2017-09-06 Letter to Tulsi Gabbard re: HR2997

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Harry Kim Mayor County of Hawaii Office of the Mayor Wil Okabe Managing Director Barbara J. Kossow Deputy Managing Director 25 Aupuni Street, Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 • (808) 961-8211 • Fax (808) 961-6553 KONA: 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i 96740 (808) 323-4444 • Fax (808) 323-4440 September 6, 2017 Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard 433 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Dear Congresswoman Gabbard, RE: H.R. 2997 On behalf of the County of Hawaii, I write to ask you to oppose H.R. 2997, which would privatize the nation's air traffic control system by removing Congressional oversight and placing it under the control of a board overseen by private interests. If Congress is cut out of the process, private interests and commercial airlines would have free reign to raise fees and taxes on consumers, who already face fewer choices and worse treatment, and cut routes to small towns and rural communities, which have already seen a 20% cut in commercial airline service. While there are currently over 3,000 airports around the country that connect communities to critical services, under this plan, airlines and their allies would be able to direct resources to their biggest 30 or so hub airports, and shut out lower cost competitors from the system. These are the same airlines who already control 70% of the market and can barely go a week without a major consumer incident or a technical outage. Currently, Congressional oversight ensures that communities of all sizes have access to air transportation. Our network of airports drive business growth and commerce, and facilitate access to emergency services, medical care, disaster relief, fire -fighting, and many other critical services. Businesses, especially small- and mid- sized businesses, rely on these airports and general aviation aircraft to access rural markets, transport parts, tools and personnel between branches, and reach multiple locations in one day. However privatization would threaten this important economic activity and lifeline to our communities. County of Hawai' i is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.