[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 46 (Wednesday, April 12, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2625-S2629]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. McCain:
  S. 2412. A bill to amend title 49, United States Code, to authorize 
appropriations for the National Transportation Safety Board for fiscal 
years 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2003, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


      NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2000

 Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, today I am introducing the National 
Transportation Safety Board Amendments Act of 2000. This bill proposes 
to reauthorize the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) through 
fiscal year 2003.
  The NTSB is an independent agency charged with determining the 
probable cause of transportation accidents and promoting transportation 
safety. Among its many duties, the Board investigates accidents, 
conducts safety studies, and evaluates the effectiveness of other 
government agencies' programs for preventing transportation accidents. 
In my view, the NTSB is one of our nation's most critical governmental 
agencies and I want to commend its excellent work.
  Since its inception in 1967, the NTSB has investigated more than 
110,000 aviation accidents, at least 10,000 other accidents in the 
surface modes and issued more than 11,000 safety recommendations. The 
Board's commitment to accident investigation and the development of 
safety recommendations to prevent accidents from recurring is indeed 
admirable. The NTSB staff works tirelessly, and in many cases, under 
the least desirable circumstances.
  The NTSB's authorization expired last September. The Board has 
submitted a reauthorization proposal and the Senate Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a hearing last year to 
review the Board's request. The reauthorization legislation I am 
introducing is intended to provide the Board with the resources 
necessary to carry out its important safety investigatory duties and 
provide further assistance to the Board in its efforts to fulfill its 
mission.
  The legislation would authorize the Board for Fiscal years 2000-2003. 
As the Board requested, the bill would provide significant funding 
increases over the level currently authorized. The Chairman of the 
Board has testified that these funds are necessary in order to insure 
that the NTSB continues to make timely and accurate determinations of 
the probable causes of accidents, formulate realistic and feasible 
safety recommendations, and respond to the families of victims of 
transportation disasters in a professional and compassionate manner 
following those tragedies. The legislation also would raise the Board's 
emergency fund to the level commensurate to that which has been 
appropriated in recent years.
  The bill includes language requested by the Safety Board to require 
the withholding from public disclosure of voice and video recorder 
information for all modes of transportation comparable to the 
protections already statutorily provided for cockpit voice recorders 
(CVRs). This provision would be an important step in ensuring that 
railroad, maritime, and motor vehicle recorders are properly protected 
from unwarranted disclosure or alternative use.

  The bill provides the Board with authority to establish reasonable 
rates of overtime pay for its employees directly involved in accident-
related work both on-scene and investigative. This authority was 
requested in acknowledgment of the extensive time spent by NTSB staff 
in carrying out their duties and the Board's inability under current 
law to more fairly compensate these employees. I want to remind my 
colleagues that the Federal Aviation Administration and the Coast Guard 
already have been provided authority by Congress to administer similar 
personnel payment matters.
  The Board's budget has dramatically increased over the years and this 
measure includes a number of financial accountability provisions. 
Currently, the NTSB is one of the few agencies of the Federal 
Government not required to have a Chief Financial Office (CFO). While 
the Board on its own initiative does have a CFO, this bill would make 
that position permanent. The legislation also statutorily authorizes 
the Chairman to establish annual travel budgets to govern Board Member 
non-accident travel. After concerns were raised last year over 
excessive Board Member travel by myself and others, the Chairman 
established annual budgets and procedures governing non-accident-
related travel. His actions were an important step in addressing fiscal 
accountability at the Board and I believe

[[Page S2629]]

they should be continued in the future. Further, the bill would give 
the Inspector General of the Department of Transportation the authority 
to review the financial management and business operations of the Board 
to determine compliance with applicable Federal laws, rules, and 
regulations.
  I have only taken time today to highlight a few sections of the bill. 
But I assure my colleagues that there are other provisions in the 
legislation designed to give the Safety Board the necessary tools to 
continue to fulfill its critical safety mission.
  Mr. President. I urge my colleagues' support of this measure and look 
forward to bringing it to the full Senate for consideration in the near 
future.
                                 ______