[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 171 (Thursday, October 1, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H5190-H5191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPEDITED DELIVERY OF AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE ACT OF 2020
Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5912) to amend title 49, United States Code, to permit the
use of incentive payments to expedite certain federally financed
airport development projects, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5912
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Expedited Delivery of
Airport Infrastructure Act of 2020''.
SEC. 2. ALLOWABLE COST STANDARDS FOR AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS.
(a) In General.--Section 47110(b)(1) of title 49, United
States Code, is amended--
(1) by striking ``(1) if the cost necessarily'' and
inserting ``(1)(A) if the cost necessarily'';
(2) by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting ``;
or''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) if the cost is an incentive payment incurred in
carrying out the project described
[[Page H5191]]
in subparagraph (A) that is to be provided to a contractor
upon early completion of a project, if--
``(i) such payment does not exceed the lesser of 5 percent
of the initial construction contract amount or $1,000,000;
``(ii) the level of contractor's control of, or access to,
the worksite necessary to shorten the duration of the project
does not negatively impact the operation of the airport;
``(iii) the contract specifies application of the incentive
structure in the event of unforeseeable, non-weather delays
beyond the control of the contractor;
``(iv) nothing in any agreement with the contractor
prevents the airport operator from retaining responsibility
for the safety, efficiency, and capacity of the airport
during the execution of the grant agreement; and
``(v) the Secretary determines that the use of an incentive
payment is likely to increase airport capacity or efficiency
or result in cost savings as a result of shortening the
project's duration;''.
(b) Technical Correction.--Section 47110(e)(7) of title 49,
United States Code, is amended by striking ``(7) Partnership
Program Airports.--'' and inserting ``(7) Partnership program
airports.--''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Carbajal) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves)
each will control 20 minutes.
=========================== NOTE ===========================
October 1, 2020, on page H5191, the following appeared: The
SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
California (Mr. Carbajal) and the gentlewoman from West Virginia
(Mrs. Miller) each will control 20 minutes.
The online version has been corrected to read: The SPEAKER pro
tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from California (Mr.
Carbajal) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) each will
control 20 minutes.
========================= END NOTE =========================
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 5912, as amended.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5912, the Expedited Delivery
of Airport Infrastructure Act of 2020, introduced by Representative Sam
Graves, the ranking member of the House Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure. The bill incentivizes the early completion of airport
projects funded by the Federal Aviation Administration's Airport
Improvement Program, AIP.
Although current airline passenger traffic has declined precipitously
due to the coronavirus pandemic, there will come a time when domestic
and global air travel will return to its prepandemic heights and
continue to grow further. Airports will once again have to keep up with
growing passenger demand. This legislation will help to address this
future need by allowing airports to use their AIP funding to offer
incentive payments to contractors for early completion of airport
development projects.
Importantly, H.R. 5912 includes conditions that ensure projects
completed early do not have a negative impact on airport safety,
efficiency, or capacity.
I support this legislation and urge my colleagues to do the same.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5912, the Expedited
Delivery of Airport Infrastructure Act of 2020.
This bill, which I am very proud to have introduced, gives airports
the option to use some of their Airport Improvement Program, or AIP,
money to expedite early completion of airport projects.
Incentives such as these are commonly used in the surface
transportation area, as encouraging early completion of road projects
obviously can spare drivers additional weeks or months of congestion
and sitting in traffic.
An airfield is no different. Taking a runway or taxiway out of
commission can impair airport efficiency and capacity, and it results
in flight delays, upset travelers, you name it.
Additionally, some airports, particularly in cold weather States, are
racing against the clock to complete projects during a limited
construction season. Even if a project is on schedule, an early winter
or late spring can grind construction to a halt, costing the airport
time and money.
This bill is going help ensure that airports have the tools necessary
to avoid these situations and get runways back into service faster.
This bill allows airports to achieve cost savings. Projects completed
early means a greater chance of avoiding construction price increases
due to inflation.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 5912, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
Mr. CARBAJAL. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this
legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from California (Mr. Carbajal) that the House suspend the
rules and pass the bill, H.R 5912, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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