S-4178.1  _______________________________________________

                    SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL 8024

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     2000 Regular Session

By Senators Gardner, Deccio, Haugen, Oke, Shin, Costa and Patterson

Read first time 01/26/2000.  Referred to Committee on Transportation.

Requesting the federal government to maintain current airport tower staffing.

    TO THE HONORABLE WILLIAM J. CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE HONORABLE RODNEY E. SLATER, SECRETARY OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

    We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

    WHEREAS, The importance of air transportation continues to grow in importance in the United States economy; and

    WHEREAS, Air transportation in the United States is a critical link to other nations and to points within the United States; and

    WHEREAS, The growth of commercial passenger service, freight service, and general aviation have all been enhanced through steps taken by the Federal Government; and

    WHEREAS, Air traffic control measures are one of the more important roles that the Federal Government plays in ensuring the air safety for travelers and in the overall health of the air transportation system; and

    WHEREAS, Continued growth in air traffic places ever-increasing burdens on the air traffic control system and airport traffic operations, and current staffing procedures have proven very successful in ensuring air traffic safety;

    NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully pray that the Federal Government continue the present policies for air traffic control and airport tower staffing, and not take any actions that jeopardize the success of this nation's traffic control system through further expansion of the federal contract tower program.

    BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable William J. Clinton, President of the United States, the Honorable Rodney E. Slater, Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.

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