Political Quotes

“Today, nearly a year after the Senate passed the FAA Modernization and Reform Act, the Senate is being asked to adopt the conference report to accompany it. I am pleased that the conference report does retain bipartisan language that I worked on to protect the public's right to know under the Freedom of Information Act. The Freedom of Information Act is one of our Nation's premier open government laws. The language included is intended to allow the Government to protect sensitive aviation information while still ensuring that the American public has access to aviation-related health and safety information. I am very disappointed that the conference report does not contain the amendment that Senator Inhofe and I worked hard to pass when the bill was considered and passed by the Senate. Following passage of our amendment in the Senate, which contained important improvements to the Public Safety Officers Benefits Act--PSOB--and the Volunteer Protection Act, I worked with House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith to revise the Senate language into a bipartisan set of PSOB reforms. Among these reforms, and the basis of my Senate amendment, was the Dale Long Emergency Medical Service Providers Protection Act. This measure was prompted by the tragic death of Dale Long, a decorated emergency medical technician from Bennington, VT, who spent his career helping his fellow Vermonters. Following Mr.…”