(Washington, DC)  --  U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette (R-OH) says he is disappointed that an effort to allow air traffic controllers and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to continue negotiations failed by a 271-148 vote tonight in the U.S. House of Representatives.   LaTourette’s bill, H.R. 5449, was brought up under suspension, meaning a 2/3 vote was needed for passage rather than a simple majority.  LaTourette secured a promise from the Speaker of the House and Majority Leader to bring the matter to the Floor for a vote.

 “On the one hand it’s very discouraging that we didn’t prevail, but I applaud the members who cast votes in support, including 76 Republicans, and I realize they did so under tremendous pressure from the White House, the FAA and leadership,” LaTourette said.  “This was a vote of conscience, and an overwhelmingly majority of House members signaled tonight that the Congress shouldn’t be in the middle of contract negotiations.”

 LaTourette and Congressman Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) recently introduced legislation to allow the union representing air traffic controllers and the FAA to resume contract negotiations.  H.R. 5449 did not take sides on the issue and instead would have allowed the two sides go back to the bargaining table.  It also allowed either side to ask the Federal Services Impasses Panel (FSIP) to step in to resolve the matter in the event of a stalemate.   FSIP is made up of seven presidential  appointees, all made by President Bush.  FSIP has the ability to impose contract terms on both sides.

 An impasse was declared in negotiations between the FAA and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) on April 5th  and the matter was transmitted to Congress, which had 60 days to act.  On Monday, exactly 60 calendar days after the FAA transmitted the contract to Congress, the FAA imposed its latest offer on the workers.  During a previous impasse, the FAA waited 19 months before imposing a contract.  In this instance, it imposed the contract knowing that the House would debate H.R. 5449 the following day.  The LaTourette bill would have stopped the clock and allowed negotiations to continue in spite of the FAA’s actions.

 “The FAA very willfully snubbed Congress on the eve of debate and I think it’s a great affront to the House,” LaTourette said.  “It’s regrettable that there was such a concerted effort to distort the facts about air traffic controllers’ salaries, and I can’t recall another bill that was so willfully smeared.  We put up a good fight for fair negotiations, but we couldn’t overcome the two-thirds hurdle.”

 LaTourette said the FAA wants $1.9 billion in savings over the life of the new 5-year contract, and the controllers had already agreed to $1.4 billion in savings when an impasse was declared.  The FAA’s latest contract offer will be imposed on workers, and LaTourette said he fears there will be a mass exodus of skilled air traffic controllers.

 “This is about fairness in negotiations and safety in our skies,” LaTourette said.  “The Oberlin center in Ohio is the second busiest air space in the world and it’s been my experience that the air traffic controllers have done a great job keeping my folks safe.”

 LaTourette thanked Speaker Hastert and Majority Leader Boehner for bringing the measure to the Floor.