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Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX
In a recent development on Capitol Hill, Senator Ted Cruz, together with fellow Republican senators, faced a setback of their try to secure unanimous consent for a brief extension of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) authorization. The move comes as the present extension of FAA Reauthorization is about to run out at the tip of the yr. The bipartisan bill, previously passed by the House of Representatives, was blocked by Senator Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado.
In a press release from the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Senator Cruz emphasized the urgency of the situation, highlighting the record variety of over 7.5 million Americans expected to travel through the upcoming holiday season. In his address on the Senate floor, Cruz underscored the potential adversarial impacts on air travel and cargo shipments and not using a timely FAA extension. He expressed concern over the recurring need for short-term extensions, citing challenges faced during negotiations and the influence of certain special interests, particularly the pilots’ union.
Cruz and Senator Cantwell had worked on a comprehensive, bipartisan FAA reauthorization bill addressing various features, including airport infrastructure, workforce challenges, and safety measures. Despite past efforts, Cruz expressed dissatisfaction with the continuing delays and the potential for one other short-term extension until 2025.
“In 2011, the last time the FAA’s authorization lapsed, greater than 4,000 FAA employees were furloughed, and the FAA lost greater than $400 million. The 2-week lapse halted billions of dollars value of construction projects and impacted greater than 70,000 construction jobs. Leaving town without giving the FAA the knowledge to operate could be a mistake. I remain committed to working with Senator Cantwell to barter a very bipartisan FAA bill that the agency, the industry, and the flying public deserve.”
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Sen. Michael Bennett, D-CO
The objection from Sen. Michael Bennett didn’t seem like concerning the contents of FAA Bill, but about whether the Senate should move on from current discussions about immigration and extra funding for Ukraine.
“Given how screwed up American politics could be, it may well make you wonder if we must take an additional day or day after that, or an additional few days…or whether we must move on to other things just like the FAA Bill, before we’re done,” said Bennett.
The House Committee on Infrastructure and Transportation has approved an extension, the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2023, Part II, designed to fund the FAA until March 8, 2024, if a comprehensive reauthorization is just not passed before the present extension expires in December.
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