[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 127 (Tuesday, September 16, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11587-S11588]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  MEASURE READ THE FIRST TIME--S. 1618

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I understand that S. 1618, introduced 
early today by Senator Rockefeller and others, is at the desk, and I 
ask for its first reading.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will read the bill for the first 
time.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1618) to reauthorize Federal Aviation 
     Administration Programs for the period beginning on October 
     1, 2003, and ending on March 31, 2004, and for other 
     purposes.

  Mr. BROWNBACK. I now ask for its second reading and object to my own 
request.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Objection is heard.
  The bill will remain at the desk and have its next reading on the 
next legislative day.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, this legislation reauthorizes the 
Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, and its core programs, including 
the Airport Improvement Program, AIP, through March 31, 2004. While I 
would like to have seen Congress pass a comprehensive multiyear bill, 
it is not going to be possible by the end of this fiscal year. We need 
to pass this noncontroversial short-term extension to allow the FAA to 
continue to operate its core safety and airport funding programs.
  The Senate produced a very good FAA reauthorization bill, and I was 
proud to help in developing that legislation. Unfortunately, the final 
product after negotiations with the House of Representatives was not as 
good as the Senate-passed bill. It included several dangerous 
provisions that I could not support, and, in fact, many of my 
colleagues on both sides of the aisle have raised objections to this 
legislation.
  The most significant reason that the multiyear FAA bill is stalled is 
because the conference report includes language that allows as large 
part of the Nation's air traffic control system to be contracted out to 
private operators. If adopted, the conference report would allow the 
FAA to initiate the process of contracting out of some air traffic 
control functions immediately while only delaying the potential 
privatization for the 4-year life of the bill. The

[[Page S11588]]

Senate during its consideration of the FAA bill voted 56 to 41 to keep 
all air traffic control functions as a governmental responsibility out 
of a deep sense that the safety of our skies is a basic governmental 
function. A bipartisan majority of Senators expressed serious concerns 
over the executive branch's future plans for the management of the air 
traffic control system, and we voted to impose restrictions on the 
Administration's proposal precisely to avoid the very outcome of the 
conference report.
  Instead of negotiating in good faith over how best to guarantee the 
safety of our Nation's air traffic control system, the majority acceded 
to the administration's demands that they be given absolute discretion 
over the future of aviation safety. My short-term reauthorization bill 
includes language that enhances the safety of our Nation's air traffic 
control while giving the executive branch an appropriate level of 
flexibility to manage the system. The United States operates the most 
complex aviation system in the world, and we must have in place a 
dynamic and responsive safety system. I, along with my colleagues, want 
to continue to work with the administration on making our aviation 
system the safest, most secure, and advanced in the world.
  This legislation reauthorizes funding for FAA programs and 
operations. Importantly, the bill reauthorizes the AIP program, which 
will allow the Federal Government to maintain its investment in airport 
infrastructure. Small airports are especially dependent on AIP funding 
to fund capital improvement projects. In addition, the bill includes 
provisions that reduce small airports share of AIP projects to 5 
percent. The bill also allows small airports to maintain their 
eligibility for AIP entitlement funds if decreased traffic due to 
September 11 resulted in these airports falling below FAA-required 
passenger benchmarks.
  Congress should not hold up these critical funds over disagreements 
on unrelated issues. Broad consensus exists on the need for increased 
aviation funding. This bill will provide approximately $1.7 billion in 
AIP funds, which on an annualized basis would boost AIP funding by $100 
million over last year's level.
  To make sure small communities continue to be linked to the Nation's 
aviation network, the bill also reauthorizes the Essential Air Service 
Program, EAS, and Small Community Air Service Development Program. The 
EAS program is a lifeline to our smallest and most isolated 
communities. The Small Community Air Service Development Program has 
helped dozens of communities across the country expands their air 
service options.
  Finally, the bill authorizes new security initiatives. Although we 
have made dramatic improvements in aviation security over the last 20 
months, improving aviation security is a continuous process. This bill 
is another step in this process. The bill addresses the development and 
implementation of the Computer Assisted Passenger Profiling Program, 
CAPPS, II, which many Senators are deeply concerned infringes on civil 
liberties. My legislation imposes a variety of safeguards to protect 
citizens' privacy as CAPPS II is deployed.
  This bill does not have everything I worked hard to include in the 
Senate's multiyear FAA reauthorization. As I stated, the Senate-passed 
bill was the result of hard work, compromise, and a commitment to 
improving the Nation's aviation system. I believe with a little more 
time, we can find a compromise on the issues holding up the multiyear 
bill, but in the meantime, the Senate should adopt this short-term 
reauthorization to preserve the integrity of the aviation system.

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