relatively new in its short history proven popular with training institutions with demands for training grants outstripping supply. our bill will strengthen capabilities of our nation's aviation and training organizations with the goal of successfully recruiting and preparing the next generation of american aviation workers. before leaving, i want to say a brief word about boeing, a company with a proud heritage in american aviation. this bill does not fully address the many vexing issues that have come to light since a door plug blew out mid flight in january of this year. congress must look more closely at these issues and look at what additional legislation may be needed. at chair cantwell indicated we'll have oversight and that makes time and this bill has urgent safety risks. we will continue our oversight

of boeing and all aviation manufacturers. so let's pass this bill and i yield the floor. thank you. >> i rise today in strong support for the f.a.a. re authorization act of 2024. this bill negotiated by chair cantwell and myself with the leadership of house transportation and infrastructure and science committees is a bicameral and a bipartisan accomplishment, it is the culmination of many months of work between us and our staff and is reflective of the priorities of a great many senators. on the republican side alone more than 200 member priorities were included. i'm especially proud of the numerous provisions that make for a safer and more convenient travel experience for texans and for consumers across the nation. and the provisions that will help grow texas' thriving aerospace sector.

it will make significant strides in aviation safety. the primary mission of the f.a.a. and something i know that all of us care deeply about. it will provide a clear path forward to integrate new advanced aviation technologies and will make it easier for flyers to get upfront information on ticket prices. a flurry of near misses at our nation's airports, multiple concerns maintenance reports of united airlines flights and the alarming decompression event of alaska airlines flight 1282 have together raised serious concerns with our air space. aviation has been and will continue to be one of the top priorities of the senate commerce committee when the people of texas board a flight, they expect their flight and

their families to be safe. as a result, i'm proud to say that our bill includes numerous crucial safety provisions, such as requiring 25-hour cockpit voice recorders in all commercial aircraft. the safety upgrade will allow the national transportation safety board and the f.a.a. to have access to vital information needed during accident investigations. this became abundantly clear after the cockpit voice recorder in the alaska airlines flight was lost because of an outdated two-hour requirement. that's unacceptable and it should never happen again. with this bill, it will not happen again. in response to recent runway surface incidents, in bill establishes a zero tolerance runway safety policy. it prioritizes projects that improve surface surveillance.

it establishes a runway safety council and it requires a timeline and an action plan to actually get better runway and tarmac incursion technologies installed in airports that need them. air traffic controller shortages have plagued airports across the country, including in my home state of texas. putting traveller safety at risk. this legislation aims to relief the strain on air traffic control by directing the f.a.a. to hire the maximum number of air traffic controllers, hopefully aiding the many facilities that have been understaffed for far too long. at a time when aircraft safety seems to be in the news every other day, our bipartisan bill makes important upgrades to safety reporting. commercial aviation improved in the last several decades in part because the f.a.a. and

industry have tracked trends in safety to respond in a proactive manner to safety concerns. instead of waiting until after a fatal accident has occurred. furthermore, this bill recognizes the important role that whistleblowers play and includes protection for those reporting safety concerns. this bill also makes transformative investments in airports across our country by making updates to the formula used to disperse grants for airport infrastructure project. as a result, all airports across the country will be able to rehab their runways or acquire critical safety technologies. i'm also pleased that the bill makes it easier to obtain permits for airport construction projects. this bill is good for airports large and small across the nation. this bill does not ignore the

fact that sometimes airlines screw up and leave consumers hanging. one provision provides at that parents and the chambers should be really happy about is the requirement for airlines to ensure that families are able to sit together. this just makes sense and will help make the travelling with young children just a little bit easier. i'm also pleased that there is a requirement that customers who need customer service will now be guaranteed that they can talk to a human representative, an actual human being 24/7. finally, this bill makes important improvements for travelers with disabilities, including requiring training for employees who handle wheelchairs and it requires the d.o.t. to actually respond to complaints submitted by aggrieved passengers. i know there's been a lot of

attention to the five round trip flights by dca by this bill. reagan airport, 1,250 miles from when landing or taking off from, it is absurd and it is unfair to millions of flyers forced to pay higher prices because of this rule. it's been over a decade since congress has expanded access to dca. and the inclusion of five round-trip flights is a modest proposal that will bring down prices for flyers in the d.c. region and from western states. this modest increase will not result in negative impacts or delays, nor will it result in loss of flights for anyone who currently receive service. i repeat, it will not result in loss of flights for any route

that currently receives service. despite the threats and the fear mongering from the army of united airline lobbyists who are actively working to protect their dulles monopoly, by my count of united threatened service cuts, these five round-trip flights will lead united to cancel air service to more than half of the states in the union. don't believe the propaganda and i have to say it's not in the interest of any senator to support a policy that reduces competition, enhances monopoly product for one airline, united airline and drives up the prices not only for the residents of virginia, d.c. and maryland, but for all who come from 50 states to our capital. in contrast this modest

addition of service will allow for further competition between the airlines that serve dca. competition is good for consumers and it's good for lowering prices. this change will also provide the ability for there to be a direct flight from san antonio to d.c. reagan. delivering a more convenient travel experience for members of the military, travelling from joint base san antonio to the pentagon, and travel for business and tourists in san antonio. i also want to talk about the benefits this bill has for new aerospace technologies. our bill helps the f.a.a. both modernize and transform its operations and handling of new entrants like drones and air taxis. a provision that will increase productivity and spur economic activity. important, this reauthorization

includes measures to eliminate inefficiencies plaguing the next general office and directs the f.a.a. to complete the beyond visual line of sight role making that will expand drone delivery and other drone operations across the country and especially in my home state of texas. i'm also proud of the reforms aimed at better integrating commercial space activities into the national aerospace system. assisting launch providers and navigating complicated air space will be a boost for texas's thriving commercial space industry. to carry out all of those ambitious goals, the f.a.a. needs a work force that has the technical expertise to conduct executive oversight of manufacturers and airlines, as well as technical experts who can help in the certification of these new and novel

technologies. this was a major focus of our efforts. for example, in an effort to boost the aviation work force and provide more opportunities for america's veterans, this legislation makes it easier for military service members to transition to civil aviation careers. this comprehensive and bipartisan bill bolsters the f.a.a. at a time when the agency needs support. the aviation system is more strained than ever. >> millions of americans travel every single day. millions of americans depend on this sector to earn their livelihood. the u.s. aviation sector is the gold standard of safety and i'm proud of the improvements and reforms made this this bill and look forward to working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance this bill to final passage. than