Jerry Moran: Military Helicopter Crash Was 'Seminal Moment' For Awareness Of Air Traffic Safety

During a Senate Appropriations Committee markup meeting on Thursday, Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) spoke about air traffic control systems.

Transcript

00:00Thank you, Senator Coons.

00:02I will now turn to Senator Hyde-Smith for a manager's mem- I'm sorry, Senator Moran.

00:11Chairwoman Collins, thank you, and to my colleagues, Senator Gillibrand and Senator Hyde-Smith,

00:16I just want to express my appreciation for many of the many things that are in this bill,

00:21but I want to highlight one of them.

00:23Since January the 29th and the disaster, the air tragedy that occurred at Reagan,

00:30we've paid particular attention to air traffic control and safety.

00:36And I also chair the Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Aviation and Space,

00:43and we're paying a lot of attention to what we need to do in an authorizing way.

00:48But what this bill does is provide additional dollars, 5 billion, particularly the 5 billion

00:55for FAA's facilities and equipment account, and this fully funds the President's budget

01:01for F&E, and it complements the $12.5 billion that was included in reconciliation.

01:08And I would also say that Secretary Duffy has been relentless in trying to make certain that

01:14we provide the necessary resources to update the technology in air safety and air traffic

01:19control, and this subcommittee recognizes the importance, and I thank Senator Gillibrand

01:24and Senator Hyde-Smith for that.

01:27And again, January 29th, when a flight from Wichita, Kansas was collided with an Army helicopter

01:36at Reagan National Airport, really was a seminal moment for me and perhaps others in trying

01:43to make sure that we do not overlook the importance of updating the necessary technology for every

01:49American and, in fact, everyone around the world to fly safely in and around the United

01:54States.

01:55So, thank you both.