AIA on the Hill
AIA finished the calendar year in a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill with testimony on space launch issues, the value of aerospace exports and workforce in December alone. During the course of the year, AIA testified nearly 20 times either in person or in writing on an array of important industry issues, and made more than 250 visits to lawmakers’ offices.
As lawmakers return to Capitol Hill for the second session of the 111th Congress, AIA will need to keep pace with 2009’s accomplishments, given the number of issues that face industry. One of the top priorities still remaining from last year is passage of the defense trade cooperation treaties between the United States and the United Kingdom and between the United States and Australia. Extension of the R&D tax credit is also a priority, although there is widespread support for the extension given the proven value of the credit to our national competitiveness.
As health care was a focus in 2009, jobs and deficit reduction promise to be administration and congressional priorities this year. AIA has been actively making the case for promoting aircraft equipage for NextGen as a jobs creator. Estimates place the total number of direct and indirect jobs generated by a $6 billion investment in NextGen equipment at more than 150,000 through 2012, with 30,000 jobs generated the first year.
The 2011 budget is due from President Obama on February 1, and questions on NASA’s future direction, as well as investment in defense procurement, acquisition reform and the industrial base, will be addressed in the coming months as AIA puts on its running shoes for another busy legislative session.
