July 19, 1965
Page 17367
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. I appreciate the statement of the Senator from Tennessee, who serves as a member of the Committee on Commerce. He has a background of experience with this problem. The problem is of deep interest not only to the members of his committee but to all of us who are interested in providing better service to the people of our respective States and areas.
Mr. MUSKIE. Mr. President, will the senator yield?
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. I yield.
Mr, MUSKIE. Mr. President, the Senator has made a highly significant and important statement. The two of us have been concerned for some time about the inadequacy of the air service to New England -- I, especially with respect to northern New England, and he with respect to his native State of Massachusetts.
We have been very much concerned about the instability and inadequacy of the present service and the uncertainty of future prospects.
I believe that the questions which the Senator has raised in his speech are highly significant and relevant as we undertake to develop public policy and to develop air service which would better serve the future of New England. I believe that these questions are directly related to the public interest. They need to be asked. They need to be answered.
I emphasize the fact that the Senator indicates that he does not disparage the basic idea of low-price commuter-type service. However, I share his belief that that service ought not to be inconsistent with the quality of adequate service for our area of the country.
I believe that it is an indication of the failure of our policy in this field that service to this heavily-populated and important industrial segment of our country should be shrouded in such doubt and uncertainty at the present time.
I compliment the Senator on his speech. There are undoubtedly other questions which have a bearing upon air service to New England, many of which he and I have explored together in the past and will in the future. However, I believe that the questions the Senator has raised today are among the questions that ought to be asked and examined by the Civil Aeronautics Board.
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Maine for his comments and for his support.
As the Senator from Maine has mentioned, he has been concerned, during the time that I have been a Senator, with the provision for good, effective, efficient, and frequent service not only to his State of Maine but to the other New England States.
The comments of the Senator from Maine have been constructive. He is most helpful, I feel that his interest in the questions which we have raised in order to protect the commuters in the many cities in New England has been of significant assistance in placing a real emphasis on this problem.
It is obvious that other parts of the country have enjoyed effective competition and efficient service. I believe that New England should be entitled to similar competitive service.
Mr. PELL. Mr. President, will the Senator yield?
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. I yield.
Mr. PELL. I congratulate the able junior Senator from Massachusetts on his close pursuit of and expression of concern for the public interest. Exploitation of monopoly situations has long been the subject of close scrutiny by the Congress, and Senator KENNEDY's concern is in this great tradition.
I am particularly interested in my colleague's remarks because they touch on an area of personal involvement for me. I speak of the problems of transportation in the northeast megalopolis. Senator KENNEDY has joined with me in seeking both short- and long-term solutions to this problem, in the hope of achieving some competitive balance between the various transportation modes which would be consistent with national transportation policy.
The public interest requires some exploration of the shuttle situation, and I applaud the junior Senator from Massachusetts for his bringing it to our attention.
Speaking to the broader picture in a broader context -- one of my regrets is that we have not arrived at some form of coordinating transportation planning. Such planning is greatly needed.
I hope that as the various irregularities which exist in the transportation situation of today become eliminated and more efficient travel becomes feasible, and the need for such a planning becomes self-evident, that the administration will press ahead to achieve some general overall policy.
It is of particular interest in the megalopolis in which the Senator from Massachusetts and I live, that, whereas in most areas of the country, approximately 90 percent of the intercity travel is by road, and the other 10 percent by competing modes, in megalopolis it is about 60 percent by road and the other 40 percent by the competing modes of transportation -- such as air, railroad, and bus.
We depend a great deal more on the common carrier type of transportation in the Northeast than do the people in other parts of the country. For this reason, I doubly applaud the remarks of the Senator from Massachusetts.
Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts. Mr. President, I appreciate the remarks of the Senator from Rhode Island. The Senator has initiated support for, fought for, and continues to fight for rapid transit service connecting many of the great centers between Boston, New York, and Washington.
The Senator from Rhode Island has shown a sensitivity to the question of transportation which makes every Senator obligated to him. He has stressed rapid commuter service in which he deeply believes. We are indebted to the Senator for his great interest and concern with commuter service and the matter of public policy, and his great effort in trying to find the responsive, accurate, and true answers to many of these questions. I know that this bill guarantees to the commuters who travel in these areas the most efficient, effective, and comfortable service at the lowest price. We are in desperate need of this service.
I appreciate the comments of the Senator.