U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) urged Congress this week to compel the Federal Aviation Administration to take action to reduce aircraft noise in the Phoenix area and across the U.S.

Gallego spoke about the matter in a floor speech in which he asked the FAA to work toward creating a plan for the implementation of reduce aircraft noise levels.

“Civic leaders, business owners and families in Phoenix have been ignored for too long," Gallego said. "The flight paths over our city must change and so must the course of an agency which, for too long, has disrespected Congress and disregarded the needs of my constituents." 

The aircraft noise issue is linked to a 2014 decision by the FAA to create flight patterns for departure from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Gallego, a member of the Quiet Skies Caucus, said he hopes residents in the Phoenix area will soon be able to regain the quality of life that was present before the rerouting of the planes.