Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Ranking Member Sam Graves (R-MO) and Aviation Subcommittee Ranking Member Garret Graves (R-LA) released the following joint statement regarding Speaker Pelosi’s special interest giveaway in response to the COVID-19 pandemic:
“With a growing public health emergency and the American economy grinding to a halt, many Americans have lost their jobs already and millions more are at stake. At this critical moment, the American people need constructive action from their government - not political games. However, Speaker Pelosi is choosing to take advantage of the crisis and pursue their socialist and partisan political agenda.
“Speaker Pelosi has put forward a bill that is full of provisions that have nothing to do with responding to the COVID-19 crisis and helping the American people. Instead her bill’s focus is unrelated handouts for her radical environmental allies and other special interests. We need to stop the games and pass a bill that will provide immediate help for Americans and save jobs during this unprecedented crisis."
Background Information:
A few examples of the number of jobs at stake just in the transportation sector while Speaker Pelosi plays political games with a bill needed to help Americans:
Mainline air carriers directly employ about 750,000 people and induce another 10 million jobs, regional airlines employ about 70,000 people, and ultra low-cost carriers employ over 29,000 people.
More than 1.2 million people work at U.S. airports.
Two million jobs are associated with the U.S. aviation manufacturing industry.
Public transit agencies employ 435,000 people and support millions of private sector jobs.
Freight railroads (Class I) support over 1.1 million jobs, while Amtrak employs over 20,000 people.
The U.S. waterways systems’ economic contributions resulted in nearly 256,000 jobs in 2016.
Cargo activity at U.S. ports supported nearly 31 million jobs in 2018.
1.7 million workers are directly involved in designing, constructing, operating, and governing water infrastructure, including clean water and drinking water.
Just a few examples of provisions in Speaker Pelosi’s proposal:
Requires all airlines to offset carbon emissions by 2025 - nothing to do with COVID-19.
Requires labor to have a seat on airlines’ boards of directors - nothing to do with COVID-19.
Rewrites bankruptcy codes to benefit labor - nothing to do with COVID-19.
Makes rejection of collective bargaining something that can be sued over in court for damages - nothing to do with COVID-19.
Funds an aviation Cash for Clunkers program at U.S. Department of Transportation - nothing to do with COVID-19.
Establishes new carbon emissions regulations for aviation - nothing to do with COVID-19.
Source: House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
