House Passes Conference Report in

Major Boost to INHS

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) proudly voted for the FAA Conference report today.  The report included a provision authorizing tax exempt bonding for fixed wing aircraft.  This is a major victory for the Inland Northwest Health Services (INHS) which runs Northwest MedStar – a critical care transport system that transports thousands of patients every year in Eastern Washington and surrounding regions.  Rep. McMorris Rodgers wrote a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee encouraging them to include the provision.  The U.S. House approved the FAA Conference Report, sending it to the Senate. 

“This is a big victory for INHS and Eastern Washington,” said Rep. McMorris Rodgers.  “I know firsthand the difficulty that our rural communities face when it comes to making emergency health care services available. While helicopters can be used to provide air ambulance services, airplanes are widely considered to be a superior mode of emergency air transportation, particularly for our critically ill patients in rural communities. Yet, until today, our tax code did not reflect this need.  I appreciate Chairman Camp and the Ways and Means Committee for fixing this discrepancy in our tax code and I look forward to it becoming the law of the land.”