House Passes FAA Short-Term Extention Act
Washington, D.C.,
Feb 3, 1999 -
Airport funding and safety receives important vote
Alaska Congressman Don Young voted in support of H.R. 99, the FAA Short-Term Extension Act. H.R. 99 reauthorizes funding for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) through September 30, 1999, and makes several minor changes to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 407-1.
We provided $2.4 billion in funding for aviation construction, and $7.8 billion for FAA safety and operations. The AIP grants are the dominant source of capital funds for airport improvement and construction projects, said Alaska Congressman Don Young, who is the Ranking Member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Currently, Alaska has 1,112 airports in Alaska, and 323 airports have been identified as being deficient in runway length, with an additional 111 airports having taxiway deficiencies.
Last year 660 million Americans traveled domestically and it is projected that by the end of the first decade of the new millennium over 1 billion passengers will be flying every year in America. That represents a greater than 5% increase per year.
The passage of this legislation represents the importance that aviation plays in the daily lives of all Americans. Unlike other states, the aviation system in Alaska links virtually all communities with the only dependable year-round transportation access making aviation funding critical to many communities.
BACKGROUND
The FY 1999 Omnibus Appropriations bill (P.L. 105-277) authorized a short-term extension for the program for three months. Last year, the House passed a similar five-year reauthorization package (H.R. 4058) by voice vote; however, the Senate did not act on the measure.
