[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.