Mike Levin: “disintegration of the airline network of America is simply not a viable alternative for our nation. Therefore, I will…”

“disintegration of the airline network of America is simply not a viable alternative for our nation. Therefore, I will vote for this bill. Defeating it would be a worse alternative than passing it. But passing it must not obscure the serious shortcomings of this bill. It fails to address the serious holes in key parts of the safety net to help hold up those who suffer as a result of the tragedy of September 11. There are severe gaps in our unemployment compensation system and in our retraining structure that must be addressed or else many, if no most, of the dislocated will be out in the cold economically. Many of these same persons will be left without health coverage. We have been assured by the Speaker in a colloquy with the minority leader that the appropriate committees will turn their attention promptly to important outstanding issues, which must include those mentioned earlier. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the Subcommittee which has jurisdiction over unemployment compensation and some retraining programs, I intend to join in active efforts consistent with the assurances in the colloquy. This Congress must also take far more vigorous steps to dramatically strengthen airline security, and I mean dramatically. This bill does not begin to do so. If the public does not retain confidence that they can fly safely, most will not fly and when nothing in this bill will safeguard the financial integrity of the airline industry.”