Today Senator Reverend Warnock joined Bloomberg TV to tout his victories in the pending Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization legislation, including major investments to bolster the aviation workforce

Senator Reverend Warnock highlighted the legislation’s provisions to protect fliers’ safety and increase consumer protection provisions

Additionally, Senator Reverend Warnock rejected misleading claims surrounding the ongoing debate around additional DCA slots and recently sent a bipartisan letter urging his colleagues to support the current compromise in the bill

Senator Reverend Warnock: “Our aviation industry is so very important to the American economy and of course, we want to make sure that consumers and flyers are safe and that our airlines operate in an efficient manner”

Watch Senator Reverend Warnock on Bloomberg TV HERE

Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), a member of the Senate Commerce committee, which oversees national transportation and aviation policy, joined Bloomberg TV’s “Balance of Power”  to underscore the importance of passing the FAA reauthorization bill. During the interview, Senator Warnock highlighted provisions he secured aimed at bolstering the aviation workforce and advocated for adding an additional five daily round trips at DCA, increasing access to the nation’s capital. Senator Warnock is leading the charge to add the additional five trips to DCA and successfully crafted the bipartisan agreement with House and Senate leaders included in the bicameral FAA bill.

See below excerpts from Senator Warnock’s interview with Bloomberg TV:

ON WORKFORCE:

Senator Reverend Warnock: “We’ve been working on this bill for more than a year, I have been especially focused on the issue of bolstering our workforce pipeline.”

“We have a shortage of pilots, aviation mechanics, other people who work in the industry and we are barely pulling from all of our human talent. I have provisions in the bill that addresses that along with other things.”

“I’m proud of Georgia, Georgia is a great aviation state, it holds the world’s busiest, most efficient airport, Hartsfield-Jackson.”

ON REAUTHORIZATION:

Senator Reverend Warnock: “Our aviation industry is so very important to the American economy and of course, we want to make sure that consumers and flyers are safe and that our airlines operate in an efficient manner.”

“We are in the midst of the sausage making that happens in Congress, I think that there is a commitment, a large consensus, that we need to try to get this over the finish line and I remain hopeful that we will.”

“I’m glad that as part of the FAA, part of what will happen is that we will reauthorize that National Transportation Safety Board, that’s important when you look at issues like what happened with Alaska Airlines, the train derailment in Palestine, Ohio, the bridge in Baltimore, a bridge that I know well, I pastored in Baltimore and we’re rooting for our friends there.”

ON DCA SLOTS:

Kailey Leinz (Bloomberg): “There is some disagreement even between you and some of your other democratic colleagues around certain provisions, including more flights out of DCA. […] I know you are for it, what do you say to those who suggest that adding slots at Regan could potentially lead to further delays or even safety risks?

SRW: “I have great respect and affection for my colleagues […] but they are wrong on this issue. […] This will not compromise safety in any way, we have addressed this issue with the FAA. We want to make sure that flyers throughout our country have access to the nation’s capital.”

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