President Biden has signed significant legislation designed to address airport truck congestion, with strong support from the Airforwarders Association (AfA) and the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA).

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The Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization legislation (FAA) aims to modernize the U.S. aviation system and includes over $105 billion in appropriations for the next four years. This encompasses $19.35 billion earmarked for airport infrastructure improvement grants benefiting more than 3,300 airports nationwide.

The AfA has consistently advocated for national infrastructure investments to enhance the U.S. supply chain and mitigate unnecessary delays and costs affecting consumers.

“This legislation is music to our ears. We have been working relentlessly with our members and the NCBFAA to make sure it is supported and passed,” said Brandon Fried, Executive Director of the AfA. He emphasized that outdated infrastructure contributes to supply chain inefficiencies, leading to increased costs for consumers. The new law marks a crucial step toward modernizing the system.

Bob Imbriani, President of the AfA, highlighted the long-standing cargo congestion issues at many U.S. airports, stating, “This is a major step forward in addressing the cargo congestion problem that has existed for quite some time at many airports across the country.”

The AfA and NCBFAA, which represent the freight forwarding industry including the trucking sector valued at $875.5 billion in 2021, played a pivotal role in sponsoring this legislation. The support and effort of AfA members, Executive Director, Legislative Consultant, Industry Partners, and Board of Directors were instrumental in this legislative success.

The new law mandates the General Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive assessment of air cargo operations across the U.S., focusing on truck delays and infrastructure issues. The administration has one year to complete this investigation and propose solutions to tackle the problem.

With this legislation, the AfA aims to ensure the U.S. logistics and supply chain industry remains competitive, efficient, and capable of keeping prices low for consumers.