ACI-NA Commends Congressional Bipartisanship on Omnibus Spending Bill, Key Provisions for U.S. Airports

January 15, 2014

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 15, 2014

 

WASHINGTON — Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) today issued the following statement in anticipation of passage by the House of Representatives of the Omnibus spending bill:

“The Omnibus spending bill restores stability to the many federal agencies that were affected by sequestration, including those governing airports and the nation’s greater air-transportation system,” said Deborah McElroy, ACI-NA’s interim president.  “The bill not only fully funds the Airport Improvement Program and contract towers, but it also ensures that the FAA will not be subject to furloughs in fiscal year 2014.  This assures the nation’s airports that they will have access to the necessary funding for the infrastructure and capital-improvement projects that are essential to keep pace with global competition.

“Additionally, the bill mandates that the TSA continue to monitor exit lanes and that Customs and Border Protection increase the number of its officers at our busiest ports of entry, both of which are important factors in guaranteeing that the movement of passengers throughout U.S. airports remains efficient and secure.

“ACI-NA commends House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) and Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) for their bipartisan leadership, and we look forward to the Senate following the House’s lead with passage of this bill.”

 

About ACI-NA

Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) represents local, regional, and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Approximately 380 aviation-related businesses are also members of ACI-NA, providing goods and services to airports. Collectively, U.S. airports support more than 11.5 million jobs and account for $1.4 trillion in economic activity – or more than seven percent of the total U.S. GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP. Learn more at www.airportscouncil.org.