State and Local Government Organizations Release Joint Statement Urging Support on Amendment #3558 to H.R. 636 - Senate FAA 2016 Reauthorization Act

WASHINGTON, April 11, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National League of Cities (NLC), National Governors Association (NGA), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM), and the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) today released the following statement urging the members to adopt a bipartisan amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2016.

Amendment No. 3558 to H.R. 636 would preserve the balance of federal, state and local regulatory authority to ensure the continued safe integration of unmanned aerial systems (UAS). The amendment was submitted by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and co-sponsored by Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn). 

"Section 2152 of The Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016 broadly and unjustifiably preempts state and local authority. It also goes well beyond the basic assertion of the FAA's authority to regulate the safety of the national airspace system.

"Further, it infringes on traditional state and local powers to protect the basic rights of citizens and address gaps in federal regulations related to UAS. We offer our full support for amendment No. 3558 from Sen. Dianne Feinstein to preserve the balance of federal, state and local regulatory authority and ensure the continued safe integration of UAS."

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SOURCE National League of Cities