Regulations and Government
Industry cautious about effect of Congressional power shift
Rep.

Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), the ranking minority member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, is no fan of aviation user fees. General aviation interests should be heartened because he is expected to become chairman of the committee that is responsible for FAA funding when the 110th Congress convenes early next month.

Shortly after the midterm elections in which the Democrats regained a majority in both houses of Congress, Oberstar said at a press conference that he favors continuing the aviation fuel tax for general aviation. He called eliminating the current passenger ticket tax–as proposed by the airlines–a “dumb idea.”