Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2887, the Surface and Air Transportation Programs Extension Act of 2011. I am glad to see that a clean authorization could be reached, but there are important issues that must be considered in the future. Prior to H.R. 658, the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act being sent to the Senate, I offered an amendment to establish a mandate that at the top twenty United States airports, there shall be no fewer than three air traffic controllers on duty during periods of airfield operations. I firmly believe this provision will ensure that air traffic control towers at high volume airports in this country will be appropriately staffed at all times. We have all heard the recent stories of air traffic controllers falling asleep, or being locked out of the control tower, or for whatever reason, not being able to be on the job, on duty at critical times. I submit that by simply having a codified policy that at the busiest and most critical airports we mandate there be personnel redundancy in control towers, we can make the aviation system much safer. Think about the people on planes flying across our country. They are our grandmothers, husbands, wives, and babies. They are American passengers and their lives have value. To ensure their safety we must insist that air traffic controllers are vigilant. To ensure their vigilance we must set reasonable minimum standards.…”