WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) issued this statement following the Senate’s passage of a bipartisan bill to reauthorize funding for the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2016 passed on a 95-3 vote.
“I was pleased to help the Senate pass this consumer-friendly aviation bill that supports jobs, improves safety and helps passengers — all without raising taxes or fees on the public,” said Senator Capito. “In West Virginia, small airports provide critical service to our state’s rural communities. This bill ensures that our smaller airports can continue to safely and reliably serve West Virginians and contribute to the state’s economy.”
The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2016 secures funding for the Federal Aviation Administration and related programs through September 2017. This consumer-friendly legislation makes significant improvements to airport security, and improves safety and expands protections for airline passengers. Included in the bill are strong security measures that make federal grant money available for improving the security of transportation hubs, to put more federal transportation security teams in place, and to help prevent unauthorized access to the secure areas of airports.
The bill also protects air service to rural communities in West Virginia through the Essential Air Service (EAS) program and makes funding for repairs at Yeager Airport in Charleston possible. Lewisburg, Clarksburg, Morgantown, Beckley and Parkersburg are all EAS airports.
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