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Leonard Boswell | ||||
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| Today the House and Rep. Leonard Boswell approved the Conference
Report on the Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century
(AIR-21) by a 318-102 vote, of which he was a conferee. The bill
will allow further modernization of the aviation infrastructure of our
nation's airports. "There is a tremendous demand across the country for modernization of our airports not only for safety, but for commerce," said Boswell. "Runways need to be lengthened and improved, equipment must be replaced, and our air traffic control systems must be renovated. This bill will free up the funds to move forward on these critical projects." The AIR-21 bill will authorize $40 billion in Federal Aviation Administration programs over the next three years, more than $12 million of which will go to support airports in Iowa. This will also free-up $1.95 billion in airport improvement grants which have been on hold since last fall when the House and Senate failed to reach a compromise on the bill. The major disagreement between House and Senate conferees has been whether or not to move the Aviation Trust Fund, which takes in approximately $10 billion annually out of the general fund. The agreement keeps the trust fund money in the general fund, however the FAA will be promised funding equal to what the trust fund collects this year plus interest accrued. The other point of contention between the House and Senate versions concerned the changes to be made in scheduling at the nations slot controlled airports. One of the major provisions in the House bill was an attempt to remove slot controls at Chicago's O'Hare airport, New York's Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, and Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National airport. These slot controls restrict access to new entrant/low cost airlines and communities across the country. The Conference report called for an increase in the number of slots available at all four airports, and the removal of the slot system at O'Hare by 2002 and both Kennedy and LaGuardia by 2007. Boswell, who served on the conference committee, expressed concern with the bill. "I was not completely satisfied with the final results of the conference committee, however it is important for us to move forward on this issue and give our nation's airports the support they need. I had hoped we could reach a better agreement in regard to the issue over airport slots. Increasing access to our country's major airports is critical to improving airline service to areas such as Des Moines. We must ensure the people of Iowa have access to increased competition, lower airfares, and safer flying conditions. 3rd District Airports which receive funding under AIR-21
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