FAA Reauthorization Bill

Floor Speech

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Mr. PETERS. Mr. President, I rise to urge swift passage of the bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016 currently pending on the Senate floor.

This legislation supports U.S. jobs and promotes competition while increasing safety in the national aerospace system. In the wake of the tragic attacks in Brussels, the bill includes a number of important airport security reforms.

We are proposing to invest in our Nation's airports by authorizing a $400 million increase for the Airport Improvement Program, which airports across the Nation rely on to modernize their infrastructure. We are also seeking to preserve the Federal Contract Tower Program, which supports general aviation safety, commercial airports, law enforcement, and emergency medical operations.

Michigan is a large State, and our rural airports keep smaller communities across the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan competitive and connected. Maintaining the Essential Air Service Program supports airports that Michiganders rely on, such as the Alpena County Regional Airport, Muskegon County Airport, and Delta County Airport.

This bill also advances responsible usage of unmanned aircraft systems--known more commonly as UAS or drones--by addressing safety and privacy issues, enhancing enforcement against irresponsible usage, and creating new opportunities for research, development, and the testing of these innovative technologies.

I thank my colleagues--Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune and Ranking Member Bill Nelson--for working with me during the committee markup process to include a provision that grew out of bipartisan legislation I authored with Senator Moran of Kansas--the Higher Education UAS Modernization Act. This important legislation will clear the way for our Nation's students and educators to use UAS technology for research, education, and job training. This will keep our research universities, workforce, and manufacturers on the cutting edge of global competitiveness as they develop the UAS of the future that will drive our economy forward. Our brightest minds will have the ability to design, to refine, and to fly UAS so they can advance these technologies to help prepare our country for safe, widespread integration of UAS into the National Airspace System. This will support job creation across the income spectrum as our Nation's workforce will be able to get the training they need to operate these systems both safely and efficiently.

This legislation has the support of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the Association of American Universities, and dozens of other colleges and universities across this country.

In addition to advancing the next generation of civilian drone development, the reauthorization being considered also supports and protects the ability of our Air National Guard to safely and effectively operate remotely piloted aircraft, or RPAs.

I worked to include legislation that helps Air National Guard units across this country maintain their operations, including the Michigan Air National Guard's 110th Attack Wing in Battle Creek, MI, which I had the privilege of visiting earlier this month. The 110th has two critical missions: operating MQ-9 Reaper RPAs and a Cyber Operations Squadron.

Michigan is proud to host these cutting-edge, high-tech military operations that securely and effectively operate aircraft located thousands of miles away supporting our troops that are deployed overseas. Our troops have a high demand for remotely piloted aircraft, which conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations as well as offensive strike operations.

The Air Force is working hard to meet the demand for RPAs from commanders in theater and has already increased incentive pay for RPA pilots and doubled pilot class sizes to keep up with the demand.

Air National Guard units based in the United States but flying aircraft which could be anywhere else in the world add additional capacity to meet our global security needs. These are sensitive operations requiring very specific infrastructure that the Air National Guard has invested in at bases all across the country.

As certain Air National Guard units operating at civilian airports, like Battle Creek, transition from manned missions to remotely piloted aircraft missions, they are concerned the airport where they lease their base could be forced to either raise their rent or risk losing eligibility for much needed FAA grants. I worked with my colleagues-- Senators Cotton and Ernst--on legislation to prevent this unfair and unnecessary choice for Battle Creek and other airports across the country. I am proud this provision has been included in the legislation we are considering today, which will prevent the FAA from denying grant funding on the basis that an airport renews a low-cost lease with a military unit, regardless of whether that unit operates aircraft physically stationed at the airport.

While I understand the FAA's interest in ensuring that airports receive a fair rate for the space they lease, I am glad this legislation will clarify that military units, including the National Guard, can continue to receive nominal leases. If an airport and a military unit agree to renew a low-cost lease, they should be able to proceed without concern the FAA will revoke the airport's grant authority.

The communities that host our military bases are proud of their role in national defense.

These airports shouldn't have to choose between continuing to host a military tenant and maintaining eligibility for grants that can improve the safety and efficiency of local airport operations.

Again, I want to applaud Leader McConnell, Leader Reid, Chairman Thune, and Ranking Member Nelson for their work on this important bipartisan legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support its passage early next week.

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