Don’t jet out of town, leaving the FAA grounded

Cross-posted from The Hill

For 11 days and counting, the Federal Aviation Administration has been without the authorization to go about a portion of its daily business.  We owe the American people a solution to this crisis before members head home for the August recess.

 

Because of congressional inaction, the FAA has been forced to issue some 200 stop-work orders — and turn 70,000 construction workers away from their jobs at airports across the country.  The FAA also was left with no choice but to put approximately 4,000 public servants on unpaid leave in 35 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. 

Every day this situation goes on, the consequences mount.

Runway paving, rehabilitation and extension projects are on hold. America’s transition from the radar-based airspace management system of the 20th century to the satellite-based airspace management system of the future is at a standstill.

New air traffic control towers in Gulfport, Miss.; Kalamazoo, Mich.; California’s Oakland and Palm Springs; Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and elsewhere remain unfinished — with contractors for additional towers in Cleveland and Fort Lauderdale, Fla., unselected and unable to move forward.

Worst of all, the American people are paying the economic toll.  At a time when 1 in 5 construction workers is looking for employment, 70,000 will idle away the peak of construction season at home, without pay. 

 

Stephen Sandherr, chief executive officer of the Associated General Contractors of America, put it well.  “No doubt there are important policy questions that need to be resolved with the aviation legislation,” he said.  “But construction workers shouldn’t have to suffer because Washington hasn’t figured out a way to work out its differences.”

The ripple effects are enormous. With workers barred from job sites, middle-class households won’t receive paychecks while their rent, mortgage or back-to-school bills pile up. Contractors will stop buying supplies. Employees will delay necessary purchases and repairs. Small-business owners will buy fewer goods for their restaurants and stores. 

Of course, Washington still has time to do the right thing. 

On 20 occasions since 2007, the Congress has passed short-term measures to keep the FAA up and running.  This is an imperfect solution because it creates enormous uncertainty for states, airports and contractors, but at least it keeps American workers on the job site.  There is absolutely no reason that Congress can’t pass another temporary fix while it works out the details of a longer-term vision for the future of America’s air transportation system.

 

I’ve devoted the better part of my career to Congress.  I worked as a congressional staffer for 17 years and served as a member of Congress for 14.  My message to my former colleagues is this: Don’t race to your departure gate while leaving America’s air transportation system grounded.

With one act — with a vote that you’ve already cast 20 times — you can put almost 75,000 people back to work immediately.  For the sake of our communities, our economy and the best aviation system in the world, let’s give the politics an August rest — and cut American workers a much-needed break.

Comments

[Debi Bacon, Retired FAA (after one week of furlough)]

Mr. Secretary,

I wish you had the nerve to say to Congress, "If we can't pay 4,000 people to do support jobs then we can't allow the skies to continue to be filled with airplanes. as of midnight tonight we are shutting down all airspace and noone will be allowed to take off."

I'll bet you all of the pay everyone is losing who is furloughed that Congress would have their useless rears back in Washington poste haste and pass a bill.

Please consider it.

[ps]

Given that Congress has recessed, why not have the President call a special session of Congress for the purpose of providing funding for our air transportation system?

This is an “extraordinary occasion” as called for in the Constitution, given the job losses, lost revenue and the fact that in reality, there is no disagreement on the existing tax rates and even the subsidy issue. No one is arguing that the now-abandoned projects should not be completed, Congress simply isn't here to continue to fund them. The President can fix that.

The special session would provide accountability and urgency that might allow for a permanent extension. If they don’t agree and they adjourn, the President can repeatedly call them back into session until they produce something.

[Ragnarok Private Server]

They really need to do something to fix what is going on cause its really bad or theres going to be major problems down the road

[Michael E. Bailey]

Now that the debt crisis is over, we need to concentrate on creating more jobs and putting people back to work again. Having the President call a special session of Congress to produce FAA funding for all the stalled projects and maybe even pass a long term FAA funding bill would be a great first step on the road to job creation and reducing unemployment.

Also, If you have any power to, I hope you will do what you can to end the posting of discriminatory employment notices on some major job search sites like Monster. Employers have been placing want adds on these sites that come out and say or imply that the Unemployed Need Not Apply.

[J. Gregg Collins]

Mr. Lahood:

Congressmen Hoyer and Rockefeller experienced the anger of the media at the Senate Conference this afternoon. When Rockefeller was asked why the Democrat controlled Congress didn't deal with the FAA situation in years past, he "we just didn't". Now Congress has gone on VACATION and 70,000 workers are out of a job. At least in the Senate, the Democrats still control the chamber. All of you are a DISGRACE and despite your background, you have given in to Washington politics. These are people's LIVES you are dealing with. STOP IT. You are playing politics to the detriment of this country and I will do all I can to keep those who appointed you and their ilk from getting re-elected.

[Lissa Shannon]

Why can't we call for a national "blue flu" of all unpaid inspectors, ATC's and all other non-furloughed FAA employees and contractors. It is even more painful to see that in many news reports and media conversations about this issue, the contractors to the FAA are not even considered. There are not only construction workers at risk here but thousands of engineers and scientists who are contracted by the FAA to work and whose work is helping to improve efficiency and safety in our skies.

Shutting down the skies for even a day may wake up congress. It is unconscionable that any congress member would even consider vacationing while tens of thousands of American families are going to suffer due to their infantile political maneuvering. It conjures images of Nero fiddling while Rome burned. We should be urging President Obama to invoke his executive privelege of recalling congress.

A vacation is an entitlement provided for working and doing one's job. How can congress think that they have earned the right to vacation when they have failed to do the job they were hired to do? Shame on both parties and their special interests. They are breaking the backs of middle class families and we need to fight back.

[bail bonds las vegas]

Hopefully now that the debt crisis is over and a budget is set, we can focus on the unemployment rate! FAA should not have lost their jobs.. we definetly need their expertise! I will definetly rethink my votes for 2012 elections!!