National League of Cities Statement on the Passage of FAA Bill with Disaster Recovery Reform

WASHINGTON — October 3, 2018 — With the passage of the H.R. 302 (115) in the Senate today, the National League of Cities (NLC) President Mark Stodola, mayor of Little Rock, Arkansas, released the following statement:

“Cities are the hubs of our national airport system, and the passage of this FAA bill under the leadership of Rep. Shuster and Sen. Thune will keep cities and our economy moving. With aviation funding secured for five years and plans for essential air service funding, airport improvement, drone integration and contract towers that reach rural areas, cities now have certainty on how to partner with the FAA to build up an airspace that meets our needs on the ground. As drones take off under this FAA bill, cities will continue to lead on drone usage for emergency response and integrate drones into our city transportation networks.”

“We applaud the inclusion of the Disaster Recovery Reform Act (DRRA) in this FAA legislation, which prioritizes disaster preparedness and community resiliency. Congress has clearly heard cities’ call to rebuild stronger, and the DRRA will shift federal resources to help communities be proactive to mitigate risk and make neighborhoods safer. Investment in mitigation, both pre- and post-disaster, is the best defense against natural disasters, and it will reduce future federal spending for disaster recovery. The National League of Cities also commends Congress for setting stricter limitations on the ability of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to claw-back previously approved funds distributed to local governments for disaster relief efforts. Cities remain committed to using these new tools to rebuild and to drive forward solutions for all American communities.”

Thousands of city leaders will gather November 7-10 in Los Angeles, California, for NLC’s annual City Summit conference. City Summit is the only national meeting that offers best practices and networking opportunities for both elected officials and city staff.