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Tuesday, 19 March, 2013

Membership Update - Contract Tower Program

Membership Update

March 19, 2013

Senate leadership has blocked Senator Jerry Moran’s (R-KS) amendment from being considered on the Senate floor during debate on the Continuing Funding Resolution. As you know, the Continuing Funding Resolution provides funding for the federal government through September 30th of this year. The Moran amendment seeks to stop the FAA’s plans to shutter the contract tower program under the sequestration (automatic cuts) process.

As a result of a strong grassroots effort, the Moran amendment has 26 bipartisan cosponsors in the Senate (including 14 Democrats and 12 Republicans). NATA and other aviation organizations have all worked and advocated for a common sense approach to reducing federal spending under sequestration, including equitable reductions in the contract tower program. Unfortunately, it appears at this point that the contract tower program has been caught in the larger political budget battle going on in Washington.

Although his options are limited because of Senate procedural rules, Senator Moran and others continue to push for a Senate floor vote.

If the Moran amendment is not included in the final Continuing Funding Resolution, currently being debated in the Senate, the FAA will announce this Friday, March 22nd, the closing of nearly 200 contract towers across the country.

For general press inquiries, contact Shannon Chambers at 703-298-1347 or schambers@nata.aero.

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) has been the voice of aviation business for more than 80 years. Representing nearly 3,700 aviation businesses, NATA’s member companies provide a broad range of services to general aviation, the airlines and the military and NATA serves as the public policy group representing the interests of aviation businesses before Congress and the federal agencies.