McConnell Urges Support for Bipartisan FAA Bill to Protect American Consumers
‘The bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act will support American jobs and help American manufacturing. It will improve safety in the skies, and security in our airports...without raising taxes or fees on travelers…Let’s continue doing our job. Let’s vote today to get on this bill.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks on the Senate floor today regarding the bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act:
“The bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act is the product of a collaborative committee process in a Senate that’s back to work. It was guided and informed by a series of substantive committee hearings. It contains ideas from committee members on both sides of the aisle. And because both Republicans and Democrats were given a stake in the outcome, it passed the Commerce Committee on a voice vote.
“Senator Thune is the Chair of that committee. Senator Ayotte is the Chair of the committee’s aviation panel. We recognize key players like these for their many months of hard work, hearings, and collaboration. We recognize the Ranking Members – Senators Nelson and Cantwell – and committee members from both sides for their contributions too.
“The bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act will support American jobs and help American manufacturing. It will improve safety in the skies, and security in our airports.
“It contains common-sense reforms for passengers too, in fact a consumer columnist for The Washington Post dubbed it ‘one of the most passenger-friendly Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bills in a generation.’ For instance:
• To the extent an airline charges fees for things like baggage, or cancellations, or changes, this bill will help ensure they provide it in a clear, standard format people can understand.
• It will allow passengers to get refunds for services they purchase but don’t receive, like if they’ve been charged a bag fee and the bag doesn’t make it.
• It will give passengers more peace of mind when they travel, directing the FAA to update the contents of onboard emergency medical kits.
• And it will maintain rural access in states like Kentucky.
“The bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act achieves all of this without imposing the kind of over-regulation that takes away choices from consumers and threatens service.
“It does everything I mentioned without raising taxes or fees on travelers. It’s a balanced bill.
“That doesn’t mean some colleagues won’t have ideas or amendments they’d like to have considered. For instance, in the wake of incidents like we saw in Brussels, I know some have expressed interest in security-related amendments. But in order to even have an opportunity to work through any additional ideas or amendments, we must first get on the bill.
“So if colleagues are serious about having the opportunity for amendments of any kind, here’s what that means today.
“Let’s continue doing our job. Let’s vote today to get on this bill.”
Related Issues: FAA, Back to Work
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