[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 77 (Wednesday, June 12, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H3459]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         PRIVATIZATION OF U.S. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL, A BAD IDEA

  (Mr. HOLDEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOLDEN. Mr. Speaker, recently the idea of privatizing the United 
States air traffic control system has been given a renewed life. Mr. 
Speaker, that would be a very bad idea. A competent and reliable air 
traffic control system is vital to the safety of our flying public, and 
public safety is a responsibility of the Government. Simply put, air 
traffic controllers perform an inherently governmental function for our 
Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, proponents of privatizing air traffic controllers like 
to cite three countries they consider to be successful examples of 
privatization: Australia, Great Britain, and Canada. Unless we consider 
a walkout, a pending bankruptcy and a pending labor strike to be 
examples of success, I would respectfully disagree. Let us face the 
fact that privatization of air traffic control does not work.
  On September 11 of last year, air traffic controllers proved their 
worth as inherently governmental employees. Our air traffic control 
system is the envy of the world. Let us keep it that way.

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