A bipartisan group of 102 lawmakers is appealing for the protection of the U.S contract tower program. The congressmen wrote the leadership of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee seeking language in the next reauthorization bill that would protect the program from changes that would “irresponsibly remove existing contract control towers from the program.”
The House and Senate have adequately funded the program, despite the FAA’s past threat of deep cuts, the lawmakers said in the February 27 letter. But, they added, “We believe it is necessary to include legislative language in the FAA reauthorization bill to ensure the FAA recognizes the benefits of the program.”
The letter further asks that any such measure specify costs the FAA can consider in any cost-benefit analysis and provide tower participants an opportunity to respond should they be affected by a cost-benefit analysis.