FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018

Floor Speech

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Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer my common sense amendment that will protect consumers by creating the position of the Aviation Consumer Advocate at the FAA.

More than nine million flights take off and land in the United States every year. In my home state of Oregon, nearly 20 million people passed through the Portland International Airport last year, and that number will continue to grow.

Unfortunately, many passengers have experienced inconveniences such as lost luggage and delayed flights that result in missed connections. Some passengers have experienced much worse, including being forcibly removed from flights when seats are oversold, or sitting on a tarmac for hours.

With more than two and a half million people flying U.S. skies every day, it is critical that they have somewhere to turn if things go wrong. They deserve to be treated with dignity and to have a reliable advocate who is on their side.

My simple amendment would enhance the FAA's existing Aviation Consumer Protection Division by creating the position of the Aviation Consumer Advocate.

This will provide travelers a dedicated person at the FAA to help navigate the Aviation Consumer Protection Division and try to resolve problems that arise with airlines.

In addition to helping travelers, the Aviation Consumer Advocate would provide the FAA with recommendations on how best to enforce consumer protection rules and improve the flying experience.

The Aviation Consumer Advocate would also evaluate the FAA's response to complaints, and provide a report to Congress about the volume and frequency of complaints, as well as recommendations on how Congress can take action to bolster consumer protections for fliers.

This is a common sense amendment to protect all our constituents.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to join me in strengthening consumer protections and supporting the millions of Americans who fly every day.

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