Senate Passes Comprehensive Legislation To Fund Airport Improvements, Essential Air Service In Hawai‘i

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i), a member of the Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, voted to pass the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2016, legislation that reauthorizes the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and approves funding to improve airport safety and infrastructure and maintain air service for underserved areas in Hawai‘i and across the country.  The sweeping legislation also includes a provision introduced by Senator Schatz that would improve child safety on airplanes.

“As an island state, air travel is critical to our economy and our daily lives,” said Senator Schatz.  “This comprehensive bill approves key funding that will improve our airports and maintain air travel service to and from Kalaupapa and Kamuela.  We were also able to include key provisions that will improve child safety on airplanes, strengthen aviation forecasting to reduce flight delays, and help prevent the spread of communicable diseases through travel.”

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2016 authorizes funding for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) at $3.75 billion, a $400 million increase from last year.  The grant program, which Senator Schatz has worked to support, provides funding to improve airport safety with increased investments in infrastructure such as runaways and lighting.  Senator Schatz requested the committee consider an increase because AIP is a critical source of funding for airports and the Hawai‘i Department of Transportation relies on it for airport investments.

The legislation approves funding for the Essential Air Service program (EAS), a program that ensures access to air transportation for small and rural communities that would otherwise not be served.  In Hawai‘i, the communities of Kalaupapa and Kamuela qualify for EAS and are able to provide air service based on the support of this partnership with the federal government.

The bill adopted Senator Schatz’s bipartisan Airplane KITS Act (S. 2536) which was cosponsored by Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.).  This legislation requires the FAA to review and update the emergency medical kits that are on all planes in order to respond to passengers’ medical emergencies.  This is the first time the kits will be updated in 20 years and will have a particular emphasis on ensuring the medical kits include medicine and equipment appropriate for children who have an emergency in-flight.

The bill also contains a weather-related provision at Senator Schatz’s request.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has successfully partnered with the FAA and airports in especially congested areas such as Chicago, Atlanta, and New York to provide additional weather forecasting.  According to NOAA, this partnership led to an almost immediate reduction of weather-related air traffic delays in the Chicago area by over 50%.  There have been concerns that budget constraints could curtail this work and ultimately result in more traffic delays for travelers.  The bill requires NOAA and the FAA to compare the costs and benefits of this program and describe how they will ensure travelers are not going to see more traffic delays if they were to permanently eliminate this arrangement.

Additional key provisions supported by Senator Schatz:

• Grant Eligibility for Micronesia, Marshall Islands and Palau – Keeps Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and Palau eligible for Airport Improvement Program grants.
• Traveler Health and Disease Prevention – Requires USDOT and the CDC to develop a national aviation-preparedness plan for communicable diseases.  The federal government will partner with stakeholders like airports, first responders, airlines and local governments to create a plan that is capable of mitigating the risks associated with disease threats such as avian flu and Ebola.