Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) led efforts to successfully turn back a plan to charge the Pierre, Aberdeen, and Watertown communities more than $4 million over the next ten years to maintain passenger air service.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed out bipartisan legislation making significant reforms to our nation’s aviation system. Originally, language in that bill, the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation (SGRLAA) Act, would have charged rural passenger airports extensive new fees to participate in the essential air service program.
Johnson successfully amended the bill to protect the most remote passenger airports, including those in Pierre, Aberdeen, and Watertown, from those new expenses. His amendment was adopted into the final package by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and will move to the House floor.
“South Dakotans and rural Americans deserve reasonable access to airport travel,” said Johnson. “The original draft of the committee’s bill would force towns like Pierre, Aberdeen, and Watertown to cut city programs or raise taxes or fees to support essential air services. I’m glad the committee adopted my amendment to protect our rural airports while also making fiscally responsible changes to the program as a whole.”
The SGRLAA Act is the five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It reauthorizes the programs in the FAA to improve efficiency and operations, strengthen American’s general aviation sector and workforce, invest in United States airport infrastructure, enhance the passenger experience, and authorize the National Transportation Safety Board.