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Act Now for Our Pilots and National Defense
The White House and the Department of Transportation are pushing changes to federal regulations that would eliminate long-standing provisions limiting foreign ownership of our nation’s airlines. America’s air transportation system is one of the most critical components of our nation’s infrastructure and allowing foreign interests to control that system is inherently dangerous. It will lead to the offshoring of thousands of jobs and threatens the viability of a crucial part of our Nation’s defense, the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF). The House has acted to block these changes, now the Senate must act. Please contact Senators Nelson and Martinez and encourage them to quickly consider Senate Bill 2135, the Transportation Appropriations Bill which includes language to prevent implementation of DOT rules for increased foreign ownership.
| Sample Letter for Campaign |
Subject: Stop Foreign Control of our Air Transportation System
Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,
I am writing to urge you to quickly consider and support S.2135, a bill that would require the DOT to report to Congress about proposed changes allowing for increased foreign control of U.S. airlines.
Last week, during consideration of the Transportation Appropriations Bill, the House passed a bi-partisan amendment that will insure congressional oversight of any attempt to allow more foreign control of U.S. airlines. But the DOT has made it clear that they still plan on pressing forward with the implementation of their plan to allow foreign control of our airlines. The Senate must act quickly to stop this.
As an American citizen, I am extremely concerned that increased foreign control could lead to the widespread outsourcing of U.S. jobs for pilots and other aviation workers. I am also concerned that this foreign control could threaten the Civil Reserve Air Fleet, which is an important component of our nation's defense system.
Please support this legislation that will stop the DOT from finalizing or implementing its proposed policy that would allow foreign interests to control U.S. airlines. Send a message to this Administration that any changes in the law governing foreign control must come from Congress!
Sincerely,
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Campaign Launched:
June 27, 2006
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OPPOSE INCREASED FOREIGN OWNERSHIP IN U.S. AIRLINES
Recently the U.S. House of Representatives voted 291-137 to block DOT attempts to circumvent long standing U.S. law limiting foreign ownership of U.S. airlines to 25%. While the House vote was good news, the amendment must now go to the Senate for consideration, probably starting with the Senate Transportation Appropriations bill. Senate leadership is quietly maneuvering to delay vote until after the Administration imposes its new foreign ownership rules in early August. The White House has made it clear in their “Statement of Administration Policy” regarding H.R.5576 (see page 6, paragraph 3) that they expect the Department of Transportation to implement the rule change shortly after the 60-day comment period that ends in July. This would pave the way for implementation of the NPRM thwarting congressional intent if the Senate doesn’t take immediate action to block it.
For pilots, and the nation, US Airline Foreign Control and Ownership is a crucial issue. Increased foreign ownership represents another round of below cost competition for a decidedly asset drained industry. It also threatens the viability of a crucial part of the Nation’s defense, the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF). This is the aviation version of the Merchant Marine, and represents a significant portion of the Nation’s airlift in the event of a national emergency. The Department of Transportation (DOT) continues on a path to change the limits on foreign ownership of US based air carriers from the current 25%, to 49%. This threatens thousands of jobs which will be able to be off-shored as fast as the aircraft.
ALPA (Air Line Pilots Association), through a grassroots campaign, hopes to compel Congress to intervene with the DOT, and at the very least, delay the adoption of this proposed measure. Our overall success can only be accomplished with your support and involvement. In the Senate: We must persuade the Senate to stop implementation of DOT’s foreign ownership rules using the language of the Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) amendment.
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