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What president-elect Trump and a new Congress mean for GA

Editor's note: This story was updated Nov. 10 with additional election results.

Following months of debates, rallies, fact checks, and polls, election results are in, and AOPA will begin to work with a new White House and Congress on issues that matter to pilots. 

The president's administration in the White House is one of the many government agencies with influence over general aviation. Photo by David Tulis.

AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Advocacy Jim Coon noted that president-elect Donald Trump will be a friend to general aviation considering he is an aircraft owner and campaigned on rebuilding America’s infrastructure, including airports.

Trump’s campaign website says the now president-elect will “implement a bold, visionary plan for a cost-effective system of roads, bridges, tunnels, airports, railroads, ports and waterways, and pipelines,” and “work with Congress to modernize our airports and air traffic control systems."

Trump currently owns four aircraft, a Boeing 757-200, a Cessna Citation X, and two Sikorsky S-76B helicopters.

Coon said AOPA will reach out to new incoming members of Congress and Trump’s transition team to discuss the value of GA to the economy and key issues that affect the future of aviation in America.

“AOPA has a number of important issues to address for general aviation, and we look forward to working with the incoming Trump Administration and the new Congress,” said Coon.

Trump is scheduled to take the oath of office on Jan. 20, 2017.

Capitol Hill, along with the White House, will see some new faces. 

Two notable losses from members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee came with Stephanie Murphy’s (D-Fla.) defeat of Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) and state Sen. Ruben Kihuen’s (D-Nev.) victory over Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-Nev.).

Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), the chair of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee and cosponsor of the Pilot’s Bill of Rights 2, also lost her New Hampshire Senate race against Gov. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.). 

At least 32 members of the House GA Caucus and one member of the Senate GA Caucus will not return to office.

Joe Kildea
Joe Kildea
AOPA Senior Director of Communications
Joe is a student pilot and his first solo flight was at AOPA’s home airport in Frederick, Maryland. Before joining AOPA in 2015, he worked for numerous political campaigns, news organizations, and the White House Press Office.
Topics: Capitol Hill, GA Caucuses, Advocacy

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