2023: Fitzpatrick Voted For An Amendment That Would Have Added 7 New
Roundtrip Slots At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. In July
2023, according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for an
amendment to the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American
Aviation Act, which would "add seven new roundtrip in-and-beyond
perimeter slots at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport split
between the seven airlines servicing the airport." The vote was on the
adoption of an amendment. The House rejected the amendment by a vote of
205 to 229. [House Vote 357,
7/19/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/19/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3935;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
283]
The Amendment Would Have Added A Total Of 14 Flights To The
Washington National Airport, Both Inside And Outside The
Perimeter. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The chamber will
also vote on an amendment from Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, that
would add 14 total flights to Ronald Reagan Washington National
Airport, an issue centering around a rule Congress set in the 1960s
that largely limits the airport to flights within 1,250 miles with
some exemptions. The amendment would allow added flights to
destinations both inside and outside the perimeter." [Congressional
Quarterly,
7/19/23]
The Amendment Centered Around A 1960s Regulation That Limits
Flights Within 1,250 With Some Exceptions. According to
Congressional Quarterly, "The contentious amendment centered around
a rule Congress set in the 1960s that largely limits the airport to
flights within 1,250 miles with some exemptions." [Congressional
Quarterly, 7/20/23]
The Amendment Highlighted Geographical Lines Among Members, With
Lawmakers Outside Of The DCA Parameter Wanting Exemptions While
Lawmakers Within The Parameter Argued That Exemptions Would
Overcrowd Airports And Impact Business Of Nearby Airports.
According to Congressional Quarterly, "The amendment garnered a
mixed bag of support from Democrats and Republicans, highlighting
how the issue has split members along geographical lines rather than
partisan ones. Lawmakers from outside of the perimeter, such as
Utah, have been pushing to add exemptions in the FAA bill, while
some within the perimeter say more exemptions would overcrowd the
already at-capacity airport and siphon business away from other
nearby airports, like Dulles International Airport." [Congressional
Quarterly, 7/20/23]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Requiring The FAA Work With Air
Carriers To Retrofit Aircraft With Devices To Reduce Noise. In April
2018, Fitzpatrick voted against an amendment that would have, according
to Congressional Quarterly, "require[d] the Federal Aviation
Administration to work with air carriers to identify and facilitate
opportunities for air carriers to retrofit aircraft with devices that
mitigate noise, including vortex generators." The underlying legislation
was an FAA reauthorization bill. The House rejected the amendment by a
vote of 187 to 227. [House Vote 160,
4/26/18; Congressional
Quarterly,
4/26/18;
Congressional Actions, H. Amdt.
566;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
4]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Exempting Regulations Related To
Airport Noise Restrictions From The SCRUB Act, Which Would Require
Agencies To Eliminate Old Rules In Order To Create New Ones. In
February 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against an amendment that would have,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "exempt[ed] rules related to
airport noise restrictions." The underlying legislation, also according
to Congressional Quarterly, "establish[ed] a nine-member commission to
review existing federal regulations and identify regulations that should
be repealed on the basis of reducing costs on the U.S. economy. The
commission would identify those regulatory policies that should be
repealed immediately, and would set up a 'Cut-Go' system that would
require agencies to repeal existing rules to offset costs before issuing
a new rule. The measure, as amended, would require the commission to
review a rule or regulation's unfunded mandate, whether the rule or
regulation limits or prevents government agencies from adopting
technology to improve efficiency, and the rule or regulation's impact on
wage growth, when determining if the rule or regulation should be
repealed." The vote was on the amendment. The House rejected the
amendment by a vote of 192 to 230. [House Vote 108,
2/28/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 2/28/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 1/7/16; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
51;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
998]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Eliminating Funding For The Essential
Air Service. In April 2018, Fitzpatrick voted against an amendment
that would have, according to Congressional Quarterly, "eliminate[d]
the bill's authorization of funding for the essential air service
program." The underlying legislation was an FAA reauthorization bill.
The House rejected the amendment by a vote of 113 to 293. [House Vote
162, 4/27/18;
Congressional Quarterly,
4/27/18;
Congressional Actions, H. Amdt.
575;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
4]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against The FY 2018 Republican Study Committee
Budget Resolution Which In Part Called For Eliminating The Essential Air
Service Program. In October 2017, Fitzpatrick voted against a budget
resolution that would in part, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"provide for $2.9 trillion in new budget authority in fiscal 2018. It
would balance the budget by fiscal 2023 by reducing spending by $10.1
trillion over 10 years. It would cap total discretionary spending at
$1.06 trillion for fiscal 2018 and would assume no separate Overseas
Contingency Operations funding for fiscal 2018 or subsequent years and
would incorporate funding related to war or terror into the base defense
account. It would assume repeal of the 2010 health care overhaul and
would convert Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program into
a single block grant program. It would require that off budget programs,
such as Social Security, the U.S. Postal Service, and Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac, be included in the budget." The underlying legislation was
an FY 2018 House GOP budget resolution. The House rejected the RSC
budget by a vote of 139 to 281. [House Vote 555,
10/5/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 10/5/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
455;
Congressional Actions, H. Con. Res.
71]
2017: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Decreasing Funding For The Essential
Air Service Program By $150 Million. In September 2017, Fitzpatrick
voted against an amendment that would have, according to Congressional
Quarterly, "decrease[d] funding to the Essential Air Service program
by $150 million and would transfer the savings to the spending
reduction account." The underlying legislation was a legislative vehicle
for an FY 2018 Omnibus appropriations bill. The House rejected the
amendment by a vote of 140 to 280. [House Vote 447,
9/6/17; Congressional
Quarterly, 9/6/17; Congressional
Actions, H. Amdt.
283;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3354]
2018: Fitzpatrick Voted To Reauthorize Funding For The Federal
Aviation Administration For Six Years. In April 2018, Fitzpatrick
voted for legislation that, according to Congressional Quarterly,
"Passage of the bill that would that would reauthorize federal aviation
programs through fiscal 2023. The measure would authorize $10.2 billion
in fiscal 2018, which would gradually increase to $11.3 billion in
fiscal 2023, for Federal Aviation Administration operations; $3.4
billion annually for the Aviation Trust Fund for the Airport Improvement
Program; $2.9 billion in fiscal 2018, which would gradually increase to
$3.3 billion in fiscal 2023, for facilities and equipment; and $181
million in fiscal 2018, which would gradually increase to $204 million
in fiscal 2023, for research and development. It would extend for six
years the authorization for unmanned aircraft test ranges. It would also
ban e-cigarettes and talking on a cell phone during a passenger flight.
It would prohibit airlines from involuntarily removing passengers from a
plane after they have checked in and taken their seats. The bill would
modify the Federal Emergency Management Agency's operations and
procedures, including allowing a portion of funds appropriated for major
disaster assistance to be used for hazard mitigation. It would require
FEMA to give greater weight and consideration to areas suffering a
severe impact from a disaster when making recommendations to the
president regarding the declaration of a major disaster." The House
passed the bill by a vote of 393 to 13. The Senate took no substantive
action on the legislation. [House Vote 165,
4/27/18; Congressional
Quarterly,
4/27/18;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
4]
2023: Fitzpatrick Voted For An Amendment That Would Allow Airports Or
Retail Fuel Sellers To Sell Approved Unleaded Aviation Gasoline If There
Is Industry Consensus For The Unleaded Gas Use. In July 2023,
according to Congressional Quarterly, Fitzpatrick voted for an amendment
to the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act,
which would "specify that the bill would not prevent an airport or
retail fuel seller from selling approved unleaded aviation gasoline, if
there is industry consensus for its use." The vote was on the adoption
of an amendment. The House adopted the amendment by a vote of 229 to
205. [House Vote 354,
7/19/23; Congressional
Quarterly, 7/19/23;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
3935;
Congressional Actions, H.Amdt.
280]