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Friday, 12 December, 2008

Write Your Member of Congress In Support of Aviation Infrastructure Funding


December 12, 2008

What’s at Issue
The United States Congress has been working on an additional economic stimulus package to be ready for President-elect Obama when he takes office on January 20, 2009.  The proposed legislation is intended to be an infrastructure funding package designed to aid highway, bridge, railroad and aviation projects that have been put on hold due to lack of federal funding through appropriations and lack of state funding. 


Why It’s Important
Congressional leadership and President-elect Obama have stated that the legislation could provide three times the amount of the last economic stimulus legislation, reaching close to $700 billion.  The intent of this legislation is to infuse money into our infrastructure system that will create million of jobs, helping to boost the economy. 

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure recently held a hearing “Investing in Infrastructure: The Road to Recovery” that examined how infrastructure investment contributes to job creation and economic recovery.  The committee calculated that $30 billion dedicated to transportation infrastructure would create or sustain more than 834,000 jobs.  According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), $600 million in aviation infrastructure projects within the Airport Improvement Program alone would permit essential ready-to-go projects such as taxiway rehabilitation and widening; apron construction and rehabilitation; airport rescue and firefighting equipment and facilities; and public access roads to proceed without further delay. 


What to Do
Contact your Members of Congress by visiting NATA’s Legislative Action Center.  NATA’s Legislative Action Center provides association members with a quick and easy way to email letters to their House and Senate members.  Please act today! 


NATA Position
The delay of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007 has halted critical aviation infrastructure projects that are not only essential to our airports’ ability to generate economic benefits, but also to the safety and security at our nation’s airports.  In addition, critical investments are needed to modernization our air traffic control system (NextGen), vitally important to the U.S. economy. 

NATA President Jim Coyne sent a letter to U.S. House and Senate leadership urging them to make aviation infrastructure a priority in the upcoming economic stimulus package, demonstrating Congress’ commitment to investing in essential aviation infrastructure.


Staff Contact:
Kristen Moore
Director, Legislative Affairs
kmoore@nata.aero

To download a copy of this Action Call in PDF, click here.

For general press inquiries, contact Shannon Chambers at 703-298-1347 or schambers@nata.aero

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the voice of aviation business for more than 80 years. Representing nearly 3,700 aviation businesses, NATA’s member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies.