Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I will vote in support of the conference report to accompany the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act, H.R. 658. The last reauthorization bill expired at the end of fiscal year 2007 and since then we have passed 23 short-term extensions. We are long overdue to enact a long-term reauthorization of FAA's programs in order to provide important funding and program improvements that will enhance the safety and efficiency of our Nation's aviation system. I am pleased we are finally doing that today and in so doing we make key investments in our Nation's aviation infrastructure as well as create good jobs in the process. One of the main issues holding up the bill for so long was a provision contained in the House bill, but not the Senate bill, to repeal the National Mediation Board--NMB--rule that ensures that only those votes cast in a union election are counted. I am glad to see that controversial provision has been removed, although I am disappointed language has been added to change Railway Labor Act rules and regulations governing union elections by raising the showing of interest threshold for holding an election from 35 percent to 50 percent of the employees in the craft or class. I do not believe the FAA reauthorization bill is the appropriate vehicle for this sort of change and I do not support its inclusion in this bill. Providing a long-term 4-year reauthorization of our aviation programs is vitally important.…”