Byron Dorgan: “H.R. 5900 is a piece of legislation sent to us by the House of Representatives that will extend for 2 months the FAA…”

“H.R. 5900 is a piece of legislation sent to us by the House of Representatives that will extend for 2 months the FAA reauthorization act. I regret that we have another extension. It is extension after extension after extension. It is so symbolic of the way this place works these days. The reason there is an urgency to get the FAA reauthorization act done is that it includes so many significant issues that deal with the safety of the air traveling public, with the airport improvement funds, with substantial investments in air traffic control modernization--a wide range of issues that are very important. Despite the fact that everybody understands the urgency, the FAA reauthorization bill is stuck in the morass of difficulties that now afflict the Senate and House these days. It is very difficult to get anything done. The question will be, Will we now--extending this for 2 more months-- at the end of this year adjourn sine die once again without having approved an FAA reauthorization bill? The Europeans are moving very aggressively on air traffic control modernization. I have met with Europeans on these issues. We should be doing the same, and yet it is held hostage by not passing an FAA reauthorization bill. The issue of safety is another very important issue.”