Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, during a speech at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 8th Annual Aviation Summit on April 29, said that he is open to discussions about including aviation in the Obama Administration’s proposal to create a multibillion-dollar transportation infrastructure bank, but added that he had not been approached with the idea, according to a June 2 Aviation International News story by Paul Lowe.
Less than 24 hours later, in a speech before a joint luncheon of the Washington Aero Club and New York City’s Wings Club, LaHood modified that statement, telling the group he expects the White House to “rally some dollars” in response to a request from airline industry officials for assistance in equipping their aircraft with NextGen avionics. The request came after a meeting with Obama economic advisor Lawrence Summers. The DOT secretary has stated frequently that NextGen will be the FAA’s top priority on his watch.
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