[AlaskaRC] FW: Responding to your message

[Marty Hall]

Note the comment about RC models towards the end.

 

From: Congressman Don Young [mailto:ak00iqima at mail.house.gov] 
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2011 2:24 PM
To: mjhall at alaskarcs.com
Subject: Responding to your message

 

 

Dear Mr. Hall,

 

Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 658, the Federal Aviation
Administration Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2011.  Many Alaskans have
contacted me concerning various issues within the FAA Reauthorization, and I
appreciate having the opportunity to respond.

 

The FAA Reauthorization includes several provisions that are important to
Alaskans.  The bill gradually phases out and terminates funding for the
Essential Air Service (EAS) Program, with the exception of Alaska and
Hawaii.  I successfully fought to ensure that EAS is maintained in Alaska,
because EAS is a vital lifeline that connects 44 Alaskan communities.

 

I successfully included language to ensure that all Alaskan communities have
the ability to receive compressed oxygen for use in medical clinics and
construction.  The compressed oxygen regulations that went into effect in
2009 failed to take into account the inability to reach our remote
communities by ground transportation.  The one-size-fits-all approach to
this new regulation was threatening the livelihoods and health of Alaskans
without taking into account the unique make-up of our state.

 

I was also able to include authorization for the Alaska Aviation Safety
Project to aid in their mission to reduce aircraft related fatalities in
Alaska.  The authorization directs the FAA to provide such sums as may be
necessary for the completion of the Alaska Aviation Safety Project with
respect to the 3-dimensional mapping of Alaska's main aviation corridors.
This project helps to increase general aviation safety by enhancing pilot
situational awareness through the incorporation of advanced remote sensing
and aviation technologies. 

 

There was no amendment offered in the House to require a separate Flight
Time/Duty Time rulemaking process for supplemental carriers; however, there
was a failed attempt in the Senate by Senator Inhofe to offer an amendment
of this nature.  As former Chairman of the Committee on Transportation &
Infrastructure, and author of Vision 100, the previous FAA Reauthorization
bill, I understand that safety must remain the top priority for aviation
policy. 

 

There was some confusion that the amendment offered by Congressman Shuster
was directed at amending the Flight Time/Duty Time rulemaking.  The intent
of the amendment was NOT to single out any particular regulation or proposed
regulation such as the Flight Time/Duty Time regulations, despite some
information circulated to the contrary.  This amendment is prospective, not
retrospective, in nature.

 

The amendment directs the FAA to analyze the different industry segments and
tailor any regulations to the specific characteristics of these segments.
The more the specific the regulation is, the safer the aviation community
will be.  A blanket regulation that does not take the differences in the
aviation industry into account could be overlooking huge safety gaps.  This
amendment prevents that from happening.

 

The amendment would also help ensure FAA regulations are not overly
burdensome by requiring the FAA to conduct rulemakings in accordance with
certain basic principles, such as a reasoned cost/benefit analysis, an
assessment of the impact of regulations on the economy, and a mandate that
regulations are based on the best available science and technical
information. 

 

An amendment was included in H.R. 658 to ensure that U.S. regulations
governing air shipments of lithium batteries and products containing them
conform to international standards established by the International Civil
Aviation Organization.  Harmonization of these regulations will enhance
safety and minimize the harsh economic consequences and other burdens of
complying with multiple or inconsistent requirements for transporting our
products to and from the U.S.  The language contains an exception that
prohibits transporting primary non-rechargeable lithium batteries on
passenger aircraft. 

 

Many Alaskans contacted me concerning language contained in the H.R. 658 to
repeal the recent National Mediation Board (NMB) rule that allows a majority
of those voting in aviation and rail union elections to decide the outcome.
I voted in favor of an amendment offered by Congressman LaTourette and
Congressman Costello to strip the provision; however, the amendment failed.
A legitimate vote should be based on those who actually participate in the
vote.  I believe it is undemocratic to count employees who do not
participate in the vote as a "No" vote.  Due to the inclusion of the
language to repeal the NMB rule, the President has threatened to veto the
entire legislation.  I will support dropping this controversial provision
from the bill while the differences between the Senate and House bills are
worked out in conference.

 

The FAA is developing regulations to address the use of unmanned aircraft,
including model aviation, in the National Airspace System.   H.R. 658 does
not include an exemption for model aviation, as we were unable to come to
agreement on language for an amendment.  However, language to exempt model
aviation from added regulatory burdens is contained in the Senate passed FAA
Reauthorization legislation, S. 223.  I support the aeromodeling community's
ability to continue to self-regulate, and I will support preserving the
Senate language while the differences between the two bills are worked out
in conference.

 

Finally, I am opposed to the use of user fees to finance our aviation
system.  H.R. 658 preserves the financing mechanism based on the general
aviation fuel tax, rather than imposing new, burdensome user fees. 

 

H.R. 658 passed the House on April 1, 2011 by a vote of 223 to 196.  I voted
in support of passage.  The Senate passed their version of the FAA
Reauthorization, S. 223, on February 17, 2011.  The differences between the
two bills must now be reconciled in conference, before it is presented to
the President for his approval or veto.  I look forward to this legislation
being signed into law.

 

Once again, thank you for expressing your views on this issue.  I hope this
letter clarified any questions you might have.  If you haven't already, I
would encourage you to sign up for my e-newsletter at
<http://donyoung.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm>
http://donyoung.house.gov/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm and my YouTube channel at
<http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=RepDonYoung>
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=RepDonYoung.   Doing so will allow me to
provide you with updates on this and other important issues.  If I can be of
any assistance in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

DON YOUNG

Congressman for All Alaska

 

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