Rep. Ron Kind Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent Air Traffic Control Towers from Closing

Press Release

Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI)is cosponsoring the Air Traffic Control Tower Funding Restoration Act (H.R. 1432), a bipartisan bill that restores funding to the control towers that are slated to be shut down by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

"I'm cosponsoring this legislation because closing these air traffic control towers would harm economic development, national security and passenger safety," said Kind. "The sequester has forced a lot of reckless cuts, but to shut down these towers is especially shortsighted."

The bill would restore funding to all 149 towers slated for closure using unobligated funds within the FAA budget. No new funds would need to be appropriated in this fiscal year.

The FAA recently announced that the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport and the La Crosse Municipal Airport are on their list of scheduled tower closures. Recently, those closures were postponed until June 15. Kind has sent letters and spoken publicly about the need to keep both towers, pointing to the important roles they play beyond providing excellent service to the flying public.

"I've been working to prevent the closure of these towers and I'll be fighting to get this legislation passed in the House, on behalf of the businesses, residents and uniformed men and womenwho rely on these airports," Kind concluded.

Source