The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomes the appointment of Rep. Tom Cole (R-4-OK) as chair of the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee. He succeeds Rep. Kay Granger (R-12-TX), who will remain on the committee as chairwoman emeritus.
Throughout his more than 20 years in Congress, Cole has frequently stood with the general aviation (GA) community on several definitive issues, including championing the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization measure passed by the House in July 2023.
“Rep. Cole has been a steadfast advocate for the vital role of GA and business aviation in facilitating a strong national aviation network,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “We congratulate him on his appointment to lead the House Appropriations Committee and look forward to working with him in the months ahead.”
A member of the House Appropriations Committee since 2009, Cole served as committee vice chair, and chair of the House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee prior to being named chair of the full committee.
Cole’s home state of Oklahoma is home to more than 100 public-use airports, which support thousands of jobs and more than hundreds of millions in total annual economic activity and investment.