-9999

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. President, the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act that is before us shines as a beacon of safety, progress, and efficiency in the realm of aviation. It is not just any piece of legislation; it is a commitment to safeguarding lives, fostering innovation, and bolstering economic growth.

At its core, this bill ensures that our skies remain safe for all who traverse them. It sets stringent standards for aircraft safety, air traffic control, and airport operations, ensuring that every flight is conducted with the highest level of care and expertise.

Today, I rise to especially acknowledge the hard work that our air traffic controllers do day in and day out to keep our skies clear and safe for all.

Back home in Olathe, KS, we have an Air Route Traffic Control Center that is responsible for some 130,000 square miles of airspace.

Covering that much airspace is no small feat, and it takes a team of highly skilled and trained controllers to get the job done. In fact, I made a visit to that control center in Olathe, and what I found was perhaps the most constant bombardment of mentally challenging tasks of any job I have ever seen, more than anything I have seen in 8 hours or 12 hours in an operating room in 1 day, more than a day in an emergency room, more than any task I have seen, the mental challenge, the constant bombardment of different sequences, trying to make sure--not trying but ensuring that every flight lands safely. There is no room for error. There are no second chances. And it amazes me how, time after time, day after day, these stalwarts do their job with perfection.

And I have to admit, in years past, I have been disappointed that, despite billions being spent, allocated to the FAA each year, this Agency has continued to neglect hiring for air traffic controllers, not only in Kansas but across the Nation.

Again, based on my visit to our towers in Kansas, it is clear that our air traffic controllers need relief, and we need to hire more people to prevent burnout among those critical workers for the sake of preserving passenger safety.

Thankfully, we have a golden opportunity this week to make things right with this FAA reauthorization. The compromise package includes provisions to hire at maximum levels over the life of this bill and to adopt a new staffing model to better project hiring needs in the future.

I want to especially salute Senator Braun's Air Traffic Controllers Hiring Act, as it is a commonsense, simple fix that over 30 Senators have supported. Including this bill in this reauthorization package was the right thing to do, and it is a bipartisan win that we can all celebrate together. I applaud the committee for including this important language and taking care of the folks who work around the clock to keep our deliveries on time and our passengers safe.

And, finally, I want to just take a moment to remember and applaud all of the Members of Congress, but, I think, even more importantly, their dedicated staff, who have worked on this FAA reauthorization legislation, along with all the dedicated aviation industry who strive to keep us safe and on time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source