[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 158 (Tuesday, October 3, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1317]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    DISASTER TAX RELIEF AND AIRPORT AND AIRWAY EXTENSION ACT OF 2017

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 28, 2017

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I fully support a long-term extension of 
FAA authority, and I am very concerned that the expiration on September 
30th will have serious consequences for our air safety and economy. 
Congress owes the American people a bill that will provide stability 
for our air traffic controllers and keep our skies safe. So I am 
extremely disappointed that the Republican leadership has decided to 
attach a number of controversial and partisan policy provisions that 
are not germane to air travel and for that reason, I cannot support the 
bill in its original form.
  For example, this legislation contains provisions that relate to 
hurricane disaster relief and the National Flood Insurance Program 
(NFIP). Unfortunately, this bill does not extend reauthorization, 
increase borrowing authority, or address the overall stability of the 
NFIP. Instead, Republicans have decided to use this legislation as a 
vehicle to develop the private flood insurance market. Furthermore, the 
provisions providing tax relief to hurricane victims are woefully 
inadequate in assisting our fellow Americans in Puerto Rico and the 
U.S. Virgin Islands.
  Additionally, while this bill extends authority for a number of 
health care programs, Republicans have decided to disregard essential 
bipartisan priorities like the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP) 
and Community Health Centers. These programs require immediate 
reauthorization, and failure to do so will leave states like Minnesota 
without money to provide healthcare for babies, children, and expecting 
mothers. Community health centers across the country will lose the 
support they need to provide basic healthcare. Some will even be forced 
to close. The bill also fails to address the urgent need to reauthorize 
the Special Diabetes Program. While a short-term extension is included 
for the Special Diabetes Program for Indians, the funding is 
inadequate.
  Mr. Speaker, these are all important issues, and deserve immediate 
Congressional action, but the only way to solve them is with bipartisan 
solutions. Half measures and political games will only waste more time, 
and Democrats stand ready to work with our Republican colleagues to 
address each of these issues in a more thoughtful way.
  The Republican leadership has had nine months to work out a 
bipartisan, long-term solution for FAA Reauthorization. Instead of 
working with Democrats to pass a customary multi-year reauthorization, 
the Republican leadership waited until the last minute to push forward 
only a six month patch. Republicans then wasted more time by including 
a number of unrelated and partisan provisions that had nothing to do 
with FAA Reauthorization. Their decision to include a provision that 
would have effectively dismantled the National Flood Insurance Program 
(NFIP) ensured that the previous version of this bill would never pass 
the Senate.
  We owe the American public and our air traffic controllers better. 
Playing political games with something as important as airline safety 
is unacceptable. Failure to reauthorize FAA authority would leave our 
air traffic controllers and the travelling public at great risk. Not 
only would a lapse in reauthorization mean furloughs for tens of 
thousands of air traffic controllers, but it would also force vital 
airport improvement projects to come to a halt. The effects of this 
shutdown would have serious implications on America's economy and air 
safety.
  Now that the Senate has stripped out the most controversial 
provisions of this legislation, I am able to support it. However, 
Congress must put aside partisan differences, work together, and 
produce a long-term extension that our airline industry so desperately 
needs

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