Greetings! First, Here’s an update from Washington, D.C. it is expected that more popular matters might easily absorb the attention of Senators through the end of the year and FAA reauthorization – the government’s decision on how the FAA is funded and whether or not you’ll be paying user fees – will await the attention of the new year. As it stands, the Senate Finance Committee is at odds with the Commerce Committee about how the FAA’s ADS-B powered “next-gen” airspace management ideal should be funded. The Finance Committee supports the continued use of excise taxes, while the Commerce Aviation Subcommittee has sought departure and additional jet fuel taxes, plus a proposed $25 per flight surcharge.
Reauthorization has been extended twice without the formal approval of a new plan. The current deadline is December 14, 2007, but insiders stress the main issue is where the funds will come from, not whether the funding will be there. Still there are other complications. A current House provision would have the FAA and the Air Traffic Controllers Union submit to binding arbitration to resolve a contract dispute previously solved when the FAA moved to impose its work rules on the controllers.
Secondly, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, has been named to succeed Senator Trent Lott on the Senate Aviation Subcommittee. When longtime Senator Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, announced last week that he will leave the Senate at year’s end, that raised questions about what will happen next in the user-fee fight in Congress. Lott is the ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, where he has been a proponent of user fees. On Wednesday December 6, 2007, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, was named to serve as the new ranking member of the Subcommittee, and the National Business Aviation Association was glad to hear it. “The Senator is very knowledgeable on aviation issues and has an in-depth understanding of general aviation,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “NBAA looks forward to working with Senator Hutchison and other Subcommittee members to advance our aviation system, which is the world’s largest, safest and most efficient. “AOPA spokesman Chris Dancy said his organization is looking forward to working with Senator Hutchison .” “She voted with general aviation earlier this year on an important amendment that would have stripped user fees from the Senate’s version of the FAA reauthorization bill.”
Thirdly, Here’s an update concerning Missouri Aviation. The Only Airport and Aviation Bills are as follows:
NOTE: Your Web site address for Texas Legislation: www.texas.gov
Look for Transportation-Aviation, to search all aviation bills.
Web site address for Illinois legislation: www.illinois.gov
Look for Transportation-Aviation, to search all aviation bills.
All other states should follow this same format, to search your specific state’s aviation and airport bills.
Remember, that as members of USPA, MPA, TPA, TXAA, NMPA, NPA, IPA, EAA, AOPA, or other pilot associations of which you may be a member, we have a powerful voice, in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Texas, or whatever state you may represent. Every group of taxpayers and pilots carries a strong voice to Washington, D.C., as well as at the state and local level.
We need to learn how to use our voices, and speak up for general aviation.
So let us not forget to exercise our rights and privileges, so we can continue to make a “Difference for General Aviation”.