AERONA1 riCS VND rRANSPORTATION 757 



$50 million more than they had spent the prior year. The subcommittee 

 decided it was time to stair offering substantial rather than moderate 

 increases in this vital area, and upped that request to $21 1 ,890,000 —a 

 whopping addition of $48,450,000. The subcommittee was unanimous 

 in its vote. Wydler and Pelly led the crusade at all stages of the un- 

 usually strong effort. 



HECHLER KIDS GOODBYE 



Ar the full committee markup session on March 22, Hechler bade 

 goodbye to the committee on which he had served for 13 years. He told 

 the committee that since his congressional district had been abolished, 

 u would be impossible for him to survive the 1972 primary in May 

 1972. Noting the increase of close to $50 million his subcommittee was 

 bringing in for approval, at a time when other subcommittees were 

 holding the line, Hechler told the markup session: "We might as well 

 go out with Roman candles." Wydler was sympathetic: 



I hope your prediction or statement that preceded the report of the committee 

 turns out to he untrue, hecause I personally found it to he a pleasure to work with the 

 gentleman on the subcommittee, and it would he a great loss to the Congress and to 

 the country if your prediction did come true. 



Hechler, who had been born in Wydler's district, replied: "I may 

 move back to Long Island. You had better watch out." Wydler 

 responded: "That's all right. Just don't run in my district." Other 

 committee Democrats quietly counted what seniority positions they 

 would have once the third-ranking Democrat was gone. (Actually, 

 he did not leave for another four years.) 



After the jocular interchanges had been completed, Wydler went 

 on to make a strong case for a $41 million add-on the subcommittee 

 had voted to speed by one year the retrofitting of the existing air 

 fleet. He sponsored a special tape-recorded demonstration which 

 dramatically brought home to the committee the difference in aircraft 

 engine noise levels which could be achieved. Wydler pointed out that 

 the additional funds would not add to the total cost, but would simply 

 mean spending more of the money sooner, thereby speeding up the 

 attainment of the goal. He added: 



There is good reason to believe that most of these funds can be recovered by the 

 Federal Government when we finally get around to some means of financing the 

 retrofitting program that is going to result from this. It is obvious that the passenger 

 on a plane is going to have to pay for this in one fashion or another, whether it is 

 a new tax or an increased fare; and that is perfectly proper. 



Scibcrling asked Wydler how OMB was going to treat this budget- 

 busting move Wydler responded: 



The only thing that I can tell you is that 1 am working on it. 1 am trying to con- 

 vince the people in the Administration at a level which is high enough to make some 



