert Safety

United States Congressman John Rose is co-sponsoring legislation that would help address safety concerns at concert venues.

The SONG Act would give the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the authority to restrict flights over concerts and music festival locations.

“The FAA has had the authority with respect to sporting events to restrict flights over the airspace over major venues when there’s an event happening there,” Rose said. “They don’t have to do this, but they have the authority to do it. So they can reroute flights, avoiding any potential unintended acts of terrorism or violence that might happen.”

The bill was first introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives July 9 by Rose’s fellow Tennessee congressman, Steve Cohen.

According to Rose, the FAA does not currently have the authority to restrict flights that travel over major concert venues like they would with sporting events.

Rose said the bill would help ensure the safety of concertgoers and tourists across the state.

“So think of some of the big music events that happen in our state and obviously Nashville being a mecca for music and entertainment,” Rose said, “it’s particularly important here in our state to think of some of the large music festivals that we have here in Tennessee and elsewhere around the country.”

The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure referred the bill to the House Subcommittee on Aviation for further evaluation.