The United States Travel Association came out in heavy support of the H.R. 3935 bill set to be voted on by the House of Representatives soon. The bill, also known as the “Securing Growth & Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act,” will make a huge impact. It is essentially the Federal Aviation Administration’s reauthorization bill, which is asking for more than in previous periods. The U.S. Travel President & CEO Geoff Freeman said in a statement on July 20th that:
“The United States requires a more modern, efficient, and secure air travel system to meet increasing demand and grow the U.S. economy. The bipartisan House bill is a critical step in correcting years of federal underinvestment, which has left the system with 1,200 fewer air traffic controllers than a decade ago.”
He is not wrong to call this bipartisan as both Republicans & Democrats seem to be in favor of it. That seems to be mostly due to what the act will do for not only the FAA itself but also for the travel industry overall.
What This FAA Bill Will Do
[Image via David Tran Photo/Shutterstock.com]
The bill is said to include a lot of crucial things that we needed to see for a long time. The bill will include provisions to increase investments in airport infrastructure. This is a big deal for the Joe Biden Administration, as they have made infrastructure changes for the U.S. Roads a big part of the initial Presidential campaign, and it would only make sense to include infrastructure changes in the airline industry.
Another thing the bill would include was slightly addressed by Mr. Freeman in his statement.
It includes the deployment of air traffic control technologies and will address workforce shortages. In theory, addressing these things could relieve a major strain on the current system. In turn, that likely could increase America’s global competitiveness. Travelers have been wanting airports and airlines overall to be better, but very few changes have been made over the last decade. Unless you count security changes and planes themselves, very little has changed over the past few decades.
Freeman claims that over half of Americans have claimed they’d travel even more for leisure if the travel experience itself was less of a hassle for them.
The Major Support The Bill Is Seeing
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This legislation is also getting support from a variety of places, including the American Society of Travel Advisors or ASTA. They actually lobbied for some significant changes and clarity during the annual Legislative Day on Capitol Hill in June. They’re looking for more enhanced clarity regarding an agency’s obligation to issue refunds for clients after a cancellation. As well as if there is a major change in the flight. Particularly when they, not the airline, possess the funds in question.
House.gov, the House of Representatives website, referenced other corporations, unions, associations, coalitions, and agencies that have come out in support of the bill too. Among the supporters includes the Coalition of General Aviation Groups, which includes the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, Helicopter Association International, International Council of Air Shows, National Agricultural Aviation Association, & the National Association of State Aviation Officials.
That’s not all, other supporters include:
- American Society of Civil Engineers
- American Council of Engineering Companies
- General Aviation Manufacturers Association
- National Air Transportation Association
- Coalition of Drone and Advanced Air Mobility Groups (AUVSI, CDA, & SUAVC)
- Virginia Spaceport Authority
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce Transportation, Infrastructure, and Supply Chain
However, perhaps the most surprising supporters are those from the disabilities coalitions. In all reality, it is not entirely surprising they support this. Many of these groups have been asking for more options to help disabled people when traveling. Having ramps is one thing, which is nice, but it only addresses one specific situation and not all major disabilities. This is probably why massive support from these areas is nice to see. Among those who have come out to support the bill include:
- ALS Association
- American Council of the Blind
- Blind Veterans Association
- Christopher & Dana Reeves Foundation
- Cure SMA
- Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
- Epilepsy Foundation
- Hearing Loss Association of America
- Muscular Dystrophy Association
- National Association of the Deaf
- National Disability Rights Network
- Paralyzed Veterans of America
- United Spinal Association
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society
- I AM ALS
- Hand in Hand: The Domestic Employers Network
- Wounded Warrior Project
With so much support, it is hard to assume the House will not vote “yes” for it. Once it passes the House though, it’ll go to the Senate and likely be altered a bit as many bills are. This could result in even more additions that the House did not have in the original bill that might aid travelers even more. Hopefully, it passes all Congressional territories soon and is signed by President Biden before too long. That way, we can start to fix significant issues in the flight industry sooner rather than later.