April 30, 2008 NewsletterIn this issue:Executive OversightNorthwest / Delta Merger 2008 Campaign Kickoff Executive OversightHaving been called one of the Bush Administration's "harshest critics," Oberstar rounded off April with a grilling of National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark Rosenker who has defended the board's controversial decision not to hold a public hearing regarding the 35W Bridge collapse. "I'm not asking you, I'm telling you, a public hearing would go a long way to dispel the questions that have been raised and the lack of trust in the board's actions," Oberstar said during the hearing he chaired. The board's decision has sparked frustration out of many Minnesotans concerned with transparency in the federal investigation of the worst infrastructure failure in recent Minnesota history. The Rosenker hearing has been only the latest in a round of hearings to reinstate what Oberstar refers to as Congress's constitutionally-mandated role of executive oversight. Earlier in the month, the Transportation Committee heard testimony from numerous witnesses - including current and former FAA employees and members of the commercial aviation industry - over lapses in FAA oversight of commercial airline safety. "This is the most egregious lapse in safety at the FAA in 23 years," Oberstar said. "Complacency has set in at the highest levels in FAA management." Click here to read
Ever since the two airlines indicated a possible merger earlier this year, Chairman Oberstar has been skeptical of the impact on the industry and travelers. He says that this proposed merger, which would create the world's largest airline, would trigger a "cascade of mergers" as other airlines come together to defend themselves. Despite the fact that it is ultimately the prerogative of the Justice Department to approve such mergers, Oberstar, Chair of the House Transportation Committee, is committed to use his influence to raise questions about the potential negative impact of the Delta/Northwest merger. As the Minneapolis Star-Tribune noted, "With Oberstar as their opponent, Northwest and Delta are up against a man with a long and detailed memory, an old-school liberal not convinced that bosses have their workers’ best interests at heart."Northland Schools Receive American History GrantNorthland schoolchildren and their parents got a bit of good news earlier this week when Congressman Jim Oberstar announced a $500,000 grant to fund an American History collaborative. The U.S. Department of education will award the half-million dollar grant to the Itasca Area Schools Collaborative, including eight school districts and the Itasca Community College, to fund its Headwaters American History Collaborative. "This is an exciting opportunity," said Oberstar. "It allows teachers to work closely with the Minnesota Historical Society to enhance their skills, as well as to develop new programs for teaching the history of our state." The Collaborative plans to partner with the Bug O Nay Ge Shig tribal school in Bena, Minnesota, to teach the history of Native Americans in Northeast Minnesota, an important element of the program, particularly considering the significant amount of Native American students in the districts. "History should not be a dry subject taught from dusty textbooks. It is the living story of how our nation was built," said Oberstar. "This program gives educators, researchers, and academics a chance to find new and exciting ways to tell our story." The Itasca Area Schools Collaborative consists of the following:Deer River Public School District #317 Floodwood Public School District #698 Grand Rapids Public School District #318 Greenway Public School District #316 Hill City Public School District #002 Nashwauk-Keewatin Public School District #319 Northland Community School District #1118 Itasca Community College |
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