Coyne: Bill Is "Important To The Aviation Industry"

A major topic of debate during the U.S. Senates consideration of S. 223, FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act, was the controversial issue of allowing additional long-distance flights into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Currently, 12 long-distance flights are allowed into and out of DCA daily. A compromise amendment doubles the number of flights with the potential for eight more after a thorough FAA study, which was passed with the underlying bill.

Following passage of the measure, NATA President James Coyne praised the Senate for its efforts. "NATA is pleased that the Senate has worked so diligently to pass such an important bill for the aviation industry," Coyne said. "We thank Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Chairman John Rockefeller and Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison for shepherding this bi-partisan legislation through the Senate."

With the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure marking up its version of long-term legislation earlier this week, there is optimism that the full House will soon approve the bill so a House-Senate conference committee can meet to resolve remaining differences between the bills and then send to the President. "As the March 31st deadline looms, we encourage leaders in both the House and Senate to continue building on this progress so a long-term bill can reach the President's desk without having to do another short-term extension," Coyne concluded.

NATA President James Coyne

The bill authorizes the FAA through September 2013. In addition, the legislation authorizes the Airport and Airway Trust Fund and the extension of various aviation taxes, including the 14 cents per gallon increase on jet fuel that has been incorporated into previous legislation. No general aviation "user fee" provisions were included in the bill.

FMI: www.nata.aero