TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Senator Moran helped introduce legislation in the US Senate that would help prevent future system outages in the Federal Aviation Administration.
United States Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) announced Thursday, Jan. 26, that he and Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Shelley Moore Capito (RW.V.) introduced legislation to study and help prevent federal Aviation Administration system disruptions.
“The FAA has a responsibility to ensure that air travel in the United States is as safe and efficient as possible,” Senator Moran said. “The complete failure of the NOTAM system stranded millions of Americans and was a warning of the need to strengthen and modernize our air transportation system. This legislation will help meet the travel needs of the 21st century and help prevent a similar failure in the future.”
On Jan. 11, Moran, co-chair of the Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, said the FAA’s airline mission alert system had failed and grounded flights nationwide. The legislation, the NOTAM Deed of improvement, would require the FAA to establish a task force to strengthen the system’s cybersecurity. The system warns pilots of safety hazards and location on flight paths.
“Travellers to the United States deserve safe and reliable air travel service, not nationwide ground stops caused by system failures,” Klobuchar said. “By updating and modernizing the FAA’s NOTAM system, our bipartisan legislation would improve aviation safety and prevent system outages from derailing travel. As co-chair of the bipartisan travel and tourism committee, I look forward to working with Rep. Stauber and my colleagues in the Senate to advance this bill and strengthen our air travel infrastructure.”
Moran, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee with jurisdiction over the FAA, noted that US Representative Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) introduced the complementary legislation in the House in early January.
“After the failure of the air mission warning system brought air traffic to a standstill in the United States on January 11, it is imperative that a group of aviation experts is convened to examine ways to improve this vital safety system,” he said. stated Understood. “This is exactly what our legislation would do and I am proud to help lead this effort which will help strengthen the NOTAM system for pilots and essential personnel. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill through quickly and sent to the president’s desk.”
Moran indicated that the task force would consist of representatives from air carriers, airports, airline pilots, aircraft dispatchers, air traffic control specialists and FAA staff unions, business and general aviation representatives, as well as experts in aviation security and cyber security.
In early January, the senator said he and Klobuchar spoke with interim FAA administrator Billy Nolen after the system failed to discuss the agency’s efforts to find out what caused the outage and prevent similar failures. .
