Facility for Runway Operations and Safe Transportation Act

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support, also, of H.R. 3423, the Facility for Runway Operations and Safe Transportation Act, the FROST Act, a bill that would make it easier for U.S. airports to store certain critical safety equipment.

I thank Representative Wied for introducing this bipartisan bill as well as his Democratic cosponsors, Representatives Scholten and Representative Gillen.

Deicing an aircraft is a vital part to maintaining safe flight operations, particularly during takeoff. As ice and snow accumulate on an aircraft's surface, particularly its wings, it can make the aircraft much harder to control and fly. That is why operators are federally mandated to use deicing equipment when ice and snow accumulate to ensure that the plane can be operated safely.

This equipment is so important that improper use has been cited by the National Transportation Safety Board, or failure to have it at all, as a cause of multiple aviation accidents, including a very famous one right here on the Potomac River, a flight that took off in 1982 from Ronald Reagan Airport.

Moreover, with climate change contributing to more extreme weather across the country, deicing fluids and equipment have become even more of a necessity.

The ability for airports to store this equipment on property is essential to safe and efficient flight operations. Unfortunately, as my colleague has mentioned, current law only allows airports to use their AIP funding, the Airport Improvement Program funding, toward aircraft deicing equipment and structures but not the storage facilities that house that equipment. It is almost comical, but this is a serious issue and something that we have to resolve.

This is a commonsense piece of legislation that we have gotten together in a bipartisan way here to address.

H.R. 3423 would address this oversight by clarifying that airports can use AIP funds on storage facilities for aircraft deicing equipment and fluids.

Bolstering airports' ability to enhance aviation safety is a commonsense solution that we should all support.

I thank Representative Wied, Representative Scholten, and Representative Gillen for sponsoring this important bipartisan bill, and I urge my colleagues to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 3423, the FROST Act, and I urge my colleagues to do the same with this commonsense piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3423) to amend title 49, United States Code, to include aircraft deicing storage facilities in the definition of airport development, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 3423, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in support of H.R. 3423, the Facility for Runway Operations and Safe Transportation Act, which will allow storage facilities for aircraft deicing fluids and equipment to be acquired through the Airport Improvement Program, AIP, funds.

Under the current structure, AIP funds can be used to acquire aircraft deicing equipment, and when it comes to the storage facilities that house that very same equipment, airports are forced to utilize alternative and less reliable funding mechanisms. If you can use AIP funds to purchase the equipment, you should be able to use those same funding mechanisms to acquire the necessary facilities to house and protect the equipment.

I thank Mr. Wied for his leadership on this commonsense piece of legislation.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Wied), my friend who knows a little bit about snow and ice.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, aircraft deicing equipment is critical, as we all know, for ensuring safe aircraft operations and the ability to maintain aircraft performance during colder months and during inclement circumstances.

The Airport Improvement Program was established to fund essential airport infrastructure projects that enhance safety and mitigate issues that cold weather can bring.

H.R. 3423 is simple yet effective. It ensures storage facilities for aircraft deicing fluids and equipment can be acquired with the Airport Improvement Program funds.

I took a tour of an airport in my district not long ago, and this very issue came up as a frustration they were facing. As such, I am proud to support this commonsense piece of legislation, and I urge support of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 3423, the Facility for Runway Operations and Safe Transportation Act, or the FROST Act.

This bipartisan legislation makes a simple but critical update to title 49 of the United States Code by including aircraft deicing storage facilities in the definition of airport development.

In cold weather States like Wisconsin and many others across the country, safe and efficient deicing operations are essential to keeping passengers, crews, and cargo moving during winter months.

Aircraft are uniquely sensitive to any amount of ice and snow that accumulates on the airframe, causing irregularities that add weight, interrupt airflow, and can come loose during flight, potentially damaging critical flight systems.

By clarifying that these storage facilities qualify for Federal Airport Improvement Program funding, the FROST Act empowers airports to invest in infrastructure that protects lives and strengthens regional economies.

This bill reflects a shared commitment to aviation safety and practical governance. It has support from both sides of the aisle and has been favorably reported by the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense measure.