Action Alert: Please Ask Your Lawmakers to Support Airport Proposals in Infrastructure Package
April 12, 2021
As infrastructure talks continue to heat up in Washington, we are urging airports to ask their elected officials to ensure that the next infrastructure package that Congress considers includes much-need funds to help airports of all sizes build critical infrastructure projects and prepare for the recovery ahead.
The White House late last month unveiled the American Jobs Plan — a $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal that includes $25 billion to upgrade airports and our aviation system. Of the aviation funding, the administration is proposing $10 billion for AIP, $10 billion for "airport terminal renovation grants," and $5 billion for "FAA National Airspace System Facilities."
The administration's proposal is somewhat similar to H.R. 2, the infrastructure bill that House Democrats passed last year on a party-line vote. That bill – which is expected to serve as the starting point for this year's House infrastructure proposal – called for increasing AIP funding from $3.35 billion to $4 billion annually. It also proposed to provide airports with between $3 billion and $4 billion annually for supplemental grants along with broader flexibility to allow airports to use those funds for projects such as terminals and debt service.
We strongly support White House and congressional proposals to increase federal funds for airport infrastructure projects. At the same time, we're continuing to urge lawmakers to: 1) raise the outdated federal cap on local PFCs; 2) provide a separate pot of money to help airports that participate in the FAA Contract Tower Program to sustain, rehabilitate, replace, modernize, or relocate their ATC towers; and 3) adopt other priorities.
Request: We need your help to convince lawmakers to include airport priorities in the infrastructure bill. Please reach out to your representative and your two senators as soon as possible and ask them help airports build critical infrastructure projects and prepare for the recovery ahead. We urge you to highlight specific projects and priorities at your airports that would benefit from additional federal funding and/or additional PFC flexibility.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday is holding a "Members' Day" hearing, which will give lawmakers – both who serve on the committee and those who don't – a chance to highlight their infrastructure priorities. Having committee leaders hear from a broad section of House members on the importance of airport projects will be particularly helpful as work continues on a broad infrastructure package.
You may use this two-pager with airport priorities to communicate with your House and Senate lawmakers. Contact information for your House member and Senators is available via these links.
As infrastructure talks continue to heat up in Washington, we are urging airports to ask their elected officials to ensure that the next infrastructure package that Congress considers includes much-need funds to help airports of all sizes build critical infrastructure projects and prepare for the recovery ahead.
The White House late last month unveiled the American Jobs Plan — a $2.3 trillion infrastructure proposal that includes $25 billion to upgrade airports and our aviation system. Of the aviation funding, the administration is proposing $10 billion for AIP, $10 billion for "airport terminal renovation grants," and $5 billion for "FAA National Airspace System Facilities."
The administration's proposal is somewhat similar to H.R. 2, the infrastructure bill that House Democrats passed last year on a party-line vote. That bill – which is expected to serve as the starting point for this year's House infrastructure proposal – called for increasing AIP funding from $3.35 billion to $4 billion annually. It also proposed to provide airports with between $3 billion and $4 billion annually for supplemental grants along with broader flexibility to allow airports to use those funds for projects such as terminals and debt service.
We strongly support White House and congressional proposals to increase federal funds for airport infrastructure projects. At the same time, we're continuing to urge lawmakers to: 1) raise the outdated federal cap on local PFCs; 2) provide a separate pot of money to help airports that participate in the FAA Contract Tower Program to sustain, rehabilitate, replace, modernize, or relocate their ATC towers; and 3) adopt other priorities.
Request: We need your help to convince lawmakers to include airport priorities in the infrastructure bill. Please reach out to your representative and your two senators as soon as possible and ask them help airports build critical infrastructure projects and prepare for the recovery ahead. We urge you to highlight specific projects and priorities at your airports that would benefit from additional federal funding and/or additional PFC flexibility.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday is holding a "Members' Day" hearing, which will give lawmakers – both who serve on the committee and those who don't – a chance to highlight their infrastructure priorities. Having committee leaders hear from a broad section of House members on the importance of airport projects will be particularly helpful as work continues on a broad infrastructure package.
You may use this two-pager with airport priorities to communicate with your House and Senate lawmakers. Contact information for your House member and Senators is available via these links.
