Contact: Dan Hubbard, (202) 783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, September 15, 2011 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today thanked Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-4-KS) for introducing legislation to fully reinstate the Block Aircraft Registration Request (BARR) program, so that aircraft owners and operators can opt out of having their flights broadcast over the Internet.
“The Federal Government’s dissemination to the public of information relating to a noncommercial flight carried out by a private owner or operator of an aircraft, whether during or following the flight, does not serve a public policy objective,” reads the bill (H.R. 2897), entitled “The BARR Preservation Act of 2011.” Review a copy of H.R. 2897.
NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen welcomed the legislation, stating: “Privacy, security and competitive concerns have been at the heart of protests from within and outside the aviation community since government officials moved to severely limit the decade-old, congressionally enabled BARR program. We thank Congressman Pompeo for his recognition of these concerns, and his legislation to address them.”
Rep. Pompeo’s bill, which has support from a bipartisan group of House lawmakers, was introduced on September 12 and referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Co-sponsors for the bill include: Rep. Tim Scott (R-1SC), Rep. Sam Graves (R—6-KS), Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-3-GA), Rep. Dan Burton (R-5-IN), Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-2-KS), Rep. Billy Long (R-7-MO), Rep. Don Young (R-At Large-AK), Rep. Donald A. Manzullo (R-16-IL), Rep. Aaron Schock (R-18-IL), Rep. Bill Flores (R-17-TX), Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-1-KS), Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-11-IL), and John Barrow (D-12-GA).
Congressman Pompeo’s bill follows the introduction of similar legislation introduced in the Senate in August by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS). Read Senator Roberts’s legislation.
Following the introduction of his legislation, Rep. Pompeo said: “The BARR Preservation Act would allow Americans to opt out of having their movements tracked by anyone other than law enforcement agencies. Preserving crucial privacy protection will ensure flight safety for many users in the General Aviation community, which is a vital part of the South Central Kansas economy.”
Congress has repeatedly sounded the alarm on the government’s plans for the BARR.
Separately, NBAA and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) are challenging the government’s plan in court. The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) also has filed a friend of the court brief supporting the suit. A full hearing on the matter is expected in the coming months.
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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The Association represents more than 8,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.
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