[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 169 (Thursday, October 11, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6788-S6789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                          FAA Reauthorization

  Mr. MORAN. Madam President, I am here to speak and once again 
highlight the importance of aviation to my State, to the country, and 
to the world, but also to point out the significance of the 5-year FAA 
reauthorization bill the Senate passed last week. I have come to the 
floor many times on this topic.
  I am pleased to be here today to tell about the many wins that are 
included in this legislation. They are beneficial to the country, and 
they are certainly beneficial to my home State.
  I am most pleased to highlight the fact that this legislation does 
not include--excluded from this legislation are any efforts to 
privatize our Nation's air traffic control system.
  Kansas is the air capital of the world and for good reason. Kansans 
have built three out of every four general aviation aircraft since the 
Wright brothers' first flight at Kitty Hawk. Today, over 40,000 Kansans 
make a living manufacturing, operating, and servicing the world's 
highest quality airplanes. I cannot overstate the importance of this 
reauthorization and the stability it provides to the aviation 
community.
  We are doing something that we have been unable to do for years: a 
long-term FAA reauthorization. In the ongoing efforts to pass the 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. The chairman of the Commerce 
Committee, Senator Thune from South Dakota, as well as the ranking 
member, Senator Nelson from Florida, deserve credit for the bipartisan 
manner in which they have worked through the FAA reauthorization 
process in recent years and their efforts to negotiate a final piece of 
legislation with the House that was strong enough to receive 93 votes 
in the Senate.
  I am pleased that included in this legislation are numerous 
provisions that I have introduced and supported and advocated for since 
the reauthorization process began, and I look forward to sharing these 
accomplishments in short fashion. I thank the many aviation and 
aerospace leaders in my State for informing my work on this topic.
  First, the FAA reauthorization bolsters FAA manufacturing by 
streamlining the aircraft certification process.
  With the short amount of time before a vote, I will highlight these 
for the Record.
  In addition, it authorizes the FAA Center of Excellence for Advanced 
Materials at Wichita State University. This research has played a 
critical role in the evolution and integration of aircraft materials 
and technologies by providing valuable research to validate the safety 
and integrity of new aircraft to the general public.
  This bill helps close the skills gap for the aviation workforce. 
Senator Inhofe and I have worked to provide legislation to create a 
pilot program within the FAA through which grants would be authorized 
to support tech education and career development. The grants would 
encourage collaboration between businesses, schools, and local 
governments, and these entities would develop innovative workforce 
programs to help close the skill gap in the aerospace industry.
  The FAA Reauthorization Act reduces regulatory barriers for 
educational use of drones--unmanned aerial vehicles or systems. Last 
Congress, I was co-lead on this legislation with Senator Peters of 
Michigan to reduce barriers for the use of small UASs at institutions 
of higher education. This bill accelerates the safe integration of 
innovative UAS technology, another significant development.
  This legislation strengthens the Federal Contract Tower Program. 
Kansas is home to eight air traffic control towers that participate in 
FAA's FCT Program, which provides important safety services at small 
airports nationwide in a cost-effective manner that saves the taxpayers 
$200 million annually. This FAA reauthorization includes several 
reforms that strengthen the Contract Tower Program, and I am pleased to 
be able to report that.
  It provides access and flexibility for additional airport 
construction funding. Again, this is something that is important in all 
of our communities that have an airport. How do we make certain that we 
have the latest infrastructure available for safe flights to and from 
our airports?
  It improves child safety on commercial airlines, legislation that 
Senator Schatz from Hawaii and I introduced to advance the safety of 
children who fly with their parents.
  This bill reauthorizes the FAA's Essential Air Service Program, 
connecting rural airports to the national system. That is something 
which is important to many of us who represent rural States.
  It safeguards small airports in the event of sudden loss of 
commercial service.
  Last Congress, I sponsored the Small Airport Regulatory Relief Act 
that is included in this legislation. It is to make certain that 
certain airports, such as the Hays Regional Airport and the Liberal 
Mid-America Regional Airport, would not lose Federal Airport 
Improvement Program funding due to inconsistent commercial service 
through no fault of their own.
  Unfortunately, regional airlines continue to struggle because of a 
lack of pilots. There is a pilot shortage, and our airports and the 
traveling public ought not be damaged as a result of the

[[Page S6789]]

inability of the airlines to hire a sufficient number of airline 
pilots.
  It also increases the fairness and reduces regulation for general 
aviation projects and activities. This is legislation that was 
originally introduced, which I am a sponsor of, called the FLIGHT Act. 
It effectively targets AIP funding to general aviation airports and 
provides those airports with flexibility on their use of passenger 
facility charges. It has a provision that fosters the exchange of 
aircraft through fair regulatory treatment in airplane joint 
ownership--again, another small but important development. It includes 
provisions that preserve the Contract Weather Observers Program, 
something that was at risk over the last several years.
  There are many things to highlight in this legislation. I would also 
point out that it has provisions to help provide for talented women in 
the aviation workforce and facilitate their recruitment. Women 
currently comprise only 4 percent of flight engineers, 6 percent of 
pilots, and 26 percent of air traffic controllers, representing a huge 
untapped pool for talent in the aviation industry.
  I am grateful to my colleagues for coming together and creating this 
compromise bill that will have a positive and immediate effect upon the 
economy and the Kansas aviation community. It is a good day for the 
Senate, it is a good day for Congress, it is a good day for the 
country, and it is especially a good day for me and for Kansans.
  I yield the floor.