Political Quotes

“The need for a long-term Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, reauthorization act is clear; but H.R. 658 reauthorizes the FAA for 4 years, and the arbitrary spending cuts that our Republican colleagues have imposed on the agency in H.R. 658 will devastate FAA's ability to improve flying safety and to modernize the Nation's air traffic control system. For this reason, unfortunately, I cannot support the bill. H.R. 658 proposes a 23 percent--an unbelievable 23 percent--cut to FAA's research, engineering and development accounts from the funding levels enacted by Congress for fiscal year 2010. These cuts are not related in any way to a lack of need for the research. In fact, the committee, in multiple hearings, acknowledged the need for the research. The Congress heard expert testimony from witnesses who have stressed the importance of investing in both research and development and in the NextGen modernization initiative, and have warned of the negative impact that cuts will have on the Nation's air traffic control system and the flying public. To cut FAA's R&D efforts so drastically while we're trying to recover from a recession and while oil prices every day climb higher risks stifling this industry and the millions of jobs it supports. But I also want to be clear that the research and development work that is done at FAA helps to protect the safety of all the flying public.…”