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Copyright 1999 Federal News Service, Inc.  
Federal News Service

JUNE 9, 1999, WEDNESDAY

SECTION: IN THE NEWS

LENGTH: 1049 words

HEADLINE: PREPARED TESTIMONY BY
WILLIAM D. MILLER II, PH.D.
DIRECTOR
OKLAHOMA AERONAUTICS AND SPACE COMMISSION
BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
AVIATION SUBCOMMITTEE
SUBJECT - PRESERVATION & PROMOTION OF GENERAL AVIATION AIRPORTS

BODY:

"Our unity as a nation is sustained by free communication of thought and by easy transportation of people and goods. Together, the united forces of our communication and transportation systems are dynamic elements in the very name we bear - United States. Without them, we would be a mere alliance of many separate parts." President Eisenhower spoke those words nearly 45 years ago on the eve of the creation of the Interstate Highway System.
Words as eloquent and powerful as those are once again being spoken in response to the leadership of Chairman Bud Shuster, Ranking Member Jim Oberstar, Aviation Subcommittee Chairman John Duncan and Ranking Member William Lipinski and the pride of the Sooner State, Congressman J.C. Watts, along with the 75 members of the largest and most bipartisan cooperative committee in Congress. Through their collective leadership, the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure last year brought to reality TEA-21, the largest public works project in this Nation's history and are attempting to bring the same degree of vision and development to aviation with the passage of AIR-21. The opportunity to appear before this distinguished Committee is an honor and your leadership speaks well for our Nation and our elected representatives.
Collectively, States through the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), strongly applaud your efforts and endorse the passage of AIR21. The anchor provisions of AIR-21 provide for a five-year Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and dedication of revenues from the Airport and Airway Trust Funds being spent on needed capital improvements to our nation's airport and airway system.
The key for preservation and promotion of America's general aviation lays in the premise of a cooperative effort between communities, states and the federal government. Throughout the nation, communities and states are realizing the potential of general aviation and are investing billions of dollars into projects and processes to bring a long neglected segment of our transportation infrastructure into the 21st Century Aviation, as the National Civil Aviation Review Commission noted is, "one of the most significant engines for national economic growth."
In my state of Oklahoma, the Legislature and Governor, in a bipartisan effort, last year passed the largest highway spending program in the State's history. This year, they continued the commitment to transportation by dramatically increasing funding to general aviation airports through the dedication of aviation excise and fuel taxes to the State Aeronautics Revolving Fund. These efforts will triple available State funds Oklahoma airports in the next three years. This effort takesrevenues generated by general aviation and directs them to a trust fund for expenditure on the State's general aviation infrastructure. We are asking that Congress commit to a similar mechanism through passage of AIR-21 and a guarantee that all revenue dedicated to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund is spent each year for its intended purpose.
Aviation is a national interest. FAA expenditures should be funded exclusively by general fund contributions and Airport and Airway Trust Fund dollars used as they were intended -- for capital improvement of our airports and airway systems and to insure our Nation's flying public safety. The uncapping of the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), allowing local airports to enact this user fee to help fund our commercial airport system that is fast approaching gridlock is responsible and needed legislation.
This Committee has recognized the need to rectify the long-standing neglect of our general aviation infrastructure and have acted through AIR-21 in a forceful and visionary manner. Numerous states, Oklahoma included, have had the dubious honor of being "donor" states in our current funding system. Our best estimates, for the figures are unattainable from FAA records, indicate that for every dollar Oklahoma provides to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, we receive betweensixteen and eighteen cents in return. Any legislation addressing aviation funding must contain an equity clause similar to that included in last year's TEA-21.
The ability of the State's to plan and manage complex infrastructure can be seriously jeopardized by a process that can be delayed and we encourage Congress to support the swirl passage of AIR-21. The AIP must be reauthorized and appropriated at a minimum level of $5 billion annually over the next five years. Oklahoma, like most states, has a five-year Capital Improvement Program. This Committee has recognized the disastrous effects of short-term reauthorizations, combined with inadequate funding, on State's ability to manage planned infrastructure improvements. A consistent five-year Airport Improvement Program would allow State's to plan and execute the systematic infrastructure improvement programs necessary to move general aviation into the 21st Century.
As we stand at the threshold of the 21st Century, Congress faces a crossroads -- to continue the neglect, stagnation and deterioration of our general aviation infrastructure -- or to follow the road the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has chosen -- to form an alliance throughout America to foster the rebirth of general aviation through a shared leadership and vision. I ask Congress to join with you in leading communities, cities, and states across America on a roadthat insures a system of transporting people and goods across American in a safe and economical manner.
I ask Congress to join this Committee and make the commitment to continue the vision started last year with the passage of TEA-21. I ask them to join their predecessors of this People's House and continue the vision begun forty-five years ago with the Interstate Highway System. AIR-21 offers the same prospect -- a synergistic process to rebuild our general aviation infrastructure, just as has been done with TEA-21, through a cooperative effort truly representative of our United States.
Thank you for the honor and opportunity to come before you today. I applaud you on the leadership and vision contained in AIR-21 and encourage Congress to support a swift passage to fulfill the promise it holds.
END


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