In a new letter, Aviation Subcommittee Members request regular briefings on the FAA’s ongoing efforts to ensure the rollout of 5G doesn’t compromise aviation safety
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Sam Graves (R-MO), Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation Rick Larsen (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Aviation Garret Graves (R-LA), and 25 of their colleagues on the Aviation Subcommittee requested the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provide bimonthly updates on the agency’s ongoing 5G efforts and progress.
In the letter, the members wrote: “It is critical that the concerns of all parties involved be taken seriously and the sharing of critical safety data be prioritized. Additionally, early and open lines of communication with all involved parties must be strengthened in order to adapt to a rapidly changing environment and ensure all voices are heard.”
They continued: “While we are supportive of the January 18, 2022, agreement reached between Verizon, AT&T, and the Biden Administration on 5G safety mitigations and deployment, many challenges and questions require further examination before this issue is resolved. Given the tremendous economic and safety ramifications of this ongoing issue, including the potential expiration of certain aviation safety mitigations, we respectfully request that the FAA provide briefings every other month to Members of the Subcommittee on Aviation, beginning in April 2022, to keep them informed of the FAA’s ongoing 5G efforts and progress. These bimonthly briefings will help enable the Subcommittee’s continued oversight of this crucial issue.”
The full text can be found below and here.
March 15, 2022
The Honorable Stephen M. Dickson
Administrator
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20591
Dear Administrator Dickson:
Thank you for participating in the Subcommittee on Aviation’s hearing on February 3, 2022, focused on the nationwide deployment of 5G wireless service, its effect on the U.S. aviation industry and national airspace system (NAS), and the need to identify permanent solutions to ensure a safe coexistence between aviation and 5G wireless services.
We appreciate the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) unprecedented efforts to enable commercial and general aviation aircraft to continue operating safely and efficiently across the NAS in this new 5G environment. Moving forward, we expect the FAA to continue to be the voice of aviation safety, and to work collaboratively with Congress, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), airlines, airports, aerospace manufacturers, the telecommunications sector, and other key stakeholders to devise and implement, in a concurrent manner, the short- and long-term solutions necessary for maintaining aviation safety while providing for the continued deployment of broadband.
It is critical that the concerns of all parties involved be taken seriously and the sharing of critical safety data be prioritized. Additionally, early and open lines of communication with all involved parties must be strengthened in order to adapt to a rapidly changing environment and ensure all voices are heard.
While we are supportive of the January 18, 2022, agreement reached between Verizon, AT&T, and the Biden Administration on 5G safety mitigations and deployment, many challenges and questions require further examination before this issue is resolved. Given the tremendous economic and safety ramifications of this ongoing issue, including the potential expiration of certain aviation safety mitigations, we respectfully request that the FAA provide briefings every other month to Members of the Subcommittee on Aviation, beginning in April 2022, to keep them informed of the FAA’s ongoing 5G efforts and progress. These bimonthly briefings will help enable the Subcommittee’s continued oversight of this crucial issue.
Thank you for your consideration of this request. Should any questions arise, please contact [redacted] with the Aviation Subcommittee majority staff at [redacted] and [redacted] with the Aviation Subcommittee minority staff at [redacted].
Sincerely,
Peter A. DeFazio
Chair
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Sam Graves
Ranking Member
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Rick Larsen
Chair
Subcommittee on Aviation
Garret Graves
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Aviation
Eddie Bernice Johnson
Member of Congress
John Katko
Member of Congress
Eleanor Holmes Norton
Member of Congress
Brian J. Mast
Member of Congress
Steve Cohen
Member of Congress
Mike Gallagher
Member of Congress
John Garamendi
Member of Congress
Brian K. Fitzpatrick
Member of Congress
Henry C. “Hank” Johnson
Member of Congress
Troy Balderson
Member of Congress
André Crason
Member of Congress
Tim Burchett
Member of Congress
Dina Titus
Member of Congress
Jefferson Van Drew
Member of Congress
Sean Patrick Maloney
Member of Congress
Troy E. Nehls
Member of Congress
Julia Brownley
Member of Congress
Beth Van Duyne
Member of Congress
Donald M. Payne, Jr.
Member of Congress
Carlos A. Gimenez
Member of Congress
Stephen F. Lynch
Member of Congress
Anthony G. Brown
Member of Congress
Sharice Davids
Member of Congress
Kaiali’i Kahele
Member of Congress
Nikema Williams
Member of Congress