[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 119 (Monday, August 1, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1463-E1464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   INTRODUCING THE FEDERAL AVIATION EMPLOYEES PROTECTION ACT OF 2011

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                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, August 1, 2011

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. 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

[[Page E1464]]

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.

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