Failed negotiations cause FAA shutdown

Story from The Takeaway. Listen to audio above for full report.

Over the weekend, Congress failed to pass a funding extension for the Federal Aviation Administration, which caused a shutdown. The FAA was forced to furlough nearly 4,000 employees, and the federal government is loosing $200 million per week, because of an inability to collect taxes on airline tickets. It will also halt airport modernization projects worth billions of dollars.

Echoing the debate surrounding the debt ceiling, partisan disagreements about the organization’s long-term funding kept the extension from being approved. Lawmakers had previously passed 20 temporary spending measures in absence of a long-term budget plan.

Rep. John Mica (R-Fla), Chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure told The Takeaway that the democrats and Senate majority leader Harry Reid are to blame. “The extension that we sent over there was basically a clean extension, but it prohibited subsidies of more than $1,000 to three airports, and one of them is in Nevada,” said Mica. “It’s unfortunately Mr. Reid’s district that gets $3,700 per ticket subsidy.”

Mica points to this situation as an example of how difficult it is cut spending. “It’s very sad for the employees, its very sad for the F.A.A and it’s very sad for the country,” he said.

More:
> F.A.A. press release with media input from across the nation.
> How the FAA Shutdown Impacts Consumers

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“The Takeaway” is a national morning news program, delivering the news and analysis you need to catch up, start your day, and prepare for what’s ahead. The show is a co-production of WNYC and PRI, in editorial collaboration with the BBC, The New York Times Radio, and WGBH.