Coyne Applauds Passage of Long-Term FAA Reauthorization Bill by House Committee

On February 16, the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure approved H.R. 658, the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011. A four-year bill, H.R. 658 includes a number of critically important initiatives including streamlining and authorizing funding for NextGen air traffic control modernization projects. 

The bill also includes two provisions supported by the association that would require the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to address the consistency of its regulatory interpretations as well as require the agency to analyze the size and scope of the Part 135 on-demand air charter industry.

"We applaud the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure for approving a comprehensive, long-term reauthorization bill," said NATA President James K. Coyne. "This bill provides a solid foundation to continue modernizing our air traffic control system, while addressing issues important to our membership including the lack of consistency with FAA regulatory interpretations and a study reviewing the makeup of the Part 135 industry."
 
The House Committee on Ways and Means will next mark-up the tax title of the bill, and the complete bill will head to the Floor for consideration and approval by the U.S. House of Representatives.

"We thank Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman John Mica and Subcommittee on Aviation Chairman Thomas Petri for their leadership on this bill, and strongly support passage of the measure by the entire U.S. House of Representatives as soon as possible," Coyne said.