This was a vote on tabling (killing) an amendment by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) that would have eliminated a provision of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding bill requiring the FAA (the federal agency which has regulatory authority over all civil aviation in the United States) to consult with the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA—the agency charged with enforcing federal workplace safety laws) when implementing workplace safety procedures for airplanes and airports. (This amendment was offered to the FAA funding bill.)

Paul urged support for his amendment: “…This amendment will keep OSHA out of the cockpit. This amendment is not about safety. OSHA wants to get into the cockpit to add regulatory burden….Before you vote to bring OSHA into the cockpit, you need to know and remember that 20 airlines have gone bankrupt in the last 10 years. Do we want to add more regulatory burden? Do we want to add more regulatory cost? …OSHA isn't all about safety. It is about regulatory burden--undue regulatory burden--on businesses, and I hope you will reject this.”

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) opposed the amendment: “…People who handle the airplanes, flight attendants, have one of the highest rates of accidents and illnesses in any part of the private sector….All this bill says is that FAA should consult with OSHA, work together to increase workplace safety in the airline industry. OSHA will have no regulatory power, they will have no subpoena power, they cannot issue citations, they cannot get in the cockpit. FAA merely consults with them. FAA still retains all of their authority, and it will not change in any way the way airline safety is regulated….What we do want to do is to have the FAA get the best expertise and advice on what they should do for safety around our airplanes and in our airports.”

The Senate tabled (killed) this amendment by a vote of 52-47. All 52 Democrats present voted “yea.” All 47 Republicans voted “nay.” As a result, the bill remained intact and  the FAA was required to consult with the Occupation Safety and Health Administration when implementing workplace safety procedures for airplanes and airports.