Congressman DeSaulnier Applauds Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Passage of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure’s Subcommittee on Aviation, applauded the full Committee’s passage of the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act (H.R. 3935), which will reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the next five-years. The bill would improve the safety of aircraft maintenance and operations and safeguard the aviation workforce. Several of Congressman DeSaulnier’s initiatives were included in the bill.

“I am pleased at the Committee’s bipartisan work in passing the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization, and am especially proud that seven of my initiatives were included in the bill that would help to protect American aviation workers’ right to fair pay and good working conditions, improve the safety of the flying public by preventing near-miss incidents like the one we saw at SFO in 2017, and help airports become more resilient to the effects of climate change,” said Congressman DeSaulnier.

Congressman DeSaulnier’s initiatives included in the bill would:

• Prevent foreign air carriers from getting permits to operate in the U.S. if they undermine fair labor standards.
• Address near-miss aviation incidents and improve safety risks by:
  • Extending the length of time cockpit voice recorders capture audio from two hours to twenty-five;
  • Ensuring protections for the use of cockpit voice recorders only for safety investigations;
  • Identifying the need for airport surface surveillance and safety systems; and
  • Requiring data analysis of safety incidents to find and address underlying factors.

• Increase funding for airport resiliency projects to help airports prepare for the impacts of climate change.
• Require a review of International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) best available technologies and standards for consideration of adoption in the United States.

The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act (H.R. 3935) now goes to the Floor of the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.