Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Phoenix, I rise to demand an end to business as usual at the Federal Aviation Administration. In 2014, the FAA decided, without any input from civic leaders or members of our community, to implement new flight paths for aircraft from Sky Harbor International Airport. The impact of this decision on local residents was swift and severe. Without warning, our communities were suddenly exposed to constant, deafening aircraft noise. As they run businesses, raise families, and struggle to sleep at night, Phoenix residents must now contend with the incessant roar of planes passing overhead. Simply put, the new flight paths have deprived the Arizonans I represent of the peace and quiet they enjoyed before the FAA intervened. Unfortunately, the agency has only exacerbated this difficult situation by overlooking the objections of local residents and ignoring clear direction from Congress to reconsider these routes. When urged by the House in the 2015 omnibus to ``identify appropriate mitigation measures'' to address the problem of aircraft noise in Phoenix, the agency disregarded the will of this body and took no meaningful action. That is simply unacceptable. The American people deserve a government that is responsive to their needs and accountable to their elected officials. We have seen the same pattern of indifference repeated in cities across the country. But now, finally, leaders from both parties are demanding real reform at the FAA.…”