"I have made calls to key leaders, and I am urging them to get this done."

Barack Obama

FAA shutdown: aviation workers hit unemployment lines

August 4, 2011 – 11:29 pm By Kanchana Devi | |

Washington, August 4 (TruthDive): President Barack Obama has again urged Congress to end a funding row that has partially shut down the body which oversees US air safety. He said it was a “lose-lose situation” that could cost the government $1bn (£610m) in uncollected air fare taxes.

Many lawmakers left for summer breaks after the US debt crisis was resolved, without extending the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) budget. 4,000 aviation workers are being furloughed because Congress hasn’t approved FAA funding. Thousands of other workers are also affected because of the failure to pass legislation. The FAA has stopped hundreds of airport construction projects nationwide, putting about 24,000 construction workers out of work.

Another 35,000 support workers, such as food service vendors, are also affected, according to the Associated General Contractors of America. Safety inspectors are now being asked to work without pay. Air traffic control is not affected. The FAA was forced into partial shutdown after its operating authority expired on 23 July.

The FAA says the impasse will also prevent the federal government from collecting approximately $200 million a week in airline passenger taxes — or about $1.2 billion during the congressional recess. The House adjourned Monday after a divisive vote to raise the national debt ceiling, leaving the Senate with an FAA funding extension bill it did not like and could not amend. So the Senate recessed Tuesday night without doing anything.

At issue is a decision by Rep. John Mica, a Florida Republican, to add a provision to the funding extension cutting subsidies to rural airports. The measure is opposed by powerful Democrats such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.

There’s also a dispute over provisions that would make it easier for airline employees to unionize. Democrats support the section; Republicans generally oppose it. President Obama said on Wednesday: “This is a lose-lose-lose situation that can be easily solved if Congress gets back into town and does its job.” When asked what he could do to step in, Mr. Obama told reporters: “I have made calls to key leaders, and I am urging them to get this done.”

A White House official later confirmed that Mr Obama had called House Speaker John Boehner about the issue on Wednesday. Mr Boehner said the problem could be resolved if Senate Democrats would only accept $16.5m in air service subsidy cuts that the House last month attached to a bill to extend FAA’s operating authority.

Sphere: Related Content