Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo, R-N.J. (2nd CD), issued the following news release:

U.S. Representative Frank A. LoBiondo (NJ-02), the only New Jersey Representative on the House Aviation Subcommittee, today applauded the House passage of H.R. 915, the "Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2009." The legislation includes a number of provisions benefiting South Jersey requested by LoBiondo.

"This is outstanding news for the FAA Tech Center, its employees and the entire region. This bill reaffirms the exceptional work being conducted at the Tech Center to modernize the nation's antiquated air traffic control system, and will allow their efforts to be implemented quicker," said LoBiondo. "It is critical for passengers, the airlines and countless FAA employees that the Congress approves the FAA Reauthorization bill. I am pleased the House has taken the first step in this process and hope that the Senate will promptly follow suit."

LoBiondo was pleased that the House-passed bill included a number of provisions he had sought, such as:

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL MODERNIZATION AND NEXTGEN

* $13.4 billion for FAA Facilities & Equipment to accelerate the implementation of the Next Generation Air Transportation System ("NextGen"), which is currently being developed at the FAA Technical Center in Pomona. This funding would also enable FAA to make needed repairs and replacement of existing facilities and equipment and also provide for the implementation of high-priority safety-related systems.

CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

* Establishes a Center of Excellence in the research and development of the "NextGen" in cooperation with the proposed Aviation Research Park. The Center would bring together professionals at the FAA Technical Center in Pomona with experts in the aviation industry and academia to research and develop the new technologies that will power the next generation of air travel in the U.S. It also allows the FAA to provide funding to support such activities. The Center of Excellence would build on efforts already underway locally by Atlantic County, the Richard Stockton College, local industry and the FAA Technical Center to establish an Aviation Research Park on the grounds.

ACTUAL CONTROL

* Clarification that U.S. citizens must be in actual control of all operations of a U.S. airline. This provision would block any further effort by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to allow foreign entities to control U.S. domestic airlines. LoBiondo has been a leading voice against allowing foreign operational control of U.S. airlines. In 2006, LoBiondo authored an amendment to block the initial efforts by the DOT.