IN THE NEWS

Transportation - Democrats Reiterate Their Vow To Fight FAA Bill

by CongressDaily

October 30, 2003

House Democratic leaders and House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee members today reiterated their vow to fight the FAA reauthorization bill when it comes to the floor.

House Minority Leader Pelosi said that Republicans "burned the book on rules" regarding the FAA conference. She added that Democrats in the House would use tactics on the floor "to slow down the process," although she was not specific about the measures lawmakers plan to use. Lawmakers passed a rule Tuesday night to send the bill back to conference. After stripping all language referring to air traffic control privatization from the bill, Republican conferees immediately filed the conference report Wednesday. Democrats in the House and Senate continue to oppose any bill without specific language prohibiting future air traffic control privatization. House

Minority Whip Hoyer said the conference report was at odds with the bills passed by the House and the Senate, both of which expressly prohibited privatization. After those bills passed, Hoyer said, "A small group of willful, undemocratic members in the House and Senate said, 'We don't care.'" Hoyer added: "We will fight this rule.
We will fight this bill."

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