FAA: 'Aviation Safety, Security and Efficiency Win Out'

The United States Senate FINALLY voted in favor of the FAA’s four-year reauthorization bill, Vision 100 - The Century of Aviation Act, clearing the final hurdle for its enactment. The Senate’s action affirms the House of Representatives’ passage of the bill, which is now on the way to the President’s desk.

SecTrans Norman Y. Mineta and FAA Administrator Blakey applauded the passage of the bill, Friday.

“With today’s Senate action, we can now unlock the safety benefits and economic power of the FAA’s $60 billion dollar reauthorization bill. This legislation supports improved air safety for air travelers and creates over 665,000 new jobs through airport improvement projects throughout the country,” said Secretary Mineta.

The bill provides $14 billion dollars for airport construction projects and incorporates many provisions from the Administration’s aviation proposal, including $140 million dollars to assist small communities in attracting and retaining air service, $308 million dollars to ensure air service to isolated communities, and $2 billion dollars to create more efficient security screening at airports.

Vision 100 also provides a new source of funding for important environmental and clean air initiatives at airports. In addition, the bill includes an important pilot project that will allow the FAA to work collaboratively with the airlines to reduce delays at the nation’s most congested airports.

Passage of the bill had been delayed over allegations that the legislation would pave the way to privatize air traffic control. “Nothing could be further from the truth,” said FAA Administrator Marion Blakey. “The enacted FAA reauthorization bill is consistent with the Administration’s longstanding position that we have no plans to privatize air traffic control. The bill preserves management flexibility under the status quo to allow outsourcing where appropriate and under well-defined circumstances,” said Blakey.

Just this week, Administrator Blakey, in a letter to the Senate, reinforced that the agency has no plans to convert additional FAA-staffed visual flight rules towers. The agency will, however, continue to support the existing contract tower program. This safe and successful 21-year old program provides cost-effective air traffic services to 219 airports - - many of them in smaller communities - - which would not enjoy the safety benefits of a tower without this program.

“The Senate has agreed on a conference report that does not tie our hands at a time when all of aviation must operate more smartly and efficiently,” said Blakey. “The enacted legislation is consistent with all prior FAA reauthorizations that did not impose inappropriate restrictions.”

“With the passage of the FAA’s reauthorization bill, we can now move forward and concentrate on rendering the support that aviation and our economy needs,” said Mineta.

FMI: www.whitehouse.gov, www.faa.gov, www.senate.gov