[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5700-H5701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    DIRECTING THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION TO ALLOW CERTAIN 
   CONSTRUCTION OR ALTERATION OF STRUCTURES BY STATE DEPARTMENTS OF 
                             TRANSPORTATION

  Mr. ZELDIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 6014) to direct the Federal Aviation Administration to allow 
certain construction or alteration of structures by State departments 
of transportation without requiring an aeronautical study, and for 
other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 6014

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. REIMBURSABLE AGREEMENTS FOR CERTAIN AIRPORT 
                   PROJECTS.

       The Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration 
     may enter into a reimbursable agreement with a State or local 
     government agency to carry out a project at an airport as to 
     which notice is required under section 77.9 of title 14, Code 
     of Federal Regulations, if the agreement--
       (1) includes measures for cost-effective completion of such 
     project; and
       (2) would not negatively affect the safety or efficiency of 
     the national airspace system.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Zeldin) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Nolan) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ZELDIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 6014.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6014. This bill 
clarifies that the Federal Aviation Administration may enter into an 
agreement with a State or local government agency to carry out a 
project at an airport in exchange for reimbursement by that State or 
local government agency.
  The agreement to provide these services would have to include 
measures for cost-effective completion of the project and not 
negatively affect the safety or efficiency of the National Airspace 
System. The text before us includes a minor technical change to clarify 
that the legislation applies only to projects located at airports.
  This bill does not create any new authority; rather, it clarifies the 
application of the Federal Aviation Administration's existing authority 
to provide in-kind services to State and local government agencies in 
exchange for payment.
  I appreciate Mr. Nolan's commitment to this issue and his willingness 
to work with the committee on a bipartisan basis.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6014.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. NOLAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this commonsense, bipartisan 
measure. I would be remiss if I didn't thank Chairman Shuster and 
Subcommittee Chairman LoBiondo, Ranking Members Larsen and DeFazio and 
members of the committee for supporting this legislation.
  What it does is it authorizes and clarifies that the FAA has the 
authority to enter into reimbursable contracts with the State and all 
of the States in this country. The reason and the rationale for it is 
that it dramatically reduces Federal bureaucracy. It saves the 
taxpayers a ton of money as well as investors and encourages private 
investments in our airport infrastructure, creating jobs and laying the 
foundation for a good economic development in the future.
  I would like to give one real quick illustration. These are two 
towers that are used for navigation at a regional airport in north 
central Minnesota, the town of Brainerd, Minnesota. They are about 25 
feet high. A group of investors agreed to put $1 million into a new 
hangar to accommodate corporate jets in this community--a very fast-
growing economic community.
  The FAA said: Well, we are going to have to do a feasibility study, 
and that will cost several $100,000. And, oh, by the way, the airport 
and the investors will have to pay for that.
  Then they said: Oh, by the way, we will select the contractor under 
the current rules, and that will cost another 4 or $500,000. And, by 
the way, you will have to pay for that.
  So, right away, there was resistance at the airport and in the 
business community because everybody in town knew at least two guys 
with a pickup truck and a backhoe that could have moved the two towers 
on a Saturday morning somewhere.
  So I called the State Department of Aviation and said: Have you ever 
done anything like this before?
  They said: Yeah, yeah. They said that they had done it.
  I said: Have you done it in compliance with FAA standards for safety 
and navigation?
  They said: Yes.
  I said: Will you go up and take a look to see this particular project 
and give me an estimate on what you could do that for?
  They did. They came back. And instead of three-quarters of a million 
dollars, they said: We can do it for about $17,000.
  So that is what we are talking about. We are talking about enormous 
savings for taxpayers, for investors, and stimulating investment. It is 
a good bill. I am grateful for the bipartisan support that it has 
received throughout the community and from the FAA, quite frankly.
  So I strongly urge its adoption and thank the leadership for bringing 
this bill forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ZELDIN. Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support H.R. 6014.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Zeldin) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 6014, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HUELSKAMP. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

[[Page H5701]]

  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further 
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

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