mr. speaker , i rise today in strong support of h.r. 2830 , the pension protection act of 2005 . 
this bill addresses a serious issue facing our nation . 
the ultimate enactment of pension reform must be a priority to this house and the congress . 
i congratulate and thank chairman boehner and chairman thomas for crafting a comprehensive pension reform bill with so much support from the business and the labor communities . 
this legislation represents a successful compromise that will help protect workers in the auto industry and also protect the major u.s. auto manufacturers against loss of promised benefits or plan terminations . 
one area that remains to be addressed in conference is the issue of airline pension plans . 
the cincinnati/northern kentucky airport is one of the nation 's busiest . 
it is home to delta air lines ' second largest hub . 
thousands of men and women in kentucky 's fourth district work for airlines . 
they depend on the retirement benefits provided by the airline industry . 
without a change in current law that allows air carriers with defined benefit plan obligations to make their pension payments over a longer period of time -- 20 years -- it is possible that some or all of these plans will be terminated , benefits reduced and liability shifted to the american taxpayer . 
the airlines want to keep their promises to their employees . 
they want to honor their obligations . 
they do not want to terminate their pension plans nor to reduce benefits . 
but , they need to be equipped with the tools necessary to have a fighting chance to keep those promises . 
the senate airline pension language is carefully crafted to meet the particular concerns of all the major carriers and provide them with a 20 year period to meet their obligations . 
although we are not addressing this specific issue today , i strongly support continued pursuit in conference of the senate-passed airline pension provision . 
finally , i wish to thank my colleagues on the ways and means and education and workforce committees and their staff for the hard work that has brought us to this point today . 
i urge all of my colleagues to vote in favor of final passage . 
