Xavier Becerra: “Mr. Speaker, the aviation industry is in need of a lifeline, and we are all trying to find it. The bill today provides…”

“Mr. Speaker, the aviation industry is in need of a lifeline, and we are all trying to find it. The bill today provides $15 billion in taxpayer dollars to give a bailout, but there is no reason why this legislation could not have included the real face of the aviation industry: the pilots, the mechanics, the baggage handlers, the fight attendants, and ticket agents. The airlines could not run without them. This package contains nothing for the industry's reportedly 100,000 displaced or soon-to-be-laid-off workers. This $15 billion package spends nothing for the greater safety in our airlines as well. Mr. Speaker, I want to make clear that we need to support legislation granting much-needed relief to our beleaguered airlines; but without help for workers, without real money for enhanced security, without real guaranties for air service to small communities, I cannot support this.”