Remarks Upon Signing the Airport and Airway Development Act Amendments of 1976

Secretary Coleman, distinguished Members of Congress, and distinguished guests:

It is a great pleasure to participate in this signing ceremony this morning. I am signing into law the Airport and Airway Development Act [Amendments] of 1976, which will provide sufficient funds in the next 4 years to keep America on the move.

The Airport and Airway Development Act of 1976 will make possible the continuing modernization of our airways, airports, and related facilities in communities throughout the 50 States. This legislation will give to the various departments increased flexibility to local authorities in the management and the development of the airport facilities and in starting to solve the airport noise problem. It will make possible thousands of jobs in aviation-related activities.

Significantly, this act will combat inflation because the funding for these airport and airway improvements will come from the users of the airways and the airport facilities--the users of aviation. Moreover, for the first time since 1971, maintenance of the air navigation systems will be funded in part out of the airport trust fund. In a sense, this is a "pay-as-you-fly" program.

Appropriately, the Airport and Airway Development Act of 1976 coincides with the 50th anniversary of scheduled air transportation in the United States. Secretary of Transportation Coleman and Federal Aviation Administrator McLucas, working closely with Members of the House and Senate and with the participation of the entire aviation community, have brought forward a measure which will assure continued U.S. leadership in technology, efficiency, and safety of air transportation.

This farsighted and cooperative effort will assure that our country continues to benefit from the world's best aviation system. And I congratulate all the parties that had a part in this significant progress in the field of aviation. So, it is with great pleasure that I do sign this bill and again congratulate all who had a part in it.