On the recordFebruary 7, 2012
I rise today to voice my support to the Federal Aviation Administration Modernization and Reform Act conference report which was passed by the Senate last night, and will provide a greater sense of financial security than the Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, has seen in a long time. No agency should be subjected to the budget uncertainties that FAA has been forced to experience, nor strung along year after year unable to make long-term plans. For more than 4 years, the FAA has operated under more than 20 short-term funding extensions. I think that is unprecedented in the history of agency funding. At any rate, it is no way to run a railroad or a national aviation system. I also support the conference report because it would finally allow the FAA to move forward on the NextGen air navigation program, would give the passenger's bill of rights the force of law, and would provide billions of dollars to improve and develop public airports across the country. For these reasons, the legislation is long overdue and sorely needed. The conference report, however, does contain a provision about aviation security and the Transportation Security Administration, TSA, that is deeply troubling to me and about which I feel duty bound to express my disapproval.…
