Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Republican Leader and former chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, praised the pilot of US Air Flight 1549 and those involved in the rescue of passengers and crew, and called on the President-elect and Congress to take action on some long-delayed safety matters relating to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
“Although the aviation industry avoided a catastrophic event with the crash of US Air flight 1549 in the icy waters of the Hudson River, America’s aviation system is skating on thin ice,” said Mica.
“Thanks to the heroic actions of the experienced pilot and the crew, and those on the ground who responded quickly, all the passengers were rescued. American aviation is still the safest form of travel, but the Federal Aviation Administration and the aviation industry continue to face significant safety challenges that must be addressed.
“Unfortunately, political games have been played that could endanger the effectiveness and safety record of the FAA,” Mica added. “Since September 2007, the agency has been operating without a confirmed administrator, and this is absolutely unacceptable.
“In the 1990’s, after the agency saw five different administrators in a short period of time, Congress acted to bring needed stability and consistency to the position by establishing a five-year term. Former FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, appointed by President Clinton, and former Administrator Marion Blakey, appointed by President Bush, both completed five-year terms. However, Robert Sturgell’s nomination has languished in the Senate since late 2007 because Senate Democrats have blocked a vote on his confirmation.
“Leaving this critical agency without a confirmed leader places the entire system in jeopardy,” Mica said. “I call on President-elect Obama and Congress to fill and confirm this essential aviation leadership position immediately.”
The former House Aviation Subcommittee Chairman continued, “Northeast Senate Democrats have also worked to delay FAA efforts to implement a redesign of the New York area airspace. Planes leaving LaGuardia, JFK and Newark are limited to air routes that were established decades ago. Efforts to redesign New York’s airspace, which is responsible for almost three-fourths of the nation’s chronically delayed flights, have dragged on for more than 18 years, and this air redesign must move forward to insure that both safety and congestion improve.”
Mica further commented, “The American public should know that Congress has also failed to approve FAA reauthorizing legislation for more than a year and forced the agency to operate on the basis of short-term funding extensions. FAA funding and other key federal agencies have yet to receive updated appropriations authority that was due at the beginning of last October.
“All of these issues, including no Administrator, no policy and no funding, have the potential for crippling FAA projects, including bird strike and other safety research and development programs.
“I call on President-elect Obama to nominate an FAA Administrator as soon as possible, support the airspace redesign, and work with Congress to pass pending FAA policy and funding legislation,” Mica concluded.
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