Thank you very, very much, and good afternoon. I want to thank
Principal [Lisett] Pichardo and the staff at Felton Elementary for
hosting us today. You know, I have to confess. I’ve been out
of school for a while now, but I still get a bit nervous around
principals.
Even still, I’m glad to be here. I appreciate
Congresswoman Harman’s invitation to come see all the great
things that are happening in her district. Thanks for the chance to
get out of DC for a spell.
I have to say, the 3,000 miles that separate the coasts just
seem to melt away when you’re up there in a plane. Just ask
the Congresswoman. She’s made this trip, oh, once or twice
before; she knows what I’m talking about.
Know who else you can ask? David Beckham. Yeah, that David
Beckham.
He made the very same journey earlier this month when the Galaxy
flew to the nation’s capital to take on D.C. United.
I tell you, the stadium was rocking. It was completely sold out.
Not a seat to be had.
And man, was it loud. I mean deafening. Every time number 23
touched the ball, the place erupted into cheers.
A couple of weeks after that match, the scene shifted here for
an important playoff game between the two teams. Beckham scores his
first goal for the Galaxy. They win, and the cheers could be heard
for miles.
Well, for the people who live here in Lennox, everyday must seem
like they’re in the middle of a packed stadium.
The airplane noise, coupled with the sounds of everyday life
well, it can sometimes be too much to bear.
Even still, it’s
important to remember that an airport is a community’s crown
jewel. I say that all the time, and you’ve got a real gem
right here. LAX is responsible for pumping 60 billion dollars into
Southern California’s economy a year. The latest employment
figures show that 59,000 jobs are directly attributed to the
airport.
In all, one in twenty jobs in Southern California come courtesy
of LAX.
All of this economic activity means there’s a lot of
planes up there. All across America, travelers are taking to the
skies in numbers we haven’t seen in a long time. More planes
mean more noise. But it doesn’t have to mean more
acrimony.
So to help keep the peace, I’m pleased to announce that
the FAA is providing $6 million to Lennox to soundproof about 300
homes. The money’s going to be used to install thicker
windows, heavier doors, attic insulation — whatever it takes
to bring the decibels down to acceptable levels.
Once all the work is said and done, more than 700 residents who
live within the confines of Century Boulevard, Prairie Boulevard,
the Century Freeway and La Cienega will be sleeping a little bit
sounder. And I do believe that some of these residents are with us
today. Some teachers at Felton — Alex Carrera, Issa
Hernandez, Maria Larios, and Marvelyn Garcia.
They grew up in the community that they now work in. And they
know quite well the challenges that come with living and working
under the flight path. Well, I’m glad that the FAA could do
something to help turn the volume down.
I want to acknowledge Congresswoman Harman over here for seeing
this grant money through from beginning to end. It’s a
pleasure to see her in action for the folks in California’s
36th district. Thanks very much for having me.