House GOP reviving effort to privatize air traffic control

WASHINGTON – With a boost from President Donald Trump, House Republicans will revive efforts to shift responsibility for the nation’s air traffic control operations to a private, non-profit corporation.

Republican Rep. Bill Shuster, the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, says the committee will consider his legislation next week. He expects the full House to vote on the bill before lawmakers depart for their August recess.

A similar effort to remove air traffic control operations from the Federal Aviation Administration faltered in the last Congress. The proposal faces opposition from Democrats and some Republicans in the Senate.

Shuster says his new effort broadens participation on the 13-seat board of directors that will run the new corporation and that no one can claim that any particular group will dominate the panel.