Bills Introduced In Both Houses Of Congress To Keep Towers Open

The NBAA said Thursday it welcomes legislation recently introduced in the House and Senate barring the FAA)from closing contract air traffic control towers.

“We applaud congressional leaders for moving in a bipartisan, bicameral way to keep these towers open,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “As we have said so many times before, the towers are integral in ensuring that America's aviation system remains the safest, largest and most efficient in the world.”

In the Senate, Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), introduced a bill on April 9, (S.687) which would prohibit the FAA from closing air traffic control towers. The senators recently held a Capitol Hill press briefing to discuss the legislation for keeping the towers open.

In the House, Reps. Tom Cotton (R-4-AR), Bruce Braley (D-1-IA) and Richard Hudson (R-8-NC)  introduced, on April 9, the “Air Traffic Control Funding Restoration Act” (HR 1432), which would provide the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the funds needed to continue operating the towers through fiscal year 2013.

In March, the FAA announced that the agency would begin closing a host of contract towers across the country to meet budget-curtailment requirements in effect as a result of the federal government's sequester, or reduced spending by agencies to help curb the nation’s deficit. On March 22, FAA officials announced that starting April 7, it would move ahead with the closure of 149 contract towers.

However, on April 5, the FAA granted a reprieve for the tower closures until June 15, saying that additional time was needed for FAA officials to further examine considerations related to the closures.

Both the House and Senate bills call upon the FAA to further confer with aviation stakeholders, review the agency’s tower-closure process and explore non-tower-related budget areas for reduction, so that the towers can remain open.

FMI: www.nbaa.org, www.faa.gov