John Joseph Moakley: “Mr. Speaker, most of the things that this bill does are excellent. It authorizes $10.4 billion for the next 2 fiscal…”

“Mr. Speaker, most of the things that this bill does are excellent. It authorizes $10.4 billion for the next 2 fiscal years for our Federal Aviation Administration. These are people in charge of our air traffic control, air routes and airline safety. It also authorizes $4.6 billion in airport grants. It authorizes funding for airline safety and inspection programs which will improve the safety of air travel in the United States. It improves the notification process for families of airline accident victims to end confusion and to speed the transfer of information during that very, very difficult time. And if that were all that this bill would do, Mr. Speaker, I would happily support it, and so would many of my colleagues. But that is not all that is in this bill. This bill contains a direct attack on working Americans. This bill contains a provision that was not part of either the House or Senate bill. This provision will resurrect the term 'express carrier' solely on behalf of the Federal Express Co.”