Kilmer Legislation to Enhance Resiliency and Emergency Response Capabilities Passes House
Bipartisan Resilient Airports Act Passes House as Part of Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) announced that the Resilient Airports Act, a bipartisan effort to improve emergency and disaster response capabilities at airports nationwide, including those located in rural communities, passed the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the Securing Growth and Robust Leadership in American Aviation Act.
“I can’t emphasize enough the importance of our airports in times of crisis, particularly for the folks in Washington's rural communities,” said Rep. Kilmer. “Out on the Olympic Peninsula, and in my hometown of Port Angeles, airports are the backbone of our emergency response systems – yet they're not invulnerable to natural disasters or the impacts of climate change. Today, I’m proud to see the House take a big step toward helping to guarantee our airports have the resources they need to stay strong and reliable – because when our airports are resilient, our communities are too.”
Rep. Kilmer’s bill would expand the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) eligibility criteria, enabling more airports to receive funding for crucial infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing resilience against earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, wildfires, and other natural disasters. Also, the bill would help to ensure that general aviation airports designated as federal staging areas by the Federal Emergency Management Agency are eligible for AIP funds.
Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration provides AIP grants to public agencies – and, in some cases, to private owners and entities – for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems.
The Resilient Airports Act is endorsed by the Port of Port Angeles.
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