NATA President James K. Coyne welcomed the Senate's approval late last Friday afternoon of the FAA reauthorization conference agreement. After being held up for the last several months, the measure now heads to President Bush's desk where the White House has indicated that he will sign it into law.

The conference agreement, H.R. 2115, the Vision 100-Century of Aviation Reauthorization Act, had been held from consideration in either chamber after the conference report was agreed upon in late July due to concerns about air traffic control privatization. The House was finally able to approve the agreement by the slimmest of margins, 211-207, in October, but the measure was once again postponed in the Senate due to concerns about air traffic control privatization.

"This is truly a wonderful holiday gift to the aviation community," Coyne stated.

"While we were quite concerned about the politicizing of this critical bill, we are very happy that it has been approved and that the President will sign it into law."

The association had worked very hard to include a number of important provisions within the conference report including:

• The authorization of $100 million in funds for general aviation businesses that have suffered because of federal mandates imposed on them since the September 11 terrorist attacks;
• Language requiring the federal government to allow charter and general aviation operations to return to service at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA); and
• Language establishing new procedures for flight training of non-U.S. citizens, including transfer of the program from the Department of Justice to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The financial assistance package for general aviation businesses will provide reimbursement to general aviation entities including fixed-base operators, flight schools, banner towers, and manufacturers in addition to businesses located at DCA and airports within 15 miles of DCA.

"This is truly historic legislation for NATA and its membership," explained Coyne. "We look forward to working with the DOT, FAA, DHS, and TSA to implement those critical provisions we worked so hard to include in the conference report."

Reflecting upon the efforts of both industry and key Members of Congress and their staff, Coyne concluded, "We appreciate the efforts of those key lawmakers and their staff on this important measure and thank them for working with industry to produce a bill that will surely make the aviation world a more productive and safer place."

FMI: www.nata-online.org