Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick: “by bringing this bill up without extensive debate or scrutiny and without the opportunity for amendment, we are being…”

“by bringing this bill up without extensive debate or scrutiny and without the opportunity for amendment, we are being asked to buy a pig in a poke. I want to assist the airline industry. The condition of the industry was marginal before September 11. Since the assault on America, we now find it in a critical state. In helping the airlines, we are protecting airline industry executives, managers and stockholders. I am not opposed to that if that is what it takes to rebuild the air transport system. But in the wake of trying to pull together a bill that will bridge the industry until some normalization in the system is restored, we are forgetting about the rank and file employees. These are the baggage handlers, the skycaps, the flight attendants, and the ticket agents who are the victims of last week's shutdown and who now find themselves out on the street. There is no provision in this bill that will help bridge them and their families until the air transport system is back on its feet. The leadership has promised to bring up legislation next week to provide compensation for workers, families and victims adversely impacted by this tragic incident. My problem with this "promise" is that it does not have the united commitment of the leadership on the other side of the aisle. That's why I am skeptical of supporting this bill on these terms, under these conditions. More often than not, legislating quickly is legislating badly.”