NEWS

Statement of the Air Transport Association Board of Directors Concerning the FAA Reauthorization Conference Agreement

(Washington, DC) - The Board of Directors of the Air Transport Association (ATA) applauds the Congressional leadership for helping to put the Federal Aviation Administration on a sound financial footing with a meaningful conference agreement on the FAA Reauthorization bill.

For the past several years, the airline industry has been calling for an increase in the pace of modernization for the air traffic control system; a dependable, steady funding stream from Congress is the starting point for the modernization process. A portion of the bill would create a governing board for the air traffic control system and have the system run by a chief operating officer. The ATA Board of Directors urges the Administration to act quickly in implementing these reform provisions. The bill also requires independent scrutiny of the FAA’s cost allocation study which will help transform it into a meaningful management tool.

The FAA Reauthorization Conference agreement supplies increased spending from the Aviation Trust Fund and a dependable mechanism for appropriations from the general fund. The combination of money from these two sources is essential for meeting the infrastructure needs of our air transport system.

Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-MS), House Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Bud Shuster (R-PA), Senate Commerce Chairman John McCain (R-AR), Senate Appropriations Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK), Senate Budget Chairman Pete V. Domenici (R-NM), Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) and Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) deserve the appreciation of all the nation’s airline passengers for their dedicated work on this bill. Without their leadership, this landmark legislation would not have happened.

The ATA Board of Directors* recognizes that Senator Lott served as a fair and impartial broker and that his strong and insightful leadership was what brought the parties together and enabled this agreement to come about. Chairman Shuster also deserves high praise for his tireless work and dedication in improving aviation for all Americans.

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* The Air Transport Association is the trade association for America’s leading airlines and its members transport over 95% of all the passenger and cargo traffic in the United States. The CEOs of the 23 U.S. member companies serve on the board of directors.

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5/26/2000