HR 915

He was concerned, but he voted for it anyway.
Well, at least he cares.

Dear XXXXXXXXXXXX:
Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 915, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2009. I appreciate your thoughts on this issue.
As you know, H.R. 915 would authorize appropriations for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for fiscal years 2009 through 2012. The measure would also propose improvements to public safety and capacity, and provide stable funding for the national aviation system. The authorized funding would support airport planning and development and noise compatibility planning program, and air navigation facilities and equipment. Additionally, operations, research, and engineering conducted by the FAA would be supported by the funding. Specifically, the reauthorization would grant a rise in passenger facility charge cap to $7.00, a $100 million per year increase to Airport Improvement Program (AIP) funding, and at least $200 million annually in Essential Air Service funding.
H.R. 915 would also amend the Railway Labor Act to provide coverage for express carrier employees who are licensed airmen, aircraft maintenance technicians, or aircraft dispatchers. Additionally, all other express carrier employees would be covered by the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act. The legislation defines an express carrier as that whose business is the express shipment of freight or packages through an integrated series of network of air and surface transportation. Section 303 the bill also requires the FAA to conduct at least two annual inspections at each of 698 certificated repair stations available for use by U.S. air carriers outside the U.S. In response to this provision, I joined with several of my House colleagues in expressing concern over this section in a letter to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The section of the bill could threaten the 2008 Bilateral Aviation Administration Safety Agreement signed between the U.S. and Europe, and could threaten U.S. jobs tied to the aviation industry. Despite my concern, Section 303 remained in the final version of the legislation the House considered for a vote.
The House of Representatives approved H.R. 915 by a vote of 277-136 on May 21, 2009, and the bill is awaiting consideration by the Senate. If the House has an opportunity to consider legislation affecting aviation in the future, I will certainly keep your thoughts in mind.
Again, I thank you for sharing your views with me. I hope you will continue to give me the benefit of your opinion in the future. In addition, I encourage you to visit my web site at http://davidscott.house.gov, where you can view the latest news and obtain information on issues and legislation that is important to you. You can also sign up for my electronic newsletter, and receive periodic updates on my activities as your representative in Washington. Thank you again for contacting me, and I look forward to continuing to serve you.
Sincerely,
David Scott
Member of Congress