To:
Jackson, Ryan[jackson.ryan@epa.gov]
From: Morning Transportation
Sent: Tue 6/6/2017 2:04:41 PM
Subject: POLITICO'S Morning Transportation, presented by Delta Air Lines: Will Trump's support help
ATC overhaul get off the ground? -- Same old hurdles -- Legislative work piles up
By Lauren Gardner and Tanya Snyder | 06/06/2017 10:00 AM EDT
With help from Brianna Gurciullo, Stephanie Beasley and Kathryn A. Wolfe
IS TRUMP ENOUGH? On Monday President Donald Trump ceremoniously "signed" a set of documents pledging his support for separating air traffic control from the FAA and outlining the principles Congress must enshrine to win his support. It's a big shot in the arm for efforts to change the way air traffic control is operated - but will it be enough?
Same old hurdles: There's no denying Trump's support - not only this week, but sustained over the next few months - is key. But the principles he endorsed Monday do little to change the dynamics of the debate on Capitol Hill and off, and the reality is that the same constituencies that tanked a similar effort by House Transportation Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) are still in play, from senators reluctant to endorse what some view as a kick in the teeth for rural and general aviation interests to tax-writers and appropriators in both chambers loath to give up jurisdiction.
Key messaging point: The axle on which much of Trump (and Shuster's) rhetorical argument about why their plan is better balances is the extent to which you believe that the FAA is a shuffling bureaucratic golem incapable of realizing NextGen. Tramp and his advisers spent Monday arguing that the shift they seek will increase safety by unmooring the air traffic organization from the vagaries of Congress and its herky-jerky appropriations process and supercharging the timeline for NextGen. But critics of the proposal say the FAA has already implemented large pieces of NextGen's functionality and that the rest is soon to come; they counter that the disruptive transition would end up setting things back.
WELCOME TO TUESDAY: Thanks for tuning in to POLITICO'S Morning Transportation, your daily tipsheet on all things trains, planes, automobiles and ports. Send us tips, feedback and lyrics to tsiiyder@politico.com or @TSnyderDC and lgardner@politico.com or @GardnerJLM.
"Like a million elephants and silverback orangutans / You can't stop a train / Who want some? Don't come unprepared ... "
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Thune tepid: Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune's cautious reaction to Tramp's announcement underscored the need for "bipartisan support as well as a consensus among the aviation community on a way forward" - a consensus that doesn't yet exist. Meanwhile, even allies of Shuster's plan, like the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, are awaiting more details before they come take a formal position on Tramp's version, though the principles would appear to hew to what NATCA needs to ensure its support.
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Just where is NATCA?: In his remarks, Trump seemed to suggest that NATCA supports his effort, saying "crucially, these reforms are supported by air traffic controllers themselves. They're the ones that know the systems themselves. They know it better than anybody." However, while NATCA has endorsed Shuster's bill, they so far have only said they are reviewing Trump's plan. Later, White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said NATCA had attended the White House briefing along with other supporters of Trump's proposal; NATCA told us later that in fact the group was not there.
What would the plan do? Many details remain to be filled in, but the biggest difference between what Trump endorsed and what Shuster put forward last year appears to be the makeup of the new entity's governing board, which in Trump's plan would appear to give the airline industry less overt dominance, and would guarantee airports a seat. As our Kathryn A. Wolfe and Brianna Gurciullo report, Trump and his advisers have promised this new system would result in less fees for passengers and repeatedly noted that a similar nonprofit Canadian system has cut costs.
THREE-BILL PILEUP: While Trump's infrastructure week aims to put more meat on the bones of one of the president's top legislative priorities, his ambitious pitches - remember rewriting the health care law and tackling a tax code overhaul? - add on to an already jampacked congressional calendar that threatens to collapse under its weight, our Lauren Gardner and POLITICO'S Andrew Restuccia report . On infrastructure, lawmakers are largely still in the discussion stages, with House T&I members divvying up the work by focusing on issues areas where they each ave expertise, Rail Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Denham told MT - though the wild card of whether or not a package will hitch a ride with tax legislation remains. "It could change the timeline quite a bit, depending," he said.
'Describe your perfect date': Former Transportation Secretary (and congressman) Ray LaHood told MT what's been on the minds of many in Washington - there's a limited time frame for Congress and administrations to pass heavy-lift bills (especially if there's going to be any serious effort to address sustainable revenue streams for things like roads), and it's getting to be crunch time. If "Congress doesn't really begin to start talking about the funding alternatives by the August recess, I think a lot of time has been lost and I think we're right back behind the curve again in terms of getting anything done," LaHood said. "The tough votes need to be taken this year," he added - though perhaps April 25, 2018, could still be in the cards, because all you need then is a light jacket.
Side note: Trump is expected to meet with top GOP congressional leaders today. We have some guesses as to what issues may come up.
** A message from Delta Air Lines: Our daily briefing: At Delta we're constantly innovating to make your travel smoother. We tapped RFID technology to keep your bags in check at all times. Giving you more peace of mind from check-in to baggage claim. Learn more: delta.com/dca **
ADVERSARIES ABOUND ON ATC: Democrats predictably lit into Trump's plan; here's one of the more colorful quotes from Sen. Chuck Schumer: The plan would "put the same airline companies who have added baggage fees, change fees and shrunk leg room in charge of the air
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traffic control system," leaving consumers with higher fees and fewer protections. He also bashed Trump's $1 trillion infrastructure proposal, rolling out a new phrase that you can expect to be hearing more of: "Trump tolls."
GA makes hay: General aviation groups piled on the hate. Here's a sampling to whet your appetite: National Air Transportation Association President Martin Hiller said the FAA's safety and air traffic wings are "already separate entities" so further separation isn't needed, and that the FAA "has given us the world's best safety record. There is no conflict of interest at the FAA." And Mark Baker, president and CEO of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, has "consistently said we will not support policies that impose user fees on general aviation." National Business Aviation Association President and CEO Ed Bolen said "the recent discussion about privatization is really about the airlines' push to gain more control over our air traffic control system, so that they can run it for their own benefit."
Between the lines: Delta Air Lines, which infamously left Airlines for America last year in part because they disagreed with the trade group's air traffic control overhaul position, was present at the White House briefing, which appears to have only been attended by supporters. When asked if the airline now supports removing air traffic control operations from the FAA, Delta spokeswoman Elizabeth Wolf would say only that the airline "looks forward to working with the administration and Congress on our shared goal of modernizing U.S. airspace. We remain committed to working together to identify ways to reduce delays, improve efficiency, and enhance airline performance while maximizing safety and minimizing costs."
Nary a peep: The chairmen of the House and Senate tax-writing and appropriations committees didn't put out statements on the ATC principles Monday. Both committees are integral to getting any proposal to Trump's desk.
DON'T HAVE AN ICAO: Amid all of the chatter about the United States possibly expanding an in-flight electronics ban, ICAO Council President Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu told airline CEOs Monday that the organization has established a task force to review security risks from explosives planted in laptops and other portable devices. The task force is expected to complete its investigation by September. In the meantime, Aliu urged airlines to ensure they balance safety and security when considering requirements for passengers to store large electronics in checked baggage.
NEW BLOOD: Trump tapped Steven Bradbury to be general counsel of Transportation and David Pekoske to be an assistant secretary of Homeland Security at TSA Monday evening. Bradbury is a litigator whose practice focuses on antitrust issues, rulemaking and regulatory enforcement with extensive experience with automotive safety and airline competition issues, having represented the Takata Corporation, American Airlines and US Airways in DOT proceedings. Pekoske is a retired Coast Guard vice commandant, the second-in-command and chief operating officer. Since retiring from the Coast Guard, he has worked in the government services industry on the provision of homeland security and intelligence related services.
ABOUT YOUR TRIP TO NEW YORK THIS SUMMER ... Amtrak, NJ TRANSIT and Long Island Rail Road have come up with their maintenance schedule for Penn Station's "summer of
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agony," as New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo calls it. They're shooting to do most of the work on weekends, but between July 10 and September 1, there will be three fewer Northeast Regional trains each way between New York and Washington. Check here for changes to the Keystone, Empire and Crescent lines.
TODAY IN DELAYS: NHTSA has stayed the effective date of its minimum sound standards for hybrid and electric vehicles until Sept. 5, the agency said in a notice posted late Friday to the Federal Register website. The extra time is needed in part for regulators to respond to petitions for reconsideration of the requirements.
IT'S A BIRD, IT'S A PLANE, IT'S A DRONE LOBBYIST! Matthew Satterley, former legislative director for Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.), is now registered to lobby for AirMap on the execution of the most recent FAA extension, "unmanned traffic management" and matters connected to the Drone Advisory Committee.
THE AUTOBAHN:
- "U.S. plans to update self-driving guidelines in coming months." Reuters.
- "Metro failed to clear hard drives of computers put up for auction." NBC Washington.
- "Amtrak ends some speed limits blamed for daily travel delays." The Associated Press.
- "Why Trump's plan to privatize air traffic control could end up costing more." Vox.
- "Trump's plan to privatize air traffic control could expedite drone delivery in the U.S." Recode.
- "Trump loves his rural base, but will they lose under his plan to privatize FAA?" McClatchy.
- "Silicon Valley has explaining to do on robo cars, Chao says." Bloomberg.
- "Airline-industry profit outlook improves as Europe bounces back." Bloomberg.
- "U.S. judge may tap Feinberg to run $1 bln Takata compensation fund." Reuters.
THE COUNTDOWN: DOT appropriations run out in 117 days. The FAA reauthorization expires in 117 days. Highway and transit policy is up for renewal in 1,213 days.
** A message from Delta Air Lines: Our daily briefing: At Delta we're constantly innovating to make your travel smoother. We tapped into RFID technology to keep your bags in check at all times. Giving you more peace of mind from check-in to baggage claim.
Our pursuit of constantly solving problems doesn't stop there. Turbulence is notoriously difficult to predict. That's why we developed our industry-leading Flight Weather Viewer app. It helps our pilots better spot and avoid unexpected turbulence with real-time graphics of observations and forecasts on the flight deck. Making your journey smoother while also reducing our carbon
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footprint. Learn more: delta.com/dca **
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