Nolan Applauds FAA Funding Extension, Pushes for Long-Term Funding Bill

Press Release

U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan today applauded passage of a funding extension for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to authorize the FAA's programs and the taxes that will fund those programs through September 30, 2017 at current funding levels. Nolan also emphasized the importance of coming to an agreement on a long-term funding bill.

"Extending funding for the FAA is critical to our national transportation systems," Nolan said. "But we cannot underestimate the critical importance of passing a long term funding bill. Our national transportation infrastructure simply cannot survive on "kick the can down the road,' short-term, temporary fixes."

Nolan highlighted several provisions to the legislation that he helped to champion, including:

- Requiring the FAA to prioritize hiring military Veterans with aviation experience and individuals who have graduated from Collegiate Training Initiative (CTI) programs and have received recommendations; ensuring preferential treatment to job applicants with a year's worth of experience at FAA control facilities, FAA contract towers or military or civilian air traffic control facilities operated by the Pentagon; and permanently raising the maximum age requirement for experienced controllers to be initially hired to the FAA from 30 to 35.

- Including third-class medical reform for general aviation pilots to allow most pilots who have had a regular or special issuance third-class medical certificate within 10 years of enactment to not have to see an aviation medical examiner again, apart from pilots who develop certain cardiac, mental health or neurological conditions; strengthening mental health screening for first and second class pilots by providing additional screening for mental health conditions, including depressing and suicidal thoughts or tendencies, and assess treatments that would address any risk associated with such conditions; and requiring training for flight attendants in recognizing and responding to potential victims of human trafficking.

- Ensuring the FAA does not discontinue the contract weather observer program at any airport until October 1, 2017. Duluth Airport was one of the 57 airports scheduled for such discontinuation.

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