[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 20 (Tuesday, February 7, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E154]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 658, FAA REAUTHORIZATION AND REFORM ACT OF 
                                  2012

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. JANICE HAHN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, February 3, 2012

  Ms. HAHN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to explain my excused absence from the 
House last week, and to discuss how I would have voted on H.R. 658, 
conference report for the ``FAA Modernization and Reform Act,'' if I 
hadn't been pulled away by the funeral of my dear friend, Frank 
Herrera.
  Frank was a World War II veteran, a titan in his community of 
Wilmington, and a good friend of mine. He will be sorely missed by his 
family and all who knew him.
  While I was at his funeral, the House took action on the first long 
term FAA reauthorization since the last one expired in 2007. After the 
embarrassment of twenty-three short-term extensions, I was glad to see 
our Nation's aviation infrastructure finally given the certainty of 
long term funding. Finally, we will bring our aviation infrastructure 
into the 21st century with NextGen, and give long overdue certainty to 
modernization projects across the country.
  However, I was appalled to see that this ``compromise'' was bought 
with the rights of hard working men and women. I agree with the 
Communications Workers of America, the Service Employees International 
Union, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the 
National Education Association, the Teamsters and other advocates of 
working people that the American people deserved a clean FAA 
reauthorization, not this attempt to interfere with a worker's right to 
chose to form a union.
  Had I been here on Friday, I would have voted ``on'' on H.R. 658.

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