[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15751]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    FAA REAUTHORIZATION IS CRITICAL

  (Mr. FASO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FASO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the 21st Century AIRR 
Act. This critical FAA reauthorization offers the best possible plan to 
finally modernize our antiquated air traffic control system.
  I recently traveled to Ottawa, Canada, with congressional colleagues 
to learn firsthand how Canada's private air navigation service provider 
has been efficiently and safely moving 12 million aircraft each year 
since 1996.
  This model consistently upgrades and improves air traffic control 
technology and isn't subject, as it is in the United States, to onerous 
government procurement rules. It is clear that this system works far 
better than its U.S. counterpart.
  These reforms would also benefit the environment, as the updated 
technology allows for more direct routes. For instance, in Canada, over 
the last 20 years, this has resulted in 1.4 billion fewer gallons of 
fuel that have been used just in the last 10 years, and twice that 
amount in the last 20 years.
  This needed change has widespread bipartisan support, and it would 
guarantee consistent funding for modernizing our air traffic safety 
system.

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