Group Heads to Washington Next Week; Requests Meetings with Rockefeller, Hutchison, Oberstar, Dorgan
Buffalo, New York- July 15, 2010 – After months of watching Congress dance around the issue of regional airline safety and struggle to achieve a joint version of the FAA Reauthorization Bill, members of the ‘Families of Continental Flight 3407’ say that they tired of waiting and will descend on Washington for the 32nd time next week to push for resolution on the bill.
‘What are they waiting for?,’ asked Scott Maurer of Moore, South Carolina, who lost his 30 year old daughter Lorin. ‘Since 2003, the last six fatal airline crashes have all been on regional airlines. We are talking about public safety and human lives, and yet we are letting a personal convenience like flying into Reagan National get in the way. This is why we elect leaders to Congress, to address problems like this, and instead all we are getting is lip service and finger pointing. No wonder the public is fed up with this body.’
In yet another attempt to put a human face on this bill, group members will travel to Washington next week, and have requested meetings with the key leaders involved in the negotiations – Senators Jay Rockefeller (WV) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Commerce Committee, Congressman James Oberstar (MN), Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and Senator Byron Dorgan (ND), chairman of the Senate Aviation Subcommittee.
‘If you want to talk about frustration with Congress, this is a prime example,’ added Susan Bourque of East Aurora, New York, who lost her sister Beverly Eckert. ‘We are sick of hearing the House blame the Senate and vice versa. Next week we expect to hear about compromise and progress. Otherwise, Flight 3407 is going to be allowed to repeat itself, and the senators and representatives will have no one to blame but themselves.’