Getting the Work Done

With all the partisanship and division in Washington, getting something done seems next to impossible. Yet, just last week as Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I was able to bring folks together and pass a critical piece of legislation that was signed into law by the President.

This bill will reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), rebuild our airport infrastructure, and ensure that America continues to set the gold standard in aviation safety. Getting it done took everybody coming together with their priorities and finding common ground.

We started by asking other members of Congress, “What do you want to see in an FAA bill?” We took those suggestions to heart, listened to Americans who work throughout the aviation industry — from pilots and mechanics to manufacturers and customers — and built those real-life experiences into the bill. That’s how legislating should be done.

This is a bill that’s good not only for the country, but for North Missouri specifically. Significant consumer protection reforms were enacted to ensure Americans get what they pay for when they buy a plane ticket and it places an emphasis on safety so you can make it to your destination on time and with peace of mind.

It also included historic investments in our airports, large and small. From Hannibal to Moberly to St Joe and everywhere in between, our rural airports play a critical role in ensuring that crops are sprayed, and folks can more easily do business in rural America. These small rural airports also take the pressure off larger commercial airports to reduce delays and congestion.

That’s why we included a title dedicated to general aviation for the first time. General aviation has been an essential part of American aviation since the Wright Brothers, yet we’ve never really focused on it. It’s ultimately where a lot of our pilots from rural America get their start.

With the FAA bill signed into law, I’m ready to take the same cooperative spirit and focus on the water resources bill which impacts people and property across North Missouri. Once again, we will show that we can and will get the people’s work done, and we can do it all without breaking the bank.

Sincerely,

Sam Graves