Lawmakers To President: Aviation User Fees Won’t Fly

A record 223 members of the House of Representatives have signed a letter to President Obama opposing his continued support of a $100-per-flight fee on commercial and general aviation. “Aviation user fees have been proposed in your last two budgets and Congress rejected them,” the letter said. “Aviation user fees have been proposed by different Administrations, both Republican and Democrat, and again Congress has repeatedly and overwhelmingly rejected them.”

Aviation subcommittee chairman Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) and ranking member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), along with House General Aviation Caucus co-chairs Reps. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and John Barrow (D-Ga.), drafted the letter as a preemptive measure to the likely proposed increase.

President Obama’s previous two budgets have included a $100-per-flight fee; Congress has rejected it each time. “Opposition to raising aviation user fees is only growing in Congress,” LoBiondo said. “The Administration should take the hint and permanently ground this idea.” The President’s budget proposal is scheduled to be released tomorrow.