Today, Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) voted for the bipartisan Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, H.R. 3935, to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and to improve several aviation safety and infrastructure programs that Congresswoman Fletcher specifically advocated for.

“It is critical that Congress support aviation in the United States and, as new technologies emerge at record speeds, that we prepare our country for the next generation of air service technologies,” said Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher.  “I was glad to vote for the bipartisan Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act to ensure airports and aviation workers—including those at the Sugar Land Regional Airport in Texas’ Seventh Congressional District—have the resources, facilities, and equipment they need to increase efficiency and capacity.  This legislation will help improve passenger experience across the United States and maintain our country’s gold standard in safety.”

Earlier this year, Congresswoman Fletcher submitted written testimony urging the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to include a number of provisions in H.R. 3935.  H.R. 3935 includes the following priorities that Congresswoman Fletcher advocated for in her testimony:

·       Increased funding levels for the Aviation Workforce Development Grant program to help recruit, retain, and train the next generation of aviation professionals;

·       Requirements for the FAA to hire the maximum number of air traffic controllers to address current workforce shortages and ensure flight safety and on time departure; and

·       A path to certify Advanced Air Mobility pilots, a rapidly emerging new sector of the aerospace industry. 

Additionally, H.R. 3935:

·       Improves passenger experience by directing the Department of Transportation to require airlines to develop policies addressing reimbursement for passengers for hotel and meal costs when a flight is canceled or significantly delayed;

·       Increases funding levels and expands eligibility for the Airport Improvement Program to allow airports to invest in their infrastructure while addressing aviation noise and increasing resiliency; and

·       Assists the aviation industry in catching up to increased demand for air travel since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current authorization, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, expires on September 30, 2023.  Failure to reauthorize this legislation by the deadline would result in disruption to air travel, furloughing federal employees, significant loss of revenue, and the suspension or discontinuance of ongoing projects.