Chuck Grassley: “I am in sympathy for the entire airline industry. That is why the first hearing we had in the Commerce Committee was on…”

“I am in sympathy for the entire airline industry. That is why the first hearing we had in the Commerce Committee was on the status of the airline industry. CEOs of these industries came before us. They are in bad shape. They are in very bad shape. They are hemorrhaging hundreds of millions of dollars every year. USAir is in bankruptcy. United is in bankruptcy. Others border on bankruptcy. This needs to be viewed in the context of the entire airline industry. As much sympathy as I have for USAir, I don't think we can do something such as this at this particular time on an omnibus appropriations bill.”