House committee tells FAA to work with Defense Department to eliminate TFRs

The House of Representatives is telling the FAA and Department of Defense to reevaluate the need for temporary flight restriction areas imposed after 9/11. Responding to information presented by AOPA, the House on June 6 filed report language as part of the FAA's reauthorization bill that reiterates AOPA's concerns with post-9/11 DOD TFRs. House Report 108-143 encourages the FAA to work with DOD representatives and all affected parties to evaluate the need for ongoing DOD-requested TFRs.

Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) worked with the House Transportation Committee to address the operational impacts of DOD-related TFRs in the Puget Sound area of Washington state and across the country. He secured the AOPA-supported language in the House report. Rep. Chris Chocola (R-Ind.), an AOPA member, was vocal with the committee regarding his support for Larsen's request. The report language accompanies the FAA's reauthorization bill (H.R.2115) that is slated for a vote today (Wednesday).

"With this language, our friends on Capitol Hill are showing strong support for AOPA's quest to have unnecessary airspace restrictions eliminated," said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government and Technical Affairs Andrew Cebula. "AOPA has made repeated requests to the DOD and other agencies to rescind these TFRs."

The FAA rescinded the TFR over Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Missouri, in May. Yesterday the FAA canceled a post-9/11 TFR in the Valdez, Alaska, Class E airspace area.

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