[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 69 (Wednesday, April 21, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E431]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCTION OF THE REBUILDING AMERICA'S AIRPORT INFRASTRUCTURE ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 21, 2021

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, today I introduced the Rebuilding 
America's Airport Infrastructure Act of 2021. This legislation makes a 
long-overdue update to the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) by 
increasing the maximum-allowable PFC by just $1.00/year, starting in 
2023, for four years and then indexes the fee to inflation every year 
thereafter. This increase to $8.50 by 2026 would restore the value of 
the PFC to when it was last increased in 2000.
  Airports are an essential part of American infrastructure and 
economic competitiveness, supporting $1.4 trillion in annual economic 
output and 11.5 million jobs. The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated 
airports' finances with a combination of lower passenger levels and a 
higher demand for health infrastructure improvements to keep the flying 
public safe. These challenges come on top of a 5-year $115 billion 
infrastructure backlog that is a result of the federal government's 
failure to modernize one of the main funding mechanisms for airports: 
the PFC.
  The PFC a locally imposed, per-passenger user fee that improves 
capacity and allows for airport updates, reduces noise, or increases 
competition among airlines. PFC revenues complement grants from the 
Airport Improvement Program (AIP) for eligible capital projects. But 
under current law, the maximum PFC amount airports can collect is 
capped at $4.50 per passenger per flight segment. Congress last 
adjusted the PFC to $4.50 in 2000, but with inflation and the rising 
cost of construction the purchasing power of the PFC has declined 40 
percent. As a result, many aging airports have reached their debt 
capacity and either cannot finance new projects or have had to stretch 
them over a longer timeframe, increasing the costs and delaying the 
benefits for passengers.
  Modernizing the PFC would raise tens of billions of dollars for 
airport infrastructure improvements while requiring zero taxpayer 
dollars, not increasing the national debt, and adding billions of 
dollars to U.S. Gross Domestic Product. The Rebuilding America's 
Airport Infrastructure Act will ensure that airports are safe, 
economically competitive, and the envy of the world.

                          ____________________