Houston Daily

Aviation Subcommittee Chairman Troy E. Nehls (R-TX) delivered opening remarks at a hearing titled “The State of American Aviation,” where he addressed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Bryan Bedford, who was appearing before Congress for the first time since his appointment.

Nehls began by acknowledging the fatal accident in Washington, D.C., on January 29, which resulted in 67 deaths. He stated, "To the families here with us today, my commitment to you remains steadfast, and I can assure you that this subcommittee will continue to do everything in its capacity to make sure a tragedy like this never happens again."

He noted that the incident prompted renewed efforts within the aviation industry to address issues such as deficiencies, lack of communication and coordination, and neglect. Nehls said he would wait for the National Transportation Safety Board’s final report before pursuing legislative action but pointed out that immediate steps had already been taken. These included permanent route changes and helicopter restrictions near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), adjustments to air traffic control staffing and arrival flow at DCA, and new ADS-B Out requirements for most aircraft near DCA’s Class Bravo Airspace.

Nehls remarked on the importance of ongoing safety improvements: "In times like those, we are served with the stark reminder that aviation safety is a journey rather than a destination." He added that following the tragedy, there was a strong focus on “air traffic control modernization.”

Discussing current developments in American aviation, Nehls described it as “busy,” emphasizing that this activity reflects positive momentum driven by innovation and modernization efforts. He referenced initiatives aimed at increasing air traffic controller recruitment and regulatory changes intended to foster innovation.

Nehls expressed support for Administrator Bedford: "Administrator Bedford, I believe that you are the man for the job. The task is unprecedented, but you have two documents that ought to serve as a roadmap." He identified these as the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024—which calls for phasing out legacy systems across the National Airspace System (NAS) and implementing NextGen programs—and the Administration’s Air Traffic Control Modernization Plan. Congress has allocated $12.5 billion for radar replacement and upgrades to FAA telecommunications infrastructure.

He stressed congressional oversight of these funds: "Administrator Bedford, this subcommittee will be conducting oversight of that $12.5 billion to ensure we avoid the absolute disaster that was NextGen. The stakes are too high, and we simply can’t afford to get this wrong. We owe it to the American people and to every single AA 5342 family."

Nehls concluded by thanking Administrator Bedford for attending and expressing interest in his perspective on American aviation.

Troy Nehls has represented Texas’ 22nd Congressional District since winning election in 2020 against Sri Preston Kulkarni with 51.5% of the vote. He secured re-election in 2022 against Jamie Jordan with 62.2% of votes cast and again in 2024 against Marquette Greene-Scott with 62.1%.