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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii) issued the followed statement prior to a Senate vote to end debate and move toward a final vote on H.R. 2881, the Aviation Investment and Modernization Act.
“I urge my colleagues to support the Rockefeller substitute to H.R. 2881, the Aviation Investment and Modernization Act. Aviation is a central element of our globalized economy. The United States is the world’s leader in aviation, and if we are to maintain this position, we must invest the proper resources.
“I wish to congratulate Senator Rockefeller for bringing together diverse interests and crafting a measure that will bolster oversight of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) safety system, provide guaranteed funding to modernize the air traffic control system, strengthen passenger protections, and fund air service to small communities throughout the nation.
“I am very proud of the efforts of Senator Rockefeller and the members of the Senate Commerce Committee. The Commerce Committee provisions in the substitute before us represent a well-crafted effort that enjoys bipartisan support.
“The substitute before us represents a rare opportunity to significantly shape the future of the national air transportation system, and therefore, ensure our standing will remain at the forefront of the aviation industry.
“The actions we take to reauthorize the FAA will affect the public for decades to come. Legislation to reauthorize the FAA is long overdue, and it is vital that we pass this bill that addresses the challenges facing our nation’s aviation system. We must ensure that the national airspace system continues to serve the public effectively, and at the same time, we must move forward aggressively with modernization to make certain we do not inhibit our economic growth.
“The nation’s existing air transportation system is already stretched to its limits. Current passenger traffic has exceeded all previous records and is expected to exceed one billion passengers per year within the next decade.
“To accommodate this growth in a safe and cost effective manner, we must increase capacity by expanding our airports, modernizing our air traffic control (ATC) system, and most importantly, ensuring the FAA has the resources and staffing required to provide effective oversight of the most complicated airspace system in the world.
“Recent events highlight the cracks developing in our air transportation system. Domestic air carriers are being crippled by the high price of fuel. Seven airlines have declared bankruptcy since the beginning of the year, and early reports indicate the industry has lost billions of dollars in the first quarter of this year alone.
“Most disturbing, however, are the lapses in the FAA’s safety oversight system that have been recently highlighted. Over the past few months, air carriers cancelled thousands of flights, leaving passengers stranded after the FAA belatedly discovered air carriers had not performed required safety inspections. Congress must take the necessary steps to ensure that the safety of the U.S. aviation system is never compromised.
“With our nation’s aviation system at a critical juncture, I urge my fellow members to close debate on the Rockefeller substitute and adopt this important legislation.”
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