By Alyssa J. Miller
Record support for GA from House of Representatives
A record 223 members of Congress have stepped up to mount an attack against aviation user fees. The House members sent a letter to President Barack Obama April 5 stating that user fees are the “wrong approach.”
Their support comes in advance of the Obama administration’s budget proposal, scheduled to be released April 10, which is widely anticipated to once again call for $100-per-flight user fees for certain commercial and general aviation operations.
AOPA rallied its members in early March to contact their members of Congress to tell them user fees are a bad idea and to urge them to sign a letter opposing such fees.
The letter, spearheaded by House aviation subcommittee Chairman Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), and GA Caucus co-chairs Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and John Barrow (D-Ga.), states that Congress has rejected repeated attempts by this and previous administrations to impose user fees. It also points out that GA is vital to the U.S. economy, providing millions of jobs, and requests that Obama abandon the idea.
“AOPA members’ voices have been heard loud and clear on Capitol Hill,” said AOPA Vice President of Legislative Affairs Lorraine Howerton. “General aviation has gained unprecedented support in reaching more than half of the House of Representatives. We commend Congressmen LoBiondo, Larsen, Graves, and Barrow for their leadership and support.”
Find out if your congressman or congresswoman signed the “no user fee” letter and thank him or her for standing up for GA.
http://www.aopa.org/advocacy/articles/2013/130404no-user-fees-movement-builds.html