WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation will award $1,311,606 in airport safety and infrastructure grants to two airports in Maryland. This investment in Marylands airports is part of a $520.5 million national investment in Americas airports that was announced today by Secretary Chao.

This $520.5 million in federal support to airports across the country will help to keep our nations airports in good shape and make air travel a better experience for passengers, said U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao.

With this announcement, the Trump Administration has invested a historic $11.42 billion in more than two thousand American airports across the United States for safety and infrastructure improvements since January 2017.

The airports receiving Airport Improvement Program grants in Maryland include:

• Hagerstown Regional-Richard A Henson Field$1,011,606 to fund terminal buildingexpansion
• Tipton$300,000 to fund expansion of the aircraft parking apron.

The Administration not only supports infrastructure through funding it is making it possible to deliver these much-needed improvements more quickly. The Department is working hard to streamline the approval process, cut unnecessary red tape and reduce unnecessary, duplicative regulations that do not contribute to safety.

These investments and reforms are especially timely because the U.S. economy is surging. Employers have added more than7 millionjobs since January 2017. To kick off the new decade, a robust 225,000 American jobs were added in January 2020 and the unemployment rate is still a remarkable3.6 percentthelowest in 50 years.

Aviation is an important part of that growth. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. civil aviation supports more than5%of U.S. gross domestic product;$1.6 trillionin economic activity; and nearly11 millionjobs.

Americas airports provide a gateway to the world for our citizens while at the same time delivering first impressions of the United States to visitors from abroad, said FAA Administrator Steve Dickson. Its in our national interest to make them the crown jewel in our transportation system. The Airport Improvement Program allows us to do just that.