[House Report 111-543]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
111th Congress Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session 111-543
======================================================================
EXPRESSING GRATITUDE FOR THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THE AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROLLERS OF THE UNITED STATES MAKE TO KEEP THE TRAVELING PUBLIC SAFE
AND THE AIRSPACE OF THE UNITED STATES RUNNING EFFICIENTLY, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
_______
July 15, 2010.--Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be
printed
_______
Mr. Oberstar, from the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure,
submitted the following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H. Res. 1401]
The Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, to whom
was referred the resolution (H. Res. 1401) expressing gratitude
for the contributions that the air traffic controllers of the
United States make to keep the traveling public safe and the
airspace of the United States running efficiently, and for
other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably
thereon with amendments and recommend that the resolution as
amended be agreed to.
The amendments are as follows:
Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the
following:
That the House of Representatives--
(1) expresses gratitude for the contributions that the air
traffic controllers of the United States make to keep the
traveling public safe and the airspace of the United States
running efficiently;
(2) commends air traffic controllers for the calm and
professional manner in which they handle air traffic, day and
night, throughout the year;
(3) acknowledges the heroic actions, dedication, and quick
and skilled decisionmaking that air traffic controllers employ
to help avert many accidents and tragedies; and
(4) encourages greater investment in the modernization of the
air traffic control system of the United States so that air
traffic controllers have the resources and technology needed to
better carry out their mission, both in the air and on the
ground, as air travel continues to grow.
Amend the preamble to read as follows:
Whereas air traffic controllers dedicate themselves to the protection of
the flying public;
Whereas air traffic controllers react to dangerous and complex situations
on a daily basis, doing so in a calm and professional manner;
Whereas air traffic controllers work all day long and all year long,
including holidays, to provide services to aircraft in their assigned
airspaces;
Whereas, due to the highly stressful and demanding nature of the job and
the total concentration required, air traffic controllers are required to
take regular 30-minute breaks, work in shifts, and retire by the age of 56;
Whereas air traffic controllers perform courageous acts every day;
Whereas, on January 1, 2009, air traffic controller Kristin Danninger at
the Madison, Wisconsin, Tower and Terminal Radar Approach Control
(``TRACON'') facility directed a new pilot back on course and above minimum
altitude who had been stuck in the clouds in a small aircraft with zero
visibility, successfully using her knowledge of local geography to point
out a highway that led the pilot to the appropriate runway;
Whereas, on March 29, 2009, air traffic controller Troy Decker at the Salt
Lake Center facility guided a Piper Aztec aircraft with an engine fire to a
safe landing in Butte, Montana, providing detailed weather reports for
several possible landing options;
Whereas, on April 12, 2009, air traffic controllers Jessica Anaya, Lisa
Grimm, Nathan Henkels, Dan Favio, Brian Norton, and Carey Meadows at the
Miami Center facility and the Fort Myers Tower and TRACON facility guided
to safety a twin-engine King Air aircraft after the pilot died in-flight,
assisting Doug White, an individual with limited private pilot experience
in smaller aircraft, to locate the positions of controls and switches on
the aircraft and to navigate the high-traffic area of southern Florida;
Whereas, on June 28, 2009, air traffic controller Ron Chappell at the
Southern California TRACON facility issued a traffic advisory to a jet
aircraft landing at Los Angeles after viewing another target on his radar
screen that was at an unknown altitude and approaching the jet,
circumstances that bore a similarity to a 1986 mid-air collision over
Cerritos, California;
Whereas, on July 5, 2009, air traffic controller Louis Ridley at the
Potomac TRACON facility assisted a Velocity aircraft stuck above a cloud
layer to navigate through perilous mountain terrain with limited fuel
remaining and, while doing so, reassured the pilot, gave detailed flight
and weather information, determined the best airport for a safe approach
and landing, and even had his wife, Carolyn, greet the pilot after the
pilot landed in Culpeper, Virginia;
Whereas, on October 9, 2009, air traffic controllers Kevin Plante and
Christopher Presley in Portland, Maine, helped guide an aircraft that had
become stuck in rapidly deteriorating weather conditions by employing, with
daylight waning and the aircraft near mountainous terrain, a road map to
direct the pilot to Portland using several highways, lakes, and towns as
guides;
Whereas, on November 14, 2009, air traffic controller Jessica Hermsdorfer
at the Kansas City Tower and TRACON facility calmly helped guide back to
the airport an Airbus 319 aircraft that had hit multiple birds and
experienced engine trouble, directing other aircraft out of the way and
assisting the stricken flight to land safely;
Whereas, on December 7, 2009, air traffic controllers Natasha Hodge and
Douglas Wynkoop at the Dallas TRACON facility worked as a team to assist a
confused and disoriented pilot of an experimental aircraft, redirecting
other aircraft in the area and suggesting an approach into Navy Fort Worth
for the pilot, which resulted in a successful landing;
Whereas, on December 20, 2009, air traffic controllers Todd Lamb at the
Anchorage Center facility and Michael Evans at the Fairbanks Flight Service
Station ensured a safe landing for a Cessna aircraft that was experiencing
smoke in the cockpit, as Mr. Evans was able to assist the pilot in locating
a narrow dirt trail which was the only safe landing spot in the area and
Mr. Lamb helped a second aircraft locate the downed plane's position;
Whereas approximately 15,600 Federal air traffic controllers, in airport
traffic control towers, terminal radar approach control facilities, and air
route traffic control centers, guide planes through the airspace of the
United States;
Whereas approximately an additional 1,250 civilian contract controllers and
more than 9,000 military controllers also provide air traffic services;
Whereas, from fiscal year 2001 to fiscal year 2009, according to the
Federal Aviation Administration (``FAA'') there have been 94,600,000
successful flights of United States commercial aircraft safely carrying
more than 6,340,000,000 passengers;
Whereas air traffic controllers provide separation services over the entire
airspace of the United States and 24,600,000 square miles of international
oceanic airspace;
Whereas, as of May 22, 2010, the FAA operated 315 air traffic control
facilities and the Air Traffic Control System Command Center in the United
States;
Whereas, in the past 5 years, the FAA has hired more than 7,500 air traffic
controllers in order to meet continuously changing traffic volumes and
workload; and
Whereas air traffic controllers are facing staffing challenges, with an
aging workforce and a wave of retirements: Now, therefore, be it
PURPOSE OF THE LEGISLATION
H. Res. 1401, as amended, expresses gratitude for the
contributions that the air traffic controllers of the United
States make to keep the traveling public safe and the airspace
of the United States running efficiently, and for other
purposes.
BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION
Air traffic controllers are responsible for ensuring the
safety of approximately two million aviation passengers a day
by providing separation services to aircraft operating in the
national airspace system. Air traffic controllers react to
highly complex and sometimes dangerous situations on a daily
basis. Due to the highly stressful nature of the job, which
requires total concentration, air traffic controllers must
retire by age 56.
There are currently more than 15,600 controllers at air
traffic control facilities across the country and at the
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic System
Command Center in Herndon, Virginia.
SUMMARY OF THE LEGISLATION
H. Res. 1401, as amended, expresses gratitude for the
contributions that U.S. air traffic controllers make to keep
the traveling public safe and the U.S. airspace running
efficiently.
H. Res. 1401 commends air traffic controllers for the calm
and professional manner in which they ensure separation of air
traffic. H. Res. 1401 also acknowledges air traffic
controllers' heroic action, dedication, and quick and skillful
decision-making, including nine separate incidents where
controllers saved many lives. Furthermore, the resolution
encourages greater investment in the modernization of the
nation's air traffic control system to ensure that air traffic
controllers have the resources and technology needed to better
carry out their mission as air travel continues to grow.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION
On May 26, 2010, Representative Carolyn McCarthy introduced
H. Res. 1401. This resolution has not been introduced in a
previous Congress. On July 1, 2010, the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure met in open session to
consider H. Res. 1401. The Committee adopted an amendment to
the bill by voice vote with a quorum present. The Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure ordered H. Res. 1401, as
amended, reported favorably to the House by a voice vote with a
quorum present.
RECORD VOTES
Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives requires each committee report to include the
total number of votes cast for and against on each record vote
on a motion to report and on any amendment offered to the
measure or matter, and the names of those members voting for
and against. There were no recorded votes taken in connection
with consideration of H. Res. 1401 or ordering the resolution
reported. A motion to order H. Res. 1401, as amended, reported
favorably to the House was agreed to by voice vote with a
quorum present.
COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS
With respect to the requirements of clause 3(c)(1) of rule
XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee's oversight findings and recommendations are
reflected in this report.
COST OF LEGISLATION
With respect to clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, H. Res. 1401, as amended, is a
resolution of the House of Representatives, and therefore does
not have the force of law. As such, there is no cost associated
with this resolution for fiscal year 2010, or any fiscal year
thereafter.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XIII
1. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(2) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, and
section 308(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
Committee advises that the resolution contains no measure that
authorizes funding, so no comparison of the total estimated
funding level for the relevant programs to the appropriate
levels under current law is required.
2. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(4) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives, the
Committee advises that the resolution contains no measure that
authorizes funding, so no statement of general performance
goals and objectives for any measure that authorizes funding is
required.
3. With respect to the requirement of clause 3(c)(3) of
rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives and
section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
Committee advises that the resolution contains no measure that
authorizes funding, so no cost estimate nor comparison for any
measure that authorizes funding is required.
COMPLIANCE WITH HOUSE RULE XXI
Pursuant to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House
of Representatives, the Committee is required to include a list
of congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited
tariff benefits, as defined in clause 9(e), 9(f), and 9(g) of
rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives. H. Res.
1401, as amended, does not contain any earmarks, limited tax
benefits, or limited tariff benefits under clause 9(e), 9(f),
or 9(g) of rule XXI.
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT
With respect to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of
the House of Representatives, H. Res. 1401, as amended, is a
resolution of the House of Representatives, and therefore does
not have the force of law. As such, clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII
does not apply.
FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT
H. Res. 1401, as amended, contains no Federal mandates.
PREEMPTION CLARIFICATION
Section 423 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
requires the report of any Committee on a bill or joint
resolution to include a statement on the extent to which the
bill or joint resolution is intended to preempt state, local,
or tribal law. The Committee states that H. Res. 1401, as
amended, does not preempt any state, local, or tribal law.
ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT
No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b)
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act are created by this
legislation.
APPLICABILITY TO THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
The Committee finds that the resolution does not relate to
the terms and conditions of employment or access to public
services or accommodations within the meaning of section
102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act (P.L. 104-1).
CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED
H. Res. 1401, as amended, makes no changes in existing law.