[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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