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During a news conference in Sedgwick County on Wednesday, Kansas governor Sam Brownback and Rep. Mike Pompeo, asking President Barack Obama to "stop his attack on the aviation industry."
“General aviation is one of our state’s – and indeed, our country’s – leading industries, employing more than a million Americans and generating $150 billion in revenue annually. We were pleased when U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood came to Wichita earlier this year to recognize the importance and sing the praises of the aviation industry,” Brownback said in a statement. “That’s why it is alarming that President Obama and his administration seem to continue to search for ways to ground this important industry. We call on the President to instead focus on supporting and growing these high-skilled, high-wage jobs and stop his attack on the aviation industry.”
Since the U.S. House of Representatives is in session this week voting on Cut, Cap and Balance and continuing negotiations over the debt ceiling, Congressman Pompeo joined the news conference via live video stream.
“The President has continued to single out and demonize the General Aviation community in Wichita, KS – The Air Capital of the World. Not only does the GA industry support 1.2 million jobs in KS and throughout America, but it adds $150 billion to our economy. In fact, the President’s own corporate jet (Air Force One) is built and serviced by the hard-working people of Wichita. His class warfare rhetoric and purely political attacks on aviation workers are unwelcome and unhelpful at a time when the economy is on its knees. I sent a letter to the President inviting him to South Central Kansas to see this essential sector of our economy at work. This week, I reiterate my call for him to witness our industry firsthand and stop the job-killing attacks,” Pompeo, who represents the Fourth Congressional District, said.
Regarding the Cut, Cap and Balance issue, Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran issued remarks on the Senate floor on Wednesday:
"I am a supporter of Cut, Cap and Balance and was pleased by the broad support this legislation received in the House. It’s my understanding that we will now consider the legislation here in the Senate this week. I already read the press reports and heard the political pundits say this legislation is dead on arrival in the Senate. Well, I would encourage my colleagues not to reach that conclusion. It may be the one and only path we have to succeed in getting accomplished what we need to accomplish in the next two weeks...For a long time I’ve been told as a senator there is nothing that will pass the House of Representatives that raises the debt ceiling. Yet we saw last night that wasn't the case. So let's not be so quick to say the Senate will not address, seriously consider, and potentially pass legislation based upon Cut, Cap and Balance.”
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