[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 99 (Friday, June 16, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S8530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION REFORM

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, yesterday my good friend, the distinguished 
Senator from Oklahoma, introduced a bill to reform the FAA. There is 
probably no institution in this town that needs reform more than it 
does. In my home State of Montana we take aviation, particularly 
general aviation, very seriously because we are a very large State but 
we are the 44th in population. We are the fourth largest State, 148,000 
square miles. The Chair understands about that, coming from Wyoming, 
our good friend to the south. So you could say both of us have quite a 
lot in common. There is quite a lot of dirt between light bulbs in our 
part of the world and not many folks in between. So, for us having 
general aviation in a healthy mode and our ability to fly point to 
point is not a luxury, it is often a necessity in the West.
  So we have a very strong, hard-working and well organized pilot 
community in Montana. I am proud of my strong relationship with the 
thousands of pilots in my State. Many of them are flying ranchers and 
that is the way they get their parts, that is the way they do a lot of 
business, a lot of their travel.
  I have been watching the debate about reform of the Federal Aviation 
Administration and the Air Traffic Control system with some concern, 
and I share those concerns with my friend from Oklahoma. The pilots who 
talk to me tell of outdated equipment that their air traffic 
controllers are forced to use. I have heard the same concerns from air 
traffic controllers all over the country, as a matter of fact. They 
tell me about the concerns that the FAA does not get the necessary 
funds and it is absolutely hamstrung in some areas by layers and layers 
of red tape. They say the FAA is ripe for reform. After serving in this 
body now in my second term, after 6 years, I would have to agree with 
that.
  But many of the proposals I have seen are only superficially 
attractive. The numbers just do not add up. The administration's ATC 
Corporation idea--there is no industry support for an entirely 
privatized ATC.
  So today I am joining with Senator Inhofe in his introduction of 
legislation to provide some realistic, meaningful reform for the FAA. 
It will reestablish the FAA as an independent agency with an 
administrator who has a fixed term in office of 7 years and a 
management advisory committee made up of members of the private sector 
to advise the administrator on management policy, spending, and 
regulatory matters.
  This measure will provide the FAA with major personnel, procurement 
and finance reforms that I think it needs. It will mandate that the FAA 
take action on safety-critical regulations in a more timely manner. 
This bill will give the FAA more flexibility in making corrections 
without risking its record of safety.
  It is my hope this bill will be a starting point from which we can 
gain some consensus among this body, and in this Congress, and we hope 
that consensus will evolve rather quickly. I understand Senator McCain 
is also working on a proposal to reform FAA. He is the chairman of the 
Aviation Subcommittee on the Commerce Committee. His knowledge of not 
only flight but also this agency is unexcelled, and I hope he will 
welcome this bill and that it will be a valuable contribution to what 
he is trying to do. Maybe we can really get together and put reform on 
the fast track. We can work together. I think it can be supported by 
everyone in the aviation community. It is needed.
  Also, we have to be very mindful that not just airlines use FAA. It 
is very important we maintain it at a healthy level for general 
aviation because of the points I spoke about earlier on today.
  With that, I support this reform as it starts down the track. We hope 
we can get a consensus and reform it before the snow flies this fall.
  Mr. President, seeing no other Senators on the floor, I yield the 
floor and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. WELLSTONE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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