Bob Wise: “Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this important legislation which will release $800 million in funding for the…”

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this important legislation which will release $800 million in funding for the Airport Improvement Program. This bill will permit work to begin on important projects to improve airport safety and capacity before the end of this year's construction season. We passed a short-term AIP bill 2 weeks ago. The bill now before us represents a compromise between our bill and the short-term bill passed by the other body. The bill now before us is a good and fair compromise. In addition to the provisions on airport funding, the bill includes all the provisions which were in our original bill. I consider one of these provisions to be of particular importance; the provision requiring the Federal Aviation Administration to continue a pay differential program, which was begun 5 years ago to attract air traffic controllers, technicians and inspectors to hard to staff facilities in New York, Chicago, and California. Without this legislation, the pay differential would expire in June and the pay of personnel in critical air traffic control facilities would be cut 12 to 15 percent. This would create severe morale problems which could impair air traffic control.”