Letters To Congress

On behalf of the millions of aviation workers that we represent, I urge you to support the bipartisan Global Aircraft Maintenance Safety Improvement Act, H.R.1716, to ensure the safe and proper oversight of foreign repair stations in countries like El Salvador, Mexico, and China, where maintenance and repair work is performed on U.S. commercial aircraft. China is the single largest beneficiary of these regulatory loopholes.

The FAA has certified 93 aircraft repair facilities in China, employing nearly 23,000 mechanics and maintenance specialists working on U.S. aircraft. Every single one of these facilities is owned, at least in part, by the Chinese government. The threat of the Chinese government’s involvement in our air travel is troublesome, especially since a U.S. worker may never maintain this equipment if these aircraft cycle out of the country each time a significant repair is needed.

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), and the many maritime workers that we represent. I urge you to sign the bipartisan Dear Colleague letter being circulated by Representatives Joe Courtney (D-CT), Robert Wittman (R-VA), and Trent Kelly (R-MS) requesting the fully authorized level of $318,000,000 for the Maritime Security Program (MSP) in the FY 2024 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriations bill.

The Maritime Security Program is an essential component of our military sealift capability because it guarantees that trained U.S. citizen mariners will be available in times of crisis or disaster. The program provides a stipend to commercial shipping companies to enable them to continue sailing U.S.-flag vessels, at a fraction of the cost it would take the federal government to replicate similar maritime shipping capacity. The dual public health and global security crises caused by COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine are a meaningful reminder that the United States should be in control of our commercial goods, energy production, and cargo transportation needs.

March 16, 2023 The Honorable Maria Cantwell Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation United States Senate 254 Russell Senate Building Washington, DC 20510 The Honorable Ted Cruz Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation United States Senate 254 Russell Senate Building Washington, DC 20510 Dear Chair Cantwell and Ranking Member Cruz: On behalf of the AFL-CIO […]

The Honorable Brian Schatz Chair Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Senate Appropriations Committee United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 The Honorable David Price Chair Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee House Appropriations Committee United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 The Honorable Susan Collins Ranking Member Transportation, […]

On behalf of workers across the airline industry, we are writing to encourage you to support the bipartisan Global Aircraft Maintenance Safety Improvement Act (H.R. 7321) when it comes up for a vote on the House floor. This legislation removes incentives for airlines to offshore maintenance jobs by closing safety loopholes which allow US-aircraft to be repaired on lower safety standards at FAA-certified facilities abroad.

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), I offer my strong support for Robert Primus to serve another term on the Surface Transportation Board (STB). I urge the Members of the Senate Commerce Committee to favorably report his nomination out of the Committee and encourage his confirmation by the full Senate.

In 1996, Congress established the STB as the successor to the Interstate Commerce Commission and tasked it with the economic regulation of freight rail. The STB operated in alignment with the U.S. Department of Transportation until Congress deemed it a wholly independent federal agency through the 2015 STB Reauthorization Act.

Dear Senator: On behalf of the undersigned unions representing professional airline pilots and thousands of aviation workers who support strong safety standards, I urge you to oppose any legislation that increases the pilot retirement age. In 2007, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), under the direction of Congress, implemented the Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act […]

Dear Representative: As the House continues consideration of H.R. 8294 – Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2023, the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO urges you to support the final bill and oppose the following amendments. […]

Dear Representative,

On behalf of the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD), representing 37 labor unions across all modes of transportation, and USA Maritime, a coalition of American ship operators, maritime labor organizations, and maritime trade associations, we urge you to oppose an amendment in the National Defense Authorization Act led by Representatives Jackie Walorski, Jim Costa, Michelle Fischbach and Mariannette Miller-Meeks that would eliminate Ship American “cargo preference” rules essential to our U.S. Merchant Marine and U.S.-flag shipping industry. This amendment is similar to H. Con. Res. 92 and companion to S. Con. Res. 37 and 38, which Senators Joni Ernst and Chris Coons introduced in May.

Dear Senator: I am writing on behalf of the Transportation Trades Department (TTD) of the AFL-CIO. TTD is the largest transportation labor federation in the nation and notably represents all of the rail unions and workers in this country. We appreciate the May 23rd letter that you and your colleagues sent to the Surface Transportation […]