Bill Clinton: “I rise to join the comments of my colleague, Senator Schumer. Many of us recognize the need for immediate action to aid…”

“I rise to join the comments of my colleague, Senator Schumer. Many of us recognize the need for immediate action to aid our struggling airline industry and are prepared to do so. We also appreciate greatly the continuing bipartisan cooperation that is helping this body address the needs of our country in the wake of the terrible attacks of September 11. I am very grateful that the long negotiations in the House and the Senate over the last several days, along with the White House, have resulted in a process to provide relief to families who have either lost a loved one or sustained significant personal injury. We are also grateful that the legislation provides more support for essential air services, particularly in many of our more rural areas, such as Watertown, NY, that are totally reliant on air service which still comes in to serve those communities. The passage of this legislation can only be a beginning. We also must make our airports as secure as possible.”