The House : Air Traffic Controllers

By a 193-226 vote, the House rejected an amendment to force the Federal Aviation Administration to rehire 1,000 air traffic controllers fired by President Reagan after their union illegally struck the government in 1981.

This occurred as the House debated a $10.3-billion fiscal 1987 appropriations bill (HR 5205) for the Department of Transportation and related agencies. As later sent to the Senate, the bill gave the government the option of rehiring the strikers.

Sponsor Guy V. Molinari (R-N.Y.) said, “The controller force now is largely inexperienced” and warned that “the system needs relief before tragedy occurs.”

Opponent Robert J. Lagomarsino (R-Ojai) said that adoption of the amendment “would say that the President’s actions were wrong” and encourage future illegal strikes by federal civil servants.

Members voting yes supported mandatory rehiring of 1,000 air traffic controllers.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Bates (D) x Rep. Hunter (R) x Rep. Lowery (R) x Rep. Packard (R) x

Amtrak Appropriation

The House rejected 169-248 an amendment to freeze the fiscal 1987 appropriation for Amtrak at the agency’s 1986 level. Offered to HR 5205 (above), the amendment sought to reduce the 1987 figure by $22.3 million, to $590.7 million. The federal payment subsidizes operating costs that Amtrak cannot meet through ticket sales.

Noting that federal subsidies are estimated at $20 to $33 per passenger, sponsor Hank Brown (R-Colo.) said the agency “can live with the same level of subsidies they had last year.”

Opponent William Lehman (R-Fla.) said “we are destroying Amtrak” if the House approves the cut.

Members voting yes wanted to block a slight increase in Amtrak spending.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Bates (D) x Rep. Hunter (R) x Rep. Lowery (R) x Rep. Packard (R) x

Agency Spending

The House rejected 164-253 an amendment to cut about $1.6 billion from a $103.7-billion fiscal 1987 appropriations bill for the departments of Education and Health and Human Services and related agencies.

Had the GOP-sponsored amendment succeeded, hikes in the bill’s discretionary spending would have been limited to 3% over fiscal 1986 levels. Rejection of the amendment paved the way for a 10% hike.

About three out of every four dollars in the bill are committed to entitlement programs and thus are uncuttable.

Members voting yes wanted to cut the bill’s discretionary spending by $1.6 billion.

How They Voted Yea Nay No vote Rep. Bates (D) x Rep. Hunter (R) x Rep. Lowery (R) x Rep. Packard (R) x