Political Quotes

“Santa Monica Airport is a unique general aviation facility located in my congressional district. Each end of the bidirectional runway is abutted by steep hills, public streets, and densely populated neighborhoods, with homes as close as 250 feet. The airport has no runway safety areas. If a plane overshot the runway or failed to lift off upon departure, it could easily land in the neighborhood. The amendment I offer today is simple and straightforward. It urges the FAA to continue its discussion with the city of Santa Monica to identify a meaningful solution to address serious safety concerns at the Santa Monica Airport. For nearly a decade, I've joined the community, the city of Santa Monica and the Airport Administration to push the FAA to address this serious safety gap. While the FAA has had discussions with the city and presented a runway safety proposal, its response has simply fallen short. The FAA has acknowledged that its proposal is both insufficient to stop larger jets from an overrun and inadequate to prevent overshoots involving smaller planes. My constituents and the pilots and passengers who use Santa Monica Airport deserve better. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment.”