Senate Rejects ATC Privatization

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Mike Perrone, national president of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS), issued the following remarks regarding passage of the Senate version of the FAA reauthorization legislation:

 

“On behalf of PASS, I want to thank leaders of the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee—Chair John Thune (R-S.D.), Ranking Member Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Aviation Subcommittee Chair Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)—  for spearheading the effort to pass a bipartisan bill that focuses on items of critical importance to the continued development and modernization of this country’s airspace system. Most importantly, today the Senate rejected privatizing this country’s air traffic control system. 

 

“As PASS has stated previously, privatization of the air traffic control system is a risk this country should not be forced to take. Our aviation system is working. In fact, it is the largest, most complex and efficient aviation system in the world. No other country’s airspace—and no other country’s federal workforce—can compare. There is no reason to gamble with one of the safest systems in the world.

 

“PASS encourages all lawmakers to support the Senate version of FAA reauthorization in order to allow the federal employees at the FAA to continue doing the work they do every day to keep the aviation system safe and efficient.”

 

For more information or questions, please contact Jessica Cigich at 202.293.7277

 

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Since 1977, PASS has represented more than 11,000 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense who install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries, develop flight procedures and perform quality analyses of the aviation systems. For more information, visit the PASS website at www.passnational.org