This week the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released the draft of an FAA reauthorization bill, the 21st Century AIRR Act, that would remove air traffic control from the FAA and create a new private, non-profit corporation to run the nation's air traffic control system. The bill gives the privatized ATC corporation authority to enact new user fees to be paid by system users. While the bill also exempts general aviation operators from paying a user fee for air traffic control services, there is no guarantee that a future Congress or administration wouldn't remove that exemption. (The companion Senate bill proposes neither ATC privatization or aviation user fees.)

All general aviation associations oppose both the concept of ATC privatization and of user fees. USPA has joined these groups in fighting both concepts. Now we need your help. Please take action now to ensure that Congress rejects both the ATC privatization and the user fee idea. Talking points for your email or phone call are available in the form of a model letter. If you are a DZO or DZ staff, you can add concerns about how a privatized ATC would negatively affect your business activity.

On the House of Representatives website, enter your zip code to be directed to your one Representative's contact information. Once there, you can provide information about yourself and state that you are opposed to a privatized ATC. Ask your representative to reject the idea of privatizing ATC, and to leave ATC within the FAA as a governmental function.

Or you can use this link--govtrack.us/congress/members--to find your Representative and their phone number; you'll speak with their legislative aid. Let them know you are in the Representative's district, and that you are opposed to ATC privatization as proposed in the House's 21st Century AIRR Act.