mr. speaker , i rise to urge my colleagues to vote `` yes '' on this important piece of legislation for several reasons . 
paramount , it will help an industry that badly needs our help at a very critical time , and the only way we can help the airline industry is to get it into conference . 
there are a lot of things that may be right with this bill , there a lot of things that may be wrong with this bill , but the only answer and the logical and most responsible thing that we need to do is to vote `` yes '' and send the bill to conference , allow the process to work . 
i appreciate mr. miller xz4002781 who has worked very diligently with me and understands my concerns . 
i represent an area that has probably more airline employees maybe than any other district . 
i represent delta airlines . 
we all know that delta airlines is in a bankruptcy fight , fighting for its very life ; and the two most critical issues that they need help on is doing something to lower the high cost of fuel , which we have problems with and how we can do it . 
there are all kinds of questions . 
but there is one thing we can do , and that is to help them with relief of their pension plans . 
so i urge my colleagues to vote `` yes '' on this important legislation . 
mr. speaker , this is a comprehensive pension reform bill that will protect workers ' retirement incomes , give companies a longer window to make underfunded plans whole , and will help protect u.s. taxpayers from taking on the liability associated with future plan terminations . 
now i 'm asking your help to help my people in georgia . 
one area that remains to be addressed in conference are major airlines ' pension plans . 
delta air lines employs thousands of men and women in my district who rely now or plan to rely in whole or in part on retirement benefits provided by delta . 
without a change in current law that allows delta and other air carriers that have defined benefit plan obligations , like northwest , continental and american , to make their pension payments over a longer period of time -- 20 years -- it 's certainly a possibility that some or all of these plans will be terminated , benefits reduced and liability shifted to the taxpayer . 
these carriers want to honor their obligations , but need to be equipped with the tools to have a fighting chance to do so . 
and getting this pension bill to conference is our only hope . 
although we are not addressing this specific need today , i strongly support continued pursuit in conference of an airline specific provision similar to that passed by the senate , extending the payment period for these carriers to 20 years . 
help us get this bill to conference . 
let 's help delta and all the airlines who need our help so much . 
i want to thank chairman boehner for your hard work in making this reform bill a reality , and look forward to working with the conferees . 
