On the recordJuly 20, 2023
I stand today to reinforce the importance of the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA, because it is particularly important to realize that to move this Nation, we must make sure that we protect our passengers and our flight crew. Besides the almost $4 billion in airport improvement dollars, in addition to reinforcing the training and the protection of our crews, reinforcing pilots' doors, making sure we have diversity and reach out to all over the Nation to build the aviation industry by reaching out and training new pilots, as well as ensuring that passengers are dignified or treated with dignity and have the respect of airlines. This is a bill that should have the ability to move forward out of this House, but I am unhappy about how the pilots were treated in terms of their opposition to the raising of the age. I will continue to work with the Senate to ensure that we listen to our pilots. I listened, and I hope that we will finally have an FAA bill that will really be securing growth and robust leadership in the American aviation community. We must respect our pilots. They get us off the ground, they get us to our destination, and they get us back on the ground. We will continue to work and fight for our pilots and their issues. ____________________
