Peter Roskam’s For Improved Air Safety…Except When He’s Not

This Thanksgiving, Peter Roskam is very concerned about the safety of air travel. So concerned that he has sent a letter to the FAA, questioning whether some recent near misses involving air traffic controllers at Aurora were the result of controllers being stretched too thin by reduced staffing levels. But voters should realize just how unconcerned Peter was back in September when he voted against H.R. 2881: FAA Reauthorization Act of 2007.

In addition to funding the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) through 2011, including funding for the modernization of the air traffic control system, H.R. 2881 provided for the following:

• An increase in the number of aviation safety inspectors in the Flight Standards Service
• An assessment of training programs for FAA air traffic controllers
• Requirement that air carriers formulate plans as to how they will provide food, water, and medical treatment to passengers “stuck on the tarmac” for extended periods of time.
• Hikes aviation fuel taxes a few cents per gallon with the increase dedicated to air traffic control modernization

Frankly, I don’t understand how to explain Peter’s vote on this bill except as another “rubber stamp” approval of White House policy. President Bush was opposed to the bill and threatened to veto it due to its failure to embrace his preferred system of user fees for funding the FAA. Other White House objections were related to a requirement for a Consumer Complaint Hotline and the requirement that airlines submit plans regarding caring for passengers stuck on grounded aircraft. The plan for FAA funding favored by Roskam and Bush is that favored by large commercial airlines. It seems to me that their position on H.R. 2881 is best seen as just another example of their support for the interests of large corporations over those of consumers.