Senate Panel
Blocks Bush Plan Allowing Foreign Control of U.S. Airlines
Momentum Building on Capitol Hill;
Bipartisan Concern over Threats to National and Economic
Security
Washington, D.C... The following statement
was issued by Edward Wytkind, president of the
Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), on the
Senate Appropriations Committee today prohibiting the Bush
administration, through October 1 of this year, from
carrying out its plan to allow foreign interests to
control U.S. airlines:
"Today's vote by the Senate Appropriations Committee
is yet another indication of the growing bipartisan
opposition on Capitol Hill to allowing foreign interests
to control U.S. airlines.
"Momentum continues to grow in Congress to stop this
misguided proposal which threatens our homeland security
and the millions of jobs associated with our nation's
aviation industry. Last month the House Appropriations
Committee directed the Administration to take no action
for 120 days. Also, 171 House members have co-sponsored
legislation (H.R. 4542) to put a moratorium on the Bush
administration's unpopular plan.
"It is increasingly clear that both Republicans and
Democrats on Capitol Hill are deeply troubled by the
implications of allowing foreign interests to decide
whether or not a U.S. airline helps transport U.S. troops
and equipment under the CRAF program in time of war, what
country our airlines purchase their aircraft from, and
whether more jobs and aircraft maintenance are outsourced
overseas where safety and security standards may be lax.
"We thank Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Ted
Stevens (R-AK) for their leadership, and call upon the
Bush administration to heed the bipartisan concerns of
Congress and withdraw this fundamentally flawed
proposal."
