Aopa Pilot December 2004 [antikvár]

PRESIDENT'SPOSITION BY PHIL BOYER The November election Thank goodness the 2004 presidential election is now behind us. Many of you were recipients of the more than four million AOPA ePilot airspace alerts sent until tlie campaigning ended. During the last few months more than a few members have asked me, "Whom should I vote for?" It was tlieir way of looking for their association's point of view on the election, and which presidential candidate would be best for general aviation. Hopefully you read both candidates' answers to eight tough questions about GA in the October issue of AOPA Pilot. The fact is AOPA doesn't endorse a candidate for president. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, I would get a lifetime supply of e-mail from opponents and wouldn't have time for anytfdng else. Even though both candidates are pUots and one of them would be in die country's "left seat," it is the people in Congress—the 100 Senators and 435 representatives— who have the most significant and direct impact on GA in the coming months and years. Congress holds the power over budgets for agencies such as the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration. Congress also must be involved in all key decision making, such as privatizing our air traffic control system, which would ultimately lead to user fees. It is in the various committees of Congress where the heavy lifting really gets done. In the Senate the most important committees are the Commerce and Appropriations—along with the ttansportation and aviation subcommittees. In the House, critical to general aviation are the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the Appropriations Committee, along with their aviation subcommittees. The members of those committees— and the people who chair tiiem—are critically important to GA and are people with whom AOPA Legislative Affairs staffers work on a regular basis to really get things done. There is possibly good news and not so good news on the Senate side with the Commerce Committee. It appears that Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), a military pilot and private pilot, who certainly understands general aviation, will step in as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who won handily in Arizona, will relinquish his chair of this important committee because of term limits. However, McCain, who has not always seen eye to eye vyith me and others on user fees, will likely remain an active member of the Commerce Committee on aviation issues. The aviation subcommittee on the House side—the forum for public debate and my frequent testimony about such criti- cal issues as airspace access, the Meigs Legacy rule, and the airport improvement grant program—will continue under the leadership of Chairman John Mica (R-Fla.). He is likely rejoined on the subcommittee by ranking member Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), who also won reelection; both are friends and understand the value of general aviation. Friends of general aviation will also guide the full Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where Chairman Don Young (R-Alaska) and Ranking Member James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.) will continue their leadership roles. And seven AOPA members returned to the aviation subcommittee. There are two types of committees in Congress where we have many friends and that provide the all-important funding. The authorizing committees in both the Senate and House fill tiie "checkbook"—along with guidelines as to how the monies can be spent. The appropriations committees in the House and Senate provide specific direction for how these checking accotmt dollars can be spent. As an example, the authorizing committee might say, "Use this amount of money [in the account] to improve airports." The appropriators would follow with, "Spend X dollars on a new ILS at Y airport." Across 16 administrations since AOPA's inception in 1939, we have established strong relationships with many key elected officials in Washington, D.C. Your association maintains a political action committee (PAC). Using funds given to it by AOPA members on a sti-icdy voluntary basis, AOPA's PAC provides financial support to candidates for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives who are likely to support AOPA's positions on issues before Congress. Thanks to the consistent support of pilots like you, the AOPA Legislative Action PAC is one of the largest and most effective candidate-support organizations in the field of transportation. All PAC funds come from donations that are completely separate from association dues or AOPA Air Safety Foundation donations. Donations do not get us votes. But tiiese donations do help us get the attention and time of the candidates. As supporters who helped them get or keep their jobs, it can often be easier to get in to see tiiem in order to represent you, tiie member. This year the AOPA PAC donated approximately $500,000 to 105 candidates, with a 95-percent success rate in the November election. Great odds if you were to think of it in terms of a visit to Las Vegas or Adantic City! As the 109fli Congress convenes after die first of tiie year, my schedule and your Washington staff schedules will be loaded with meetings to acquaint those newly elected to the issues and interests of their general aviation constituents, as represented by AOPA. It's a gruehng schedule, but a necessary one, to ensure your voice is heard when it comes to those aviaUoti areas that Congress plays such a key role in conti-olling. IM AOPA PILOT. 4 . DECEMBER 2004