From the Office of Senator Kerry

Thursday, October 11, 2001

MR. KERRY. Mr. President, I would like to take a few minutes to discuss the impact that the tragic events of September 11 have had on workers in this country, particularly those workers at our airlines, at our nation’s airports, and those hardworking Americans who build our aircrafts. Since September 11, announced layoffs in the transportation sector nationwide have topped 140,000. One hundred and forty-thousand people who, when they got up to go to work on September 11 had no idea that by the end of the day the industry that they work in would be indelibly altered. People who prior to September 11 hadn’t saved money to help them through lean times, or pursued other employment opportunities, or had any contingency plans that anticipated being out of work by the end of the month.

The workers who were the most immediately and most severely affected by the terrorist attacks are in desperate need of extended unemployment benefits, health care benefits, and retraining assistance. We cannot let these workers down. Some brave flight attendants -- those who boarded aircrafts following the terrorist attacks to accompany stranded passengers to their destinations – returned home only to be greeted by pink slips in their mailboxes. Everyone understood the financial strain that the airlines were under immediately following the attacks. And Congress responded to their precarious fiscal situation with bailout legislation. But we did not fulfill our obligation to the airline and airport workers. We must fulfill that obligation now.

I am very pleased that the Senator from Missouri has chosen to offer her amendment, which provides relief to those airline, commercial aircraft manufacturers, suppliers to airlines, and airport workers who have been impacted by the acts of terrorism on September 11, to our airline security bill. The Displaced Workers Assistance act, which I have cosponsored along with 36 of my colleagues, is critically important legislation that we must pass in order to help the 140,000 aviation workers who have been displaced by the terrorist attacks. This legislation would provide financial assistance, training, and health care coverage to employees of the airline industry who have lost their jobs as a result of the terrorist attacks. It is not just the airline employees, it is the employees of hotels and culinary workers and many others who were displaced following the terrorist attacks. We must address the needs of all the displaced workers and it is my hope and my expectation that we do so in the stimulus package over the course of the next few weeks.

Certainly, the airline industry was having a tough year before September 11, but the magnitude of the problem was substantially altered by the terrorist attacks. As a result of the attacks, the federal government shut down America’s airports making it impossible for the airlines to generate revenues. It will be quite some time before ridership approaches the pre-attack levels and operations return to normal. Last month we passed a $15 billion airline bailout bill. I believe, and my colleagues believe, that ensuring that our nation’s air transportation network remains strong is not only a matter of national security but is also important to our economy and our way of life. I stand behind my support of that legislation and think that it was the right thing to do.

But I feel very strongly that the airline bailout legislation should have contained a provision that addresses the needs of those who have already lost their jobs and those who will lose their jobs as a result of the terrorist attacks. Timely action to financially shore-up our airlines was critical to stemming the flow of layoffs that had begun, but financial assistance to the airlines is not enough to ensure that the workers are being taken care of. Loan guarantees to United Airlines will not make the mortgage payment of a laid off flight attendant. Direct cash assistance to US Airways will not enable a laid off machinist to provide for his family. We must do the right thing and act quickly to help these displaced workers – just as we did the right thing and acted quickly to help the airlines.

Senator Carnahan’s amendment includes provisions for retraining that builds on the trade adjustment assistance model that we have enacted to help workers displaced by trade. Right now, if a group of workers can prove that their job was lost due to trade, they are eligible for a series of benefits including job training and income support. Why can't we extend the same benefits for the thousands of workers who will lose their jobs and have trouble finding a new one right away? Can't we send just a few dollars to the men and women who will no longer fly the planes, sell the tickets, load the bags, attend to the passengers, or build the planes?

I strongly urge my colleagues to support Senator Carnahan’s amendment and provide those workers most directly impacted by the September 11 attack with the assistance that they need to support their families and get working again.