Phil Gingrey: “I have come before the American people today to express my deep concern over the situation affecting our domestic…”

“I have come before the American people today to express my deep concern over the situation affecting our domestic airlines. Today we will be voting to appropriate a supplemental budget. Within this budget there will be much needed, in fact, critical funding for our troops who are currently engaged in combat with Iraq. This funding bill will also include payments to our domestic airliners to help fund security measures in response to the September 11 attacks. However, it has become hard to understand that in these times of economic hardship why airline industry executives would take millions of dollars in bonuses while each of the companies is laying off large portions of its workforce while mired in billions of dollars of red ink. The airline industry must exercise fiscal restraint. I would hope that all of these companies would tighten their belts especially if we are going to ask the taxpayers of this country to help carry the burden of their business.”