"The State of American Aviation"
House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation
2025-12-16
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Source: Congress.gov
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The subcommittee on aviation will come to order. I ask you, Nance, consent that the chairman be authorized to declare recess at any time during today's hearing without objection so ordered. I also ask you, Nance, consent that the members not on the subcommittee be permitted to sit with the subcommittee at today's hearing and ask questions without objection so ordered. As a reminder, if members wish to insert a document into the record, please also email it to documentsti at mail.house.gov. I recognize myself for the purpose of an opening statement.
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The Honorable Bryan Bedford
I'd like to start by thanking Administrator Bedford for being here today in his first congressional hearing since becoming administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration. Additionally, I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the fatal accident that occurred right here in Washington, D.C. on January 29th of this year that needlessly claimed the lives of 67 souls.
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The Honorable Bryan Bedford
To the families with us here today, my commitment to you remains steadfast. And I can assure you that this subcommittee will continue to do everything in its capacity to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again. That tragedy reinvigorated everyone in the aviation industry to come together to identify and address the deficiencies, the lack of communication and coordination, and neglect that played a role in this tragedy. While I eagerly await the results of the NTSB final report before taking any substantive legislative action, I am encouraged that there was immediate corrective action taken to make permanent route changes and helicopter restrictions near DCA, adjustments to air traffic control staffing and arrival flow at DCA, and ADS-B out requirements for most aircraft near DCA's Class Bravo airspace, to name a few.
But busy is not a bad thing. In this instance, it's a good thing. With the promise of innovation and modernization around the corner, there is tremendous excitement around the state of American aviation. From initiatives to increase the throughput of air traffic controllers into the workforce to key rulemakings that will unleash American innovation, the Trump administration has been busy. While they have a challenging task ahead of them, they have the support from this subcommittee.
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The Honorable Bryan Bedford
Administrator Bedford, I believe that you are the man for the job. This task is unprecedented, but you have two documents that ought to serve as a roadmap. The first is a bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 that can contain numerous provisions directing the administration to phase out legacy systems in use across the NAS and operationalize key programs developed under the NextGen initiative. The second is the administration's air traffic control modernization plan, for which Congress appropriated $12.5 billion to carry out radar replacement and a total update of the FAA's telecommunications infrastructure.
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The Honorable Bryan Bedford
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The Honorable Bryan Bedford
I also would like to recommend, in the spirit of the chairman, the families. of those who have perished in the DCA midair collision who are joining us today. We recognize how difficult it is for you to be here in the face of such an unimaginable loss, and we want to express our heartfelt appreciation for you and the strength and conviction of your advocacy to help make sure other families don't experience such a devastating loss. For the subcommittee, safety, of course, is our top priority.
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