Political Quotes

“It is exciting to play a role in crafting legislation as impactful as reauthorizing the FAA, especially as a freshman legislator. I came to Congress to deliver for the people of west Michigan, and this robust bipartisan bill will do just that. Two specific provisions in this bill will be especially beneficial for my district. Michigan's Third District includes the Gerald R. Ford International Airport, the second busiest airport in the State and one of the busiest airports in the entire country. The airport's aging air traffic control tower is preventing needed expansion. It is the oldest tower among any of the top 75 largest airports and does not meet the security requirements or operational necessities found in more modern towers. This bill includes provisions which direct FAA to specifically consider old towers at airports like GRR when selecting projects for replacement and increasing transparency around the process the FAA uses when deciding which towers need to be upgraded. These policies will help GRR forge a path forward to ensure the airport can meet the needs of the region. Mr. Chair, I thank the chairman and the ranking member for working with me to include these critical priorities for my district and other similarly situated airports around the country, and I urge the passage of this bill.”