[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 156 (Thursday, September 28, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6203-S6204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          FAA Reauthorization

  Mr. MORAN. Madam President, it is nice to see the ranking member of 
the Commerce Committee on the floor today. I appreciate that he and I 
share a particular view about the privatization of air traffic control.
  Today, we are going to presumably pass a 6-month extension for the 
Federal Aviation Administration. It was passed by the House earlier 
today, and once again we are in a position which, in my view, we 
shouldn't be in. We ought to be passing a long-term authorization of 
the Federal Aviation Administration. Last year, we did so. The Senate, 
with 95 votes, passed a 4-year FAA bill. It was the kind of meaningful, 
bipartisan accomplishment that is too rare in Congress today.
  I supported that bill, but unfortunately when it was sent to the 
House and it came time to meet that last year's deadline, we were 
ultimately forced to pass a short-term extension--which I opposed.
  Our ongoing efforts to pass a long-term bill, Republicans and 
Democrats in both Chambers of Congress, have found common ground and 
consensus among the entire aviation community on a wide range of 
important issues.
  I am talking about reforms to strengthen the Contract Power Program, 
one of the most and overwhelmingly popular and successful FAA programs. 
That matters a lot to the State of Kansas, and communities in the State 
of Nebraska as well, the home of the Presiding Officer in the Senate.
  I am talking about streamlining the aircraft certification process 
that allows the FAA to focus its valuable resources elsewhere while 
generating a positive impact on our economy and job security in the 
aviation manufacturing sector. Because, once again, Congress refuses to 
set aside the perpetually controversial proposal to privatize our 
Nation's air traffic control, we are left, again, with a short-term 
extension. It is another one of those take-it-or-leave-it moments that 
is occurring here at the eleventh hour in advance of September 30.
  We know in the Senate this proposal for privatization will never have 
the votes to pass. Yet we keep considering short-term extensions that 
are damaging to the aviation community, particularly the airports that 
need certainty in planning their infrastructure projects, and they will 
be, first and foremost, to improve the safety for our air travelers.
  A 6-month extension, in my view, is too short to provide the 
certainty that is needed. The grant process, at the Department of 
Transportation, will be ongoing, but no airport can plan based upon 
whether the FAA is going to be authorized 6 months from now.
  I have come to the floor numerous times before to talk about how 
Kansas is a special place when it comes to aviation. Kansas has built 
three out of every four general aviation aircraft since the Wright 
brothers first flew at Kitty Hawk. Today, over 40,000 Kansans earn a 
living in manufacturing, operating, and servicing our world's highest 
quality aircraft. These aviation businesses and their employees depend 
upon our ability to compete in a global marketplace, an ability which 
is significantly damaged when we are putting off passage of a long-term 
reauthorization bill not just once but year after year.
  While general aviation manufacturing is our State's largest industry, 
it is not just those manufacturers and their employees who understand 
the problems and ramifications with privatization of air traffic 
control.
  I have often said on the floor that I think at times I get 
categorized, as a Senator from Kansas, as a State that manufactures 
lots of airplanes and that my views are therefore solely related to the 
airplane manufacturing sector. I certainly bring that perspective to 
Congress, and I speak often and work often on behalf of the 
manufacturing of aircraft. But any of us who represent airports and 
communities that are not the largest in the country ought to oppose the 
privatization of air traffic control.
  This is not the traditional rural-versus-urban argument that occurs 
sometimes around here. This is not about little towns versus everybody 
else. This is about everyone except for the largest cities with the 
largest airports and the most travelers. So this is not about just 
Garden City, KS; or Manhattan, my hometown; or Hays, my former 
hometown. This is about Wichita and Topeka. This is about Kansas City. 
All but the absolutely largest airports would be damaged by the 
privatization of air traffic control.
  We have said this many times. It is important to the manufacturers, 
but it is also important to the survival of communities that I 
represent and that all of my colleagues represent across the country.
  Everywhere I go in Kansas, I am reminded that ATC privatization is a 
bad idea. The idea that we would allow a 13-member private board to 
make decisions about the future of airports and air transportation 
across the country is troublesome. Moreover, even the major providers 
of aircraft and avionics equipment that reside in Kansas--those 
businesses that create thousands of jobs in my State--are perhaps even 
more outspoken against privatization than anyone. These businesses know 
that privatization of the Nation's most complex air system is a 
solution without a problem that will ultimately create lots of 
problems, lots of unintended consequences.
  Americans expect leadership from their elected officials in 
Washington. At a time when partisan dysfunction puts up constant 
barriers in the legislative process, we should be doing everything we 
can to find common ground and pass legislation that will have immediate 
positive impacts on our economy. For so much of the FAA reauthorization 
last year and again this year, we found that common ground--except for 
this one divisive

[[Page S6204]]

issue that we know ultimately will not become law. It impedes the 
opportunity to do what, without almost any exception, Members of the 
House and Senate have agreed to.
  True FAA reform will dramatically increase the ability of American 
aviation manufacturers and businesses to create jobs. This short-term 
extension represents yet another regrettably missed opportunity to do 
just that.
  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Sasse). The Senator from Alaska.