LaHood says Congress holding America “hostage” in FAA impasse

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood continued to criticize Congress for the impasse over the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday, telling CNN that lawmakers are holding Americans "hostage" over "controversial issues."

"They talk a lot about jobs, they give good speeches about it," LaHood told CNN's “American Morning.” "I want them to walk the walk. Come back to D.C., walk up, cast their votes, put Americans back to work."

The partial shutdown of the FAA hit it's 13th day on Thursday. Four thousand non-essential FAA employees, and 70,000 construction workers, have been put on unpaid leave, though LaHood told CNN that flight safety "is not compromised."

The Senate recessed on Tuesday without passing a temporary funding extension approved by the House two weeks ago, potentially leaving the matter unresolved until September.

As a result of the partial shutdown, the FAA has been unable to collect federal taxes on airline tickets, which total as much as $30 million a day. On Wednesday, President Barack Obama told reporters that if nothing is done before Congress returns, it could mean up to $1 billion in uncollected fees. 

Both parties blame the other side for the conflict. Democrats oppose a provision added to the temporary extension bill by Republicans that would cut federal subsidies to small airports in three states with Democratic Senators: Nevada, Montana and New Mexico. Meanwhile, CNN reports, Republicans are opposed to 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 percent 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 percent 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.

The FAA has operated under 20 separate temporary funding extensions since 2007, as lawmakers have tried to hammer out a larger, long-term bill.

Late Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner, calling for Congress to "immediately resolve" the impasse.

"We must resolve our differences through the normal legislative process," Reid wrote. "In the meantime, we need a clean, short term extension to get these people back to work."

Time's Moneyland blog has a primer on how the partial shutdown has lead to confusion over airline ticket taxes, and how some airlines are pocketing the money:

Airlines haven’t been shy about taking advantage of the tax-related pandemonium brought on by the FAA shutdown. Nearly every carrier with the exception of Spirit Air jacked up their ticket prices to absorb the difference travelers would have otherwise enjoyed in the absence of taxes being collected. It’s no chump change, either; the taxes average around $60 on a $300 ticket.