[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 53 (Tuesday, April 29, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E785]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     THE INTRODUCTION OF THE SINGLE STANDARD OF AVIATION SAFETY ACT

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                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 29, 1997

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, in the wake of a Department of Agriculture 
inspector general report which uncovered serious wrongdoing in the 
Forest Service leading to the deaths of 14 pilots, we must take action. 
This is a shocking and outrageous waste of life. I have introduced the 
Single Standard of Aviation Safety Act to get to the bottom of this 
scandal and root out these unsafe aviation practices.
  It was only 2 years ago that the National Transportation Safety Board 
was given authority to investigate accidents involving ``public use'' 
aircraft like those used by the Forest Service. Prior to NTSB 
independent review many of these accidents were never properly 
investigated and may have been preventable. It appears there has been 
deliberate and methodical disregard for the safety of these pilots. It 
is time to shine a light on the practices of public agencies to insure 
safety. I am confident that a thorough airing of these highly unsafe 
practices will spell an end to blatant disregard for safety issues by 
any public agency.
  The exemption for public aircraft is an unsafe relic of the past. 
There is no reason to allow public aircraft to operate under a lesser 
standard of safety than is required of the private sector--except cost. 
Cost is not a compelling reason to rationalize the loss of human life. 
We have lost physicians, firefighters, and most notoriously Secretary 
of Commerce Ron Brown in public aircraft which did not meet minimum FAA 
standards for safety. Accidents will happen with the many, difficult 
and dangerous tasks we ask our public servants to face. We should not 
ask anyone who must place themselves in harm's way to face the 
unforeseeable peril in the use of aircraft that do not represent the 
common standard of aviation safety. I know that public agencies are 
facing unprecedented budget reductions buy flying is an expensive 
undertaking and the temptation to cut corners has never been greater. 
We do not allow the private sector to take safety shortcuts. Public 
entities must respect the same standards in protecting their 
passengers. I urge prompt action on the Single Standard of Aviation 
Safety Act.

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