Political Quotes

“I introduced this bill on September 15, 1997, about a month after the crash of Korean Air Flight 801 on Guam. As many of my colleagues know, the Foreign Air Carrier Family Support Act is a consequence of this tragic episode. Of the 254 people on board the flight, 228 perished. And linked to these 254 people are numerous family members and friends who suffered along with their loved ones as they waited to hear news about the crash victims. The people of Guam combined efforts with Federal officials, military personnel, and volunteers from Guam and off-island to search, rescue, and treat victims involved in the Korean Air crash. I cannot emphasize enough the diligence and compassion demonstrated by these groups of individuals. As in any major disaster, there are many things which we think could have been done differently. The ValuJet and TWA disasters produced the Aviation Disaster Family Assistance Act of 1996, requiring domestic airlines to submit family assistance plans. With H.R. 2476, I am asking my colleagues to make this law applicable to foreign airlines which operate in the United States and its territories.”