Rep. Meadows Introduces Amendments to FAA Reauthorization Act

Statement

Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC) has offered two amendments to H.R. 4, the FAA Re-authorization Act of 2018. The two amendments, amendment #18 and amendment #40, were made in order last night in a Rules Committee vote and will receive a vote on the House floor this week.

Amendment #18 seeks to address the lack of oversight on federal disaster relief assistance. It requires the Small Business Administration and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop a plan for the regular collection and reporting of information related to disaster spending, while directing FEMA to work with the two agencies to provide the comprehensive data on where disaster money goes. The amendment also adds the Disaster Assistance Working Group of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to the full re-authorization bill, allowing for improved facilitation of oversight for any other disaster related funds.

Amendment #40, endorsed by the National Taxpayers Union and the Competitive Enterprise Institute, codifies Executive Order No. 12866, issued by President Clinton and retained by Presidents Bush and Obama. It instructs agencies, wherever possible, to specify performance objectives, rather than behavior, in crafting new regulations--ensuring the Department of Transportation upholds its long-mandated duty to reform its regulatory structure in a performance-based direction.

Rep. Meadows released the following statement:

"When we look at reauthorizing the FAA, it's critical that we preserve the safety standards of our public transportation system while taking the opportunity to substantively improve the oversight of taxpayer funds and agency regulations. Congress has to get serious about spending efficiently, conducting proper oversight of taxpayer funds, and reforming our regulatory system to address well defined objectives rather than behavioral objectives. I believe these two amendments will make significant progress in accomplishing those goals and I look forward to working with Chairman Shuster and my colleagues on the final bill."

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