Frank R. Lautenberg
New Jersey

Dear Colleague:

I invite you to co-sponsor a bill I introduced (S.338) to maintain the safety and security of our nation's air traffic control system. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has placed Air Traffic Control as a "commercial function," setting up a move to privatize the system. My bill would prevent such broad privatization of the air traffic control system, with the exception of small and rural airports participating in the Federal Aviation Administration's "Contract Tower" program.

In the aftermath of September 11th, the public demanded that the government move the baggage screening process from a private contracting activity to a government-controlled function. We responded quickly and decisively to put the public at ease by moving this critical task to a new government agency, the Transportation Security Administration. The public clearly wants vital safety and security functions to be controlled by government, not private interests.

Any attempt to privatize the air traffic control function will jeopardize the safety and security of the American people. Our current air traffic control system is the envy of the world. It is clearly the safest and most efficient. American air traffic controllers guide nine million flights a year with more than 600 million passengers. No other country comes close to these statistics. And our controllers do their jobs with higher competency and attention to safety than those of any country

Other countries that have tried to privatize their air traffic control have encountered significant problems. In Great Britain, since privatization, near misses of crashes or other problems have increased by 50 percent. Delays caused by air traffic control have increased by 20 percent. In Great Britain, the air traffic system's finances have also been mismanaged to the point where debt service has increased by eighty percent. Similarly, Canada's privatized system has run up a $145 million deficit just in the past year. As a result, an assessment will be tacked on to every airline ticket purchased there. Australia is also planning to increase fees to pay for its private system.

The Office of Management and Budget is trying to privatize the workforce under the public's radar screen through a regulation called "A-76," which encourages privatization of some government functions, in June 2002, the President issued an Executive Order which stripped air traffic services of its "inherently governmental" status. Later, in December 2002, the Administration issued a document designating air traffic control a "commercial" activity  -- opening the door to contract out many functions of air traffic control.

This legislation will return the following air traffic functions to "inherently governmental" classification thus maintaining their Federal status:

• Air Traffic Controllers (those who monitor and guide aircraft);
• Air Traffic Control Specialists (technicians who maintain, certify and repair the system); and
• Flight Service Station Controllers (provide weather, temporary flight restriction alerts and emergency information to pilots)

The FAA "Contract Tower" program, which involves small, visual flight rules airports, would NOT be affected under S.338.

At this time of financial crisis in the aviation industry, we cannot afford to experiment with our current level of safety. There are very few functions carried out by civilian federal employees on which the public relies more for its safety than air traffic control. At such a turbulent time for air travel, we should not create any ambiguity about the federal government's complete responsibility for the safety of the flying public.

In light of these grave concerns, I ask you to join me in cosponsoring S. 338. To cosponsor, or if your staff has any questions, please contact David Matsuda on my staff at:  4 3224.

Thank you for your consideration of this extremely important issue.

Sincerely,

/s/