Aeronautical Repair Station Association

If You’re Not at the Table, You’re on the Menu

Daniel FisherARSA has long stressed that the aviation maintenance industry must be engaged in Washington, in both the legislative and regulatory arenas. If you aren’t part of the decision making process, you will likely get left out or even get served on the menu.

Recently, there was a situation where repair stations weren’t at the table; we didn’t even receive an invitation.

On March 15, Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), introduced the Aviation Security Stakeholder Participation Act of 2013 (H.R. 1204). Thompson, the lead Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, had introduced a similar bill last Congress, which passed the House but got held up in the Senate.

H.R. 1204 directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to formally establish an Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) made up of industry stakeholders, security interests, consumer advocates, and labor organizations. The legislation mandates that the TSA consult the advisory committee on “aviation security matters, including on the development and implementation of policies, programs, rulemaking, and security directives pertaining to aviation security, while adhering to sensitive security guidelines.”

Seems reasonable enough, right? The legislation even contained a long list of industry groups and other organizations that should participate, including labor unions, manufacturers, air carriers, and passenger advocacy groups. Missing, however, were representatives from repair stations. Did lawmakers forget that they mandated the TSA conduct a major rulemaking on repair station security? Memories can get fuzzy. It has been over a decade since the rules were first required!

ARSA worked with Rep. Richard Hudson (R-N.C.), chairman of the Transportation Security Subcommittee, to secure the maintenance sector’s inclusion in the legislation. On Oct. 29, the Homeland Security Committee adopted an amendment to H.R. 1204 offered by Hudson requiring participation of “aeronautical repair stations” on the ASAC. The bill was later approved by the committee, including the amendment. The legislation could pass the House in the near future.

The Aviation Security Stakeholder Participation Act is indicative of the need for repair stations to remain engaged on Capitol Hill. Despite employing 306,000 workers and having a $47 billion per year impact on the U.S. economy, the aviation maintenance industry is often overlooked. The best way to ensure a seat at the table and protect the industry against being on the menu (trust me, there are many who would be happy to bite into contract maintenance) is to be actively engaged, politically and legislatively.

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November 26th, 2013

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