[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 29, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD REAUTHORIZATION ACT OF 2010

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. THOMAS E. PETRI

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 28, 2010

  Mr. PETRI. Mr. Speaker, while there are several issues that we would 
like to continue working on as this bill moves forward, I want to voice 
my support for H.R. 4714, the ``National Transportation Safety Board 
Reauthorization Act of 2010.''
  The NTSB is a small, but important, part of the federal government 
and makes critical contributions to our nation's transportation safety 
each year.
  In 1967, Congress formed the NTSB as an independent agency to 
investigate civil aviation accidents and significant transportation 
accidents in the surface modes--railroad, highway, marine, and 
pipeline--as well as assisting victims of fatal accidents.
  Since its creation in 1967, the NTSB has investigated more than 
132,000 aviation accidents and more than 10,000 accidents in other 
transportation modes. As a result of these investigations, the Board 
has issued a total of almost 13,000 safety recommendations and over 82 
percent of those have been adopted.
  In making safety improvement recommendations based on world-class 
investigations, hundreds of NTSB professionals as well as the Federal 
Aviation Administration and the aviation industry have helped create 
the safest aviation system in the world. With its current resources, 
NTSB continues to do a tremendous service to this Nation and the 
traveling public in all modes of transportation.
  H.R. 4714, as amended, provides for a four-year reauthorization--
fiscal years 2011 through 2014.
  Given the size of the federal deficit and the improvement in aviation 
safety resulting in fewer aviation accidents requiring NTSB's 
attention, we are concerned with the level of funding authorized in 
this bill.
  We believe that a better starting point for the NTSB's funding levels 
is $100.4 million, the amount requested in the fiscal year 2011 
President's budget. The NTSB both supports and is comfortable with the 
President's budget Request.
  Despite the state of the federal budget, as introduced, H.R. 4714 
would have authorized a twenty percent increase over current levels 
from 2010 to 2011.
  Even a ten percent increase in authorization levels, as included in 
the amended version of H.R. 4714, raises concerns due to the Federal 
deficit. H.R. 4714, as amended, would authorize a total of a 27 percent 
increase in funding over 4 years.
  We remain concerned with the authorization levels contained in the 
bill and look forward to continuing to work with our colleagues on this 
issue should H.R. 4714 go to conference.
  This bill also expands the NTSB's authority to investigate 
``incidents'' in all modes of transportation. The bill directs the NTSB 
to define the term ``incidents'' in a rulemaking. It is our 
understanding that the Department of Transportation will be given the 
opportunity to comment on and influence the NTSB's rulemaking. This 
bill would also require the formulation of Memorandums of Understanding 
(MOU) with each appropriate modal agency to describe and reach 
understanding on the roles and responsibilities of each party in the 
event of an NTSB incident investigation.
  We believe that the inclusion of ``incidents'' in the definition of 
``accidents'' will require close oversight by Congress to ensure that 
there are no negative impacts on the ability of each modal 
transportation agency to investigate and conduct enforcement 
activities. The potential for the NTSB to obtain evidence voluntarily 
from the parties involved in an incident may limit the evidence 
available to the modal agencies in the pursuit of an enforcement 
action.
  We also remain concerned about the impact of a provision prohibiting 
the disclosure of information by party representatives during an 
investigation. While the intent of the provision is sincere, its impact 
may severely harm the party representative system, a system that has 
served the Nation well over the years.
  We would like to work with the Chairman and Rep. Carnahan to ensure 
the provision achieves its intended result without unintended 
consequences.
  Finally, we would like to thank the Chairman for trying to address 
the concerns raised at markup regarding the language in the bill on 
interim recommendations.
  Unfortunately, despite these changes to the bill, we are still 
concerned that there may be some confusion with the issuance of both 
interim safety recommendations and final recommendations. Again, we 
hope the Chairman will continue to work with us to address these 
concerns as this bill moves forward.
  While these are several issues that we would like to continue working 
on in a bipartisan manner, we do support H.R. 4714 and look forward to 
working together to improve the bill.
  I thank the Chairman as well as my other colleagues for their work on 
this bipartisan bill.

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