Johnson votes in support of FAA reauthorization bill
July 20, 2023
Washington, D.C. – Today, South Dakota Congressman Dusty Johnson voted in support of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization bill when it passed the House. The Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act included Johnson’s amendment to protect South Dakota airports in Watertown, Aberdeen, and Pierre. The bill will now move to the Senate for a vote.
“Many South Dakotans drive hours to get to the nearest airport, I worked hard to successfully ensure rural communities don’t face further obstacles to air travel,” said Johnson. “If you’ve traveled in the last few years, you’re probably familiar with the woes of delays, cancellations, and expensive tickets. Improving the passenger experience was a mission for the aviation re-authorization bill, and I believe this bill gets us one flight closer to that goal.”
Additionally, Johnson’s amendment to accelerate environmental reviews for FAA projects was adopted unanimously. The amendment encourages the FAA to adopt interactive digital platforms, which have proven to shorten the amount of time spent reviewing documents for large projects by 50%. A typical environmental review process takes an average of 6.5 years to complete.
