Grand Rapids Reporter

On June 13, 2023, U.S. Congresswoman Hillary Scholten (MI-03) kicked off the start of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s consideration of the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act by speaking to the bill’s provisions that will support the aviation industry across Michigan and grow our domestic aviation workforce. Under the jurisdiction of Rep. Scholten’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, this bipartisan bill would reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Nation’s aviation safety and infrastructure programs for the next five years. 

A video of Rep. Scholten’s opening remarks can befound here.

She secured two key wins in the legislation, including language that directs the FAA to consider replacing air traffic control towers at small hub airports like GRR and a section providing greater transparency on the air traffic control tower’s replacement process, a bipartisan provision Rep. Scholten previously introduced as a stand-alone measure.

A transcript of Rep. Scholten’s opening remarks at the mark-up can be found below:

Thank you, Mr. Chair, especially as a freshman member, it's exciting to play a role in crafting legislation as impactful and important as reauthorizing the FAA,. I'd like to commend Chair Graves, Ranking Member Larsen, Chair Graves and Ranking Member Cohen and committee staff for your work on this bill. Every significant piece of legislation involves compromise, and bipartisan efforts like these are why I wanted to be a member of this committee. I'm here to deliver for the people of West Michigan and if passed, this legislation will do just that. It will establish a new safeguard for passengers, key consumer protection provisions, spurring innovation in aerospace and the aviation sector, and make record investments in our aviation workforce. Two specific provisions in this bill will be especially beneficial for my district, Michigan's Third Congressional District includes Gerald R Ford International Airport, the second busiest airport in the state and the gateway to all of West Michigan. In 2022, GRR became one of the very first airports in the country to return to pre-pandemic levels. Incredibly, it's already on pace to surpass 2022 numbers. We need significant investments to support the record number of air travelers coming to West Michigan. Unfortunately, the airport's aging air traffic control tower is preventing much needed expansion. It is the oldest tower among the top 75 busiest airports in the entire country, and does not meet security requirements and operational necessities found in more modern towers. This bill includes a provision which directs the FAA to specifically consider old towers at airports like GRR when selecting projects for replacement, as well as a provision to increase transparency around the process the FAA uses when deciding which towers need to be upgraded. Together, these provisions will help provide GRR and airports like it with clarity from the FAA and forge a path forward to ensure the airport can meet the needs of the growing region. Again, I thank the Chair and Ranking Member for working with me to include these critical priorities for my district. And I look forward to the passage of this bill and working with my colleagues to ensure that America's aviation sector remains the envy of the world. Thank you, and I yield back. 

Original source can be found here.