Rep. Leonard Boswell announced his support of the Aviation Investment Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21) which passed through the full House today with a 316 to 110 vote.  The bill authorized more than $59 billion over the next five years and takes the aviation trust fund off-budget to allow for increased support to airports.

"This bill will help improve and modernize our nation's airports as we move into the 21st Century," Boswell said.  "Taking the aviation trust fund off-budget will allow those funds to be used for what they were meant to be used for — improving airports.  For our communities economies we need to reinvest in the infrastructure of our airports.  This helps our economy."

Under this bill, the Airport and Airway Trust Fund uses taxes charged to airline passengers to fund the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  A large amount of the trust money then goes to fund airport programs which improve airline safety, facilities, equipment, and research programs.  Taking the trust fund off-budget means the funds collected cannot go to any agency other than the FAA.  The funds are currently put in the general budget.

"The programs which are funded out of the aviation trust fund go to install better communication systems and air traffic control equipment in our airports," Boswell said.  "They are also used to develop more effective noise reduction equipment so our airports can better coexist with their surrounding communities."

Boswell also indicated he was not completely satisfied with the bill, feeling it could have done more to open up access to larger airports.  The bill fell short of its goal of removing all slot controls for Chicago's O'Hare airport and New York's Kennedy and LaGuardia airports.  An 
amendment added by the bill's sponsor and transportation and infrastructure chair, Rep. Bud Shuster (R-PA), delayed the removal of those slot rules until March 1, 2002 for O'Hare and until Jan. 1, 2007 for both New York airports.

"Increasing access to these airports for smaller air carriers was a major part of this bill and I am disappointed to see this action delayed," Boswell said.  "New entrant carriers, such as Access Air, which are trying to increase service and competition to under-served airports like Des Moines need access to these airports in order to accomplish their goal.  Even though our efforts fell short in this area I will continue to fight to provide increased competition and service to airports such as Des Moines for the benefit of Iowa's air travelers.  There are other avenues to pursue through the Secretary of Transportation and we are working on those initiatives along with Access Air CEO Roger Ferguson."