The future of cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages may be threatened when Congress adjourned on Friday, July 22nd without passing a measure to reauthorize the funding of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The implications of this lack of action include:
The shutdown of a $2.5 billion program which provides grants for airport construction projects. Thousands of construction jobs are now in jeopardy.
Thousands of furloughs will be issued to FAA engineers, scientists, computer specialists, community planners and others. FAA workers could be furloughed in 35 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico.
These furloughs will end research on the critical major new air traffic control technology being called Next Gen which is supposed to replace our current sonar air traffic technology.
Continued funding was blocked by House Republicans who want to make it more difficult for airline and rail workers to unionize and cut subsidies for air service to rural airports.
The safety of the flying public will not be compromised by the expected layoffs, according to the Department of Transportation. Air traffic controllers and airport checkpoint security personnel will remain on the job.
The nearly 4,000 workers who will be furloughed perform critical work in the eyes of the FAA and do not deserve to be put out of work during these tough economic times.
Congress has extended FAAs funding almost 20 times in the past without controversy. If new legislation is not passed, the government will not collect almost $200 million a week in airline taxes that goes to the Airport and Airway Trust Fund.
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