Nick Rahall: “I had hoped for legislation today that would be laser-focused on creating jobs, on creating jobs and making our aviation…”

“I had hoped for legislation today that would be laser-focused on creating jobs, on creating jobs and making our aviation system safer, more efficient and more accessible for our flying public. Instead, much of the drama over the FAA reauthorization, for the last year--and there's been plenty of that drama--erupted over a provision of the House-passed bill that would have changed how the National Mediation Board, the NMB, counts votes in representation elections at airlines and railroads. Now, let me be clear. As I stated in our perfunctory one single, only conference meeting on this issue, that provision had no place and these labor provisions before the National Mediation Board have no place in FAA reauthorization because it has nothing to do with improving safety or creating jobs. Instead, it was a salvo aimed by the majority in this House at our American workers. Today, we have a conference report with a so-called compromise, but that compromise still changes how airline and railroad workers join unions. Now, some will say that this compromise is several degrees better than the original provision in the House bill. Nevertheless, I strongly oppose the inclusion of this NMB provision in the pending legislation. On the other hand, I am pleased that the conference committee flat- out rejected the proposal of the original House-passed bill to sunset the Essential Air Service program.…”