Shutdown of FAA Furloughs Hundreds of Atlanta Jobs, Threatens Development Projects
Washington--On April 7, 2011, the Senate requested the House meet in a conference to resolve the differences between the House- and Senate-passed long-term FAA reauthorization bills. More than 100 days later, the House has taken no action to agree to a conference. Despite claims by Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL) that such differences could be resolved "in 20 minutes," the House Republican leadership is holding the negotiations hostage and has been unwilling to negotiate the differences between the bills in an open and transparent process.
The inability of Republican leadership to resolve this issue has jeopardized $2.5 billion in construction projects, 87,000 American construction jobs, and caused the furlough of 3600 FAA aviation engineers, safety analysts and other professionals in 35 states. The shutdown will cost the federal government $200 million per week in lost revenue.
"Atlanta is home to the busiest airport in the world," said Rep. John Lewis. "This shut down means 334 employees are now on furlough, and $67 million in construction projects hang in the balance in our district. The American people must see that political gain has trumped a commitment to good public policy in this instance. There are members of Congress willing to jeopardize the livelihood of millions of Americans in order to see who blinks first. They are unwilling to reach the kind of compromise that has made this system of government an example to the rest of the world. This is not responsible leadership. Members who are truly concerned about the federal deficit, would never allow a lapse in revenue that amounts to $200 million a week. The inaction of House leadership on these and other matters suggests a reckless disregard for their own stated mandate for greater fiscal responsibility."
In a letter to House Speaker John Boehner on Tuesday, Rahall and U.S. Representative Jerry Costello (D-IL), top Democrat on the Aviation Subcommittee, called on the Speaker to appoint a conference committee to move the process forward in an open and transparent fashion.
The Republican-led FAA shutdown that began at midnight last Friday will lead to construction jobs lost in every state and FAA aviation experts furloughed in 35 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.
Read this original document at: http://johnlewis.house.gov/index.php?option=com_contentandtask=viewandid=853andItemid=1
