[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 67 (Tuesday, May 14, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H4907]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE TRAGEDY OF FLIGHT 592

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of May 
12, 1995, the gentlewoman from Texas [Ms. Jackson-Lee] is recognized 
during morning business for 4 minutes.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, first of all I would like to 
associate myself with the remarks of the gentlewoman from Colorado 
[Mrs. Schroeder]. Knowing her long years of service in the area of our 
defense appropriations and spending, I simply want to pose the question 
to my Republican colleagues, what kind of House are we when we are not 
allowed to debate fully a reduction in the defense budget, a fair, open 
discussion about how best to utilize the precious dollars that we have 
in this country to serve America?
  However, Mr. Speaker, I have come to the floor for another concern. 
Before I start, let me say to my colleagues that I am a former member 
of the city of Houston's Aviation Committee. I think if my colleagues 
review my record, they will find me a strong and active advocate for 
the aviation industry.
  I also will say that I believe that those who work in the aviation 
industry are some of the more dedicated workers and employees and 
individuals committed to service. But this is not about questioning the 
integrity of our industry and who works in the industry. It is, of 
course, raising a question about a terrible loss of life just 1 day 
before Mother's Day in Flight 592. We realize that many mothers lost 
sons and daughters, and families were destroyed and devastated.
  But the question becomes, when we come to the U.S. Congress, I always 
thought that we should be problem solvers and not dart throwers. It was 
interesting to listen to the expose of Rush Limbaugh. He always gives 
us such pointed dialog, sometimes greatly erroneous, as I thought his 
comments were in giving us a gravity study and a gravity talk about how 
wonderful it is that airplanes float and fly and how we should marvel 
at that, and why is there such hysteria and emotion around the loss of 
109 lives?
  Well, I will tell you, Rush, because America is a humanitarian 
Nation. And yes, we lose lives in violence, gun violence and car 
crashes, but every time there is a tragedy like Flight 592, we raise 
our voices because we want to ask the question why, and does it have to 
happen again? Rush, I am not interested in your debate and comment on 
flotation and the marvel of aviation. I understand that. The question 
becomes, why did we lose those 109 lives?

  First, this particular airline or airplane was some 30 years old, 
almost. Its maiden voyage for this particular airline was in 1993 but 
it was actually purchased in 1969. I am not against old airplanes, but 
I am for maintaining them.
  In addition, some seven times this particular airplane was forced 
back to the gate to return for some mechanical problems over a 2-year 
period. The question becomes, to FAA Administrator David Hinson, ``What 
kind of job is the Federal Aviation Administration doing? What kind of 
safety measures are you providing for the American people?''
  I am now asking for a full report on inspection procedures that are 
done by the FAA. I want to find out the status of staffing, the 
expertise of those who inspect, the years of experience and what kind 
of criteria they use to inspect our Nation's airplanes.
  I would like to know whether or not we in this Congress have provided 
sufficient resources so that the planes we travel in can be in fact 
inspected. And, yes, I will be exploring legislation that requires that 
when a plane has been pulled back for mechanical violations a certain 
number of times, it be retired, out of commission, until that plane 
meets all safety standards.
  Yes, I am in pain about the loss of 109 lives, just as each and every 
one of us each time we lose an American through such a terrible 
tragedy. I think it is a travesty for us to make excuses about what 
should have been done and not do it.
  Oh, yes, Rush, next time I hear from you, I look forward to hearing a 
discussion about flotation, but I am going to stand on the side of 
saving American lives.

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