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| Trump Backs Air Traffic Control Privatization | Trump Backs Air Traffic Control Privatization |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| WASHINGTON — President Trump endorsed a proposal on Monday to privatize air traffic control, seizing on a decades-old idea as proof that he is advancing the ambitious infrastructure rebuilding plan he promised during his campaign but is still months from delivering. | WASHINGTON — President Trump endorsed a proposal on Monday to privatize air traffic control, seizing on a decades-old idea as proof that he is advancing the ambitious infrastructure rebuilding plan he promised during his campaign but is still months from delivering. |
| At an East Room event that was choreographed like the elaborate ceremonies for enacting major legislation, Mr. Trump signed a memo and letter to Congress outlining his principles for overhauling the nation’s air traffic control system. He handed out pens to lawmakers who had been invited to attend, and reveled in several rounds of applause. | |
| But Mr. Trump’s announcement did not have any binding effect, and Democrats quickly denounced the proposal. | |
| He did not take any action on Monday toward a broader $1 trillion initiative to rebuild the nation’s crumbling infrastructure, including old and inefficient airports, a subject he spoke about many times as a candidate. His advisers say that package is months away, though Mr. Trump said in April that it would be ready last month. | |
| Instead, the aviation outline was based on principles that have been debated for years and were introduced as legislation last year. DJ Gribbin, an infrastructure specialist on Mr. Trump’s National Economic Council, called it “low-hanging fruit” that is ready for action by Congress. | Instead, the aviation outline was based on principles that have been debated for years and were introduced as legislation last year. DJ Gribbin, an infrastructure specialist on Mr. Trump’s National Economic Council, called it “low-hanging fruit” that is ready for action by Congress. |
| Monday’s announcement was the first in a week’s worth of infrastructure events the White House has planned to showcase the president’s commitment to a marquee campaign pledge — in the absence of any concrete legislative movement toward achieving it. | Monday’s announcement was the first in a week’s worth of infrastructure events the White House has planned to showcase the president’s commitment to a marquee campaign pledge — in the absence of any concrete legislative movement toward achieving it. |
| “Welcome to the beginning of a new era for American infrastructure,” Vice President Mike Pence proclaimed before introducing Mr. Trump. “Starting today, this president will take historic steps to keep his promise to rebuild America.” | “Welcome to the beginning of a new era for American infrastructure,” Vice President Mike Pence proclaimed before introducing Mr. Trump. “Starting today, this president will take historic steps to keep his promise to rebuild America.” |
| Mr. Trump’s blueprint would detach air traffic control from the Federal Aviation Administration within three years. It is modeled closely on legislation introduced last year by Representative Bill Shuster, Republican of Pennsylvania and the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. | |
| “Today, we’re proposing to take American air travel into the future, finally,” Mr. Trump said at the reception, which was attended by Mr. Shuster and other lawmakers, as well as airline industry officials and transportation secretaries from Republican administrations. | “Today, we’re proposing to take American air travel into the future, finally,” Mr. Trump said at the reception, which was attended by Mr. Shuster and other lawmakers, as well as airline industry officials and transportation secretaries from Republican administrations. |
| Mr. Trump promised that tracking airplanes with global positioning satellites would “dramatically improve” on the current method of radar and radio signals, resulting in fewer delays, a safer system and lower costs for passengers. “This new entity will not need taxpayer money, which is very shocking when people hear that,” he said. “They don’t hear that too often.” | Mr. Trump promised that tracking airplanes with global positioning satellites would “dramatically improve” on the current method of radar and radio signals, resulting in fewer delays, a safer system and lower costs for passengers. “This new entity will not need taxpayer money, which is very shocking when people hear that,” he said. “They don’t hear that too often.” |
| Democrats argued that the plan would saddle travelers with higher costs and allow private businesses to reap the profits while leaving underserved areas without much-needed improvements. | |
| “The entire focus of the president’s infrastructure proposal is on privatization, which sounds like a nice word, but when you scratch beneath the surface, it means much less construction and far fewer jobs, particularly in rural areas,” said Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader. “It means Trump tolls from one end of America to the other and huge profits for financiers who, when they put up the money, want to be repaid by the average driver, worker and citizen.” | “The entire focus of the president’s infrastructure proposal is on privatization, which sounds like a nice word, but when you scratch beneath the surface, it means much less construction and far fewer jobs, particularly in rural areas,” said Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader. “It means Trump tolls from one end of America to the other and huge profits for financiers who, when they put up the money, want to be repaid by the average driver, worker and citizen.” |
| Britain, Canada, France, Germany and several other countries have already transferred their air traffic control systems to private entities or independent agencies. | Britain, Canada, France, Germany and several other countries have already transferred their air traffic control systems to private entities or independent agencies. |
| White House officials said the proposal to privatize a key piece of the nation’s transportation backbone was a template for the president’s broader infrastructure plan. He envisions a much narrower role for the federal government in funding the building and modernization of the country’s physical structures, and a greater reliance on private companies, states, cities and localities. | White House officials said the proposal to privatize a key piece of the nation’s transportation backbone was a template for the president’s broader infrastructure plan. He envisions a much narrower role for the federal government in funding the building and modernization of the country’s physical structures, and a greater reliance on private companies, states, cities and localities. |
| Mr. Trump has proposed substantial reductions in infrastructure spending in his 2018 budget, including a 12 percent cut to the Transportation Department and a 16 percent cut to the Army Corps of Engineers, which builds and designs canals, dams, flood protection structures and other projects. | Mr. Trump has proposed substantial reductions in infrastructure spending in his 2018 budget, including a 12 percent cut to the Transportation Department and a 16 percent cut to the Army Corps of Engineers, which builds and designs canals, dams, flood protection structures and other projects. |
| White House officials said the amount Mr. Trump was proposing to spend on infrastructure, coupled with a vastly expedited federal permitting process for construction projects, would result in as much investment as the president had promised. | White House officials said the amount Mr. Trump was proposing to spend on infrastructure, coupled with a vastly expedited federal permitting process for construction projects, would result in as much investment as the president had promised. |
| “We are very confident that through a $200 billion federal government expenditure — and that’s over and above all normal infrastructure spending, so this is in addition to — that can equal well over $1 trillion of infrastructure investment in this country,” said Reed Cordish, an adviser in Mr. Trump’s Office of American Innovation. | “We are very confident that through a $200 billion federal government expenditure — and that’s over and above all normal infrastructure spending, so this is in addition to — that can equal well over $1 trillion of infrastructure investment in this country,” said Reed Cordish, an adviser in Mr. Trump’s Office of American Innovation. |
| Representative Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California and the House minority leader, called the aviation proposal a “Trojan horse for undermining workers’ wages and handing massive tax breaks to billionaires and corporations.” | Representative Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California and the House minority leader, called the aviation proposal a “Trojan horse for undermining workers’ wages and handing massive tax breaks to billionaires and corporations.” |
| “Americans are sick and tired of Trump’s repeated broken promises to fix our infrastructure system,” Ms. Pelosi said on Monday. | “Americans are sick and tired of Trump’s repeated broken promises to fix our infrastructure system,” Ms. Pelosi said on Monday. |
| The aviation proposal has support from the association representing air traffic controllers and other industry players, including pilots. | The aviation proposal has support from the association representing air traffic controllers and other industry players, including pilots. |
| “The status quo is unacceptable,” Jon Weaks, the president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association, who attended the White House announcement, said in a statement. “By expediting modernization, Mr. President, we will indeed make American aviation great again.” | “The status quo is unacceptable,” Jon Weaks, the president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association, who attended the White House announcement, said in a statement. “By expediting modernization, Mr. President, we will indeed make American aviation great again.” |
| But some aviation groups were concerned that the Trump administration might not provide the money needed to truly modernize air travel in the United States. | But some aviation groups were concerned that the Trump administration might not provide the money needed to truly modernize air travel in the United States. |
| “Any plan to reform air traffic control must address the significant infrastructure needs of airports,” said Kevin M. Burke, the president of Airports Council International-North America, which represents commercial airports in the United States and Canada. “We cannot modernize one aspect of our aviation system and settle for the status quo for another, especially the foundation on which our aviation system is built.” | “Any plan to reform air traffic control must address the significant infrastructure needs of airports,” said Kevin M. Burke, the president of Airports Council International-North America, which represents commercial airports in the United States and Canada. “We cannot modernize one aspect of our aviation system and settle for the status quo for another, especially the foundation on which our aviation system is built.” |
| Mr. Burke noted that the proposal did not specify how the Airport Improvement Program, which gives federal grants, would be funded. “President Trump was correct on the campaign trail: America’s airports are woefully outdated and in need of major investment,” he said. | Mr. Burke noted that the proposal did not specify how the Airport Improvement Program, which gives federal grants, would be funded. “President Trump was correct on the campaign trail: America’s airports are woefully outdated and in need of major investment,” he said. |
| Airlines support the idea of overhauling the nation’s air traffic control system, but they have stopped short of endorsing a privatization plan. | Airlines support the idea of overhauling the nation’s air traffic control system, but they have stopped short of endorsing a privatization plan. |
| “Our nation’s 60-year-old air traffic control system needs to be modernized,” said Shannon Gilson, the director of public affairs for American Airlines. “If we aren’t able to modernize and innovate using the latest technology, the U.S.’s ability to provide world-class, efficient air transportation will continue to fall behind other countries.” | |
| In a statement, Delta said that it “looks forward” to working with the administration and Congress, and that it was committed to identifying ways to reduce delays and improve efficiency. | In a statement, Delta said that it “looks forward” to working with the administration and Congress, and that it was committed to identifying ways to reduce delays and improve efficiency. |
| After the president’s remarks and the signing of his proposal, Mr. Shuster and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao praised it as a long-overdue step that would benefit American travelers. | After the president’s remarks and the signing of his proposal, Mr. Shuster and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao praised it as a long-overdue step that would benefit American travelers. |
| “The bold reforms that are outlined today will usher in a new era of enhanced safety and performance in the skies and spur the adoption of state-of-the-art air traffic control technology,” Ms. Chao said. | “The bold reforms that are outlined today will usher in a new era of enhanced safety and performance in the skies and spur the adoption of state-of-the-art air traffic control technology,” Ms. Chao said. |
| Both thanked Mr. Trump profusely for signing on to the proposal. But by the time they rose to speak, the president, already finished with his part of the program, had left the East Room. | Both thanked Mr. Trump profusely for signing on to the proposal. But by the time they rose to speak, the president, already finished with his part of the program, had left the East Room. |