U.S. Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) today urged support for President Trump’s effort to modernize American airways, reduce flight delays and inefficiencies, and reform the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently passed bipartisan legislation – the 21st Century Aviation Innovation, Reform, and Reauthorization (AIRR) Act – to enact badly needed, common-sense reforms to improve air travel in the U.S. It is scheduled to be considered by the full House as soon as next week.
“Modernizing air travel is a key part of the President’s infrastructure plan to kickstart American competitiveness and grow the economy,†said Messer, who is a co-sponsor on the bill. “Our aviation system is the busiest in the world, but it’s also inefficient, costly and plagued by bureaucracy. These reforms are long overdue, and will lead to safer, faster and cheaper air travel for Americans.â€
The 21st Century AIRR Act is a six-year reauthorization of the FAA that separates our antiquated air traffic control (ATC) service from the federal government and helps finally modernize the system.
“For too many years, our country has tolerated unacceptable delays at the airport, long wait times on the tarmac, and a slowing of commerce and travel that costs us billions and billions of dollars in lost hours and lost dollars themselves,†President Trump said in his remarks launching efforts to pass the bill. “A modern air traffic control system will make life better for all Americans who travel, ship, or fly.â€
The 21st Century AIRR Act will also reduce red tape in the FAA’s certification process for aircraft and aviation products, improve the safety of air travel, provide a better flying experience from gate to gate, foster innovation in aviation technologies and fund the Nation’s airport infrastructureThe 21st Century AIRR Act passed out of the HouseTransportation Committee by a vote of 32-25, with only one Republican joining withDemocrats to vote against the bill.
The 21st Century AIRR Act is sponsored by a bipartisan coalition including Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA), Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO), Aviation Subcommittee Vice Chair Paul Mitchell (R-MI), U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa (D-HI), and U.S. Rep. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ).
The bill is also supported by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, Air Line Pilots Association, Airlines for America, National Association of Manufacturers, Heritage Action and others.
