'A Bipartisan Win We Can All Celebrate': Roger Marshall Touts FAA Reauthorization Act

4 months ago

During remarks on the Senate floor, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) spoke about the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act.

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Transcript

00:00Senator from Kansas. Thank you Mr. President. The Federal Aviation

00:05Administration Reauthorization Act that is before us shines as a beacon of

00:10safety, progress, and efficiency in the realm of aviation. It's not just any

00:16piece of legislation. It's a commitment to safeguarding lives, fostering

00:20innovation, and bolstering economic growth. At its core, this bill ensures

00:26that our skies remain safe for all who traverse them. It sets stringent

00:31standards for aircraft safety, air traffic control, and airport operations,

00:36ensuring that every flight is conducted with the highest level of care and

00:41expertise. Today, I rise to especially acknowledge the hard work that our air

00:47traffic controllers do day in and day out to keep our skies clear and safe for

00:53all. Back home in Olathe, Kansas, we have an air route traffic control center

00:59that is responsible for some 130,000 square miles of airspace. Covering that

01:06much airspace is no small feat, and it takes a team of highly skilled and

01:10trained controllers to get the job done. In fact, I made a visit to that control

01:15center in Olathe, and what I found was perhaps the most constant bombardment, a

01:20mentally challenging task of any job I've ever seen. More than anything I've

01:25seen in eight hours or 12 hours in an operating room in one day, more than a

01:30day in the emergency room, more than any task I've seen, the mental challenge, the

01:35constant bombardment of different sequences trying to make sure, not trying,

01:40but ensuring that every flight lands safely. There's no room for error. There's

01:46no second chances, and it amazes me how time after time, day after day, these

01:52stalwarts do their job with perfection. Now I have to admit in years past, I've

01:57been disappointed that despite billions being spent allocated to the FAA each

02:02year, this agency has continued to neglect hiring for air traffic

02:06controllers, not only in Kansas, but across the nation. Again, based on my

02:11visit to our towers in Kansas, it's clear that our air traffic controllers need

02:16relief, and we need to hire more people to prevent burnout among those critical

02:20workers for the sake of preserving passenger safety. Thankfully, we have a

02:26golden opportunity this week to make sure things right with this FAA

02:31reauthorization. The compromise package included provisions to hire at maximum

02:38levels over the life of this bill and adopt a new staffing model to better

02:42project hiring needs in the future. I want to especially salute Senator Braun's

02:47Air Traffic Controllers Hiring Act, as it is common-sense simple fix that over 30

02:53senators have supported. Including this bill in this reauthorization package was

02:58the right thing to do and is a bipartisan win that we can all celebrate

03:01together. I applaud the committee for including this important language and

03:05taking care of the folks who work around the clock to keep our deliveries on time

03:09and our passengers safe. And finally, I want to just take a moment to remember

03:14and applaud all the members of Congress, but I think even more importantly their

03:18dedicated staff who have worked on this FAA reauthorization legislation, along

03:23with all the dedicated aviation industry who strive to keep us safe and on time.

03:28Thank you, Mr. President. I yield back.

'A Bipartisan Win We Can All Celebrate': Roger Marshall Touts FAA Reauthorization Act

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