Office of Rep. Marilyn Strickland announcement.
Today (July 20, 2023), U.S. Representative Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) announced that her provisions to modernize airport management systems, improve public transit access to airports, support FAA employees, and create aviation career pathways for veterans were included in the bipartisan Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act that passed the House.
“Accessible air travel is vital for economic and community growth,” said Rep Strickland. “Given the challenges facing our aviation systems today, I am proud to vote to invest in more efficient travel infrastructure that will pay dividends for the entire Puget Sound region.”
The FAA Reauthorization Bill determines the FAA’s funding levels and policies for the next 5 years. The FY2024 bill includes important legislative fixes towards strengthening and diversifying the U.S. aviation workforce, expanding consumer protections and accessibility, investing in resilient and sustainable infrastructure, and maintaining America’s gold standard in safety.
Details on Strickland’s provisions are below:
- Helping Veterans Become Commercial Airline Pilots: The House-passed bill contains provisions from the H.R. 3128, the American Aviator Act, sponsored by Reps. Strickland, Schrier, Armstrong, and Kiggans, to support flight-training services to Veterans who are not already military pilots—specifically through flight-training schools that have established pathways to employment with commercial air carriers, to better recruit and enroll Veterans for flight training.
- Modernizing Our Aviation Industry: Strickland’s secured provision ensures that advanced digital construction management systems and related technology used in the planning, design and engineering, construction, operations, and maintenance of airport facilities are included under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). Expanding the AIP ensures that our aviation industry is prepared for the future, and incentivizes the use of proven technologies to expedite project deliveries and maintain resilient airports.
- Improving Airport Accessibility: Strickland’s provision requires the Comptroller General to examine Transportation Demand Management (TDM) strategies in U.S airports, to better optimize planning, programs, pricing, routes used, and more. TDM has been shown to be successful—in WA-10, Joint Base Lewis-McChord has a shuttle service through Pierce Transit that helps reduce traffic congestion near the base and get soldiers to the installation as quickly as possible.
- Addressing Workforce Shortages: Strickland’s supported provisions include extending aviation workforce development programs, providing grants to support the education and recruitment of aviation manufacturing workers and pilots, and establishing the Cooperative Aviation Recruitment, Enrichment, and Employment Readiness (CAREER) Program. These provisions and more will alleviate our workforce shortages, develop a trained and ready workforce, and foster strong careers in aviation.
My greatest concern would be that the pilot flying my plane was the most qualified individual out of all who competed for that job, not a person who was chosen for some other reason.