In New Aviation Bill, Congress Mulls Hikes for Construction, Security
As airlines and airports struggle with persistently low passenger volumes, Congress is moving on legislation that is likely to give a boost, though a small one, to federal airport grants for the next several years. The legislation is still a long way from passage, but when it's final it is likely to include added aid for airport security projects and mechanisms to push big runway projects more quickly through their environmental reviews.
At issue is what will succeed AIR-21the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century. The 2000 statute, named for the former longtime senator from Kentucky, provided a huge jump in aid for the Federal Aviation Administration. What made design and construction firms smile was AIR-21's record hike in the Airport Improvement Program, which funds construction grants. The law drove AIP up 64%, to $3.2 billion, in 2001, and then boosted it further, to $3.4 billion in 2003.