Transportation Chairman Tom Latham Statement on H.J. Res. 90, the Flight Safety Act

House Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Tom Latham gave the following statement on the House floor today in support of H.J. Res. 90, the Flight Safety Act:

"Mr. Chairman, today I present H.J.Res. 90, a bill providing the FAA with critical funding to ensure safe air travel for the American public and providing critical support to the aviation industry, our nation’s leading exporter.  This bill funds the FAA at the fiscal year 2013 sequester level through December 15, or until the enactment of a full year appropriation for the Transportation-HUD bill, whichever comes first.

"The bill would bring back over 6,000 aviation safety inspectors who are not currently working due to the shutdown.  These safety inspectors perform critical aircraft certifications that support American jobs by certifying new aircraft for sale in the U.S. and abroad.  The FAA’s aviation safety workforce is also essential to ensuring safety in the national airspace by re-inspecting and re-certifying the operating aircraft fleets that transport millions of Americans every day.

"This bill also would re-open the aircraft registry service, assuring that American-made aircraft can move off the production lines and on to markets in the U.S. and around the world.

"The bill would reopen the FAA academy to resume the training of new air traffic controllers and ensure that our air traffic controller workforce is fully staffed. 

"The bill will ensure that air traffic control modernization investments resume, ensuring that our Next Gen development and deployment continues on schedule.

"This is not a comprehensive FY 2014 bill – but rather a CR to continue funding the FAA at the fiscal year 2013 sequester level.  This bill brings the FAA back to work to ensure the safety of the flying public until we can come to an overall resolution on FY 2014 funding levels. 

"I urge the quick passage of this important legislation so we can send it on to the Senate.  Let’s get the FAA back to work.

"I reserve the balance of my time."