February 6, 2012

Washington, D.C.- Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued the following statement after the Senate voted 75-20 to approve a long-term compromise that will keep the Federal Aviation Administration running and hundreds of thousands of Americans working.

This bipartisan agreement will create or save more than 280,000 jobs while bringing our nation’s air-travel infrastructure into the 21^stcentury. This measure is a compromise: no one got everything they wanted. But after 23 short-term extensions of the FAA dating back to 2007, this four-year agreement protects American jobs and the rights of workers, while avoiding another shutdown. This bill will also modernize our air traffic control system by finally transitioning many airports from World War II-era technology to cutting-edge, GPS navigation. For states like Nevada, which depend on tourism, this bill is vital. Altogether, this legislation protects passengers by reducing delays, making our skies safer and making airlines more fuel-efficient, while saving hundreds of thousands of jobs, including thousands of construction workers. 

“I applaud Senator Rockefeller and Representative John Mica for their willingness to compromise and put the national interest ahead of partisan politics. This is what the American people expect their elected officials to do, and I hope we can continue to move forward in this spirit of bipartisanship.”

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