Applauding Passage of the Reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration

Floor Speech

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Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the House took decisive action today to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration--or FAA--by advancing H.R. 3935, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act. Upon enactment, this critically-important legislation will better protect the health and safety of air travelers, improve conditions for both the current and future aviation workforce, and make significant investments in our Nation's aviation infrastructure and air traffic control technologies.

I am proud to have cast my vote in favor of H.R. 3935. This long- overdue, bipartisan measure will modernize America's aviation system, advance consumer safety and protections, and prepare the next generation of highly qualified and diverse aviation professionals.

For years, I have advocated for enhanced federal funding to better recruit, retain, and advance underrepresented populations in the aviation industry. To that end, I applaud the bill's inclusion of $60 million in annual funding to the FAA to bolster the pool of pilots, aviation maintenance professionals, and manufacturing workers in the talent pipeline. Of the $60 million provided, H.R. 3935 requires that 20 percent of this annual funding be designated for the Willa Brown Aviation Program, which introduces and trains underserved communities in various aviation careers. I thank my colleague, Rep. Hank Johnson, for his leadership on this provision. I'm also pleased to see that the reauthorization bill directs the FAA to engage and partner with Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving Institutions to advance awareness of aviation-related education programs and careers, a recommendation I made in my testimony before the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

The bill's historic investment in our country's airports with, $4 billion in annual funding for the Airport Improvement Program, will help modernize public-use airports, such as Midway and O'Hare airports in Chicago, while simultaneously spurring economic growth and employment opportunities for many Chicagoland residents and businesses. I praise the host of policy reforms and robust protections for air travelers and consumers, like the Section 503 requirement that airlines refund passengers on significantly delayed or cancelled flights and a new mandate that airlines permit passengers to sit next to their young child when practical and at no cost. Inclusion of these important and long-overdue consumer protections in the FAA reauthorization bill further explains why the measure enjoys such widespread bi-partisan support in Congress and beyond.

I commend House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Graves and Ranking Member Larsen for their hard work to deliver this comprehensive and bicameral bill to reauthorize the FAA, helping ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in aviation safety and innovation.

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