National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) President and CEO Ed Bolen Wednesday, Dec., 1, lauded Rep. Peter DeFazio’s (D-Oregon) longtime service to the country and decades-long commitment to protecting the nation’s aviation system, following the announcement of his intent to retire from Congress at the end of his current term.
DeFazio leads the U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I), and has served on that committee since his election to represent Oregon’s 4th congressional district in 1987.
“Congressman DeFazio has been extraordinarily thoughtful, thorough and hard-working in everything in which he has been involved, including an in-depth understanding of, and appreciation for, matters affecting our national aviation community,” Bolen said. “I believe his tenure in Congress reflects the very dedication to policy and public service the framers of the Constitution must have had in mind when establishing the House of Representatives.”
DeFazio is perhaps best known for his steadfast work to develop and maintain a robust multimodal national transportation system. He has also played a key role in reauthorizing funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and is among the original members of the House General Aviation Caucus, a group formed with NBAA’s support in 2009, to inform lawmakers and staff about the importance of general aviation to the nation’s economy and transportation system.
In a 2016 “Capital View” column for NBAA’s Business Aviation Insider magazine, DeFazio provided a thorough explanation of the reasons behind his opposition to the then-current movement on Capitol Hill to privatize the nation’s air traffic control (ATC) system. He further expressed his staunch support for maintaining FAA oversight of ATC and pledged to “continue to fight to preserve Americans’ right to use the airspace that belongs to all of us, not special interests.”
In announcing his retirement, DeFazio said it was “time for me to pass the baton to the next generation, so I can focus on my health and well-being,” adding he still has “a lot of work to do in my remaining 13 months” in office.
