Hank Johnson: “I speak in opposition to the amendment. My friend on the other side is well intentioned on this. However, we may be…”

“I speak in opposition to the amendment. My friend on the other side is well intentioned on this. However, we may be putting the cart before the horse. This bill would strike the requirement in the underlying bill for the FAA to update the definitions in regulation to classify vertiports as a subset of heliports. The term ``vertiport'' is already being used in the advanced air mobility, AAM, industry to describe points at which these advanced aircraft can safely take off and land. {time} 1715 The updated definition in the underlying bill will help to create a unified system for vertical aviation infrastructure, including for electric aircraft, and provides necessary regulatory certainty for this emerging sector to grow in the United States and also sets the stage for the assessment of revenue by which we can continue to keep the system upgraded and available for all, including these aircraft that will use the vertiport. This is about planning for the future, laying in the regulatory groundwork for the future. For the reason that we need to do this, I oppose this amendment, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”