Can Congress Finally Pass a Bill to Fund Modernization of Our Air Traffic System?
It looks like Congress may finally get back around to figuring out how to pass a bill that will fund the Next Generation Air Traffic System (NexGen). Hopefully, I will see this happen in my career, I still have 15 years left if all goes good.
It is frustrating to me that the lawmakers want to wrap up controversial provisions into a bill thats primary purpose is not controversial. Everyone in aviation agrees that the traffic control system needs to be modernized. It will save fuel and time in the air which is both green and more productive for our economy. It will also increase the margins of safety with better traffic management. Both general aviation and the airline industry support the development of NexGen.
So, what is the hold up?
Somehow congress can not seem to simplify things and get something done.
They have to add in provisions that we can’t all agree on so things get stalled and nothing happens. What can we not agree on?
- Who pays for it? GA versus Airlines
- Should we be auditing European Repair Stations? A Union Protectionist Issue
- Should we make it easier for FedEx employees to unionize? Another union issue. Big company against the union
- Passenger Rights? The People versus the Airlines
- Pilot Work Rules and the Oversight of the Airlines: Pilots versus the Airline Management and additional regulations
In that list that I just mentioned, which of those issues, if any,has the first thing or, for that matter, anything at all to do with modernizing our air transportation system through the deployment of new technology? With the exception of who pays for it, none! And I will bet you that we can come to some solution on who pays for it.
Maybe I am simple-minded, but why can’t these guys in D.C. simplify this and pass a clean bill that funds what we all agree needs to happen and fight it out over the rest in separate bills? Is there some legislative rule against simplicity? If there is, then we need to change the rules. Or maybe we just need to fire the rule-makers and vote in some new ones who understand how to get things done.
Modernization of the Air Route Traffic Control System:
Funding for ARTC is already in place. It is called “The Aviation Trust Fund”. Every gallon of aviation fuel is taxed and put in the Aviation Trust Fund. Jet fuel, 21.9 cents per gallon is collected on the sale of jet fuel purchased by General Aviation Users. The airlines pay 4.3 cents per gallon.
There should be countless billions of dollars in this trust fund to be used specifically for aviation projects such as the modernization of the ARTC System.
Why don’t we use this money then? Becasue it is not there. The General Accounting Office plunders this trust fund and others whenver they feel like it. The Federal Government can’t balance it’s buget from from the collection of legally authorized tax sources (Big Goverment too big maybe?) so they raid trust accounts.
*When government confiscates user fees from trust funds intended to be
used to administer specific programs and converts it to government use for
other purposes, IT’S A TAX*.
> *When government leaders claim to oppose tax increases and promise not to
create new taxes but then raid trust funds, they have deceived you because
THEY HAVE CREATED A NEW TAX.*
It is about time the American public demand fiscal responsibiltiy from our Government leaders. It is also time the Amerian Public becomes educated on the issues instead of sitting back and wondering why something is not getting done, and not knowing that the money for these project should in fact be there.
In the private sector, raiding a trust account sends people to prision. Why should our government leaders be able to get away with it is the real question.
P.S. In the column to left of this opinion space under Aviation Briefs there is a title that says: “Senate Conisders Increasin Taxes on Jet Fuel” Gee, I wonder where they plan to spend increased revenues? I bet not for aviation purposes!