So if we want to see our airports be more efficient like they are in other countries, we have got to get these arbitrary Federal restrictions out of the way.

The Feds should be paying for the machines; the airports have to pay to accommodate the machines.

As this committee considers airport funding, we need to encourage investment at airports of all sizes.

I hope we can work in a bipartisan manner this Congress to find a path forward on airport infrastructure investment.

PFCs are a consumer tax, and the traveling consumers are already punishingly taxed.

We commend the Committee for recognizing the importance of our Nation's airports and look forward to collaboratively working to address the funding challenges of our Nation's greatest assets--its airports.

I remain committed to ensuring we continue this success, but I am worried about how quickly we can execute key projects.

I would suggest--and at the future I am going to probably not allow people to read testimony--would be to summarize your best points and, if possible, respond to points that others have made or are going to make.

That is a win-win, in my book, and why most leading free-market libertarian and conservative organizations have supported this approach.

The committee will come to order. I ask unanimous consent the chair be authorized to declare recesses during today's hearing.

I would like to welcome our panel: Lawrence J. Krauter, CEO, Spokane International Airport; Ms. Tori Barnes, executive vice president of public affairs, U.S. Travel Association; Ms. Candace S. McGraw, CEO, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky…

I am surely not opposed to increasing the FAA's Federal AIP grant levels.

America's airports require well over $128 billion in infrastructure upgrades over the next five years.

It is time to move forward with a robust investment plan to address our country's growing infrastructure needs.

Last Congress, along with Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, I introduced H.R. 1265, the Investing in America: Rebuilding America's Airport Infrastructure Act, which would have removed the PFC cap, generating billions of dollars in…

I thank the gentleman for his brevity.

Thank you again for holding this important hearing.

I want to thank Chairman DeFazio and Ranking Member Graves for the Committee's time and attention to this issue today.

The cap has not been raised in almost 20 years.

I question the validity of that assertion.

airports need to make new investments to maintain and modernize our nation's airport infrastructure.

The cost of doing nothing is too high to ignore.

A priority for me as chairman this year will be to increase the cap on the PFC so that U.S. airports can keep pace with current demands as well as plan for expected commercial service growth in the years ahead.

We urge this committee to take a leadership role in addressing the needs of U.S. airports by increasing AIP funding and lifting the cap on PFCs.

The cost of doing nothing is high, and we are already paying for it at the risk of harming the economic well-being of our community airports.