The Bush Administration has already voiced strong opposition to the $3 billion-plus aid packages that House and Senate appropriations committees yesterday approved for an airline industry struggling with increased security costs (see yesterday's WIT). Calling the packages excessive, the White House set the stage for a showdown with Congressional Republicans---including the Senate Majority Leader and the Speaker of the House---who are unlikely to abandon this issue that affects many of their constituents. Attached to war appropriations bills in excess of $75 billion, both the House and Senate measures include salary caps limiting airline executives' pay to 2002 levels in addition to funding for security measures ranging from reinforced cockpit doors to war risk insurance.
See "Airlines' Financial Bailout Lands With a Thud at White House", RICHARD SIMON, Los Angeles Times, April 2, 2003