Rep. Bill Shuster vowed Tuesday that he would amend his bill to privatize federal air traffic control in response to criticism, saying he would clarify that the new private entity that would run air traffic control would not be taxpayer-funded and that its activities would still be regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.
“The bill clearly separates air traffic control service from the government. The new corporation will not receive any federal appropriations or backing of the federal government. To make this point crystal clear, we expect to adopt an amendment that will be even more explicit in prohibiting federal appropriations,” the Pennsylvania Republican said on the House floor Tuesday. “Furthermore, the federal government – Congress, [the Transportation Department] and FAA – will have oversight of air traffic control – just like every other aspect of our aviation system, including airlines and manufacturers.”
Shuster, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is pushing back against a lobbying campaign against his bill, titled the 21st Century AIRR Act. The legislation would take air traffic control away from the FAA and create an independent nonprofit to run it. The nonprofit would be governed by a board including the transportation secretary and people nominated by the airline companies and representatives of the air traffic controllers’ and pilots’ unions. The board would be funded through user fees. Shuster and other fans argue a non-government entity would be better suited to keep the technology up to date.
Support and opposition to the legislation cuts across partisan lines. The legislation has the backing of most industry groups, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, and the Trump administration. Liberal critics contend that private industry would have too much control over the new entity. Conservative critics contend that the new entity would not be completely private. The opposition has endangered the legislation’s chances, with a Senate version being abandoned in June,
Shuster argued Tuesday that the critics represented “a few Washington special interests who represent business jets” and were “spreading misinformation and scare tactics about the bill to keep the status quo.” He nevertheless said the language of the bill will be adjusted to make its impact clearer.
“Under our bill, the federal government retains exclusive sovereignty and control of the airspace, and upholds the president’s critical authority to assume control of the airspace in emergencies and time of war,” Shuster said. “We also plan to strengthen this section by amendment.”
