Lack Of Reauthorization Extension Causes Partial FAA Shutdown
Partisan squabbles have kept federal lawmakers from passing a long-term reauthorization of funding for the Federal Aviation Administration for the past five years. Those disagreements have now delayed passage of a 21st temporary extension of FAA funding, forcing the governmental agency into partial shutdown.
The move means that funding for the modernization of the air traffic control system and for safety and infrastructure-related projects at airports across the U.S. are on hold indefinitely.
Lawmakers were haggling primarily over provisions in the House version of the bill that would have reduced government subsidies for the Essential Air Service eligibility to 13 airports in small and rural communities and eliminate subsidies altogether at three airports. The moves would save about $16M.
The Republican-controlled House passed the measure last week. The Democratic-controlled Senate, however, adjourned Friday without passing the extension. Supporters of the measure call the cuts important a necessary tightening of government spending. Opponents say the discussion over Essential Air Service cuts should be a part of the long-term FAA funding bill, not the temporary extension.
The partial shutdown means 4,000 federal workers went on furlough and payments to airports for construction projects are stopped indefinitely. Air traffic controllers are deemed essential employees and will continue working during the shutdown; however, airlines will not be required to pay federal ticket taxes, which could benefit airlines to the tune of $25M per day, according to analysts at JP Morgan cited by the Wall Street Journal.
Republicans and Democrats have been dueling through media statements in the days leading up to and since the shutdown. Florida Republican John Mica, who chairs the House transportation and infrastructure committee, criticized Democrats for opposing the measure.
“It is now up to the Senate to pass this bill and not shut down FAA programs over a little provision that eliminates huge government subsidies to just three small airports,” he says in a statement released last week.
In a statement Tuesday, Democrats called on Republicans to pass an FAA extension free of measures relating to Essential Air Service or other policy measures.
“The adverse economic impacts of not funding the FAA are serious, as airport construction projects have stopped and thousands of construction workers are sitting at home,” says Rep. Jerry Costello, D-Ill.
Greg Principato, president and CEO of Airports Council International-North America, says the failure to reach an agreement has left airports across the country and their communities in a bind.
“Congress needs to pass a clean FAA extension and deal with their policy differences as they continue negotiations on a final [long-term] FAA reauthorization bill,” Principato says. “Twenty extensions is too many, but without extension 21 and a full reauthorization, airports will be unable to move forward on vital safety and security projects that create jobs locally and improve the national aviation infrastructure.”
The drying up of funding for NextGen was particularly galling to Robert Poole, director of transportation studies at the Reason Foundation.
“Without the major modernization of the ATC system promised by the NextGen technologies, the system may well run out of capacity in a decade or two – the time it will take to fully phase in NextGen,” he says. “Limited capacity means worsening delays and eventually rationing of airspace. That would be crippling to a healthy, growing economy.”
