[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 109 (Friday, June 30, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1393]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    CONFERENCE REPORT ON HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 67, CONCURRENT 
            RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET, FISCAL YEARS 1996-2002

                                 ______


                               speech of

                         HON. JAMES L. OBERSTAR

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 29, 1995
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the conference 
report on the budget resolution for fiscal year 1996 and to delineate 
for my colleagues the specific impacts this budget resolution is likely 
to have on the Federal Aviation Administration.
  I say ``is likely to have'' because the conference report does not 
spell out the details of the cuts proposed for the FAA budget; but, 
given the general numbers and spending targets set down in the budget 
agreement we can calculate what the effects will be on specific FAA 
programs, such as the agency's new ``zero accident'' goal.
  As ranking member of the House Aviation Subcommittee, I want all my 
House colleagues to understand the critical mission of the FAA. This 
Agency manages the world's largest air traffic control system, through 
which move half of all the 1 billion passengers who travel worldwide 
every year by air. They operate the Air Traffic Control system 24 hours 
a day, 365 days a year, handling, on average, two flights every second.
  On an average day, FAA safety and security professionals will conduct 
nearly 1,000 inspections on pilots, planes and airports, ensuring that 
they remain airworthy and safe.
  FAA maintains over 30,000 pieces of complex safety equipment and 
facilities across this Nation, operating at a reliability factor of 
99.4 percent--a safety record envied by the rest of the world.
  FAA issues more than 1,000 airport grants annually to improve airport 
safety and infrastructure.
  FAA conducts 355,000 inspections annually to enforce safety standards 
and to issue certificates and licenses for aviation products and 
operators. FAA takes more than 12,000 enforcement actions each year.
  The FAA has taken its share of cuts in the last 2 years as its 
contribution toward deficit reduction: FAA has cut 5,000 employees 
since 1993 for a current total of 48,000 employees. Of that number 
36,000 have direct hands-on involvement in the ATC system,
 which includes 14 of the 15 busiest airports in the world.

  In this era of deregulation, with extraordinary growth in both 
passengers and air traffic operations, we have seen a growth of 6 
percent in air traffic during the last 2 years as the airlines have 
recovered from the serious economic decline and $12 billion in losses 
of 1990-92. But while air traffic has jumped 6 percent these last 2 
years, the FAA budget has suffered a real decline of 6 percent, which 
translates into a $600 million cut.
  This Budget Resolution Conference Agreement chops an additional $10 
billion from transportation spending, which if spread, as expected, to 
the FAA will jeopardize the safety and efficiency of the Nation's 
aviation system.
  Under this budget resolution, FAA's ability to improve weather and 
safety equipment and prevent accidents would be compromised.
  Introduction of Global Positioning Satellite navigation technology 
would be delayed at least 5 years, costing airlines millions of dollars 
a year in lost efficiency.
  The ability of the aviation security system to maintain its vigilance 
against domestic and international terrorism would be cut by one-third.
  FAA's obligation to certify new aircraft engines and parts would be 
greatly compromised and might even have to be contracted out to private 
interests which, in my judgment, clearly is not in the best interest of 
safety.
  The weather services to general aviation and to commercial aviation 
provided through the Nation's Flight Service Stations would be greatly 
impaired as FSS and control towers would be closed, costing jobs and 
air traffic services to hundreds of communities in all 50 States, and 
delays to an estimated 105,000 flights annually at an estimated cost to 
carriers and passengers of more than $2.3 billion.
  I am just touching the tip of the iceberg on the impact of these cuts 
projected out over the next several years for the FAA as a result of 
this budget resolution.
  The dedicated professionals of the FAA deserve better. They deserve 
our full support for full funding out of the Aviation Trust Fund to 
maintain our air traffic control system at its highest level of safety 
and efficiency.


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