Ellison Denounces Republican Shutdown of FAA

Press Release

Republicans in Washington have begun an August recess without authorizing basic funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). By failing to ensure the safety of our air travel, Republicans have put nearly 90,000 U.S. jobs at risk. In the state of Minnesota alone this failure will cost over 1,200 jobs in airport construction, and result in the loss of $36 million in airport construction.

The Republican shutdown will cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion, and prevents airport construction, job creation, and the FAA's overall ability to modernize our airports for the entire month of August. Airport safety inspectors across the country will be forced to work without pay to ensure that the country's airports are safe.

Republicans shutdown the agency in a cynical effort to take away the rights of Americans who work for the airline industry to organize for fairness and a decent wage. The airline industry and their Washington lobbyists have spent thousands of dollars lobbying Republicans to reverse a rule that makes it easier for airline workers to join a union.

"With our unemployment rate still above 9 percent, it is heartless and irresponsible for Republicans to shirk their responsibility and put nearly 90,000 jobs at risk to pursue an ideological agenda," Ellison said. "Americans are sick and tired of this. It is time for Washington to start focusing on creating jobs, not putting more Americans out of work."

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