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LaHood exhorts lawmakers to pass FAA extension
By the CNN Wire StaffcnnAuthor = "By the CNN Wire Staff";
Thousands of FAA workers jobless as Congress takes a break
Washington (CNN) -- Mark DePlasco, one of the many furloughed Federal Aviation Administration employees, is financially devastated by the lack of a paycheck and is desperately trying to juggle his bills.
His predicament has prompted Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to prod vacationing American lawmakers to interrupt their breaks, get back to work and pass a temporary funding measure that would put thousands of FAA and airport construction workers back on the job.
The Democratic-led Senate went on summer recess Tuesday without approving what would have been the 21st short-term funding extension for the FAA. The Republican-led House previously passed a short-term extension but included some changes opposed by Democrats.
On Thursday, LaHood scolded lawmakers to return and pass the extension. He says failure to do so effectively lays off 4,000 FAA employees and 70,000 construction workers, among others.
"They talk a lot about jobs. They give good speeches about it. I want them to walk the walk," said LaHood, a former Republican House member from Illinois. "Put hard-working Americans to work so they can get a paycheck just like Congress is receiving on their vacations."
The FAA has been partially shut down for more than a week. LaHood said "safety is not compromised" and "never will be compromised."
"Thousands of people are boarding planes. They will arrive safely today because our people are on their jobs doing the jobs that they know how to do, which is making sure that flying is safe."
The dispute over the extension involves language in the House proposal that would reduce or kill subsidies to rural airports, specifically targeting some in Nevada, Montana and New Mexico -- three states with influential Democratic senators.
A larger dispute behind the scenes also is a cause for the inaction. Republicans oppose a recent National Mediation Board decision backed by Democrats that makes it easier for airline employees to unionize.
The board's ruling made passage of a vote to unionize dependent on getting more than 50% support of those voting. For example, if a company has 1,000 workers but only 200 take part in the vote to unionize, the rule change would require 101 "yes" votes for it to pass.
Under old rules, more than 50% of all workers eligible to vote -- or 501 "yes" votes-- would have been required for it to pass. Workers who didn't cast ballots were counted as having voted "no," making it more difficult for supporters to succeed.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told CNN on Wednesday he blocked a short-term compromise bid proposed by Democratic and Republican colleagues because of the organized labor issue.
At a news conference Wednesday, top Senate Democrats blamed Republicans for the work stoppage.
"This issue has nothing to do with essential air services (at rural airports) and everything to do with a labor dispute between airlines and the American worker," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.
In response, Rep. John Mica, the Florida Republican who chairs the House Transportation Committee, said Senate Democrats have only themselves to blame.
"Senate Democrats had a House-passed FAA extension before them for two weeks but chose to do nothing," Mica said.
But LaHood said controversial items plugged into bills on other occasions didn't stop lawmakers from passing the extension.
"If you've got issues with labor. If you've got issues with money going to small airports to help airlines fly in and out, work that out. Don't hold the American jobs and American people hostage over controversial issues that were not a problem on 20 other times when Congress passed an extension," he said.
A study by a George Mason University professor says the claim that the FAA partial shutdown results in a layoff of 70,000 construction workers is at best an oversimplification, and at worst an exaggeration.
But no matter the precise number, the problem is real for DePlasco, the furloughed FAA employee, and others. He says he's trying to be optimistic that the problem will be settled by September when lawmakers return from their break.
"We're pretty much going to burn through all of our savings within a month, and then now we're working on programs out there to give us no-interest loans," he told CNN.
"I don't think any of us can even fathom going without a paycheck for another month and a half or even longer."
In addition to workers being forced on temporary furloughs, failure to extend funding for the FAA prevents collection of federal taxes on airline tickets -- some $30 million a day. If the dispute continues until Congress returns in September, the federal government will be out more than $1 billion in revenue.
By the CNN Wire StaffcnnAuthor = "By the CNN Wire Staff";
Thousands of FAA workers jobless as Congress takes a break
Washington (CNN) -- Mark DePlasco, one of the many furloughed Federal Aviation Administration employees, is financially devastated by the lack of a paycheck and is desperately trying to juggle his bills.
His predicament has prompted Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to prod vacationing American lawmakers to interrupt their breaks, get back to work and pass a temporary funding measure that would put thousands of FAA and airport construction workers back on the job.
The Democratic-led Senate went on summer recess Tuesday without approving what would have been the 21st short-term funding extension for the FAA. The Republican-led House previously passed a short-term extension but included some changes opposed by Democrats.
On Thursday, LaHood scolded lawmakers to return and pass the extension. He says failure to do so effectively lays off 4,000 FAA employees and 70,000 construction workers, among others.
"They talk a lot about jobs. They give good speeches about it. I want them to walk the walk," said LaHood, a former Republican House member from Illinois. "Put hard-working Americans to work so they can get a paycheck just like Congress is receiving on their vacations."
The FAA has been partially shut down for more than a week. LaHood said "safety is not compromised" and "never will be compromised."
"Thousands of people are boarding planes. They will arrive safely today because our people are on their jobs doing the jobs that they know how to do, which is making sure that flying is safe."
The dispute over the extension involves language in the House proposal that would reduce or kill subsidies to rural airports, specifically targeting some in Nevada, Montana and New Mexico -- three states with influential Democratic senators.
A larger dispute behind the scenes also is a cause for the inaction. Republicans oppose a recent National Mediation Board decision backed by Democrats that makes it easier for airline employees to unionize.
The board's ruling made passage of a vote to unionize dependent on getting more than 50% support of those voting. For example, if a company has 1,000 workers but only 200 take part in the vote to unionize, the rule change would require 101 "yes" votes for it to pass.
Under old rules, more than 50% of all workers eligible to vote -- or 501 "yes" votes-- would have been required for it to pass. Workers who didn't cast ballots were counted as having voted "no," making it more difficult for supporters to succeed.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, told CNN on Wednesday he blocked a short-term compromise bid proposed by Democratic and Republican colleagues because of the organized labor issue.
At a news conference Wednesday, top Senate Democrats blamed Republicans for the work stoppage.
"This issue has nothing to do with essential air services (at rural airports) and everything to do with a labor dispute between airlines and the American worker," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada.
In response, Rep. John Mica, the Florida Republican who chairs the House Transportation Committee, said Senate Democrats have only themselves to blame.
"Senate Democrats had a House-passed FAA extension before them for two weeks but chose to do nothing," Mica said.
But LaHood said controversial items plugged into bills on other occasions didn't stop lawmakers from passing the extension.
"If you've got issues with labor. If you've got issues with money going to small airports to help airlines fly in and out, work that out. Don't hold the American jobs and American people hostage over controversial issues that were not a problem on 20 other times when Congress passed an extension," he said.
A study by a George Mason University professor says the claim that the FAA partial shutdown results in a layoff of 70,000 construction workers is at best an oversimplification, and at worst an exaggeration.
But no matter the precise number, the problem is real for DePlasco, the furloughed FAA employee, and others. He says he's trying to be optimistic that the problem will be settled by September when lawmakers return from their break.
"We're pretty much going to burn through all of our savings within a month, and then now we're working on programs out there to give us no-interest loans," he told CNN.
"I don't think any of us can even fathom going without a paycheck for another month and a half or even longer."
In addition to workers being forced on temporary furloughs, failure to extend funding for the FAA prevents collection of federal taxes on airline tickets -- some $30 million a day. If the dispute continues until Congress returns in September, the federal government will be out more than $1 billion in revenue.
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