Sinema-backed Air Traffic Control Hiring Reform Act and the Broadband DATA Act passed the Senate Commerce Committee
WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee passed two bipartisan bills cosponsored by Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema. The Air Traffic Control Hiring Reform Act and the Broadband DATA Actboth passed the committee and now head to the Senate floor.
“By working across the aisle, we are advancing two pieces of legislation that will ensure highly qualified individuals can become air traffic controllers and help all Arizona communities receive the broadband connectivity they need,” said Sinema.
The ATC Hiring Reform Act is bipartisan legislation that accelerates air traffic control hiring and gives priority to veterans and graduates of certain specialized training schools. Arizona has two of those schools—ASU Polytechnic and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott.
The Broadband DATA Act improves the accuracy of the Federal Communications Commission’s broadband availability maps by improving the process by which broadband data is collected. Broadband maps help inform where billions of dollars in federal broadband funds should be directed. Inaccurate maps delay spending and misdirect broadband funds to the wrong places.