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Floor Speech

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Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, I rise today in strong support for the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. This bill, negotiated by Chair Cantwell and myself, with the leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Science Committees, is a bicameral and a bipartisan accomplishment. It is the culmination of many months of work between us and our staffs and is reflective of the priorities of a great many Senators.

On the Republican side alone, more than 200 Member priorities were included. I am especially proud of the numerous provisions that make for a safer and more convenient travel experience for Texans and for consumers across the Nation and the provisions that will help grow Texas's thriving aerospace sector. It will make significant strides in aviation safety, the primary mission of the FAA--and something that I know that all of us care deeply about. It will provide a clear path forward to integrate new advanced aviation technologies and will make it easier for fliers to get upfront information on ticket prices.

A flurry of near misses at our Nation's airports, multiple concerning maintenance reports of United Airlines' flights, and the alarming decompression event of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 have together raised serious concerns with the safety of our airspace. Aviation safety has been, and will continue to be, one of the very top priorities of the Senate Commerce Committee. When the people of Texas board a flight, they expect their flight--and their families--to be safe.

As a result, I am proud to say that our bill includes numerous crucial safety provisions, such as requiring 25-hour cockpit voice recorders in all commercial aircraft. This safety upgrade will allow the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA to have access to vital information needed during accident investigations. This became abundantly clear after the cockpit voice recorder in the Alaska Airlines flight was lost because of an outdated 2-hour requirement. That is unacceptable, and it should never happen again. With this bill, it will not happen again.

In response to recent runway surface incidents, this bill establishes a zero tolerance runway safety policy. It prioritizes projects that improve surface surveillance; it establishes a Runway Safety Council; and it requires a timeline and an action plan to actually get better runway and tarmac incursion technologies installed at airports that need them.

Air traffic controller shortages have plagued airports across the country--including in my home State of Texas--putting travel safety at risk. This legislation aims to relieve the strain on air traffic control by directing the FAA to hire the maximum number of air traffic controllers, hopefully aiding the many facilities that have been understaffed for far too long.

At a time when aircraft safety seems to be in the news every other day, our bipartisan bill makes important upgrades to safety reporting. Commercial aviation has improved in the last several decades, in part because the FAA and industry have tracked trends in safety to respond in a proactive manner to safety concerns, instead of waiting until after a fatal accident has occurred. Furthermore, this bill recognizes the important role that whistleblowers play and includes protections for those reporting safety concerns.

This bill also makes transformative investments in airports across our country by making updates to the formula used to disburse grants for airport infrastructure projects. As a result, all airports across the country will be able to rehab their runways or acquire critical safety technologies.

I am also pleased that the bill makes it easier to obtain permits for airport construction projects. This bill is good for airports large and small across the Nation.

This bill does not ignore the fact that sometimes airlines screw up and leave consumers hanging. One provision parents in the Chamber should be really happy about is the requirement for airlines to ensure that families are able to sit together. This just makes sense and will help to make traveling with young children just a little bit easier.

I am also pleased that there is a requirement that customers who need customer service will now be guaranteed that they can talk to a human representative--an actual human being--24/7.

Finally, this bill makes important improvements for travelers with disabilities, including requiring training, for employees who handle wheelchairs, and it requires the DOT to actually respond to complaints submitted by aggrieved passengers.

I know there has been a lot of attention paid to the additional five round trip flights at DCA added by this bipartisan bill. Reagan National is the only airport in the country that Congress has decreed that a plane may travel no further than 1,250 miles from when landing or taking off from. It is absurd, and it is unfair to millions of fliers who are forced to pay higher prices because of this rule. It has been over a decade since Congress has expanded access to DCA, and the inclusion of five round trip flights is a modest proposal that will bring down consumer prices for fliers in the DC region and from western States. This modest increase will not result in negative impacts or delays, nor will it result in loss of flights for anyone who currently receives service.

I repeat: It will not result in loss of flights for any route that currently receives service, despite the threats and the fearmongering from the army of United Airlines' lobbyists who are actively working to protect their Dulles monopoly. By my count of United's threatened service cuts, these five round trip flights will lead United to cancel air service to more than half the States in the Union. Don't believe the propaganda.

And I have to say, it is not in the interest of any Senator to support a policy that reduces competition, enhances monopoly products for one airline--United Airlines--and drives up the prices not only for the residents of Virginia, DC, and Maryland, but for the residents of all 50 States who have come to our Nation's Capital.

In contrast, this modest addition of service would allow for further competition between the airlines that serve DCA. Competition is good for consumers, and it is good for lowering prices.

This change will also provide the ability for there to be a direct flight from San Antonio to DC Reagan, delivering a more convenient travel experience for members of the military traveling from Joint Base San Antonio to the Pentagon, to Arlington Cemetery, to our Nation's Capital, and also for business travelers and tourists in San Antonio.

I also want to talk about the benefits this bill has for new aerospace technologies. Our bill helps the FAA both modernize and transform its operations and handling of new entrants, like drones and air taxis--a provision that will increase productivity and spur economic activity. Importantly, this reauthorization includes measures to eliminate inefficiencies plaguing the NextGen Office. This legislation also directs the FAA to complete the Beyond Visual Line of Sight rulemaking, which will expand drone delivery and other drone operations across the country and especially in my home State of Texas.

I am also proud of the reforms aimed at better integrating commercial space activities into the National Airspace System. Assisting launch providers in navigating complicated airspace will be a boost for Texas's thriving commercial space industry.

To carry out all of these ambitious goals, the FAA needs a workforce that has the technical expertise to conduct effective oversight of manufacturers and airlines, as well as technical experts who can help in the certification of these new and novel technologies. This was a major focus of our efforts. For example, in an effort to boost the aviation workforce and provide more opportunities for America's veterans, this legislation makes it easier for military servicemembers to transition to civil aviation careers.

This comprehensive and bipartisan bill bolsters the FAA at a time when the Agency needs support. The aviation system is more strained than ever. Millions of Americans travel every single day. Millions of Americans depend on this sector to earn their livelihood.

The U.S. aviation sector is the gold standard of safety, and I am proud of the improvements and reforms made in this bill. I look forward to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this bill to final passage.

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