ACT Calls on Members to Support Proposed FAA Provision
Congress is starting the process of drafting legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This bill will not only reauthorize various oversight functions of the FAA but will also have significant impact on the eligibility of certain airport projects for federal funding.
As part of our on-going public policy efforts, ACT is making a strong push to include a provision in the bill that would allow for airport planning and construction projects that incorporate TDM strategies as eligible for funding under various programs administered by the FAA. As an organization, ACT has already submitted this provision to the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and the Senate Commerce, Science, & Transportation Committee, the two committees with jurisdiction over drafting of the reauthorization bill.
Now, we need ACT members to help generate support for this provision amongst their Congressional delegations. I have included a template email below that you can use to send to your Congressional delegation asking those offices to support and prioritize the inclusion of this provision in the final bill. If you are unsure of the correct staffer within your Congressional delegation to contact regarding this issue, please contact Ben Odendahl, Senior Counsel at Smith, Dawson &Andrews, at beno@sda-inc.com for assistance. If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
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Template Email to Your Members of Congress
Dear Senator/ Representative XXXXXXXX
On behalf of [insert name of your company/ organization] in [City, State] I am writing to ask you to prioritize including the attached provision in the upcoming FAA reauthorization. [my organization] strongly supports the creation of an efficient multimodal transportation system in order to improve the quality of life of commuters, enhance the livability of communities, and stimulate economic activity. TDM means using strategies to inform and encourage travelers to maximize the efficiency of a transportation system, leading to improved mobility and equity, reduced congestion, and lower vehicle emissions, including strategies that use planning, programs, policies, marketing, communications, incentives, pricing, data, and technology. By including this provision in the FAA reauthorization bill, airport planning and construction projects will be encouraged to adopt TDM strategies for projects directly related to entry and exit of passengers and airport and airline personnel. Additionally, the explicit inclusion of TDM strategies as an eligible activity under funding guidelines will provide a greater incentive for airports to include these strategies in long-term planning.
Again, we ask that you make the inclusion of this provision in the FAA reauthorization bill a priority for you and your office. If you have any questions, please follow-up with me or the Association for Commuter Transportation’s (ACT) Executive Director, David Straus (dstraus@actweb.org). Thank you.