[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 31 (Thursday, March 3, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1172-S1173]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING ROBERT BENZON

  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I rise today to honor another great 
Federal employee and a constituent of mine from Fredericksburg, VA.
  As we debate this week and over the coming weeks about making sure 
the Federal Government stays open, I think it is important to realize 
what we are talking about are the real lives of many of our great 
Federal employees who provide the services day-in and day-out to make 
sure many important public purposes are served.
  I know the Presiding Officer realizes this is an initiative that our 
former colleague, the Senator from Delaware, started. I was proud, when 
Senator Kaufman moved on, to pick up that mantle on a regular basis, 
coming to the floor of the Senate to recognize Federal employees who 
very often, in an unsung way, do great things for our country.
  The Federal employee I am going to recognize is someone who the 
Presiding Officer, who I know, spends a lot of time in the air, coming 
from the great State of New Mexico, will be particularly interested in. 
My colleague, the Senator from Illinois, who is also present, spends a 
lot of time in the air as well. That is the subject of what we will 
talk about today.
  Nearly 2 million people in the United States take to the skies every 
day. Once in flight, their safety relies on the diligent work of 
individuals responsible for ensuring that airplanes are well-designed 
and safe. When we reach our destination, as we often do, it is because 
of their tireless work.
  In the rare moments when accidents happen, we rely on individuals 
like Robert Benzon who possess the skill and innovative thinking to 
find the cause of the accident and ensure we don't make the same 
mistake twice.
  Robert Benzon is a senior air safety investigator with the National 
Transportation Safety Board. His job is to investigate aircraft 
accidents. He analyzes the equipment and data, identifies the cause of 
the accident and makes recommendations to the industry on how to 
improve safety.
  He began his career flying combat missions in Vietnam as an Air Force 
pilot. In 1984, he went to work for the National Transportation Safety 
Board in Chicago.
  Over his 25-year career, he has served as the lead investigator in 
several high-profile cases and is considered the best in his field. 
More than 80 percent of his team's recommendations have been adopted by 
the industry.
  In 1996, Mr. Benzon led the investigation of the TWA flight 800 crash 
in the Atlantic Ocean. His investigation following this crash led to 
the recommendation that oxygen contained in aircraft fuel tanks be 
replaced with another nonburning gas, like Nitrogen, to prevent fuel 
tank explosions.
  In 2001, Mr. Benzon led the investigation of the fatal crash of 
American Airlines flight 587 in Queens, NY. His investigation led to an 
industry-wide redesign of the rudder system, as well as changes to the 
pilot training program for similar aircrafts.
  Mr. Benzon also led the investigation of U.S. Airways flight 1549, 
known nationwide as the ``Miracle on the Hudson,'' which made Captain 
Sullenberger a household name. His investigation included an analysis 
of the engine damage and black box flight recorders,

[[Page S1173]]

interviews with the pilots, cabin crew, air traffic controllers and 
passengers, and meetings with the manufacturers of both the airplane 
and its engines.
  Mr. Benzon has also been a strong advocate for the collection of more 
in-flight data points from flight recorder black boxes, which he 
believes is critical to understanding what exactly may have gone wrong 
during a flight. His efforts have led to a significant increase in 
data: from less than 10 data points collected in-flight to over 1,000.
  In an interview, Mr. Benzon said, ``[My work] is a way of giving 
back--I get a good feeling after every one of these investigations is 
over. It's service to the country.''
  It is this sentiment that inspires me to highlight great Federal 
employees on the Senate floor. There are countless Federal employees 
who dedicate their lives to making the rest of our lives better and 
safer.
  Each day we set foot on an airplane and arrive safely at our 
destination, we have Robert Benzon and his team to thank. I hope that 
my Senate colleagues will join me in honoring Robert Benzon and all 
those at the National Transportation Safety Board for their dedicated 
service and important contribution to our Nation's aviation safety.
  I know Senators share the regard for this Federal employee and the 
many others who make our country a better place. It is my hope that in 
the coming weeks we can come to some resolution so these Federal 
employees can know that for the balance of this fiscal year the Federal 
Government will stay in operation and that they can continue to do 
their work.
  With that, I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. KIRK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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