James Barcia: “I rise in support of Title IX of the Conference Report and will limit my remarks to Title IX of the Agreement, which…”

“I rise in support of Title IX of the Conference Report and will limit my remarks to Title IX of the Agreement, which provides a three-year authorization for the research and development activities of the Federal Aviation Administration. I am particularly pleased with the authorization levels that are provided for aviation research and development, both in Title IX and in the Airway Facilities portion of the bill. The budget growth provided by Title IX is focused on more long-term research and will help reverse recent declines in this essential component of the agency's R&D investment. Sufficient funds must be provided to enable FAA's research and development programs to develop the new technologies that will help increase the capacity and efficiency of operation of the airspace system, while ensuring its safety and security. I would like to highlight a provision in Title IX that requires FAA to provide Congress with a complete description of its R&D programs.”