Federal Aviation Employees Protection Act of 2011

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Federal Aviation Employees Protection Act of 2011, which would allow the nearly 4,000 Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, employees left in limbo by a partial FAA shutdown to get back to work. While House Republicans continue to ignore their Congressional duties by opposing a short-term FAA extension, as well as an open and transparent process for a long-term FAA reauthorization, Democrats in the House and Senate have been working to address these furloughs. This legislation is a companion bill to S. 1433, introduced by Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, and 14 other senators on July 27, 2011.

On July 23, 2011, the FAA went into partial shutdown on the watch of House Republicans who, earlier that week, voted to restrict Essential Air Service, EAS, for small and rural communities instead of passing a clean, short-term FAA extension. As a result, the FAA was forced to furlough 3,594 employees, including engineering and electronics technicians, computer and logistics specialists, and support staff, among other workers. In addition, the FAA has halted hundreds of airport construction projects, suspended research on next-generation air traffic control systems (NextGen), and lost upwards of $30 million in tax revenue with each passing day. Without steady funding or workers, the FAA is unable to move forward with the long-term programs and projects that are vital to the future of our aviation system, including lifesaving airport safety improvements and the transition to NextGen.

As House Republicans continue playing the blame game with the Senate, American businesses and workers are losing out on much-needed economic opportunities. The ongoing partial shutdown and consequent furlough of FAA employees have had a devastating impact on families and communities in 35 states across the country. In particular, my home state of Florida has lost 27 FAA employees, 3,061 airport construction jobs, and $88 million in airport construction funding. Furthermore, media reports indicate that certain airlines

have raised consumer prices in order to capitalize on the FAA's inability to collect aviation excise taxes.

Failure to address this dire issue threatens jobs, raises construction costs, and harms consumers at a time when the economic security and stability of our nation's economy is called into question by political gridlock. Fortunately, there is a solution. Much of the FAA is self-funded through user fees that go into the Airport and Airway Trust Fund. The Federal Aviation Employees Protection Act uses this revenue to allow furloughed FAA employees to continue working with pay and benefits, and to provide retroactive pay for the period of their furlough, as Congress seeks a compromise on long-term FAA reauthorization.

Mr. Speaker, the FAA is now in its 10th consecutive day of partial shutdown, which means that furloughed FAA employees have been out of work and without pay for 10 days. This is unconscionable and unacceptable. I urge my colleagues to join me in standing up for these hard-working federal employees and help ensure the continued safety and improvement of our nation's aviation system by supporting the Federal Aviation Employees Protection Act. Enough is enough. If House Republicans were serious about bringing an end to the partial shutdown and furlough of FAA employees, they would support a clean, short-term FAA extension so that Congress could finalize and pass a long-term FAA reauthorization as soon as possible. It is clear that they are not.