Foes Fail To Force Vote On Aviation Bill

The Senate remains deadlocked as the long-delayed FAA Reauthorization remains just that -- long-delayed. Republican legislators failed to bring the 60 votes to the floor  needed to defeat the cloture motion that has been holding this bill up for several months.

Democrats, who appear to have bought into the faux safety arguments put forth by organizations like NATCA (who appear to have put self-interest before reason) have used cloture to limit debate and halt a vote on the $60 Billion dollar bill that pretty much defines the backbone for the FAA for the coming budget cycle.

The Democrats are pushing for the bill to restrict so-called "privatization" of a small number of air traffic control centers. Based on NATCA rhetoric, Democrats have bought into the controller's argument that such privitization would "compromise flight safety," but the DOT strongly contradicts this notion buy stating that current contract towers have been proven to do nothing to compromise safety and, in fact, operate more efficiently.

President Bush has threatened to veto the bill if the anti-privatization measures were not removed from the actual bill. The attempt to defeat the cloture logjam failed 45-43.

FMI: www.faa.gov