On the recordFebruary 3, 2011
I want to be clear that if I were present in the Chamber, I would have voted in favor of Senator Sheldon Whitehouse's amendment No. 8 to provide penalties for pointing laser pointers at airplanes. Instances of this dangerous practice doubled last year, and I believe we need to take the strong actions necessary to protect our flight crews and the flying public from dangers such as this. I also would have voted in support of the motion to table Senator Rand Paul's amendment No. 19 to prohibit any funds made available by the FAA Reauthorization Act to be used to administer or enforce wage-rate requirements with respect to any project or program funded under the bill. I will continue to work with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to protect American workers, especially in these tough economic times.
