Press Releases
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today spoke on the Senate floor about legislation renewing funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that will improve air safety and benefit the Kansas economy.
As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Roberts fought against a proposal to place a user fee on general aviation forcing small plane owners to shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system. User fees were struck from the compromise agreement.
Senator Roberts said, “Mr. President, I rise today in support of the bipartisan agreement reached by the Senate Finance and Commerce committees on reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration and Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
“This agreement represents the true meaning of the word compromise and shows what is possible when we roll up our sleeves and go to work.
“I have been working on this bill for two years. Reauthorizing the FAA and the Airport and Airway Trust fund is not only a top national priority, but also a top priority for my state of Kansas.
“Today, about 40,000 employees in Wichita and the surrounding counties make their living building planes, manufacturing parts and servicing aviation. The aviation industry directly and indirectly supports over 140,000 jobs in Kansas and will soon contribute roughly $9 billion annually to our state’s economy. Kansas is home to nearly 3,200 aviation and manufacturing businesses, including Cessna, Hawker-Beechcraft, Bombardier-Learjet, Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, Garmin and Honeywell, just to name a few.
“However, aviation isn’t simply an economic engine in Kansas. It’s a part of our history, our way of life and most importantly, part of our future. It’s an example of our entrepreneurial spirit.
“In late October of 2006, at my invitation, newly appointed Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters traveled to Kansas to see first hand what the aviation industry means to our state. Congressman Todd Tiahrt and I joined the Secretary on a tour of Cessna’s headquarters and manufacturing facility in Wichita to show the importance of General Aviation to the Kansas economy.
“The Secretary and I then traveled to Olathe, KS to visit the Kansas City Air Traffic Control Center. There we spoke with controllers and trainees about their work and listened in as they directed traffic through the Kansas City airspace.
“During our visit, the Secretary heard first hand from industry leaders about the importance of updating our Air Traffic Control system and that the current tax mechanisms provide the most appropriate avenue to raise the necessary funds to upgrade into NextGen technology.
“Mr. President, this key message was delivered to me and the Secretary personally, and I have been delivering that same message to my colleagues since this debate began some time ago.
“Throughout this debate, GA has been called to increase its contribution to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to help pay for the modernization of our Air Traffic Control system. All along the way, GA has stepped up to the plate and agreed to help pay for the necessary increases to move our aviation infrastructure into next generation technology.
“Mr. President, I can not recall a time when an industry has come to me and said, “We want to help and are willing to support an increase in our taxes to do so.” But that is exactly what the GA community did.
“Their only request has been that they be able to pay through the current efficient and effective tax structure of the fuel tax.
“The agreement reached between the Finance and Commerce committees respects this requests and allows GA to be part of the modernization solution without creating a new bureaucracy or additional red tape.
“The agreement would allow AvGas to remain at its current rate, but would increase the Jet A fuel tax from 21.8 cents to 36 cents per gallon on general aviation flights. This raises an additional $250 million dedicated to updating Air Traffic Control technology that will increase safety and decrease congestion.
“At the same time, commercial airlines and passengers are held harmless from tax increases.
“My goals as we drafted this bill were clear: ensure that our Air Traffic Control system is upgraded and remains safe for all passengers and aircraft; and, protect the General Aviation community and Kansas jobs, which would have been threatened by a new user fee.
“Today I am pleased to say we have succeeded on both counts.
“Kansas is -- has always been -- and remains -- the air capital of the world under this agreement. I thank my colleagues for helping us reach an agreement that will maintain our world standing.”
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As a member of the Senate Finance Committee, Senator Roberts fought against a proposal to place a user fee on general aviation forcing small plane owners to shoulder a disproportionate share of the burden to overhaul the nation’s air traffic control system. User fees were struck from the compromise agreement.
Senator Roberts said, “Mr. President, I rise today in support of the bipartisan agreement reached by the Senate Finance and Commerce committees on reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration and Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
“This agreement represents the true meaning of the word compromise and shows what is possible when we roll up our sleeves and go to work.
“I have been working on this bill for two years. Reauthorizing the FAA and the Airport and Airway Trust fund is not only a top national priority, but also a top priority for my state of Kansas.
“Today, about 40,000 employees in Wichita and the surrounding counties make their living building planes, manufacturing parts and servicing aviation. The aviation industry directly and indirectly supports over 140,000 jobs in Kansas and will soon contribute roughly $9 billion annually to our state’s economy. Kansas is home to nearly 3,200 aviation and manufacturing businesses, including Cessna, Hawker-Beechcraft, Bombardier-Learjet, Boeing, Spirit AeroSystems, Garmin and Honeywell, just to name a few.
“However, aviation isn’t simply an economic engine in Kansas. It’s a part of our history, our way of life and most importantly, part of our future. It’s an example of our entrepreneurial spirit.
“In late October of 2006, at my invitation, newly appointed Department of Transportation Secretary Mary Peters traveled to Kansas to see first hand what the aviation industry means to our state. Congressman Todd Tiahrt and I joined the Secretary on a tour of Cessna’s headquarters and manufacturing facility in Wichita to show the importance of General Aviation to the Kansas economy.
“The Secretary and I then traveled to Olathe, KS to visit the Kansas City Air Traffic Control Center. There we spoke with controllers and trainees about their work and listened in as they directed traffic through the Kansas City airspace.
“During our visit, the Secretary heard first hand from industry leaders about the importance of updating our Air Traffic Control system and that the current tax mechanisms provide the most appropriate avenue to raise the necessary funds to upgrade into NextGen technology.
“Mr. President, this key message was delivered to me and the Secretary personally, and I have been delivering that same message to my colleagues since this debate began some time ago.
“Throughout this debate, GA has been called to increase its contribution to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund to help pay for the modernization of our Air Traffic Control system. All along the way, GA has stepped up to the plate and agreed to help pay for the necessary increases to move our aviation infrastructure into next generation technology.
“Mr. President, I can not recall a time when an industry has come to me and said, “We want to help and are willing to support an increase in our taxes to do so.” But that is exactly what the GA community did.
“Their only request has been that they be able to pay through the current efficient and effective tax structure of the fuel tax.
“The agreement reached between the Finance and Commerce committees respects this requests and allows GA to be part of the modernization solution without creating a new bureaucracy or additional red tape.
“The agreement would allow AvGas to remain at its current rate, but would increase the Jet A fuel tax from 21.8 cents to 36 cents per gallon on general aviation flights. This raises an additional $250 million dedicated to updating Air Traffic Control technology that will increase safety and decrease congestion.
“At the same time, commercial airlines and passengers are held harmless from tax increases.
“My goals as we drafted this bill were clear: ensure that our Air Traffic Control system is upgraded and remains safe for all passengers and aircraft; and, protect the General Aviation community and Kansas jobs, which would have been threatened by a new user fee.
“Today I am pleased to say we have succeeded on both counts.
“Kansas is -- has always been -- and remains -- the air capital of the world under this agreement. I thank my colleagues for helping us reach an agreement that will maintain our world standing.”
-30-
