Action Alert: Airport Input Needed NOW as Lawmakers Contemplate Next Coronavirus Relief Package

July 2, 2020

The next few weeks will be critical for action on coronavirus relief in Washington, and we need your help if we are to have a chance at seeing additional airport priorities addressed as part of any package that could emerge. Senate and House lawmakers are planning to return to their states and districts at the end of this week for the 4^th of July holiday to return later in the month to wrap up work before leaving again in early August. Little legislating of note is expected in September or before the elections.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) - a key player in any future relief negotiations - summarized the situation and the task before us recently, saying:

"In July, we'll take a snapshot of where the country stands, see how the jobs are coming back, see where we think we are. And if there's a final rescue package, that's when it will develop and it will start, once again, in my office ... the House efforts are simply not practical. So we will sit down in July and figure out what seems to fit the way forward based on the conditions a few weeks from now."

In other words, we have a very limited window over the next few critical weeks to convince Washington that the situation on the ground at airports remains incredibly challenging and that any future relief bill MUST include additional help for airports to weather the unprecedented crisis caused by COVID-19. As Senator McConnell indicated, the Senate will be particularly important, so we urge you to connect with your Senate offices as soon as possible. General contact information is available, and we would be more than happy to connect you with staff in your Senators offices.

Please Take Action Now To:

Communicate with your Senators that airport relief MUST be part of the coronavirus relief package expected to be considered in July.

Tell them what is happening at your airport and let them know that you need help NOW and why.

Tell them that while the CARES Act funding was helpful in weathering the immediate storm caused by COVID-19, the depth of the challenges is unprecedented and further help for airports is needed to meet ongoing airport operating needs, make bond payments, keep construction projects on track, and address other challenges.

Urge them to support additional funding for commercial service and general aviation airports as described below.

Please communicate these messages with your House member as soon as possible also.

Airport "Asks":

As we've noted in previous Alerts and communications to Congress, AAAE is seeking the following as part of any future coronavirus relief legislation. We hope these will be helpful as you communicate with your elected officials.

Commercial Service Airports: $13 billion: We concur with the ACI-NA assessment of $13 billion in continued, future needs for airports across the country in the face of significantly reduced revenues due to COVID-19. Airports would use these resources to fund operations, payroll obligations, debt service requirements, existing construction projects, and recovery efforts. We support the continuation of flexibility provided to airports in the CARES Act allowing airports to use additional resources for "any purpose for which airport revenues may lawfully be used."

General Aviation Airports: $1 billion - $2 billion: General aviation airports, which are largely supported by aviation system activity such as fuel sales, have seen their revenues diminish significantly as well. While the CARES Act provided $100 million to general aviation airports, those resources were relatively modest considering that there are nearly 3,000 eligible GA facilities. We estimate that GA airports need an additional $1 billion - $2 billion to address current needs in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. These resources would help critical GA airports meet ongoing operational expenses, including payroll.
Increased Federal Share for Airports in the FY2021 DOT/FAA Appropriations Bill: $500 million: Consistent with provisions in the CARES Act as it relates to FY20 Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants, AAAE proposes to increase AIP funding so that the federal share for all AIP grants issued in FY21 is 100 percent. This would free scarce local resources for other necessary purposes, including operational expenses.