Gus Bilirakis: “as chairman of the Health and Environment Subcommittee, I must rise in opposition to section 406 of H.R. 3539. This new…”

“as chairman of the Health and Environment Subcommittee, I must rise in opposition to section 406 of H.R. 3539. This new section changes current law respecting the promulgation of aircraft emission standards. Although the changes are specifically made to the Clean Air Act, and not to the underlying bill, I believe this is a matter which is properly addressed through the normal legislative process and not through last minute legislating in a conference which was closed to the committee of jurisdictional interest in this matter. The new section 406 is not a radical departure from current law. It maintains the present requirements of the Clean Air Act for consultation between the Environmental Protection Agency and the Federal Aviation Administration regarding aircraft emission standards. However, the new section is duplicative at best and troublesome at worst for its attempt to alter standards affecting the promulgation of new emission standards. While I do not personally object to considering noise and safety as part of developing new emission standards--I do object when my subcommittee, which has jurisdiction over the Clean Air Act, is allowed neither time nor opportunity to assess recommended changes to the law. Section 406 has not been subject to proper review by the Health and Environment Subcommittee and there is no legislative record to support its inclusion in H.R. 3539.”