USCTA Alert

April 23, 2024

This is a reminder to reach out to your lawmakers and ask them to sign letters requesting full funding for the FAA Contract Tower Program in the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriation process.  
 
House Letter: Reps. Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) are asking their colleagues to join them in signing a letter to House Appropriations Committee leaders that requests full funding for the FCT program in FY25. A copy of the letter may be viewed here. 
 
Senate Letter: Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) are spearheading a similar effort on the other side of the capitol. The two lawmakers are asking their Senate colleagues to join them in signing a letter to Senate Appropriations Committee leaders that also requests full funding for the FCT program next year.
 
The FY24 transportation spending bill, which the President signed into law on March 9 as part of a six-bill minibus appropriations package, contains not less than $205.4 million for the FCT program. That is $11.4 million more than the House and Senate proposed and $17.6 million above the FY23 enacted level.
 
Two Requests: Please ask your representative to cosign the Brownley-McMorris Rodgers letter requesting full funding for the FCT program in the FY25 DOT spending bill. Please ask your senators to sign the Wicker-Blumenthal letter that also requests full funding for the FCT program next year. Draft talking points are below:

• On behalf of __________ Airport, I would like to thank you for supporting the FAA Contract Tower Program and ask that continue to support the program in the Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations process.
  
  
• As you know, this successful and cost-effective program enhances aviation safety at our airport and at 263 other small airports around the country.
  
  
• To illustrate the cost-effectiveness of the program, contract towers handle approximately 28 percent of all U.S. tower operations but only account for 10 percent of the FAA’s overall budget allotted to air traffic control tower operations.  
  
  
• For Your Representative: Representatives Julia Brownley (D-CA) and Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) have drafted a bipartisan letter to House Appropriations Committee leaders requesting full funding for the Contract Tower Program in the FY25 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.
  
  
• For Your Senators: Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) have drafted a bipartisan letter to Senate Appropriations Committee leaders requesting full funding for the Contract Tower Program in the FY25 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.
  
  
• I realize you receive several funding requests this time of year. But I urge you to highlight your support for our airport and for the cost-effective FAA Contract Tower Program by cosigning this important appropriations request letter.  
  
  
• Full funding for the FAA Contract Tower Program will ensure that the program can continue to enhance aviation safety at our airport and airports around the country while achieving significant cost savings for the FAA.  
  
  
• At a time when Congress, the administration, and aviation stakeholders are focusing on ways to reduce the risk of near misses and runway incursions, it is critical that we fully fund the FAA Contract Tower Program.
  
  
• Thank you again for supporting our airport and for considering our request.
  
  

Thanks so much for your help. Please let me know if you have any questions.