August 2, 2011

Contact: Justin Harclerode (202) 226-8767

Senate Leaders Choose Pork Programs over Furloughed FAA and Airport Construction Workers

Washington, DC - U.S. Rep. John L. Mica (R-FL), the Chairman of the House Transportation Committee, released the following statement on the Senate's inaction to approve a House-passed extension of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs:

"After waiting weeks and doing nothing but complaining about the process and blaming everyone but themselves, Senate Democrat leaders failed again today to approve an extension of FAA programs before leaving Washington for the August break. Apparently, protecting outrageous airline ticket subsidies is more important than putting 4,000 furloughed FAA employees and thousands of airport construction workers across the country back to work.

"The House sent the 21st extension to the Senate almost two weeks ago. The Senate could have avoided this entire situation by simply taking up the House-passed bill. This bill includes language taken directly from the Senate's long-term FAA bill, approved in February, to cut subsidies to airports within 90 miles of a large or medium-hub airport, including airports in West Virginia, Montana, and Nevada.

"The House bill also includes language to eliminate exorbitant subsidies of more than $1,000 per ticket at three airports, including Ely, Nevada, where each ticket is underwritten $3,720 by the federal government. The House bill cuts $16.5 million from a program that has increased over 300% over the last decade, to $200 million each year.

"To be clear, the House extension does not include any National Mediation Board labor provisions, which is another unresolved issue between the House and Senate.

"The 1997 partial shutdown of FAA lasted 21 days. This partial shutdown could last for at least 48 days if an agreement is not reached when Congress returns in September.

"I believe Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid summed up this entire situation clearly and succinctly when he said earlier today:

'The Essential Air Service is a program that I believe in, but I also believe that $3,500 per passenger is a little extreme. And I do my best to protect the state, but sometimes you have to be reasonable.

'We learned with this big deal we've just done, sometimes you have to step back and find out what's best for the country and not be bound by some of your own personal issues," Reid said. "And I'm willing to give that up. I hope the other senators would do the same." - CQ, August 2, 2011

Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood said today; 'We need the Senate to pass the House bill, before they go on their vacations, to put 4,000 people back to work and 70,000 construction workers,' LaHood said on a conference call. - Politico, August 2, 2011

And President Obama weighed in as well by saying; '...Congress needs to break that impasse now -- hopefully before the Senate adjourns -- so these folks can get back to work.' - The White House Blog, August 2, 2011

"Hardworking Americans are suffering because some powerful leaders in the Senate want to protect their own pork programs. We are all fed up with the sham that is going on in the Senate. The Senate made a clear choice - political pork over American workers."