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:
- Rep. Bill Shuster's 21st Century AIRR Act, which proposes privatizing air traffic control (ATC), passed committee but faces significant opposition from over 120 aviation groups, resulting in a delayed House vote.
- Captain "Sully" Sullenberger is a vocal opponent, arguing that ATC privatization is an "extreme solution" to a "political budget problem" that would allow major airlines to control access and pricing, compromising safety and equitability.
- Opponents fear privatization would incur billions in transition costs and potentially lead to taxpayer bailouts, advocating instead for stable, multi-year funding for the FAA to improve the current system.
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