[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[Senate]
[Page 1299]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          FAA REAUTHORIZATION

  Mr. REID. Madam President, I had a conversation last night with the 
Republican leader. For all Senators, we need to have amendments on this 
bill, the FAA bill, laid down. We all know there is a lot of feigning 
going on around here, a little posturing. We still have one issue left 
that deals with slots at airports. It is not going to be resolved. We 
have worked on this for years, and it will not be resolved except on 
the Senate floor. If it is not resolved and we do not have amendments 
laid down, taken care of, I will file cloture on this bill on Monday.
  It is a shame. I wish I could blame the Republicans for the impasse, 
but it is both parties. We have people on both sides of the aisle who 
are trying to take advantage, as they see it, on this slot issue. This 
is an extremely important piece of legislation. I know the slots to 
individual Senators is important. But it is not important enough to 
hold up this bill. We have been trying for years--years--to get this 
bill passed. This will create or save 280,000 jobs. It will improve the 
safety of our air travels. It will give rights to people who are flying 
who do not have those rights. We have a passengers' bill of rights. It 
is a shame this one issue is holding up this bill.
  I repeat, if we do not have this matter resolved Monday, I am filing 
cloture on this bill. We have to complete this legislation. Before we 
leave for our President's Day recess to go back to work in our States, 
we also have the FISA legislation that is a must. It expires. We have 
to take care of that before we leave. Of course, we have many other 
issues, but those are the two I am concerned about today. We have to 
pass the FAA bill, and we have to take care of the FISA legislation 
again.
  So I would hope everyone understands that we are not going to be 
playing around with this slot issue for another year. This bill has to 
pass, and there is one way we can solve it: people offer their 
amendments, and we will vote on them right down here in the well.
  I heard yesterday there are meetings going on to try to resolve this 
issue. These meetings have been going on for months and months and 
months, and they have held up this legislation. That is unfair. So I 
tell everyone, we have to move forward on this legislation, and if we 
do not have this issue worked out by Monday I am going to file cloture 
on this bill. It is a shame.
  I repeat, this is a bipartisan bill. This is not something that 
Republicans are trying to hold up or Democrats are trying to jam 
through. This is a bill that Democrats and Republicans believe is for 
the best interests of our country.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum 
call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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