[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 121 (Wednesday, July 23, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                AVIATION SAFETY ENHANCEMENT ACT OF 2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 22, 2008

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, today, we are considering H.R. 6493, the 
Aviation Safety Enhancement Act of 2008.
  This important legislation was introduced in a bipartisan manner and 
I want to thank Chairman Oberstar and Ranking Members Mica and Petri 
for working with me on this legislation.
  The United States has the safest air transportation system in the 
world; however, I have said time and again, we must not become 
complacent about our past success.
  The Committee's April 3 hearing on the failure of the Federal 
Aviation Administration (FAA) to properly oversee air carrier 
maintenance programs demonstrates the need for this Committee to ensure 
vigorous oversight by the FAA to maintain the highest level of safety.
  Following the April 3 hearing, the Department of Transportation 
Inspector General (DOT IG) made several recommendations to the FAA to 
ensure proper safety oversight. The FAA's reluctance to accept the IG's 
recommendations, including establishing an independent entity within 
the FAA to review FAA employee safety concerns and rotating certain 
safety inspectors to ensure objective safety oversight is unacceptable. 
That is why I strongly support H.R. 6493, which establishes an 
independent Aviation Safety Whistleblower Investigation Office within 
the FAA; rotates principal supervisory inspectors every 5 years; 
mandates modification to FAA's customer service initiative; and 
requires monthly reviews of the FAA's Air Transportation Oversight 
System (ATOS) database. H.R. 6493 is a positive first step to ensure 
that FAA maintains safety as its highest priority.
  In my capacity as Chairman of the Aviation Subcommittee, I have 
noticed a pattern with the FAA--the FAA is a reactive agency--not a 
proactive agency. We have seen it in the area of runway safety; 
improving conditions at our air traffic control facilities; congestion 
and delays at our airports and in the sky; and now in safety oversight.
  It is a continuous pattern--the FAA only acts when pushed into action 
by the Aviation Subcommittee or the Full Committee. It is my hope that 
H.R. 6493 spurs the FAA to be proactive instead of reactive and make 
the necessary changes to ensure effective oversight of our Nation's 
aviation system. The American traveling public deserves no less.
  With that, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6493.

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