Political Quotes

“I rise today to speak in support of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill which is before the Senate and which we have been debating over the last week. Ensuring that our great Nation--States such as Colorado and Alaska that have important aviation industries--has a healthy and safe general aviation community and comprehensive aviation infrastructure is exactly the type of issue this Congress needs to be working on and the type that has been a top priority in previous Congresses. In my State, aviation has a very rich history and is an incredibly important driver of our economy but also an important element of connecting the entire State. Many aspects of our lives in Alaska rely on commercial and general aviation. Living in a State of such enormous scale with numerous remote communities gives Alaskans a very deep appreciation for air travel, which in many cases provides the only means for transportation for many residents. One of the things that is very much an honor being in the U.S. Senate is how different Senators come and describe life in their States so all Americans have a better understanding of how the entire country is knitted together, how we work together, but what unique challenges different States have. For more than 100 communities in Alaska--including regional centers such as Bethel, Nome, Barrow, and Kotzebue--aviation is the only means of getting in or out of those communities since there are no roads.…”