Rick Larsen

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I ask unanimous consent that the written statement prepared by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, be entered into the record.

I look forward to hearing our witnesses' perspectives on how this panel can address these and other innovation-related topics.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding today's hearing on enabling innovation in the national airspace.

It is not a matter of partisan politics. Members of this committee have been asking for this accounting across multiple administrations.

I agree that this is one of the most important areas for the Department and for our community to focus on.

I would ask unanimous consent to enter into the record a letter from the American Association of Airport Executives, indicating support for the DeFazio-Massie bill, and a letter from U.S. Travel Association indicating support for the…

We are looking at about $100 billion in the next 4 or 5 years in infrastructure needs throughout the United States.

I look forward to hearing from him today, in particular about the needs and challenges Sea-Tac faces.

This hearing provides an opportunity for us to better understand how Congress can help airports satisfy their growing capital needs.

Thank you, Chairman LoBiondo, for calling today's hearing on the state of U.S. airports.

Request to submit the following letters in support of H.R. 1265, 'Investing in America: Rebuilding America's Airport Infrastructure Act'

We are a little disappointed the FAA pulled out their technical representative from Beijing and put him in Singapore.

The FAA needs adequate staffing resources to do the job and keep pace with new demands and new technologies.

The predictable and timely certification of aircraft and aircraft components is critical for domestic manufacturers.

Manufacturing and certification are critical to my home State.

The U.S. aviation industry is an economic powerhouse.

We are full-scale behind infrastructure, because, as every witness here has said, our country depends on it.

Infrastructure, we think, is really a job-creator for this country.

This is going to be one of the largest habitat restoration efforts in the U.S. It is integral to our own State's Puget Sound Action Agenda, which includes recovery and protection of several fish and mammal species and the fulfillment of…

I want to thank General Jackson and the Army Corps team for your work as well, the local folks on the Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project, and our Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, as well those who worked with…

It has been 7 years since this particular committee or subcommittee has had a hearing on commercial space.

But with that immense promise comes the need to make sure that we have a robust safety framework in place, and it is not an easy thing to achieve particularly as Congress is cautious to not overregulate this nascent industry.

This committee has not convened a hearing on commercial space transportation since 2009, and I think we can all agree that there have been many exciting advancements in the industry that have occurred over the last 7 years.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thanks for calling this hearing to take a closer look at the FAA's oversight of commercial space transportation.

Among other things, I hope this hearing will help inform and encourage progress on a timely FAA reauthorization bill.