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(Washington, DC) – Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12) today hailed the House’s passage of the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2007 (HR 2881), which makes improvements in passenger safety and rights, as well as providing a level playing field for service-disabled small veteran business owners in getting business opportunities.
“This summer’s record delays at many of our nation’s airports have made it evident that our air traffic control system is in desperate need of reform,” said Holt. “This bill gives the FAA the tools it needs to reduce these delays and help increase flight safety, as well as ensure that there are the adequate consumer protections in place to protect our nation’s airline passengers.”
H.R. 2881 requires airlines and airports to have emergency contingency plans to take care of passengers stranded in long tarmac delays. Through these plans it will mandate that these passengers have access to food, water, clean restrooms, medical care and requires that passengers be allowed to deplane. It also requires the Department of Transportation to enact regulations that will require airlines to compensate fairly passengers whose flights are cancelled. These common-sense protections will make sure that the airlines respect the basic needs and rights of passengers.
Additionally, the bill includes a Holt-authored provision that ensures that airports who receive Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants meet the same goals in hiring service disabled veteran owned small businesses (SDVOSB) as they must meet in hiring businesses that are recognized as part of the Department of Transportation's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program. The bill now moves to the Senate, which must act on the measure before existing FAA operating authority expires on September 30, 2007.
“Too often, service-disabled veteran small business owners don’t get the same opportunities as other corporate entities when competing for federal business,” said Holt. “This provision will help those veterans.”
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