Election '92

With the November election just weeks away, it is appropriate to make AOPA members aware of all the candidates who have received the support of the AOPA Political Action Committee. Over the past few months, AOPA's legislative affairs staff has reviewed some of the more prominent national candidates in "Election '92," the last installment of which appears on p. 18 in this issue. (Photographs of some of those candidates appear on these pages.) This report takes a look at candidates in almost every state in the nation.

As you review the list of candidates on the next few pages, you may be surprised to find the names of men and women representing nearly every point on the political spectrum — conservatives and liberals, Republicans and Democrats. The list contains approximately 130 names, divided nearly evenly between the two political parties. Many are welcome newcomers, emerging in one of the greatest years of political change in recent history. Others are well- known leaders who have dedicated productive and distinguished careers to public service.

You may agree or disagree with some of these individuals when it comes to other important issues of the day. But if the subject is general aviation, you'll find that everyone on the list has demonstrated support in one way or another — some more than others, to be sure. And the list tends to change somewhat from election to election, reflecting the inevitable shifts in AOPA's network of congressional contacts. But in total, these are the people who have consistently shown that they understand the important contributions of general aviation.

Keep in mind, as you look over the names, the factors that influence whether AOPA-PAC will support a specific candidate. First, those who are general aviation pilots obviously receive serious consideration because of their demonstrated interest and familiarity with aviation issues.

Second, you'll notice that members of several specific congressional committees tend to be among those who have earned PAC support. These are the so-called "committees of jurisdiction" — the committees that have responsibility for matters affecting general aviation. In the House, these important committees are the full Committee on Public Works and Transportation and its subcommittee on aviation, and also the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology and its subcommittee on technology and competitiveness. The Public Works Committee has broad responsibility over most aviation issues, while the Science Committee has more limited jurisdiction over the Federal Aviation Administration's research programs.

In the Senate, most aviation matters come within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and its subcommittee on aviation. And in both the House and Senate, the Appropriations committees play a key role by determining the spending priorities for federal dollars allocated to aviation programs. The FAA's annual budget is crafted by the transportation appropriations subcommittees of both the House and Senate, and several of the members of these two powerful subcommittees are among those with whom AOPA works most closely.

Finally, a host of other factors may influence whether a candidate receives support — such as assistance provided as a member of the congressional leadership or as a member of other important committees, including the Ways and Means Committee or the House Rules Committee (which controls the flow of legislation to the House floor). But all of these candidates have one thing in common. Each has demonstrated an understanding of the importance of general aviation.

With these factors in mind, here are the candidates who have earned AOPA-PAC support in 1992. — Thomas B. Chapman

COMPILED BY CHRISTOPHER T. PEACE

ALABAMA

• Representative Sonny Callahan (R) — Energy and Commerce Committee member, helpful with lead-fuel ban and used-oil issues.
• Representative Bud Cramer (D) — Member of both Public Works and Science committees.

ALASKA

• Senator Frank H. Murkowski (R) — Established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Don Young (R) — Established AOPA supporter.

ARIZONA

• Senator John McCain (R) — Pilot, ranking Republican on aviation subcommittee, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Bob Stump (R) — Member of both Armed Services and Veterans committees, helpful with veterans' flight-training issue.

ARKANSAS

• No candidates in 1992.

CALIFORNIA

• Representative Christopher Cox (R) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Randy Cunningham (R) — AOPA member and pilot, established AOPA supporter.
• Challenger Tom Heuning (R) — AOPA member and pilot.
• Representative Norman Y. Mineta (D) — Former chairman of aviation subcommittee, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Ron Packard (R) — Former aviation subcommittee member, member of Public Works Committee, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R) — Science Committee member.
• Challenger Dick Rutan (R) — AOPA member and pilot, established AOPA supporter.
• Challenger Mark Takano (D) — Established AOPA supporter.

COLORADO

• Representative Ben Nighthorse Campbell (D) — AOPA member and pilot, established AOPA supporter, running for Senate.
• Representative David E. Skaggs (D) — Appropriations Committee member, former aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.

CONNECTICUT

• Representative Rosa DeLauro (D) — Public Works Committee member.

DELAWARE

• No candidates in 1992.

FLORIDA

• Senator Bob Graham (D) — Former pilot, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Tom Lewis (R) — AOPA member and pilot, ranking Republican on technology and competitiveness subcommittee, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Pete Peterson (D) — Pilot, aviation subcommittee member.
• Challenger Dixie Sansome (R) — AOPA member and pilot.
• Challenger Stephanie Slavin (D) — AOPA member and pilot.

GEORGIA

• Senator Wyche Fowler (D) — Appropriations Committee member.
• Representative Newt Gingrich (R) — Former ranking Republican on aviation subcommittee, member of Republican leadership (minority whip), established AOPA supporter.
• Representative John Lewis (D) — Aviation subcommittee member, member of Democratic leadership (chief deputy whip).

HAWAII

• Senator Daniel K. Inouye (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.

IDAHO

• Representative Richard H. Stallings (D) — Established AOPA supporter, running for Senate.

ILLINOIS

• Representative Jerry F. Costello (D) — Member of both Public Works and Science committees.
• Representative Richard J. Durbin (D) — Pilot, transportation appropriations subcommittee member.
• Representative William O. Lipinski (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Robert H. Michel (R) — House minority leader.
• Representative Dan Rostenkowski (D) — Chairman of Ways and Means Committee.
• Representative George E. Sangmeister (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.

INDIANA

• Representative Peter J. Visclosky (D) — Appropriations Committee member.

IOWA

• Representative Jim Ross Lightfoot (R) — AOPA member and pilot, former aviation subcommittee member, Appropriations Committee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Neal Smith (D) — Chairman of commerce, justice, state appropriations subcommittee, helpful with National Weather Service issues.

KANSAS

• Senator Robert Dole (R) — Senate minority leader, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Dan Glickman (D) — Co-chairman of Congressional Aviation Forum, technology and competitiveness subcommittee member, leading proponent of product liability reform, established AOPA supporter.

KENTUCKY

• Senator Wendell H. Ford (D) — Chairman of aviation subcommittee, member of Democratic leadership (majority whip), established AOPA supporter.

LOUISIANA

• Senator John B. Breaux (D) — Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee member.
• Representative Jimmy Hayes (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.

MAINE

• No candidates in 1992.

MARYLAND

• Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D) — Transportation appropriations subcommittee member, helpful with lead-fuel ban and auxiliary flight service station (XFSS) issues, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Helen Delich Bentley (R) — Public Works Committee member.
• Representative Benjamin L. Cardin (D) — Ways and Means Committee member.
• Challenger Tom Hattery (D) — AOPA member and pilot, Maryland state legislator, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Steny H. Hoyer (D) — Appropriations Committee member, member of Democratic leadership (caucus chairman).
• Representative Thomas McMillen (D) — Science Committee member.
• Representative Constance A. Morella (R) — Technology and competitiveness subcommittee member.

MASSACHUSETTS

• Representative Nicholas Mavroules (D) — Armed Services Committee member, helpful with controversial "shoot-down" issue.
• Representative John Joseph Moakley (D) — Chairman of Rules Committee.

MICHIGAN

• Representative David E. Bonior (D) — Member of Democratic leadership (majority whip).
• Representative Robert Carr (D) — AOPA member and pilot, member of transportation appropriations subcommittee, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Barbara-Rose Collins (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative John D. Dingell (D) — Chairman of Energy and Commerce Committee, helpful with lead-fuel ban and used-oil issues.
• Representative Fred Upton (R) — Former aviation subcommittee member, member of Energy and Commerce Committee.

MINNESOTA

• Representative James L. Oberstar (D) — Chairman of aviation subcommittee, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Collin C. Peterson (D) — Pilot, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Martin Olav Sabo (D) — Transportation appropriations subcommittee member.

MISSISSIPPI

• Representative Mike Parker (D) — AOPA member and pilot, aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.

MISSOURI

• Representative Bill Emerson (R) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Richard A. Gephardt (D) — House majority leader.
• Representative Mel Hancock (R) — AOPA member and pilot, aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Alan Wheat (D) — Rules Committee member.

• Representative Ron Marlenee (R) — Established AOPA supporter.

NEBRASKA

• Representative Bill Barrett (R) — Pilot, established AOPA supporter.

NEVADA

• Senator Harry Reid (D) — Appropriations Committee member.
• Representative Barbara F. Vucanovich (R) — Pilot, established AOPA supporter.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

• Representative Dick Swett (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Bill Zeliff (R) — Aviation subcommittee member.

NEW JERSEY

• Representative William J. Hughes (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Frank Pallone, Jr. (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Robert G. Torricelli (D) — Former chairman and current member of technology and competitiveness subcommittee.

NEW MEXICO

• Representative Joe Skeen (R) — AOPA member and pilot, Appropriations Committee member.

NEW YORK

• Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato (R) — Ranking Republican on transportation appropriations subcommittee.
• Representative Sherwood L. Boehlert (R) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Susan Molinari (R) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Gerald B. Solomon (R) — Ranking Republican on Rules Committee.

NORTH CAROLINA

• Representative Cass Ballenger (R) — Aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative David E. Price (D) — Transportation appropriations subcommittee member.
• Representative Charles H. Taylor (R) — Public Works Committee member.
• Representative Tim Valentine (D) — Chairman of technology and competitiveness subcommittee, aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.

NORTH DAKOTA

• Representative Byron L. Dorgan (D) — Established AOPA supporter, running for Senate.

OHIO

• Senator John Glenn (D) — AOPA member and pilot, helpful with controversial "shoot-down" issue, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Douglas Applegate (D) — Public Works Committee member.
• Representative Paul E. Gillmor (R) — Public Works Committee member.
• Representative David L. Hobson (R) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Bob McEwen (R) — Former aviation subcommittee member, Rules Committee member, helpful with civil penalties issue, established AOPA supporter.

OKLAHOMA

• Senator Don Nickles (R) — Pilot, Appropriations Committee member.
• Representative Bill Brewster (D) — Public Works Committee member.
• Representative James M. Inhofe (R) — AOPA member and pilot, aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Dave McCurdy (D) — Former chairman of technology and competitiveness subcommittee, Science Committee member.

OREGON

• Senator Bob Packwood (R) — Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee member.
• Representative Peter A. DeFazio (D) — Aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Robert F. Smith (R) — AOPA member and pilot, established AOPA supporter.

PENNSYLVANIA

• Senator Arlen Specter (R) — Appropriations Committee member.
• Representative Robert A. Borski (D) — Public Works and Transportation Committee member.
• Representative William F. Clinger, Jr. (R) — Ranking Republican on aviation subcommittee, established AOPA supporter.
• Challenger Jim Greenwood (R) — Established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Bud Shuster (R) — Aviation subcommittee member.

RHODE ISLAND

• No candidates in 1992.

SOUTH CAROLINA

• Senator Ernest F. Hollings (D) — Chairman of Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee; Appropriations Committee member.
• Representative John M. Spratt, Jr. (D) — Armed Services Committee member, helpful with controversial "shoot-down" issue.

SOUTH DAKOTA

• Senator Thomas A. Daschle (D) — AOPA member and pilot, leading proponent of veterans' flight-training benefits, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Tim Johnson (D) — Established AOPA supporter.

• Representative Bob Clement (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative John J. Duncan, Jr. (R) — Aviation subcommittee member.
• Representative Bart Gordon (D) — Rules Committee member.
• Representative James H. Quillen (R) — Former ranking Republican on Rules Committee, helpful with XFSS issue, established AOPA supporter.

TEXAS

• Representative Jim Chapman (D) — AOPA member and pilot, Appropriations Committee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Ronald D. Coleman (D) — Transportation appropriations subcommittee member.
• Representative Thomas D. DeLay (R) — Transportation appropriations subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Chet Edwards (D) — AOPA member and pilot, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Pete Geren (D) — Aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Sam Johnson (R) — AOPA member and pilot, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Greg H. Laughlin (D) — Aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Challenger Donna Vance Peterson (R) — Pilot, established AOPA supporter.

UTAH

• Representative Bill Orton (D) — Pilot, established AOPA supporter.

VIRGINIA

• Representative Herbert H. Bateman (R) — Established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Thomas J. Bliley, Jr. (R) — Energy and Commerce Committee member, helpful with lead-fuel ban and used-oil issues.
• Challenger Henry Butler (R) — Established AOPA supporter.
• Challenger Bob Goodlatte (R) — Established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Lewis F. Payne, Jr. (D) — Aviation subcommittee member, established AOPA supporter.
• Representative Frank R. Wolf (R) — Transportation appropriations subcommittee member.

WASHINGTON

• Representative Rod Chandler (R) — AOPA member and pilot, established AOPA supporter, running for Senate.
• Challenger Bill Almon (R) — AOPA member and pilot.
• Representative Norman D. Dicks (D) — Appropriations Committee member.
• Representative Thomas S. Foley (D) — Speaker of the House.
• Challenger Mark Gardner (R) — AOPA member and pilot.

WEST VIRGINIA

• Representative Nick Joe Rahall II (D) — Aviation subcommittee member.

WISCONSIN

• Senator Robert W. Kasten, Jr. (R) — Aviation subcommittee member, leading proponent of product liability reform.
• Representative Les Aspin (D) — Chairman of Armed Services Committee, helpful with controversial "shoot-down" issue.
• Representative David R. Obey (D) — Appropriations Committee member.
• Representative Thomas E. Petri (R) — Aviation subcommittee member.

WYOMING

• No candidates in 1992.