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“GENERAL AVIATION” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H6276 on Sept. 21, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
GENERAL AVIATION
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Pompeo) for 5 minutes.
Mr. POMPEO. Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to talk about how our President has systematically and relentlessly attacked the general aviation industry.
You know, this is one of the few last great manufacturing gems left in America. It creates $1.2 million jobs--the gentleman before me was speaking about jobs--1.2 million jobs in America and $150 billion worth of income and a tremendous amount of exports.
This industry is enormously important to my district, but not just my district, the air capital of the world, but all across the country. These are good jobs. These are middle class jobs. They are jobs for machinists and welders and riveters and managers and purchasing people who make some of the finest airplanes in the world.
But instead of supporting the general aviation industry and welcoming those jobs, the President has attacked it. At the very least, he could just leave it alone. But this is part of his larger class warfare effort.
He demonizes general aviation users. He calls them corporate fat-cat jet owners at every turn. But it's not impacting the folks who use those as business tools; it's impacting the people who build these airplanes. They are productive. They are working to grow their businesses, and they are growing jobs.
His rhetoric kills sales of American manufactured goods and, with them, the jobs that are created when those airplanes are built. You know, he has attacked it in multiple ways.
Most recently the Department of Transportation issued something called BARR. It's a program which has long ensured basic privacy rights for general aviation users by allowing them to opt out of being tracked by everybody with an Internet connection. But on August 2, the FAA changed that rule and said, no, now anyone with an Internet connection can find out and violate the privacy rights of anybody who decides to fly in an airplane all across the country unless they specifically opt out and can state a valid security threat.
This is an unprecedented step. It will facilitate serious violations of privacy, and it doesn't help create jobs in America.
I have introduced a piece of legislation called the BARR Preservation Act, along with Kansas Senator Pat Roberts, and I would urge my colleagues to support that legislation. It will create jobs in America.
Now the President most recently announced, as part of his efforts to reduce the deficit, user fees on general aviation aircraft, over $100 per flight, not to mention the enormous bureaucracy it will take to collect this set of taxes. At a time when America has got unemployment of one in six or more, it's no time to add taxes on folks who are trying to fly their airplane around this country to get from Topeka to Des Moines, to get to small towns to support American manufacturing. This President wants to put taxes on general aviation users.
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Finally, let me just talk for a moment about the taxes and the rhetoric. Mr. President, this industry is not asking for a handout. This President mistakes hardworking people for folks who are looking for something from the Federal Government. All we ask is to be left alone. We don't want the bailouts that the city of Detroit received and that the automotive folks received. We're not asking for tax favoritism. All we're asking is that you respect the hardworking people of Kansas and all across America who build the finest airplanes in the world. This is, Mr. Speaker, failed leadership.
We have $4 trillion in additional debt and a loss of 2 million jobs under this President. Don't give us a bailout; don't give us a handout. We don't want special favors. Simply leave us alone to grow and create good, middle class, hardworking people's jobs right in Kansas and right in America.
Announcement by the Speaker Pro Tempore
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their remarks to the Chair.
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