[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 119 (Thursday, September 19, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Page S8920]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DODD (for himself and Mr. Allen):
  S. 2966. A bill to enable the United States to maintain its 
leadership in aeronautics and aviation by instituting an initiative to 
develop technologies that will significantly lower noise, emissions, 
and fuel consumption, to reinvigorate basic and applied research in 
aeronautics and aviation, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mr. DODD. Madam President, I am pleased to rise today with Senator 
Allen to introduce the Aeronautics Research & Development 
Revitalization Act of 2002. This legislation is aimed at protecting the 
economic stability and national security of the United States by 
establishing a broad-based agenda to reinvigorate America's aeronautics 
and aviation R&D enterprise and maintain America's competitive 
leadership in aviation. Congressman Larson and other members of 
Congress introduced companion legislation in the House several months 
ago.
  The United States has dominated the aircraft industry for years. In 
1985, we dominated the aerospace market controlling more than 73 
percent of the commercial aircraft industry. Unfortunately, since 1985, 
the U.S. has fallen behind considerably. Today, we control less than 50 
percent of the global market. Over the last decade, funding for the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration's aeronautics research 
and development program has fallen by approximately 50 percent.
  Last year, the European Commission and aerospace industry executives 
unveiled a report entitled ``European Aeronautics: A Vision for 2020'' 
which outlines ambitious goals of attaining global leadership in 
aeronautics and creating a world class air transport system for Europe. 
The U.S. aeronautics industry is being left behind at the gates, and is 
now in a position where it must catch up in an effort not to lose its 
economic and technological dominance over the international aeronautics 
market. Europe has committed to spending more than $93 billion within 
the next 20 years in order to implement ``A Vision for 2020''.
  The Aeronautics Research and Development Revitalization Act of 2002 
will provide a funding basis for NASA to plan and implement their 
``Aeronautics Blueprint-Toward a Bold New Era of Aviation''. The 
``Aeronautics Blueprint'' confronts the challenges that are faced by 
the aviation industry and puts forth a vision of what can be achieved 
by investments in aeronautics research and technology, and stresses the 
importance of combining the efforts of NASA, DOD, DoT, the FAA, 
academia, and industry. It does not, however, provide a program plan to 
actually achieve the vision, nor does it address the huge disparity 
between current NASA aeronautics funding and what is required to 
achieve the vision. The bill that Senator Allen and I are introducing 
today provides the necessary program plan needed to achieve the 
nation's aeronautics vision as found in the ``Aeronautics Blueprint,'' 
and stresses the importance of having agencies like NASA and FAA work 
closely together in achieving these goals.
  The Aeronautics Research and Development Revitalization Act of 2002 
would reverse the trend of declining Federal investments in aeronautics 
and aviation R&D by doubling the authorization of funding over five 
years. Funding for NASA would increase to $900 million in 2005, which 
is approximately the level it was in 1998, and would increase to $1.15 
billion in 2007. The legislation would also double funding for the FAA 
to more than $550 million in 2007.
  This bill will have a direct impact on technologies that can be 
easily incorporated into the commercial airline industry. The bill 
focuses on improving fuel-efficiency for commercial standard airliners, 
as well as noise reduction, improved emissions, wake turbulence, more 
stringent safety and security standards, a more efficient air-traffic 
control system, and supersonic transport. Universities will also be 
given resources to develop training methods for people who will make 
use of these technologies. Individual engineering graduate students 
studying aeronautics will be eligible for scholarships and summer 
employment opportunities which will be made possible through specific 
funding in this legislation.
  These new technologies will help our Nation militarily, as well. 
Planes will be able to fly farther than before, communications networks 
will be improved, making it easier to coordinate military operations, 
and quieter engines will make planes less detectable to ground forces 
that do not have the benefit of radar. Even transport missions will be 
much more efficient.
  The events of September 11 not only highlighted the importance of 
aviation to our entire economy, but they also demonstrated the need to 
enhance our aviation security system. This bill should, we believe, be 
part of our government's commitment to investment in the economic 
growth, security and safety of America's aviation and aeronautics 
sector.
                                 ______