LEXIS-NEXIS® Congressional Universe-Document

LEXIS-NEXIS® Congressional

February 11, 1999, Thursday

SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY

LENGTH: 329 words

HEADLINE: TESTIMONY February 11, 1999 JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR. REPRESENTATIVE HOUSE TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE AVIATION FINANCIAL NEEDS OF AIR TRANSPORT SYSTEM

BODY:
Statement of John J. Duncan, Jr. FAA Reauthorization Hearing February 11th, 9:30 a.m., 2167 RHOB I want to go ahead and call this hearing to order today. We have some very important witnesses here today and very little time since we have to be out of the room by 1:00 p.m. to make way for a Committee mark-up this afternoon. First of all, I want to welcome the FAA Administrator Jane Garvey. By all accounts, Administrator Garvey has done an excellent job at the FAA under very difficult circumstances. We all appreciate what she is trying to do there. Unfortunately, we continue to hear stories about modernization projects that are over-due or over budget. The Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) recently took a 14-month delay. And STARS is also reportedly slipping. The Management Advisory Council, created by Congress in 1996, which was supposed to help address some of the agency's problems, has not even been appointed yet by the Administration. However, earlier this week, I was fortunate to accompany Mrs. Garvey and Mr. LoBiondo, a member of this Subcommittee, on a tour of the FAA's Technical Center in New Jersey. It is apparent that there is a great deal of fine work being done there. So I am hopeful that the FAA's air traffic control modernization will stay on track and I know Administrator Garvey is committed to that as well. Modernizing our air traffic control infrastructure is crucial if the public is to have a safe and efficient aviation system. I would also like to welcome the other witnesses here today. Carol Hallet has done an excellent job of leading an often divided, and sometimes maligned, airline industry. And Pete Ruane did as much as anyone to help us unlock the highway trust fund last year. Hopefully, he will help us do the same for the aviation trust fund this year. So I appreciate the time that all the witnesses have taken to come before us and speak today. I now recognize the ranking member, Mr. Lipinski.

LOAD-DATE: February 17, 1999