WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today hailed the Senate passage of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Transportation, Modernization and Safety Improvement act, which contains provisions critical to general aviation (GA) and the Essential Air Service Program.

Click here to view Sen. Roberts’ floor speech, praising the bill’s passage.

The complete text of Sen. Roberts’ floor speech is below:

“The aviation industry remains one of the most important economic sectors in my home state of Kansas. Passage of this four year reauthorization is critical for giving aviation companies the necessary funding and regulatory certainty to move forward with a number of important initiatives.

“Specifically, the FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act includes provisions to implement a state of the art satellite based navigation system to provide operators and users of our national air space system with seamless capabilities for guiding and locating traffic throughout the system.

“This legislation would codify inspection procedures at foreign repair stations closely resembling existing agreements between the United States and the European Union.

“It also maintains critical funding for the Essential Air Service Program which provides Kansas, and other rural states, the ability to provide air service to smaller communities and the citizens and businesses whose livelihood relies on the ability to travel long distances in a short amount of time.

“Most important, this legislation reflects a bipartisan effort to ensure the continued health of general aviation. This industry contributes over $150 billion to the national economy each year, has created over 1.3 million jobs across a broad range of disciplines, and allows companies the ability to access facilities across the globe.

“This is where I want to particularly thank Chairman Rockefeller and Senator Hutchinson, as well as my colleagues on the Finance Committee who were tasked with finding the necessary funding streams to pay for the annual $15.9 billion that this legislation authorizes.

“Notably, this legislation does not include language imposing disproportionate and onerous user fees on the general aviation industry.

“Rather, this legislation preserves current fuel tax levels; an efficient and effective funding mechanism that accurately reflects general aviations’ use of the system.

“Lastly, this legislation would not undermine steps taken at the Department of Transportation to protect private citizens from having their movements tracked by anyone with easily accessible flight tracking technology.

“This program, the Blocked Aircraft Registration Request Program (BARR), has more to do with protecting a citizen’s right to privacy than anything else, and I commend Congress and the Administration for ensuring its continued application.

“I look forward to an overwhelming vote in support of this bipartisan piece of legislation that will support millions of jobs and help spur further economic growth and development in our nation’s aviation sector.”

In April, 2008, Sen. Roberts, a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, helped to eliminate a proposed user fee on general aviation. Roberts successfully fought to win this agreement after heated debate on the Commerce Committee proposed a tax on small plane owners.

Sen. Roberts has been at the forefront of the BARR issue. He introduced legislation to preserve the BARR program and in December, 2011, the FAA implemented policy based on his efforts.

Sen. Roberts is a member of the Senate General Aviation Caucus and is an outspoken advocate for general aviation.

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