FAA Reauthorization Act Passes, Includes Comstock Provisions

Press Release

Congresswoman Barbara Comstock (R-VA) released the following statement after she voted for and the House passed H.R. 4, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, bipartisan legislation that reauthorizes the programs of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Included in the bill were two of her amendments that support investments in spaceports and research on mitigating and reducing noise:

"This critical five-year extension to the FAA will help keep America at the forefront of aviation innovation as we continue to lead the world. This investment in our infrastructure will pay dividends to future generations. Our aviation community needs to be competitive with our global counterparts as we look to the future of aviation. This legislation maintains that competitiveness while reinforcing passenger protections so our flight system stays the safest in the world. We fought and succeeded in keeping Slot and Perimeter rules unchanged, ensuring that the current balance of air traffic between Dulles Airport and Reagan National remains in place. I am pleased that two of my provisions were included in this bipartisan legislation that help support our state spaceports as well as investments in environmental research.

"State spaceports, like the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at Wallops Island in Virginia, which launches Orbital ATK's Antares and Minotaur rockets, have provided new low-cost capabilities for NASA, defense and commercial users, while also improving resiliency and responsiveness. The FAA currently plays a critical role in licensing and working with these spaceports as they grow their infrastructure and capabilities to support a variety of missions. This provision encourages greater integration of our growing state spaceport sector into our national space launch policies, planning, and infrastructure.

"The development of new technologies that reduce aircraft noise will help our local communities. I was pleased to see this provision included that would support environmental research to reduce noise pollution.

"Also included in this FAA reauthorization bill is the Disaster Recovery Reform Act, a series of bipartisan FEMA reforms designed to protect against future disasters and aid in recovery operations in the wake of disasters. These reforms prioritize mitigation so that future damages can be minimized and lives saved."

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