While Rep. Bill Shuster (R-PA) finally found the support he needed to get his FAA reauthorization bill, the 21st Century AIRR Act, passed by the House’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, for which he serves as chairman, it has still been met with a great deal of opposition within the aviation world. In fact, on Tuesday, it was revealed that the House vote on H.R.2997 has been delayed, but it does not mean that the effort to privatize air traffic control is dead.
Video: Rep. Steve Russell Invokes Sully Sullenberger in Opposition to ATC Privatization
Key Takeaways:
- The House's "21st Century AIRR Act" (H.R.2997), which proposes privatizing air traffic control (ATC), faces significant opposition from over 120 aviation groups, several lawmakers, and prominent figures like Capt. Sully Sullenberger.
- Critics argue that ATC privatization is an "extreme solution" to a political budget problem, potentially granting major airlines undue control over access and pricing, and raising concerns about safety, equitable access, and future taxpayer bailouts.
- Opponents advocate for providing the FAA with more predictable, multi-year funding as a superior alternative to privatization, which they claim would incur billions in transition costs and weaken the current system.
- Despite passing through committee, the House vote on H.R.2997 has been delayed due to the widespread resistance, while a competing Senate bill has garnered support from groups opposing the AIRR Act.
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