[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 21, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1007]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             AIRLINE FLIGHT CREW TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS ACT

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                               speech of

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 19, 2008

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate Mr. Bishop on 
successfully bringing this bill to the floor, and I am proud to be an 
original cosponsor of this legislation. This change to the Family and 
Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is long overdue and clarifies the original 
intent of the law passed in 1993, to ensure that airline flight crews 
have access to job-protected unpaid family and medical leave. The 
Workforce Protections Subcommittee, which I chair, held a hearing in 
April celebrating the 15th anniversary of the FMLA. And at the hearing 
we did celebrate the difference that job-protected family and medical 
leave--even if it is unpaid--has made in people's lives. But we all 
recognized that the law is in need of improvement.
  We need paid leave and we need to expand FMLA to include airline 
flight crew. Jennifer Hunt, a 19-year flight attendant with U.S. 
Airways testified at the Subcommittee to the importance of family and 
medical leave and how thousands of flight attendants, including 
Jennifer herself, are unable to take advantage of this benefit.
  Then she told us her story. In December, 2007, Jennifer's husband, 
John was diagnosed with prostate cancer and Jennifer needed time out 
from her full-time schedule to attend his medical appointments and be 
with him for his surgery and recovery. But without FMLA leave, Jennifer 
was stuck. She was able to adjust her schedule to be with John during 
his surgery. However, she returned to work as soon as John was out of 
the hospital and had to rely on friends and family to assist in his 
care and the care of her two young children.
  FMLA job-protected leave is essential to hardworking airline 
personnel who face the same challenges as other workers do in balancing 
their work and family. I am so pleased that Mr. Bishop's bill will 
provide them with this important benefit.

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