WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Rand Paul today introduced the following amendments to H.R. 2577, the Fiscal Year 2017 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill currently being considered by the Senate. The first amendment will designate the southern section of the Edward T. Breathitt Parkway in Kentucky as Interstate 169, and the second amendment will prohibit the use of funds to regulate the acquisition, use, transfer, or disposal of certain airport property.

Later this afternoon, Sen. Paul will introduce an additional amendment, which will take back unspent money designated for foreign assistance and transfer those funds to be spent on roads and bridges in the United States. 

Top-line bullet points and background information on the introduced amendments can be found below, and the text can be found HERE and HERE.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON SEN. PAUL’S AMENDMENTS TO TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING APPROPRIATIONS BILL

• Prohibits the Use of Funds to Regulate the Acquisition, Use, Transfer, or Disposal of Certain Airport Property

• States and localities have access to many sources of financing in order to make improvements to their local airports. With the abundant restrictions and regulations that come with acceptance and use of Federal funding, many communities are using these financing options. Despite the lack of use of Federal funding, the Federal Aviation Administration has continued to place restrictions on airport projects until environmental impact analysis are conducted.   

• The amendment prohibits the Federal Aviation Administration to regulate the acquisition, use, transfer, or disposal of property that is not purchased with Federal funding, so long as the action doesn’t impact safety or efficiency of aircraft operations. 

• Designates the Southern Section of the Edward T. Breathitt Parkway as Interstate 169

• The I-69 development project is an important multi-state interstate development project that will be incorporated into the National Freight Corridor system. In November 2015, the Federal Highway Administration designating the northern 40-mile segment of the Edward T. Breathitt Parkway as 169, increasing economic opportunities for thousands of Kentuckians in the region. 

• The amendment would designate the remaining 34-miles, from Nortonville, Kentucky, south to the Interstate 24 connection, as Interstate 169.      

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