May 15, 2024 – Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer: Chavez-DeRemer Applauds Final Passage of Legislation Improving Air Travel and Passenger Safety
Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05), a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Aviation Subcommittee, released the following statement after supporting the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act – legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) through 2028.
“Like many Oregonians who fly out of PDX, I was surprised and alarmed earlier this year when a door blew off a plane shortly after leaving Portland. The incident, and a few other concerning mechanical issues that followed, demonstrated the importance of modernizing and maintaining strong safety standards across the aviation industry,” Chavez-DeRemer said. “That’s why I was proud to work on and vote for the bipartisan FAA reauthorization bill, which takes important steps to strengthen safety protocols, upgrade airport technology, and improve passengers’ flying experience. Additionally, this legislation will protect flight and ground crews while making critical investments in our local airports – helping connect more Oregonians to destinations across the country and around the world. I wanted to serve on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to deliver significant, bipartisan results for Oregonians, and today I’m proud that we have once again accomplished that goal.”
Chavez-DeRemer helped lead several proposals that were ultimately adopted in the final bill, including:
- Bringing transparency to passengers for flight cancellations or delays: This proposal requires the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to improve reporting requirements for commercial passenger flight cancellations or delays, which would help keep travelers more informed and lead to strategies to mitigate the causes of delays.
- AIR PUMP Act: This bipartisan proposal secures federal protections for flight crews to safely pump breast milk aboard aircraft during noncritical phases of flight – a protection not currently extended to flight attendants.
- Airport Ramp Worker Safety Act: This bipartisan proposal requires the FAA to develop training and safety standards to protect airport ground crew workers while on the job.
Chavez-DeRemer has been a strong advocate for investments in regional airports, recently securing $6 million for the Bend Municipal Airport. This FAA package continues prioritizing smaller airports by authorizing $4 billion per year for the Airport Improvement Program and making improvements to small community air service programs. Additionally, the bill aims to uphold the United States’ gold standard in aviation safety by addressing the recent uptick in runway incursions and near-fatal accidents by focusing on leveraging new technologies and ensuring the FAA appropriately regulates industry stakeholders based on their size and complexity.
The FAA Reauthorization Act now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law. Full text of the bill is available HERE.
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