Eric R. Byer
Vice President, Government and Industry Affairs
800-808-6282
ebyer@nata.aero
COYNE PLEASED WITH SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION OF FAA REAUTHORIZATION LEGISLATION
Alexandria, VA, July 15, 2009 — National Air Transportation Association (NATA) President James K. Coyne praised the United States Senate for introducing the Federal Aviation Administration Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act yesterday. The bill, still unnumbered, was offered by the leadership of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, including Chairman John D. “Jay” Rockefeller IV (D-WV), Ranking Member Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee Chairman Byron Dorgan (D-ND) and Aviation Operations, Safety and Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Jim DeMint (R-SC).
“The introduction of this legislation is another critical step towards the reauthorization of FAA programs by the end of Fiscal Year 2009,” Coyne stated. The current extension, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in late May, expires on September 30, 2009.
“I applaud the U.S. Senate for drafting FAA Reauthorization legislation that is void of user fees yet includes necessary funding to implement NextGen,” stated Coyne. “I want to commend Chairman Rockefeller and Ranking Member Hutchison as well as Subcommittee Chairman Dorgan and Ranking Member DeMint for introducing this bill so it can now be considered by the committee and hopefully approved by the full Senate as soon as possible.”
“I remain concerned with language in the bill, similar to its House counterpart, H.R. 915, requiring two annual FAA inspections of foreign repair stations and for those stations to adhere to the same alcohol tests and other mandates as those in the United States,” Coyne explained. “NATA believes that this language could jeopardize bilateral aviation safety agreements and limit the competitive advantage U.S. repair facilities have in performing maintenance on foreign-registered aircraft.”
While a timeline for a Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation markup and possible floor consideration has not been established, it appears that the Committee on Finance will likely work on similar language to modify the fuel tax that was considered by the Senate during the last Congress.
“With approximately six weeks left on the 2009 congressional calendar and the September 30th FAA extension deadline approaching quickly, time is clearly limited,” concluded Coyne. “I am hopeful that the Senate can move this bill to passage as soon as possible so a conference committee can commence and a final bill can be agreed upon by both chambers and on the President’s desk by the end of September.”
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NATA, the voice of aviation business, is the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies.