Fri, Oct 03, 2003
"FAA Bill Needs to be Fixed by Restoring Privatization Ban
Which Was Passed by Full House and Senate"
Despite the fact that
much of the industry still doesn't have much, if any, objection to
the very limited contract towers provisions in the latest FAA
Budget, NATCA is still on a rampage of self-interest.
The following statement was released today by National Air
Traffic Controllers Association's John Carr:
"We have reached a critical moment in the debate to ensure the
safety of our skies. The House of Representatives is expected to
consider shortly a motion to send the Federal Aviation
Administration bill back to conference because it includes
misguided provisions including a proposal to privatize air traffic
control. On behalf of the traveling public, this bill needs to be
fixed by restoring language that both the full House and Senate
already approved to ensure that air traffic control is not
privatized.
"There has been some discussion about stripping out the
privatization language from the conference report. Let us be clear:
stripping out the language is NOT a solution and does NOT restore
the status quo. The dirty little secret in this bill is that in
section 105 there is language that changes the legal status quo and
gives the FAA new authority for contracting out air traffic
control. If the conferees truly want to represent both the
overwhelming will of the Senate, the House and the American people,
they would avoid the temptation to tinker with language and do the
right thing by restoring the anti-privatization language.
"The conferees must also heed yesterday's words of Senate
Minority Whip Harry Reid that "a conference report that simply
strips privatization language will not pass the Senate." The
conferees need to go into their discussions understanding that a
bill that does not include language to prohibit privatization is
dead on arrival in the Senate. Let's not turn this conference
committee into another kangaroo court. There's too much at stake.
Congress has a real opportunity to show that our legislative
process can work - and that the will of the American people can be
heard."
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