WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.), a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, today highlighted several priorities that were included in the committee-passed bill reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

“Improving the safety and reliability of air travel is critical to growing the economy, connecting families and communities, and enhancing public safety,” said Blunt. “This bill includes key reforms to streamline aerospace manufacturing, modernize the aviation industry, and protect access to small and rural airports. I urge all of my Senate colleagues to support this bipartisan bill, which will help ensure our nation’s aviation industry remains competitive in the 21st century global economy.”

Following are the key priorities Blunt fought to include in the bill:

Creates Protections for Commercial Passengers – The bill includes provisions to ensure passengers who have been cleared by a gate attendant to board an aircraft cannot be removed without their consent unless the passenger poses a risk to safety, security, or health. 

Improves Small and Large Airports – The bill authorizes critical resources for airport improvements in communities throughout Missouri. These improvements, which will benefit both large and small airports, are particularly important for growing airports like Waynesville-St. Robert Airport, which serves the surrounding communities, including Ft. Leonard Wood.

Protects and Reforms the Contract Tower Program – The bill includes important provisions to reauthorize, improve, and update the highly successful Contract Tower Program. Missouri has five airports that depend on the contract towers, including Joplin, Columbia, Branson, Jefferson City, and St. Joseph.

Strengthens Missouri Aerospace Manufacturing – The bill reforms the FAA’s aviation certification process and reduces other regulatory barriers on manufacturing and maintenance organizations. In addition, the bill maintains and strengthens the quality of the FAA safety workforce.

Protects Essential Employees During Furlough of Air Traffic Controllers – The bill includes provisions that define the term “essential employee” to include FAA workers, such as air traffic controllers, whose duties involve the safety of human life or the protection of property. The bill also allows the FAA to keep essential employees in their duties in the event of a furlough of one or more employees. 

Creates a Collegiate Training Program for Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) – The bill creates, within the FAA, a Collegiate Training Initiative to prepare students in technical operations and air traffic control for UAS systems. As the use of UAS systems continues to grow, future air traffic controllers will need training to account for this rapidly increasing technology.

Streamlines Costly Regulations – The bill ensures a consistent national framework for trucking laws, reducing the regulatory burden on Missouri truckers.

Strengthens Essential Air Service – The bill authorizes critical resources to ensure small and rural airports are able to continue connecting travelers with larger airports. The Essential Air Service provides support for airports in Cape Girardeau, Waynesville and St. Robert, Joplin, and Kirksville.