FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007 - Motion to Proceed

Floor Speech

FAA REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2007--MOTION TO PROCEED -- (Senate - April 28, 2008)

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Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, transportation is an important part of the American economy. It is vital to all rural and urban communities that people are able to travel in a timely, safe, and cost efficient manner. Whether it is the businesswoman traveling to meet her clients or visit her company's plants, the tourist who wants to experience the beauty and uniqueness of our country, or the grandparents visiting their grandchildren; efficient, affordable, and safe travel is imperative.

For several years we have been working on reauthorizing the aviation bill. While this process has not always been easy, I am pleased that we reached a bipartisan agreement and have a good bill before the Senate.

All of us have a vested interest in ensuring a stable, dependable, and predictable revenue flow to the airport and airways trust fund. Aviation has changed since the last time Congress considered aviation legislation. This bill reshapes our system to better reflect today's realities. It provides more funding to further modernize our air traffic control systems, airports, and facilities. It also provides for more efficient and safe travel to reduce delays and ease congestion in our skies.

While the United States has one of the best records for aviation safety, we need to continue to do better. We are back to the level of air traffic that we saw before 9/11 and we will likely see this number grow tremendously.

In light of these capacity issues and the 1950s equipment being used to manage our skies, our Nation needs to move as quickly and prudently towards the next generation of air traffic control systems. This bill provides more funding towards this project. Now is the right time to replace the old radar technology with real time GPS technology. The American people deserve our investment in this new system.

This bill also takes an honest look at the diversity of our airport system. It structures funding for the safety and fairness of every airport in America.

Rural States, like Iowa, have many communities that rely on our elaborate air transportation system. People who live near hub airports have the opportunity to take advantage of air travel somewhat efficiently and at a reasonable price. However, those in rural areas have more difficulties. This challenge has become even more difficult after 9/11 when most small communities were reduced to one air carrier with less frequent flights. Commercial carriers only fly into approximately 500 airports, although that is a business choice and there are other airports they could serve. It is more expensive to do business in rural America. This bill will continue the vital programs that our rural communities rely on to keep competitive in the worldwide marketplace.

Over the past decade, a new prong has developed in the aviation industry. Traditionally, the focus has been on just two main categories, commercial aviation and the private airplanes for individual or corporate use. Today, we have a growing new class of business aviation, which includes the new dynamic of fractional jet ownerships. The new business class is anticipated to grow at a faster rate than other segments of the industry. This new prong is providing valuable opportunities for businesses to enhance efficiencies and productivity, and is also a potential way for rural areas to have more transportation opportunities.

While business aviation is good for and may be a saving grace for struggling rural economies, the growth of business aviation is creating more stress on our national air traffic system. This bill provides more equity by having the business sector contribute more to the funding of our aviation system.

This bill not only addresses important aviation policy, it also provides the needed funding for Congress to meet the funding commitments made in the 2005 highway bill.

Currently, we fund highway infrastructure through fuel and other excise taxes. With record high gas prices and more fuel efficient vehicles, the highway trust fund has not had the receipts that were anticipated in 2005. Therefore, a shortfall is anticipated for fiscal year 2009 and for future years.

It is vital that the highway trust fund is kept whole through the life of the current authorization, SAFETEA-LU, so Congress can look to long-term financing solutions to meet our surface transportation needs. We need to have an important national dialogue in the next year so Congress can act in a prudent and expeditious manner on the next highway bill.

Provisions included in this bill will fill the funding shortfall for fiscal year 2009. Offsets are provided so this funding will not add to the overall budget deficit. Our States need to have the certainty that this funding will be in place so they can continue with vital projects to improve safety on our Nation's bridges and roadways.

In conclusion, I want to thank my colleagues on the Senate Finance and Commerce Committees in working together to bring this important bill to the Senate floor. This bill is good for Iowa and the Nation.

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