[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 142 (Tuesday, September 20, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H5662-H5663]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PROVIDING AN ANNUITY SUPPLEMENT FOR CERTAIN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS
Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 5785) to amend title 5, United States Code, to provide for
an annuity supplement for certain air traffic controllers.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 5785
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. FULL ANNUITY SUPPLEMENT FOR CERTAIN AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROLLERS.
Section 8421a of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a) by striking ``The amount'' and
inserting ``Except as provided in subsection (c), the
amount'';
(2) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) This section shall not apply to an individual
described in section 8412(e) during any period in which the
individual, after separating from the service as described in
that section, is employed full-time as an air traffic control
instructor under contract with the Federal Aviation
Administration, including an instructor working at an on-site
facility (such as an airport).''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Oklahoma (Mr. Russell) and the gentlewoman from the District of
Columbia (Ms. Norton) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Oklahoma.
General Leave
Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and include extraneous material on the bill under consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Oklahoma?
There was no objection.
Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
It is my honor to present and speak about H.R. 5785, which provides a
full annuity supplement for certain retired air traffic controllers
that serve as instructors--a measure that helps ensure safe skies and
also cuts waste and inefficiency.
Over the next 5 years, the Federal Aviation Administration plans to
hire a new generation of air traffic controllers. As the generation
following the 1981 strike reaches retirement age, more than 6,000 new
controllers will be trained in Oklahoma City's FAA Academy to fill this
void and safely manage our Nation's air space.
{time} 1445
Training this new generation of controllers requires a full staff of
quality and committed instructors. Current law, however, financially
penalizes instructors who work full time, causing discontinuity in the
classroom and government waste.
There is an arbitrary income cap in place for our experienced,
retired air traffic controllers who want to receive their full
benefits. Consequently, many instructors choose to work part time
instead of full time to maintain these benefits. To match the hours of
a full-time instructor, the FAA must hire four part-time instructors,
which quadruples the cost for training, wasting about $1 million each
year.
To remedy this situation, my bill removes the income limit so that
our Nation's most experienced air traffic controllers can work as
instructors full time and receive their benefits. Not only will the FAA
save up to $1 million
[[Page H5663]]
each year, but consistent teaching by quality instructors will ensure
our skies remain safe.
I appreciate the leadership of Chairman Chaffetz and Ranking Member
Cummings, in giving this legislation timely and supportive
consideration, as well as my Democratic cosponsors, Mr. Connolly of
Virginia and Mr. Lynch of Massachusetts, and the bipartisan supporters
who recognize the importance of this matter.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise in support of H.R. 5785, and I thank Congressman Russell for
his leadership on this measure.
H.R. 5785 would help ease the difficulty that the Federal Aviation
Administration currently has in hiring air traffic controller
instructors. The bill would eliminate the Social Security earnings cap
for the FAA air traffic controller instructors who are receiving
pension supplements. The cap is, currently, $15,720 per year. This cap
has made it hard for the FAA Academy to hire full-time instructors
because retired air traffic controllers do not want to lose their
annuity supplements.
The FAA has a critical shortage of air traffic controllers, and it is
vital that we help ensure that the FAA is able to recruit enough
qualified instructors to train controllers. This legislation is
narrowly tailored to address a matter that would have significant
affects on public safety, so I urge my colleagues to join me in
supporting this bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RUSSELL. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from the District
of Columbia for her kind support.
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Russell) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 5785.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. HUELSKAMP. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
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