Wednesday, April 2, 2003

Remembering our troops, helping airlines

By MAC COLLINS
Congressman

Remembering our troops

The United States armed forces are engaged in a campaign to disarm the regime of Saddam Hussein and liberate the people of Iraq. On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed House Resolution 153, recognizing the public need for prayer for the people of the United States and our armed forces during the war in Iraq and under the threat of terrorism at home.

The House also passed House Concurrent Resolution 118 which commends the bravery and professionalism of the members of the U.S. armed forces and its coalition partners. The resolution also extends sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who are killed, wounded, missing in action, or taken prisoner by Iraqi authorities.

I along with my fellow Georgians have expressed our heartfelt concern to the family of Chief Warrant Officer Ronald Young of Lithia Springs, whose is listed as a prisoner of war and our sympathies to the family of Specialist Jamaal Addison of Roswell, who was killed in action.

I have spoken throughout the week to the Under-Secretary of the Army and the commanding generals of Fort Benning and Warner Robins and have expressed my support for their mission. I have received their reports that the troops are well-trained, that morale is high, and that they are ready for the mission at hand.

Keeping the skies friendly, part 2

I sent a letter to President Bush encouraging his support for the airline industry. Although the President did not directly address the airline security needs in the Fiscal Year 2003 Supplemental Appropriations Bill which he sent to the Congress earlier [last] week, from my discussions with Mitch Daniels at the Office of Management and Budget, among others, the President has not ruled out the inclusion of airline industry language in the final supplemental appropriations bill or in other legislative initiatives.

On Thursday, I introduced a bill (H.R. 1467) which would impose a 2-year moratorium on the collection of air carrier and air passenger fees related to security; reimburse air carriers for certain screening and related activities mandated by the Aviation and Transportation Security Law; reimburse air carriers for fortifying cockpit doors also a mandate; reimburse, at the federal government airfare rate, for the seats used for air marshal transportation; along with extending aviation insurance coverage through December 31, 2007.

Additionally, I joined with over 27 of my colleagues as an original cosponsor of H.R. 1380, the Jet Fuel Tax Suspension Act. H.R. 1380 is similar to bills I have introduced in past Congresses, and would suspend the current 4.3 cents-per-gallon portion of the commercial aviation fuel excise tax, saving the airline industry $600 million each year.

I am not in favor of a "bailout" for the industry. As I have stated before, the marketplace should and will drive competition, while the federal government can look for ways to provide flexibility to the industry to allow them to focus on their business, and not the red-tape of government-imposed mandates and regulation.

However, I support the need to reimburse the industry for the significant expenses they incurred because of federal safety mandates the government imposed to ensure the safety and security of the flying public.

A reliable and safe air transportation system is critical to many facets of our economy not just to those individuals who fly. During this trying time in our war on terrorism, the Congress must be flexible in providing a business environment which fosters stability for the more than 30,000 employees of the airline industry who live in our region.

Protecting our children

On Thursday, with my strong support, the House of Representatives passed the Child Abduction Prevention Act (H.R. 1104) in 410 to 14 vote.

The Child Abduction Prevention Act includes important provisions which will help protect our children from potential kidnappers and sex offenders. Specifically, the bill would ensure that those who commit serious crimes against our children cannot escape prosecution by eliminating the statute of limitations on child abductions and sex crimes committed against children.

It would also include measures which would give judges the discretion to require lifetime imprisonment of released sex offenders.

In addition, H.R. 1104 would reauthorize and double the authorization for the annual grant to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Finally, the bill would support the Department of Justice's effort to establish a national Amber alert network to facilitate the quick recovery of abducted children.

In recent months, there have been a wide range of child abductions which have caught the attention of America. Most recently, Elizabeth Smart was safely returned to her parents and her family in Utah after being abducted from their home last year.

This legislation will help protect our children and prevent abductions and other crimes by keeping offenders behind bars. For those children who are abducted, H.R. 1104 will build on the current and past efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement to help return those children to their families safely and quickly.

Preventing child abuse, preserving families

On Wednesday, with my support, the House of Representatives passed the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003 (H.R. 14).

This important legislation would reauthorize the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). Specifically, H.R. 14 would continue the work that began when CAPTA was first enacted in 1974. In addition to including measures to help identify and prevent child abuse, the bill also includes measures to increase public education efforts to encourage appropriate reporting of suspected child abuse and to help reduce false or malicious child abuse allegations.

The Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003 will now be referred to the Senate for consideration.

Military taxes

On Thursday, I met with members of the Georgia Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) to discuss the MOAA legislative issues for the 108th Congress. The House of Representatives recently passed one of their major legislative objectives, the Armed Forces Tax Fairness Act (H.R. 878) with my strong support.

H.R. 878 makes several changes to the tax code benefiting the men and women in the U.S. military. The MOAA has a current membership of approximately 80,000 reserve and regular officers, active and retired, from each of the nation's uniformed services. I enjoy meeting with military organizations which not only serve their country, but also help to shape legislation which affects our active duty and veteran population.

Hampton aviation foundation

On Tuesday, I met with the Under Secretary of the Army Les Brownlee and members of the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation (AAHF) to discuss the releasing of surplus military equipment to organizations such as the AAHF to be utilized in their restoration and display of military aircraft.

Based in Hampton, the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation is devoted to promoting the history of military aviation. The foundation is an all-volunteer non-profit organization composed of veterans and civilian supporters acting to connect the American soldier to the American public through the story of Army aviation.

These volunteers are committed to preserving the aircraft used by our military in securing the freedom we so enjoy as a nation. The AAHF presents "living history" programs, displaying and flying World War II, Korean, and Vietnam-era planes and helicopters.

These "living history" programs presented at major public venues and air shows are designed to honor our country's military and its veterans while inspiring the public and giving them a glimpse of military life, service, and devotion to the next generation.

Since their founding in 1997, the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation has devoted more than 150,000 volunteer hours and $5.3 million in donated funds, aircraft, and equipment in 35 air shows and public presentations to more than 5.5 million people. I was happy to facilitate this meeting and to assist organizations such as the AAHF in their continuing support of the military, past, present, and future.