i will be happy to do so . 
mr. price of georiga . 
as you and i are both aware , the airline industry continues to amass losses as the industry strives to become more dynamic , both externally and internally . 
losses during the last 4 years have proven that the business model used by legacy carriers is outdated but under duress by high-fuel prices and post-9/11 repercussions . 
a primary component playing into the equation of legacy carrier viability is the pension systems currently in place . 
the current model of defined benefit pension plans and the rules associated with it have come under scrutiny as two legacy carriers , making up approximately 20 percent of the domestic airline market , recently terminated their employee pension plans . 
there are no winners when airlines default on their pension plans . 
employees now are planning for a retirement with a fraction of what they were originally promised , and further , the pension benefit guaranty corporation , the government agency and guarantor of all pension plans , is put more and more into the red , and taxpayers are exposed to greater risk . 
eventually , the point will be reached when taxpayers have to bail out the pbgc if no action is taken . 
with these concerns in mind , i would ask the chairman to agree to work with me and the gentleman from minnesota ( mr. kline ) xz4002240 to develop a process , as the senate has done , to provide airlines with the flexibility needed to fund their defined benefit pension systems over a long amortization period . 
i believe it is critical that we join with the senate in this effort and through the conference process to develop final legislation that contains industry-specific reform for the airlines . 
madam speaker , reclaiming my time , let me thank my colleague from georgia for his work on this issue for lo these many months . 
i know that my colleague from minnesota ( mr. kline ) xz4002240 has similar concerns , and i am happy to yield to him . 
