Bush Spinning Airline Delays To Support User Fees

AOPA: BE AFRAID OF USER FEES ... AND ACT
(http://www.avweb.com/eletter/archive...ll.html#196594)
"The FAA funding issue is far from resolved," AOPA President Phil
Boyer warned in a release
(http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/article...15funding.html)
Thursday. President Bush is using public frustration over airline
delays to push his administration's agenda of imposing a 263
percent increase in avgas taxes plus additional user fees,
according to AOPA. For its part, AOPA is using the president's
words to once again call on AOPA members "to contact their
senators when the time is right." That time may come early next
year. H.R. 2881*, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007, has already
passed the House of Representatives, but AOPA warns that Senate
committees "are in disagreement over user fees versus taxes,
airline tax breaks, and some other issues." Those issues will
likely be back on the table in January, when AOPA says it will
again be ready for the fight. AOPA says you should be, too.


* http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/85xx/doc8597/hr2881.pdf



http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/article...T.svl=FlashHP1
Amidst airline delays, Bush calls for user fees
By Warren D. Morningstar

President Bush on Nov. 15 announced a series of measures to reduce
airline delays, including opening restricted airspace on the East
Coast to commercial flights during the holiday season. And he
renewed the administration's call for higher taxes and user fees
on general aviation.

"If we really want to solve this problem, it's time for Congress
to modernize the FAA, and we've given them a blueprint to do so,"
said Bush, referring to the administration's FAA funding bill that
would increase GA avgas taxes by 263 percent and impose user fees.
And he praised Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Trent Lott
(R-Miss.) as people in Congress "who understand the need to act."
The Rockefeller-Lott FAA funding bill (S.1300) includes a $25 per
flight user fee on turbine aircraft.

He also called for "congestion pricing," charging aircraft higher
fees to land during busy times, or auctioning the right to take
off or land at a specific time to the highest bidder.

"The president's statement is a reminder that the FAA funding
issue is far from resolved, and that there is still the
possibility of a bill coming out of Congress that would be harmful
to general aviation," said AOPA President Phil Boyer. "The Senate
needs to act and pass the American Infrastructure Investment and
Improvement Act of 2007 that came out of the Finance Committee
last September."

The House of Representatives has already passed its FAA funding
bill, H.R.2881, the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007. But two
different Senate committees are in disagreement over user fees
versus taxes, airline tax breaks, and some other issues. Those
disagreements will not be resolved before the Congress goes home
for the holidays on Dec. 14. (Congress will likely pass a
"continuing resolution" to keep the FAA operating into the first
part of next year.)

"That means we'll pick up the FAA funding fight again in January,"
said Boyer. "We'll renew our efforts to convince the Senate to
pass an FAA funding (authorization) bill without user fees. We
cannot modernize ATC and build new runways without it.

"And once again, we'll be calling on AOPA members to contact their
senators when the time is right."

November 15, 2007