Charles Rangel: “I rise to support our chairman in this bill. This bill expired because of an attempt at budgetary gimmickry that has…”

“I rise to support our chairman in this bill. This bill expired because of an attempt at budgetary gimmickry that has almost jeopardized the safety of our airports and our passengers and our pilots, but that is behind us, and I think we have learned a lesson, and in order to ensure the safe operation of the Nation's air transportation system, I join with the chairman in sharing the urgency with which we act, and that is why this matter is on the suspension calendar. This bill will extend a ticket tax through the end of September, 1997, which will give the Congress and our committee an opportunity to come up with a long-term funding plan because, as pointed out by the chairman of the committee, this is merely the reinstitution of an existing tax that nobody challenges is necessary if we are going to safeguard our airways. The bill also extends the Treasury Department authority to transfer tax revenue to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund, which is a critical issue for the Federal Aviation Administration. Without the necessary transfer of tax revenue, the FAA will be unable to commit to capital projects as early as March, and March is, of course, just a couple of days away. We have to make certain that there is confidence felt by Americans, and we have the responsibility to provide that for Americans who fly for work or for pleasure.”