[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23578-23579]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                FAA BILL

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Congress, through legislation, has 
demanded that airport baggage screeners must be public employees. That 
was a conscious decision made by this Congress, and it was signed by 
the President.
  As a government, we should be equally clear that air traffic 
controllers should also be public employees accountable to the people 
they serve.
  Acting responsibly, the House and Senate both passed provisions in 
their respective FAA bills that would retain the inherent 
``governmental function'' of the FAA air traffic control towers and 
employees. But instead of affirming that the safety of air travelers is 
the responsibility of the U.S. Government, members of the conference 
committee, at the urging of this administration, passed a conference 
report that allowed for immediate privatization of 69 air traffic 
control towers, some of them among the busiest in the country. This was 
a failure of policy and a failure of process.
  Recognizing the committee's mistake, the House of Representatives has 
now moved to recommit the bill to conference. Hopefully, the conference 
committee will follow the mandate of the

[[Page 23579]]

Senate and House and restrain from trying to privatize air traffic 
controllers.
  This is something that boggles the mind of the people of Nevada and I 
am sure the people of Tennessee and around the country. When the House 
and the Senate pass a measure by large votes and it goes to a 
conference committee, which is made up of just a few members, they 
should not completely change what the Congress did. That is what they 
have done here, and it is wrong.
  In addition, it will be important for the conference committee to 
readdress issues dealing with the essential air service, cabotage, and 
flight attendant security training.
  It would be a mistake for the House to hastily convene a conference 
committee that simply strips language dealing with privatization. The 
conference report must contain language that blocks an administration 
directive to reclassify air traffic control services as ``commercial.'' 
This simply clears the way for private contractors to take over.
  Keep in mind that private contractors putting things out for bid at 
the lowest possible price and looking for profit are going to be 
controlling air traffic in and out of airports. I don't think that is a 
good idea.
  The people who direct air traffic in and out of our airports are 
performing critical public safety functions. I hope our colleagues in 
the House will understand that a conference report that simply strips 
privatization language will not pass the Senate.
  This is in no way to threaten or cajole. In fact, it is just the 
opposite. It is an effort to beg the House of Representatives to do the 
right thing.
  This FAA bill is important. We want to pass an FAA bill. But the 
conference report will not come out of this body if it doesn't have 
privatization language in it.
  This will only lead to further delays in funding essential airport 
infrastructure and security programs so vital to the safety of the 
flying public and our economy.
  The FAA bill is a jobs and air safety bill, which Congress must pass. 
We can do this the hard way or the easy way. Of course, I prefer the 
easy way because it is the right answer for America.
  I urge our colleagues to work with us to craft a revised FAA 
conference report that honors the overwhelming sentiment in Congress 
against privatization of air traffic control operation and maintenance, 
protects the U.S. aviation industry from unfair foreign competition, 
and ensures that the Nation's flight attendants receive mandatory 
antiterrorism training.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Talent). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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