Federal Avitation Administration Extension Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

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Mr. LEWIS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

H.R. 1512, the Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2009, extends the financing and spending authority for the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.

The trust fund taxes and spending authority are scheduled to expire on March 31, 2009. This bill extends these taxes at current rates for 6 months, through the end of the fiscal year on September 30.

Failure to act on this bill would mean that the taxes expire and the trust fund would lose revenues that are necessary to finance future airport construction projects and updates to the air traffic control system. It would also prevent the FAA from spending funds that are already in the trust fund, shutting down the Airport Improvement Program and critical airport construction projects around the country.

I know the importance of our air transportation system. The Hartsfield-
Jackson Atlanta International Airport, located in my congressional district, is the world's busiest passenger airport. In 50 years the number of passengers traveling through that airport has grown from 2 million to almost 80 million a year. The airport has a direct and indirect impact on the economy of over $20 billion. We must make sure that the taxes are extended and the FAA remains funded. It is critical to our economy and the safety of all of our passengers.

The bill also extends a number of authorizing provisions that are under the jurisdiction of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. All of those provisions were also extended last September in the same bill that extended the expiring tax provisions. This bill will keep the Airport and Airway Trust Fund taxes and operations in place until a long-term FAA Reauthorization Act is signed into law.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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