The U.S. House of Representatives on July 20 approved legislation to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that includes an amendment from U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) that would designate an Ohio airport as a primary airport having commercial service. The bill now heads to the U.S. Senate for action.
“With travel returning to pre-pandemic levels, flight delays and cancellations continue to inconvenience travelers across the country,” Rep. Joyce said. “I am proud to support this bill to advance the performance of the FAA, grow the aviation workforce, invest in airport infrastructure, and improve passenger experience.
“This legislation is critical to continue America’s global leadership in aviation and will have a direct benefit for communities across northeast Ohio,” added the congressman.
The House voted 351-69 to pass the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act, H.R. 3935, which reauthorizes funding for FAA programs, as well as aviation safety and infrastructure programs for the next five years.
The reauthorization bill contains Rep. Joyce’s amendment, which would designate the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport (YNG) and Youngstown Air Reserve Station (YARS) as a primary airport.
Currently, YNG is the only commercial airport in the country with an Air Reserve Station that does not have commercial air service, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Joyce’s staff. When YNG/YARS lost commercial air service in 2018, the FAA reduced the annual maintenance funding at the airfield, the summary says.
Rep. Joyce and U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) earlier this year introduced a stand-alone bill that would designate YNG/YARS as a primary airport. The language from that bill was included in the House-approved H.R. 3935.