    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [March 10, 2000]
    [Pages 430-432]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Announcing the Initiative To Reduce Air Travel Delays
    March 10, 2000

        Thank you very much. I want to thank Secretary Slater and Jane Garvey and the airline
    executives who are here, the representatives of the airline pilots, the
    air traffic controllers, and the other aviation leaders who have made a
    truly remarkable team for this announcement.

    Minimum Wage Legislation

        Before I talk about the air travel issue, because this is my only
    opportunity to meet with the press today, and because I had the unusual
    good fortune of letting them parade in ahead of us, here--I actually
    tried to get Mark Knoller [CBS Radio] to do
    this announcement, but he refused. [Laughter]
        I want to say a few words about a very down-to-Earth issue, the
    proposal to raise the minimum wage. I have called for a simple one
    dollar increase in the minimum wage to help millions of families. Last
    night, dozens of Republicans joined us in forming a majority to raise
    the minimum wage by a dollar over 2 years.
        But unfortunately, the leadership turned that commonsense act into a
    dead letter by insisting they would only have a minimum wage increase if
    we turn back overtime protections for over a million workers and use the
    bill to give a large tax cut, which both disproportionately benefits the
    wealthiest Americans and would put our prosperity at risk by making it
    impossible for us to continue to pay down the debt and to save Social
    Security and Medicare.
        Now, I think the American people question why Congress can't do
    something as simple as raising the minimum wage without loading it up
    with special favors. And I think it's a good question. The right answer
    is to send me a clean bill, a bill simple and clear, that could fit on
    one side of one piece of paper. In fact, if you look at it, that's
    exactly what our minimum wage bill does. It's not very big, not very
    complicated. And I hope that we can pass it.
        I'm looking forward to working with the Congress. I have not given
    up on this, and I have been given some encouraging signals that we might
    yet be able to reach an agreement. So I will keep working on it.

    Air Travel Delays

        Now, let me again welcome all the representatives of the
    transportation industry here. And let me say a special word of
    appreciation to Senator Jay Rockefeller for his longstanding leadership in this area and his
    interest. I think it's quite important that we have airline efficiency,
    because it's almost impossible for someone as tall as Senator
    Rockefeller to be comfortable on an airline--[laughter]--and we want to
    make sure he can at least always be on time. [Laughter] He has worked on
    this for a long time.
        You mentioned, Secretary Slater mentioned the meeting we had in
    Everett, Washington. When I took office, the airline industry was in
    trouble. We've all worked very hard for the successes of the last 7
    years, and all the actors in the industry have.
        I'd also like to say a special word of appreciation to someone who
    is not here, Vice President Gore, who
    headed our Commission on Airline Safety and Security. It was part of our
    reinventing Government effort, and I thank him for

    [[Page 431]]

    his efforts, and all the people who worked on that endeavor.
        We know that delays pile up as flights increase and thunderstorms
    snarl the skies. We know, with springtime coming, that we don't want to
    forget, as Rodney said, that last year's summer storms were the worst,
    or some of the worst, on record. The air traffic control system couldn't
    respond fast enough. More than 1,200 aircraft were late every day last
    summer. Delays rose by 22 percent last year overall. It's not good for
    travelers; it's not good for the airline industry; and it's not good for
    the overall economy.
        Of course, when it comes to air travel, safety is the most important
    thing. In severe weather, flights will be canceled or delayed for safety
    reasons, and passengers wouldn't have it any other way. But as we work
    to keep the travel as safe as it can be, we should also do everything we
    can to make it as efficient as it can be.
        After last summer's record delays, the Federal Aviation
    Administration put together an extraordinary partnership with the
    airline industry, the pilots, the workers who keep the planes in the
    air, the air traffic controllers who bring them home safe. Together,
    they developed a faster, more efficient response to storms. And they
    came here today to brief me on the improvements we can all expect this
    summer.
        First, better communications will let pilots and passengers know
    promptly whether they can expect a delay measured in minutes or in
    hours. Second, centralized air traffic decisionmaking will let us
    respond better to the really big storms that can stretch the length of
    the east coast or from Houston to the Great Lakes. Third, new technology
    will help FAA and airline experts use airspace more efficiently, detect
    storms sooner, and keep runways working even in bad weather. Fourth, FAA
    and airline representatives will share information several times a day,
    working off the same state-of-the-art weather forecast. And finally,
    next month the FAA will open a website with up-to-the-minute weather
    information for consumers.
        I want to thank all the organizations represented here for working
    together. And I thank all the Members of Congress who have supported
    these reforms.
        Let me also mention that Congress is close to finalizing the FAA
    reauthorization bill. I know it's important to Secretary Slater, because he sent me a memo about it yesterday.
    [Laughter] This will provide ample funding to upgrade facilities and
    equipment at airports and air traffic control centers. If we want to
    minimize delays and maximize safety, we need this FAA reauthorization
    and this funding. I think everybody here who's done a lot of air travel
    knows that we need to upgrade the facilities and the equipment and the
    air traffic control centers.
        But I am concerned that too little funding will be available for air
    traffic control operations. That's the bedrock of efficiency and safety.
    And although the bill contains some first steps forward, it doesn't go
    far enough toward the system-wide reform we need.
        We must bring the air traffic control system and the way it's
    managed into the 21st century. We have the safest air travel in the
    world, but as more and more Americans take to the air, we need to make
    our system as efficient as it safe. The FAA expects passenger traffic to
    rise by more than 50 percent in the next 10 years. Freight traffic will
    almost double in the same period. Busier skies means we have to work
    harder to keep our skies safe and to keep planes flying on time.
        So today I'm directing the FAA to develop a plan for broader reform
    of the air traffic control system and to report back to me in 45 days,
    building from fundamental principles. America's 21st century air traffic
    control system should provide 21st century high-tech service. The system
    must work better with its customers, the commercial airlines, and others
    who pay for the system. It must be able to look beyond next year's
    budget cycle and fund new technology we need over a multiyear period.
        We must meet these challenges in a way that helps, not harms,
    everyone who is a part of the air traffic control system. And we must
    always keep safety at the top of our agenda. With other Government
    agencies and the private sector, I ask the FAA to look ahead to our
    ultimate goal, putting together a seamless, state-of-the-art system from
    coast to coast.
        Now, until we work out a way to get Mother Nature to cooperate,
    storms, delays, and cancellations will always be with us. And the
    American people understand that. But they also understand that if we can
    photograph and analyze weather patterns from space, we ought to be able
    to tell passengers why they're delayed and for how long. If we can guide
    the space shuttle into orbit and back, we ought to be able to guide
    planes around thunderstorms safely.

    [[Page 432]]

        We can do a better job. Starting next summer, with the help of
    everyone here today, we will.
        Again, let me say, Secretary Slater and
    to Jane Garvey and to all the people standing
    with me and all of you sitting out in the audience who had anything to
    do with this, this is the way our country ought to work in a lot of
    other contexts. I thank you for what you have done. I think we have to
    do more. But this summer a lot of people will benefit from the enormous
    efforts you have made, and I am very, very grateful.
        Thank you very much.

    Note: The President spoke at 11:21 a.m. in the Roosevelt Room at the
    White House.