Issue Position: Transportation

Issue Position

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization -- The House and Senate negotiated an FAA reauthorization for Fiscal Years 2012-2015 that totals $63 billion. $13 billion of that comes from the Airport Trust Fund and will help with airport improvements and the NextGen radar system.

Highway Bill -- In 2012, the House and Senate passed a 2-year, $109 billion Surface Transportation reauthorization. Although we supported a five-year plan, this reauthorization will help create jobs now by improving and completing bridge and interstate projects. Work on many of these projects has already begun.

Water Resources reauthorization -- The House recently passed the Water Resources Reform & Development Act. It will advance our inland water navigational and maritime systems by funding Army Corps of Engineer projects, while also maintaining or improving our nation's ports. The 2014-2018 reauthorization invests nearly $9 billion from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund into these port improvement and engineering projects, thus increasing trade both domestically and internationally. North Carolina will especially benefit due to an increase in shipping traffic through the new Panama Canal Panamax system that becomes fully operational by 2015.

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