STATEMENT OF COMMON CAUSE PRESIDENT SCOTT HARSHBARGER ON AVIATION INDUSTRY'S COZY RELATIONSHIP WITH CONGRESS

Thursday, January 10, 2002 http://www.commoncause.org/publications/jan02/011002.htm

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What follows are Common Cause President Scott Harshbarger's remarks from a news conference this morning describing the way in which the aviation industry has used campaign contributions and their political influence to beat back aviation security measures and other pro-passenger legislation. The full Common Cause analysis is available here.

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"We invited you here today because you're interested in flying and politics, just like the members of Congress and Senators enjoying Hawaii today, courtesy of airline executives and aircraft companies.

"None of us made it to the conference at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel this week, although we do have Hawaiian Punch to evoke the tropical spirit. We're having a little fun with it, but the fact is that taxpayers and the traveling public eventually pay the cost of junkets like this one. The airline industry has a strong record of legislative accomplishment. They have succeeded in delaying, defeating and watering down safety and consumer protection provisions before September 11, and continuing today.

"We challenge the industry to tell us who is representing the public interest in their discussions with Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), or Representatives Sabo, Pastor, DeFazio, Rogers, Duncan, Tiahrt and Sonny Callahan. Taxpayers have a right to know even more than usual, because taxpayers just recently paid the cost of the Hawaii trip many times over.

"The major airlines sought and received a $15 billion bailout package from the federal government just weeks ago. They have already received $5 billion in direct subsidies from that package, without having to share the money with the 100,000 workers they laid off.

"We believe the balance of that package is a huge item of pending business coming before Congress, and even if the airline executives are too polite to bring it up over dinner, it's very good reason to bring Senators and Members of Congress to a luxury resort. Few airlines have applied for the remaining $10 billion in federal assistance, because of strict safeguards and disclosure requirements written into the bailout legislation at the last moment. We believe the airlines are waiting for the current requirements to lapse, so they can try to get the $10 billion on the same unrestricted basis as the first $5 million.

"No true patriot would shamelessly attempt to profit from our national crisis. But as a bottom-line issue, who can blame them? It already worked once.

"The fact that our system rewards shameless favor-seeking argues strongly for change.

"The airlines are no worse than most monied interests. They invest - spending more than $62 million lobbying federal officials and Congress between 1997 and 2000, according to Public Citizen. They hire the best -- the airlines' fleet of 210 lobbyists in 2000 included some high-fliers with close ties to Congress and the White House, including former Senators Dale Bumpers (D-AR), Wendell Ford (D-KY), and Bob Packwood (R-OR). And they give -- more than $16 million in political donations, including more than $10.4 million in unlimited soft money donations to both political parties.

"And as I mentioned, their agenda is directly contrary to passenger safety. The Airport and Transportation Security Legislation of 2001 does not require that the airlines match every passenger to every checked bag, a very basic step to increase security. The airlines continue to lobby against this very basic step to improve security, and they continue to win. When the administration said it would do "everything it possibly can" to meet a 60-day deadline for better luggage screening, the airline industry went back to Congress, asking for another delay.

"Even if the airlines don't get any extension on the January 18 deadline, government relations remains one of the few success stories for the airline industry. All but a handful lost money all year, they have had to cut service and staff, they face new public scrutiny over safety practices.

"But at lobbying and contributing, they do very well."

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