Rick Larsen: “As ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee, I know how important it is to end the shutdown of the FAA, but I do have…”

“As ranking member of the Aviation Subcommittee, I know how important it is to end the shutdown of the FAA, but I do have to ask the question, if safety were so important, why wasn't this the first bill brought to the floor in this piecemeal approach that the Republican side has taken? Now, look. A safe and efficient aviation system isn't just good for travelers; it's the lifeblood of the economy where I come from. In our State, 131,000 people across over 1,200 companies work in the aerospace industry, but these folks don't just depend on the FAA. Is it safety to say that police departments that need Federal grants to put cops on the beat should have to wait? Is it safety to say that our functioning transit systems have to wait for grants to make the transit systems more safe? Is it safety to say that the EPA can't issue grants in my district or around the country to make sure that we have safe and clean drinking water? This bill funds none of these priorities. We should not be opening just parts of the government to serve just some of the people. We should open the entire government for all Americans. The Republican solution to the Republican shutdown, this piecemeal approach picking winners and picking losers, is no solution at all. It's great that this House wants to make sure that air travel is safe, but why should we stop there? What about safety on our highways?…”